REI equipment

[GerryS]

I just bought my last item from REI.

We spent $130 bucks on a canopy for my Galey area. It rained, water pooled and the tent collapses breaking a plastic pole connector. I called REI asking how to order a new corner bracket. They don't sell parts. Their suggestion was ebay or craigslist

So, I have. $130 rain fly, with a $6 bracket that I can't get a replacement part for. Incredibly bad customer service.

Caveat emptor.

[eamarquardt]

You simply need to be a bit more assertive. Preferably with the manager.

Good luck.

Gus

[jfocallag]

If you are talking about the REI Alcove, it does have a design flaw, in my opinion. It can collapse if water is allowed to pool when it rains.
URL=http://s1103.photobucket.com/user/jfocallag/media/Alcove/23386198_167916_full.jpg.html][/URL]

In order to prevent this, someone suggested using bungee cords as a rafter system. I have done this and it works well even under the weight of 2 inches of snow.



Good luck with REI. Based research, their response is that the tent should have the middle tab staked in order to prevent the pooling of water.

[GerryS]

I'll be having a more serious discussion with our local REI...I didn't want to make a big deal at the remote site...well see what they do, but my guess is even if they do replace the parts (1 "leg" pole and 2 blue joints) it's still a poor solution since they probably won't doit again if I have a similar event.

Btw, we did have the bungees in place, but evidentially we didn't have enough, or they weren't tight enough. I'm looking for another solution....I need something much more reliable. I'm thinking of a simple pole and rope rain fly...the problem is getting it up and over my CampInn lid without poking holes in the trailer....keeping clean, light, and small are the three requirements. But I'm explaining that to people who already know....

[CarlLaFong]

I don't think REI is the problem. Do you think Walmart, K-Mart, Costco, Sportsmart or any other "mart" carries spare parts for the products they sell? Ordinarily there would be an insert with the product with a parts breakdown and ordering instructions for replacement parts.
That was then, this is now.
Spare me a small rant, then I'll go away. Ever since we sold out our manufacturing base to the enemy, it has been this way and it will only get worse. Shoddy junk, dangerous products, poisons in crap they sell us, it never ends.
If we ever have to gear up for a war like we did for WWII, who's gonna make our tanks and airplanes???? The Chinese???? They'll be attacking us with bombs made at the Buick plant.
OK, I vented. Rant over

[GerryS]

Agree completely! It's sickening you've essentially got to throw away anything you buy that breaks,, nothing is serviceable even relatively expensive items like washers, dryers, dishwashers..to get a service guy to look costs as much as a new unit

[Shadow Catcher]

One of the things I love about our Pahaque rear tarp is that other than the poles there are nothing that can much go wrong. I am having no seeum netting added by them to the rear tarp. I would be going up the REI food chain and not taking no for an answer.
Failing that something can be fabbed up.

[canned o minimum]

It's the sad TRUTH... unless you make it yerself.. everything is simply "disposable". No parts, no repairs... jus throw it away. It would seem that we have sold our proverbial souls to the devil by expecting "cheaper" prices on EVERYTHING.

Now nearly everything is made "out of country"by low wage earners who obviously don't care about "quality" products.

[pmowers]

Agree completely! It's sickening you've essentially got to throw away anything you buy that breaks,, nothing is serviceable even relatively expensive items like washers, dryers, dishwashers..to get a service guy to look costs as much as a new unit

The copier in our office is down, and they want $880 to repair it, or $950 to replace it.

Sorry to hear about the problem with REI. Part of it may be that they have gone from a co-op of outdoor enthusiasts to the Walmart of outdoors, using the same suppliers as the other big-box stores.
Virtually all the computers in the US are made in Asia. As are the vast majority of cell phones, televisions, etc. Several years ago, ABC did a series where a family would furnish their home, entirely using products made in the US. It took them a very long time, and they did not have much in the way of electronics, and the costs were much higher than it would have been normally. Some companies do offer you the choice of buying foreign or American-made products- Duluth Trading comes to mind for some of their products, but there is about 60% premium over the foreign-produced jeans.

[Sandyman]

Gerry
If you do not get any satisfaction from REI Check out Lee Valley's Gardening catalogue, it is online and they ship. They have connectors in there that may fill your need.

Sandy C

[raysuf]

REI has a 100% money back guarantee. Return it for a new one or your money back. You called and asked the wrong questions and they weren't smart enough to lead you to a good solution, they just helped with your question.

[markhusbands]

Yeah. I can say with pretty high confidence that REI will give you a refund with minimal hassle.

[Blumie]

Please let us all know if/when REI replaces or refunds for you!

My husband and I also own an REI Shade Alcove, and have used it successfully through several heavy weather events. But it was thanks to folks like jfocallag, who posted their cautionary tales, that we knew to plan for draining the canopy. Based on the above comments, most of you will probably appreciate our solutions: we use a now-dead old dome tent's fiberglass poles arced across the corners of the structure, underneath the canopy. We've also used hiking poles laid roof beam to edge to support and slightly elevate the canopy to encourage it to drain. These aren't passive solutions in extreme situations, however; they require some amount of tending. The whole thing would flex in extreme wind gusts, allowing the fiberglass tentpoles to pop out of their positions. Ditto for hiking poles.

[stumphugger]

Explain what happened and return it. They'll give you a refund. That's why a lot of folks shop there. You can find better prices elsewhere, but REI will stand behind what they sell by refunds. Just be polite.

I hear that if you do take advantage of the refund policy for evil puposes, you'll get a letter and no more refunds.

I have the Alcove. To get it to shed water better, you need to use every guyline tie it has and also guy out the middle. There are loops for that.

We used mine while camping in a deluge by Astoria, OR. It'll handle some nasty winds too, if you have it guyed as designed.

[Gary and Cheri]

I love the Alcove but like the reviews have said water can pool. I have used plastic 1/2 inch pipe for support. Put 4 tees on the center section and 2 on each of the sides. Then cut a support pipe to go between the tees, two to a side. They slide well and provide a ton of support.

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