REI and consumptive use??

[wags]

I'd gladly shop at REI if they supported hunting, trapping and fishing. My most recent experience with them is that if anything they are antagonistic towards the consumptive use of wildlife.
Mark

 

[highcountry]

don't they sell leather boots and boot grease?

 

[BucknRut]

Was not aware they held this stance. Are you sure you are correct? I'm not saying you aren't, just don't know to be honest.
Joshua

 

[Kenaimike]

I don't really care!
I like some of their gear, and when purchased on sale is a good deal.

An arguement could be made that using their gear to hunt with/in is the best revenge...IF they are antis.

 

[Mr. Pid]

You make your choices, REI's employees can make theirs. I shop there all the time. I'm clear with the clerks that I'm a snowmachiner/pilot/hunter. They've been exceptionally courtious and helpful every single time I've been in. If they offer me such respect, why should I show them anything less?

 

[cwh]

I've found them to be very different in AK than the stores in Oregon. I definately get the "anti-hunter" vibe in Oregon, but not so much up here. I agree, some of their gear is really good, and some of it is really hard to find anywhere else.

 

[Kenaimike]

Yep. I bought some items at REI last year and told them it was for a goat hunt.

Ya know what the clerk said? "Good luck...have a good trip!"

i think it depends more on the clerk than anything else. Don't know or care corporate policy.

 

[bizymocha]

Wake up and look around.

Wake up and look around.

I can't believe there is anyone who doesn't realize REI is anti hunter, trapper and anything that "hurts our mother the earth"! I just looked at their website and they are selling carbon points to offset your energy consumption by burning fossil fuels. These morons are pro Kyoto, anti Bush, anti oil, anti nuclear, anti coal and anti profit. They call their membership a "coop". Look at the bumper stickers when you walk thru the parking lot. The main one in Bloomington MN has a bulletin board that is chock full of global warnings and seminars in the area including the showing of Al Gores' "Inconvenient Truth".
You need to look at who you are supporting with your dollars. There is nothing they sell that can't be bought elsewhere either the same brand or similar.
Come on folks, be aware of what is happening around you!!!!

 

[ak_powder_monkey]

the only reason to buy from REI is their return policy, other wise you are paying to much for medium quality gear

 

[Akres]

To shop there, is the same thing as feeding the hand that will ultimately bite you. Ignorance is no excuse, corporate ideals speak for themselves. You will regret patronizing these types of corps or coops in the not too distant future. There are many of these types around, if it don't seem right, why waste your money and time? It probably ain't right. Pretty easily to unknowingly shoot yourself in the foot.

 

[eidsvolling]

REI competes somewhat indirectly with the folks who pay my salary.

REI is a cooperative. The earnings are returned to the members . . . like me.

REI has never taken any official position against "consumptive" activities. There are thousands and thousands of REI employees and millions of members. What any of them happen to express individually as a personal choice on any position is not REI policy.

I encourage the thoughtful readers of this forum to look at what REI has done for wildlife habitat, including their nationwide Conservation Awards and local contributions to Great Land Trust in Southcentral AK.

Then I ask you to read Ted Williams's "Natural Allies" piece in (horrors!) the Sierra Club magazine.

And when you have done all that, I will leave it to you to decide for yourself how to respond to this thread. Personally, I have to go bandage my bitten-through tongue right now.

EDIT: I can't help myself. Surely you anti-cooperative purists aren't borrowing money from a credit union, or buying electricity from Matanuska Electrical Association or any other electrical coop around the country, or putting CENEX fuels and lubricants in your machines, or feeding Land-O-Lakes butter, eggs, and milk to your kids, right???

 

[tccak71]

I shop there..

I shop there..

and buy elsewhere. There clerks are knowledgeable and helpful so I get my info there and buy elsewhere. REI has always stricken me as a "green" hippi-fest company.

Tim

 

[Mr. Pid]

Most of my life is lived without regard to politics. I don't ask my customers what their political views are. I don't ask my vendors. I don't ask my neighbors. I really don't care. A world filled with people that thought exactly like me would be a boring place. I judge companies by the quality of their employees and products. I judge people by the quality of their character, not necessarily what causes they support. If they happen to prefer eating Meusli and yodeling to gutting a goat, good for them. Politics sucks, and good people are just good people.

 

[Brian M]

These morons are pro Kyoto, anti Bush, anti oil, anti nuclear, anti coal and anti profit. They call their membership a "coop".

bizy - What do these things have to do with hunting? Yes, I know that the majority of hunters have conservative-leaning political views, but come on - your post is just inflammatory rhetoric. Being pro-hunting has nothing to do with being pro-Bush, anti-Kyoto, Pro-nuclear, etc. And being a co-op? Heck, I like that as a member I get special deals, better return policies, and a portion of the profits back. I don't agree with everything they advocate, but I think that corporate America could learn a little from their co-op model.

By the way, I've been congratulated on successful hunts by REI employees, and I helped one harvest a sheep two seasons ago. Odd for a vehemently anti-hunting group, no?

-Brian

 

[groh__frog]

REI doesn't have any external frame packs any more for a reason. They stopped selling them a few years ago because they can be used for carrying game. And they do give money to anti-hunting groups. Members only get a small share return of total profits.

 

[Ripper]

I guess we all have different experiences. I was in there once while wearing camo (oh no) and couldn't get ANYONE to help me upstairs (and I tried finding sales reps), but when I went over to the canoes, the salesman was very helpful (but too pushy on getting me to join the coop) I'll shop there next time I'm in town, but I won't buy there (unless a heck of a sale). I guess I am more capitalist then principled.

Maybe those employees stereotype hunters the same way some people stereotype them?

 

[eidsvolling]

REI doesn't have any external frame packs any more for a reason. They stopped selling them a few years ago because they can be used for carrying game. And they do give money to anti-hunting groups. Members only get a small share return of total profits.

THIS IS AN OUTRIGHT LIE.

Here's a picture of the Kelty Cache Hauler Pack available for sale tonight on the REI web site. If you don't want a shelf on your pack, you can pick from one of the five other external frame packs they sell.

And the rest of your statement is just as bogus. Thanks for helping prove the larger point I'm making here.

 

[OneRound]

Anti-firearms

Anti-firearms

I took my son into REI in Anchorage a few years ago when I went to shop for some boots. My son, 10 years old at the time, wanted to find some ammo for his new .22 rifle. I told him that REI didn't look kindly on hunting. He insisted that he wanted to ask an REI salesperson where the hunting section was. Knowing the answer, I let him ask anyway.

When my son politely asked the REI salesman where their hunting section was, the REI dude about fainted. He told my 10 year old son that they did not sell things like that. Big lesson (or two) for my son.

The good news is, the REI folks here are nothing like the REI folks in Portland. Talk about anti-hunting, anti-guns, anti-US folks. C'mon, you've got to see it.

 

[homerdave]

WOW!! just in case you missed the "G . Loomis is atheist" thread

WOW!! just in case you missed the "G . Loomis is atheist" thread

here is another off-the-wall ridiculous thread about nothing of substance or value. sheesh!
ROTFLMAO

 

[akpryde]

Amen, brother

Amen, brother

here is another off-the-wall ridiculous thread about nothing of substance or value. sheesh!
ROTFLMAO

Well summarized. If anyone's seriously enthused about this kind of thing I'll happily start another thread accusing Sportsman's Warehouse of being soft on nuclear proliferation...