On Friday night i camped out in front of the REI here in Eugene, Oregon, in order to get in the door first and get some "goodies". I arrived at 10:00 pm. The local train tracks are right behind the store and several went by just as i was drifting off to sleep. Also, that night i braved 2 homeless people, 1 concerned police officer and several Mad Hippies (mad that THEY were not first in line!) and came out of the sale with some neat stuff. I ended up saving myself over $1000.00 off retail ! The temperature was a toasty 26 degrees F, and i had a great time testing some of my winter gear--specifically an old 1987 The North Face VE 23 tent that i am going to use for snow camping (bought at Goodwill for only $6.00 !).The tent smells a little funny but is completely functional and waterproof. I cooked some coffee and read some of my new book; Anapurna, by Maurice Herzog. My brother stopped by around 8:00 am to drop off some doughnuts and coffee ( he did not stay...he doesn't like people!) and my daughter took the bus to join me at just after 9:00 am (to look for some pretty gloves). The sale started at 10:00 am and everyone was nuts! They pushed and shoved and people were tearing things from other people's hands. I seem to be immune to this because i am 6 foot 2 1/2 inches tall and weigh 230 lbs. Most Vegan hippies tend to be scared by me for some reason <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I ended up getting a NEW Big Agnes Seedhouse SL 3 WITH the footprint for only $69.93 ($405.07 off retail), a slightly used Marmot Never Summer zero degree sleeping bag with a small hole (that i easily repaired) for only $19.93 ($230.07 off retail) , a NEW Marmot Sharp Point soft shell jacket for $39.93 ($210.07 off retail), a NEW pair of Sierra Designs Hurricane LT water proof/breathable full side zip rain pants for $9.93 ($50.07 off retail), a NEW The North Face Apex Bionic soft shell hooded jacket (customer did not like the way the stitching was sewn) for $19.93 ($109.07 off retail) for my son and several other smaller items like mugs and misc. camping doo-dads.

It seems to me that most REI customers think that REI means "return everything instantly"! It really say a lot about our instant gratification society when most people would rather return an item instead of sewing it up or fixing it. I believe that in the case of the Big Agnes tent, the person probably had "buyer's remorse". After spending $475.00 on a tent, they had to go home and justify the purchase to their spouse. Not easy, believe me, i know !

So, guys, what is the best deals you have ever gotten at an REI scratch-n-dent sale or even at your local Goodwill, St. Vincent's, Craigslist or E-Bay ? I know that i can't be the only cheap-scate around these parts. I constantly prowl the local thrift stores and seem to be happiest when i find a piece of gear that is in need of fixing. I derive great satisfaction out of fixing up old gear and donating it to my local scout troop or to a beginer in need of quality used gear. Does anybody else do this ?

I recently purchased National Geographic state TOPO! for Illinois and Nebraska at the local Half Price book store. Each state was $4.98. I realize this is not the latest edition of the software but the topography doesn't change much. Now if I could find Indiana and Kentucky.....

How many dollars per hour does that work out to?

The program MSRP is $99.99 and can be had online for $80.00. I have five dollars in each one. I was able to to get an upgrade from TOPO website to a version 3.4.4?? The latest version is 4. something.

I pick up a MSR Pocket Rocket for $8.51, BearVault $12.83 and a Snow peak 700 for $7.50 Saving for the day - $105.00

Another sale pick up a UL 30 - 10.83, Half dome UL ( rainfly and poles) 18.83 and Down bag - $25 ( Mojave 10deg for my wife) Saving was $ 275

bf2:

That's one of the most amusing trip reports I've ever read. I'm like you, a perrenial cheapskate, and loved that tale. And that's commendable that you're fixin' up still useable gear for people that can use it.

Since we have NO REI's here and no serious hiking stores, it's pretty hard to find deals like that here in Miami. We have a big nautical flea market each spring that I religiously go to. Great deals there -- I bought a new $600 Delta anchor for $95 -- only trouble is, it was the opposite of ultralight and I had to lug that 70-pound thing out to the truck on the other side of Dolphins Stadium! But I know how you feel.

We went to the Black Hills last summer after flying into Denver and we hit the Sierra Trading Post Outlet Store in Cheyenne, WY on the way back to Denver. (We've bought a couple good things from them online before.)

Walked around for almost an hour and realized there was nothing that had anything to do with hiking that was a good deal in the store -- they had some cheap fashion-freshness-date-expired clothing and shoes in the clearance center/bargain barn area is all. It was pretty much an outlet-store tourist-trap. I DO NOT recommend even thinking about wasting any time there. (Maybe this will get me off their monthly mailing list and save a tree.)

Ya know what ? That gives me an idea ! What if we all got together and got wish lists going for people who don't live near REIs and the people who DO live near them could keep an eye out for things that they might be interested in ? Kind of like "Da Box" that Earthling has going, except a little more specific? I would not mind looking for someone at all. The recieving parties should agree in advance to a price range and would need to pay the buyer for shipping, but i think it just might be a way we all could get some major deals! What does the community say? Any ideas ?

Sounds like you got some cool gear, Weldman ! Keep it up and you will have a NEGATIVE dividend check coming from REI...like me !

Well......i saved around $1000.00, spent 12 hours waiting, so that would be a net profit of $83.33 per hour ! Not bad if you can stand the cold and the hippies !

This is disgusting...considering the money we pay here for gear (that's why I'm very much on DIY stuff!) <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
Could the savings some make be worth the price of a transatlantic flight? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

If you'd like, let me know what you need and the next time i go to a sale i will pick it up for you if you pay for it and the shipping...it would probably still save you a ton ! I don't mind helping out our good friends the Frogs, after all, we did rebuild Europe after WW 2 !

It's easy to quote "savings" when we use retail price as the comparitor. But the savings are only real if it's something for which you intended to pay retail. Also, if you buy something you don't really need or want (save for that moment of decision), can that be called saving?

The notion of standing in line for 12 hours to purchase something just doesn't make much sense to me.

Hey, "The more you buy, the more you save!!"
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

My dad used to say, "You save money at a bank, not at a store."

I didn't stand in line for 12 hours...i CAMPED in line ! I had fun and bought some gear i wouldn't have been able to afford any other time. I go with a general idea of a piece of gear i need and see if they have what i am looking for, such as a tent or sleeping bag. If i do not see what i need i will not buy anything.
Do you use coupons or shop a sale item at the grocery store, Paddy ? I bet you do. I bet you are the one who uses double manufacturer coupons, cashes in her bottle returns, uses competitor coupons and brings in her own used bags in order to get the .02 cent credit ! Same thing.

Nope. I use coupons very, very rarely. Maybe once a year and never at a grocery store. And I am not a her, I'm a him. Paddy is from the Gaelic name Padraig.

I do shop for bargains, but mostly online from the comfort of my home.

Whatever you want to call it, waiting 12 hours for a store to open is not my cup of tea. I feel the same about waiting in line for tickets to concerts, sporting events, you name it.

It could be Paddy's anti-REI bias coming out as well...

My bad. Hey, in my book a good deal is worth waiting for.

Huh???

Your anti-REI rant makes me think you're not going to respond positively to anything anyone writes about REI, that's all.

The only time i go to REI anymore is for the scratch-n-dent sales. I think i will actually end up with a negative dividend this year. They tend not to carry products i am looking for and i get better service elsewhere <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

It is true that I have objected to a change they made in their policies, but it has nothing to do with what I've posted here (most of which has been tongue in cheek, by the way). I would have said exactly the same thing had the store in question been EMS.

I rarely go there either, not because of any particular objection to the store, but because I rarely need what they have. I've yet to see a 'scratch and dent' sale here, and there is almost never anything 'new' in the loft or whatever they call it. Most things that make it there in our local store are very hard used, worn out, have holes, and are still expensive.

MNS

Now, if only I can convince my wife of this one. You never save money if you buy something. You only spend. You might spend less money than retail, but you still spend. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I always get to the sale really late and never see anything good by then. I did buy my wife a pair of pants at the last one I went to, but it wasn't that much off. Now, I go to REI to buy the stuff they have that is cheaper than anyone else, even Walmart. For instance, they sell 2 ladderlocks for $.88, and Walmart sells the same size for a little over $1. I also bought a sternum strap side release buckle with the emergency whistle built in for a cheaper price than quest outfitters, and without having to pay shipping. They also sell webbing for a really good price. Oh yeah, and I found ski goggles for my 5yr old cheaper and better quality than Walmart. So, REI isn't all bad, just not all good either.

Maybe you could consider his lengthy endeavor as being an interesting experience vs. comparing it to being, more or less, a task or job. I surely cannot say that I have camped in a parking lot before, but It was probably far more enthralling than sitting in front of the computer at home, ordering stuff online. That can be done at any time. Adding to the life experience list seems like a better idea - for me anyway. I'm still rather young and full of energy so, of course, YMMV <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.

Eric