Have you ever ever wished to strive one thing new within the outdoor, like automotive tenting or an in a single day backpacking journey, however have been intimidated by the price of shopping for all new gear – like a tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad?
Or what if, after shopping for all that new gear, you determine that sticking to day hikes is extra your jam and now you’re caught with a bunch of drugs you don’t know what to do with?
We’ve acquired excellent news — you possibly can shop the REI Co-op Used Outdoor Gear section as an alternative! Out of doors fans can rating gently used, pre-loved merchandise together with used backpacking tents, tenting gear, climbing boots, and extra at a hefty low cost!
The gear assortment comes from REI returns, in addition to gadgets which are traded in by different REI members. Since this gear is used, which means stock is consistently altering, so even if you happen to can’t initially discover what you’re on the lookout for, preserve checking the location.
Shopping for used out of doors gear is an effective way to be a extra eco-conscious outdoor particular person – and likewise lower your expenses so you possibly can funds extra on your out of doors adventures. As devoted REI Members, we’re stoked about all of the explanation why our favourite out of doors firm is making it even simpler for the Co-op group to get used variations of the perfect gear available on the market.
Sponsored by REI Co-op
REI Co-op is our favourite out of doors gear retailer and a long-time supporter of our work right here at Bearfoot Idea. We recognize their 1-year return coverage, their Member-only coupons, and the truth that REI Members obtain 10% again on their purchases yearly. We solely advocate merchandise we really love and suppose you’ll love too.
1. Shopping for Used Out of doors Gear is Cheaper
It’s no secret that purchasing secondhand out of doors gear will end in a lower cost and for some gadgets, this could possibly be an enormous worth distinction. Worth is likely one of the greatest obstacles of entry to the outside since gear will be costly and provides up shortly while you’re new to the outside or to a selected out of doors exercise.
Despite the fact that having fun with the outside is often free or cheap, getting the correct gear undoubtedly isn’t, and if you happen to’re attempting to economize or just can’t afford a big-ticket merchandise, shopping for used out of doors gear is the best way to go.
At REI Used, they promote pre-loved, gently used gadgets from title manufacturers like Patagonia, The North Face, Arc’teryx, and extra which were intently inspected, so you possibly can nonetheless rating high quality gadgets for a fraction of the associated fee. A few of these gadgets have solely been worn a few times, and really feel virtually model new!
As an alternative of dropping lots of dough on costly new gear, save your cash to splurge on an unimaginable journey.
Listed below are a number of of our favourite sections to browse on REI’s used gear website. Act now as a result of these things have restricted availability and test again actually because the obtainable gear is rotating typically.
Used Backpacking, Mountaineering & Tenting Gear:
Used Out of doors Attire:
2. Used Out of doors Gear is Higher for the Atmosphere
As out of doors fans, sustainable residing and decreasing our environmental impression is high of thoughts to make sure we’re doing our greatest to guard our oceans, rivers, mountains, and our planet as a complete. It’s no secret that the well being of our planet is in peril between rising international greenhouse gasoline emissions, warming temperatures, rising ocean ranges, and deforestation. As people, it may be exhausting to know what we are able to do to decelerate this trajectory and have an effect on change, however there are simple methods to alter on a regular basis shopping for habits and make an impression by decreasing our consumption.
The retail trade is the second largest polluter on the earth, proper after the oil trade. In accordance with REI’s web site, one rubbish truck’s value of textiles is landfilled or incinerated each second. From water and air emissions to discharges from manufacturing unit operations, delivery, and extra, the manufacturing of recent out of doors gear leaves a hefty carbon footprint, whether or not we prefer it or not.
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Obtain our Helpful Out of doors Packing Checklists and Journey Planning Guides
Though many out of doors gear corporations, together with REI, have begun to implement constructive adjustments like decreasing waste, harnessing photo voltaic, using natural and recycled supplies, and decreasing water consumption, creating new gear nonetheless has an enormous environmental impression.
So as an alternative of going for that new pack right away, try what may already be in REI’s used gear shop simply ready to be discovered. Searching for used tenting gear offers a second (or third, or fourth) life to gear which may in any other case find yourself in landfill. Switching to used out of doors gear will get you what you want and likewise minimizes your environmental impression on the similar time – win-win!
3. Shopping for Used Out of doors Gear from REI is Handy
REI’s Used Gear web site makes your entire shopping for course of handy by curating used out of doors gear in a single place. Storage gross sales, thrift shops, and websites like Craigslist have been round for years to search out offers on secondhand out of doors gear, but it surely takes time to search out what you’re on the lookout for (if you happen to’re capable of finding it in any respect!), and product high quality shouldn’t be assured. REI used gear has been inspected for high quality and will be returned as much as 30 days after buy, so that you’re coated if it doesn’t find yourself figuring out.
Among the many gear that’s up on the market, REI’s used gear part consists of a big selection of footwear, like climbing boots, climbing sneakers, winter boots, trainers, and extra. What’s the advantage of shopping for a previously-owned pair of sneakers, you may surprise? Nicely, they’ve already been cleaned and damaged in for you – what a time saver!
Simply consider it as if somebody had accomplished you the favor of strolling round in your new climbing boots to melt them up — which, in a approach, they sort of did. The brand new finest blister prevention for out of doors footwear? Shopping for a used pair. And don’t fear, you’re not going to search out an outdated pair of pungent used sneakers such as you is perhaps imagining, simply gently used ones that also have loads of life in them.
4. You Can Attempt Out One thing New for Much less
All of the analysis on the earth can’t exchange the worth of time and expertise. Till you’ve gone out on a multi-day backpacking journey or in a single day kayaking journey, you received’t actually know what sort of gear works finest for you, or if you happen to even just like the exercise! Earlier than absolutely committing to a brand new out of doors exercise and spending some huge cash investing in new gear, why not purchase used out of doors gear to check out?
Shopping for used out of doors gear, particularly in case you are new to the outside, relieves the stress and your expectation to make the right buy each time. Don’t get us flawed, we expect you will get fairly darn shut and even nail it with the gear recommendation we share right here at Bearfoot Idea, however shopping for used out of doors gear makes the method of attempting out new merchandise or out of doors actions a bit simpler and fewer of a danger. Plus, if it doesn’t work out, you possibly can nonetheless commerce in your used gear with REI’s trade-in program and obtain REI credit score towards your subsequent piece of drugs!
How the REI Used Gear Program Works
When you’re already an REI Member, you understand that they’ve the perfect return coverage within the out of doors trade. So what occurs to that lightly used gear that didn’t work out for the final particular person? The REI Used Gear Site is the place it’s now ending up. REI inspects the gear for high quality to make sure all product options (like zippers or snaps) are in working situation. Then, it is going to rank the merchandise into 4 completely different situation ranges:
- Glorious: Virtually new; seemingly by no means worn outdoors
- Evenly Worn: Path-tested a number of occasions; minor put on seen
- Reasonably Worn: Used for a season; seen put on
- Nicely Worn: Damaged in; seen put on
The situation of the merchandise will be discovered instantly above the “Add to Cart” button on REI’s web site. Objects are priced in response to their situation stage and all gadgets have loads of journey left in them. Objects which are in “glorious” situation might have solely been used a few times, so while you consider it like that, a few of the “used” gear is virtually model new! So test it out, avoid wasting cash, after which discover our Vacation spot Archives to plan a visit with the cash you will have left over.
How the REI Commerce-In Program Works
REI Co-op members can commerce in gently used out of doors gear in trade for REI reward playing cards – how wonderful is that? REI accepts gently used gear that REI has offered prior to now 6 years together with most males’s, ladies’s, and children’ clothes and sneakers, in addition to gear like sleeping baggage, backpacks, and tents – you would obtain as much as 50% of the retail worth. One of the best half? You may commerce in gear that you just didn’t even purchase from REI (so long as REI additionally carries that product, in fact).
So how does it work?
When you favor to do an in-person trade-in or need to save on delivery prices, you possibly can merely deliver your used gear to your native REI retailer.
In any other case, you possibly can simply course of the trade-in on-line!
First, you’ll search for the item online, then REI provides you with the trade-in worth. After you settle for, REI will ship you a delivery label (or perhaps a full delivery package together with packaging if you happen to don’t have any obtainable at residence) so you possibly can mail in your gadgets. In return, you get an REI reward card for the trade-in worth (minus a $6 delivery price), and your used gear will get a second life! This course of couldn’t be any simpler (you don’t even have to go away your house!) and is a tremendous technique to clear out your closet.
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