How far have you stretched the REI return policy?

[hemas]

Come on pHunk... Good enough climbing shoes retail for about 60 to 90 bucks... not 120.

And besides 5.10 (and Madrock) has a pretty bad record as far as durability goes... Evolvs and Acopa's (and Montrails) seem to have better quality...

[doublediamond223]

You've had them since July? That's 7 months, climbing on them 2-3x per week? No wonder they are paper thin and worn out, they are 7 months old! I don't call that ridiculous for a climbing shoe, I call that wearing the shit out of them.

True. I climb a lot, no doubt about it.

So you've climbed in them for 7 months, worn them out, and you still want to return them to REI even though you didn't buy them there? Seems pretty low...

I did buy them there, along with a harness and chalk bag. I lost the receipt and was not a member at that time though. You guys are right, I just needed to be told what I already knew I guess.

What if you spent a little of that time making some money to pay for a new pair of climbing shoes? Nah, that's too hard. You'd have to save like, what, $30 bucks a week for almost FOUR WHOLE WEEKS in order to buy a new pair of shoes.

True. I do have a job.

In fact, I padded your pockets by buying some anasazi velcros on sale from backcountry.

[bio-smear]

They (REI) seems to be a little less forgiving, though.

...Only to people who try to work them without the receipt. I make sure I buy everything on my membership and all my purchases are stored in the database. If they find a record of the purchase, they really will take ANYTHING you bought legitimately back. You have to get creative if you don't have the paper/bit trail to back you up. The person helping you in that case is the variable in the equation.

[Spark]

I'm Canadian so here we have MEC instead of REI but I got a story to add...I did the maggot group buy and got a pair of medium dynamir freeride+.

Then I realized I had the wrong size because of my new boots and mags on here suggested that the small would be better for me. I was shitting because I hated not being happy with my gear, but then I remembered MEC will take anything back whether or not you have a receipt. I took the medium bindings in told them they were a gift and had no problem exchanging the mediums for a small. I was pretty happy that everything went as smooth as butter . I really love MEC....and they'll probably sell more mediums then small binding anyways.

[phUnk]

Come on pHunk... Good enough climbing shoes retail for about 60 to 90 bucks... not 120.

And besides 5.10 (and Madrock) has a pretty bad record as far as durability goes... Evolvs and Acopa's (and Montrails) seem to have better quality...

Anasazis, the shoes mentioned by the OP, are $112 at backcountry.com, and they would cost more at REI.

Also, sounds like he did the right thing. Good on ya doublediamond223.

PS. I've got the Anasazi velcros, too. I have to wear a band-aid to keep my achilles from getting rubbed raw if I'm in the gym. I ended up moving to the Galileos and and much more comfortable. Anasazis still rule it outside when I can get out of them between routes.

[m1e448]

I got some Komperdell poles from REI for a gift and the telscoping thing broke. I heard everyones great stories about taking stuff back there, so I thought I should try becasue I thought that it shouldn't have broken when just touring with it. I took them back and they were like no we can't do anything unless you have rei membership. I was ticked, but the lady found another broken pole in the back and I was able to use some parts from that one to fix mine.

I guess too many people abuse the system. I know I didn't have the reciept from the puchase, and was stretching it but I think that so many people have tried to abuse the awesome system that it only works if you are a member or get a backroom dude that just doesn't care.

[spindrift]

There is an interesting phenomenon known as the tragedy of the commons

Sort of applies to this discussion.

[doublediamond223]

PS. I've got the Anasazi velcros, too. I have to wear a band-aid to keep my achilles from getting rubbed raw if I'm in the gym. I ended up moving to the Galileos and and much more comfortable. Anasazis still rule it outside when I can get out of them between routes.

How do the two shoes compare, beyond the fit issue?

I agonized over which one to get, but the guy at REI (who climbs 5.13 and V10) told me that he has had 5 pairs of anasazis and loves them. He said he has galileos as well, but only used them a few times and doesn't like them. How does stealth onyx compare to C4?

There is an interesting phenomenon known as the tragedy of the commons

Sort of applies to this discussion.

Cool article, it does seem to apply.

[hemas]

DD223... Forget Anazasi laceup and Velcro... The Moccasym is where it's at. Still the best climbing shoe I have owned (and 5.10 is making 'em again).

[Blatant]

it's between rei and costco for me. I try not to "abuse" return policies but i've heard of costco taking shit back that they didn't even sell to begin with. If you can believe that. I did return a 3 yr old digicam to costco and they didn't bat an eye.

[Blatant]

oh....oh....oh and Cabela's........their return policy is probably the best i've ever dealt with. EVER.

[dk_alaskan]

Costco has taken back several of my vacu-sealers. back home, i usually go through about 1 a season. i had one i forgot i hadn't returned, but when i packed up my shit to move to WA, i found it and they gladly returned it, no questions asked w/o reciept. Costco and rei are pretty damned close. So it bc.com for return policies

[phUnk]

How do the two shoes compare, beyond the fit issue?

I agonized over which one to get, but the guy at REI (who climbs 5.13 and V10) told me that he has had 5 pairs of anasazis and loves them. He said he has galileos as well, but only used them a few times and doesn't like them. How does stealth onyx compare to C4?

Stealth onyx is sticker than C4, but both my Anasazis and Galileos have stealth.

Beyond the differences in the heel, the stealth onyx anasazi and stealth onyx galileo are the same shoe.

[doublediamond223]

Interesting. They showed up today, and are fucking painful. I know that that is how they are supposed to fit, but it's a big change from my beginner shoes that are stretched to hell. I see what you mean about the achilles thing...


Post 500, wow.

[72Twenty]

I'm taking advantage of the LL Bean "lifetime warranty" and returning some wading shoes I've had for like 10 years, just because one of the eyelets blew out. Gettin' new ones before runoff begins.

[MonkeyBear]

Sounds like I have a pretty good chance of returning my 6-month old climbing shoes that are pretty much done. They don't carry anasazis, so I bought them from backcountry on sale, since I need shoes NOW for next weekend's comp. If someone can return a 9-year old fleece, then my climbing shoes without a receipt should be no big deal.

Will they give me merchandise credit, or will I have to get other climbing shoes?

I have returned my climbing shoes two times now, for new pair, with out any problems.

[Chainsaw_Willie]

I've bought a lot of good gear for cheap at REI's "garage sale" rack where they sell off all the stuff people have returned. I got a $70 pair of North Face convertible nylon pants for $20 that were like brand new and a pair of Merril cross training shoes that were just barely worn for $25. I'm always amazed when I go down there though and see all the totally thrashed shoes, pants, jackets, etc. that people have returned. Really irritates me to see that stuff. They always put a tag on the items that has the reason for return and the shoes and pants said "didn't fit" which makes sense, but the worn out stuff is just plain worn out, no matter what the tag says.

[MonkeyBear]

Bought a pair of Dakine gloves, wore them for two seasons, on my way home from the mountain stopped at REI and returned them soaking wet for a brand new pair. Tried to do the same thing with a pair of Oakely A Frame but I didn't buy them from there. They told me to pound sand. Only time it hasn't worked.

[teymlis]

I've had them since July, probably climb 2-3x per week on average, all indoors except for 2 weekend trips. They are paper-thin under the ball of both feet, and can't edge worth shit, especially on slabby 10s and 11s. I think this is ridiculous for a 90 dollar shoe. Does it fall under wear and tear? Yeah, sure, but if I can get new ones I'm not too proud to do it. As a student, I don't have the luxury of turning down a potential refund.

The anasazi is a bouldering shoe. This means that the rubber is going to be EXTRA sticky so that you can climb hard shit well. This also means that the rubber is SOFT! That is why it wore out. You drank the glass of milk. The milk is gone.

Good news though. If you want to reclaim your dignity you can get your shoes RE-SOLED. Its easy. Mekam in slc does a great job for 30-50 bucks. If your not in this neck of the woods (for which i wouldnt blame you since our snowpack is beater) go here to find one in your area.

I work for a company with a great return policy and i love what we do for our customers and feel that we have the opportunity to help a lot of people with a lot of real issues because of our open return philosophy. You; however, do not fit into the 'real issues' category. Good luck with school, and with your climbing.

[teymlis]

... if you bought your climbing shoes at Wallmart I would say go for it, but keep that shit out of the Outdoor Industry.

[doublediamond223]

The anasazi is a bouldering shoe. This means that the rubber is going to be EXTRA sticky so that you can climb hard shit well. This also means that the rubber is SOFT! That is why it wore out. You drank the glass of milk. The milk is gone.

Good news though. If you want to reclaim your dignity you can get your shoes RE-SOLED. Its easy. Mekam in slc does a great job for 30-50 bucks. If your not in this neck of the woods (for which i wouldnt blame you since our snowpack is beater) go here to find one in your area.

I work for a company with a great return policy and i love what we do for our customers and feel that we have the opportunity to help a lot of people with a lot of real issues because of our open return philosophy. You; however, do not fit into the 'real issues' category. Good luck with school, and with your climbing.

I had five ten coyotes, a beginner shoe. I just bought anasazis. I used them at the Texas Tech climbing competition yesterday and got 2nd in my division, so I'm pretty happy. They weren't broken in and hurt like hell, but i could trust them when on slabby holds and when sticking my toe into small places.

... if you bought your climbing shoes at Wallmart I would say go for it, but keep that shit out of the Outdoor Industry.

Thanks for the advice jong, I already sacked up and bought new ones. Read the damned thread.

[Kevo]

I've got a friend who worked in the salmon industry in Alaska last summer. He finished work and had a month before school started, so he went to REI Anchorage and bought a ton of gear to go backpacking around the state. Right before he returned to CO, he returned over $1,400 worth of gear that he had used on his backpacking trip with no questions asked- he had some friends up there that then went in to REI knowing he had returned some good shit and bought it at huge discounts from their attic or whatever it is they call it.

-I also know someone who melted the shit out of their JetBoil by leaving it on and walking away and boiling down all the water- returned to REI no problem.

-Know someone else who melted a jacket on a stove and told REI that it melted in while she was cleaning it following the instructions on the tag. They took it back.

-I returned a rain jacket after using it for a summer when the seem tape started to come off. I thought that was pretty legit.

[WhiteLight]

I had a MHW windstpper jacket that started coming apart at the seam. It was one of the few pieces of gear that I actually didn't buy @ REI, but I tried returning it rather than sending it in for (6-8 weeks) warranty. I've been an REI member for about 10 years, and this is actually one of the very few times I've tried to return something there. I definitely don't fit into the *return every item* type customer, so I figured after being a good little customer for so long, and knowing how others completely abuse their policy all the time - they owed me one. I made up something about my g/f buying it there for Christmas, so it probably wouldn't be under my account. They told me to fuck off.

She said that since I didn't have a receipt and that it wasn't in the computer, (they have pretty much all my purchases in the computer I guess,) she wouldn't return/exchange it. (I actually just wanted to exchange it because it was pretty new. She said the best they could do was give me a $25 credit because it was probably a discontinued item and it was "no longer in the system."

Not. It was a $200 jacket. In fact, they were still selling them brand new on the rack. I went and grabbed one and brought it to her and said "Look - it's not an old one. You guys are still selling it in the store." I just wanted an exchange, not a refund. She wouldn't budge an inch.

To this day, I still can't figure out if it was because she knew I was trying to get over or because she was one of the "computer just wouldn't let her" type drones.

It was a $200 jacket that you did not buy from REI. You tried to game their system to save you some inconvenience.

Re: not being able to steal from a co-op. Wrong-o. Your fake-return would subtract a wee bit, dividend-wise, from the co-op stakeholders, including yourself.

What such an action takes away from you, on an ethical level, is a whole 'nother topic. Not for me to decide.

[Singel]

Abusing evil giants like Wal Mart or Sport Chek is fine by me, but not real outdoor companies that seem to treat you fairly in the first place.

Stretching the policies is fine if you are a loyal customer and can justify it with past and future purchases, but hopefully karma catches up with the dicks that over-abuse the system

[InspectorGadget]

Bought a pair of Dakine gloves, wore them for two seasons, on my way home from the mountain stopped at REI and returned them soaking wet for a brand new pair. Tried to do the same thing with a pair of Oakely A Frame but I didn't buy them from there. They told me to pound sand. Only time it hasn't worked.

... there are some amazing assholes that abuse a very generous return policy.

And you, MonkeyBear, are one of these assholes!