[pct-l] ice axe length

[csx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Shawnie)]

I've found REI in Seattle to be hit or miss.  Sometimes I get really
knowledgable clerks and other times they seem to be in the wrong department=
.

I've had both really bad and really good service in the backpack department=
.
But always friendly service..


On Mon, 17 Feb 2003 22:09:31 -0800, you wrote:

>While this is definitely true of some employess (not me!!!!!), it goes bot=
h ways.  I get customers at REI who come in and say things like, "Yeah, I h=
ad these boots that I bought like fifteen years ago, they were brown, you k=
now those ones?  Are you guys still making those?"  Or even worse, "Yeah, I=
'm going rock climbing this weekend, taking my kids, never gone before, lik=
e what kind of stuff do I need?  Should we use a rope?"
>
>Also, sometimes the answers employees give are geniune and based on their =
own experience.  I think a good employee will qualify their answers by pref=
acing it with an, "In my experience..."
>
>Of course, I agree that there are employees who will tell you stuff as if =
it is an undisputed fact when they have no idea what they are talking about=
.  And they think that because they work outdoor retail that people will wo=
rship them as outdoor gurus.
>
>Also, as a company, REI would have you believe that in order to have a saf=
e and happy outdoor experience, you need to carry a 200 pound backpack with=
 the 100 essentials, complete with a picnic table, ten-person tent, and com=
pactible SUV.  And they support and sell the Northwest Forest Pass (EVIL!- =
IMO).
>
>But a lot of the employees care deeply about the outdoor experience, sever=
al have section or thru hiked, and most will give you an honest and thought=
ful answer when it comes to gear.  I will tell people what my opinion is, b=
ut I'm never offended when they don't decide to take my approach.
>
>Just my two cents on REI- not perfect, but not completely irresponsible, e=
ither.
>
>Heidi
>
>>>> Brad Wilson <BWIL5272@postoffice.uri.edu> 02/16/03 20:41 PM >>>
>Yeah I guess you're right, but I've had so many bad experiences with them.=
..
>In fact some of my friends and I make a game of it. We basically go in and
>ask them simple questions - all stuff right in the catalogs, and see what
>they answer. There's no point system (yet) but we see who can get the sale=
s
>person to make the most outrageous claims about gear.  The claim that the =
G
>pack can handle up to 60 lbs would have been hard to beat!
>
>Maybe we have too much time on our hands... But it keeps us out of trouble=
.
>
>-Brad
>
>
>On 2/16/03 8:11 PM, "Gary Wright" <at2002@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>>
>> On Sunday, February 16, 2003, at 11:05  AM, Brad Wilson wrote:
>>> I'm from RI - there's not a whole lot in our area in regards to
>>> classes. I
>>> would look into classes offered in the Whites (or even Berkshires) by
>>> the
>>> AMC. I've never taken a class with the EMS school, but after some of
>>> the
>>> lies and BS I've been fed by their sales staff, I would not go to them
>>> for
>>> advice or instruction.
>>
>> To be fair I don't think that the staff at the climbing school has
>> much if anything to do with the staff at their retail stores. In fact
>> other than outfitters on the AT, I pretty much ignore the advice of
>> clerks at retail outfitters--unless they happen to be ex thru-hikers!
>>
>> For example, I stopped by a store the other day to see the new Gregory
>> G pack.  I asked the clerk what the recommended max weight was for the
>> pack and he said "oh, maybe 60 lbs.".  Hah!
>>
>
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