11 Benefits of REI Membership

Whether you’re new to the outdoor community or a life long outdoor enthusiast, there are a lot of great reasons to consider becoming an REI Co-op Member!

For $30, you become an REI Co-op Member for life with access to all their great membership perks (listed below). No yearly fees, no contract. All it takes is $30 and you’re in!

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Why we are (both) REI Members

Michael and I are both REI members. I joined the Co-op in 2011 during my preparation to hike the John Muir Trail. It was my first time investing in a lot of outdoor gear and the generous return policy and accrued dividends made the whole gear buying experience a lot less stressful.

When Michael and I first met, he would use my membership whenever we went to REI. However, as our joint outdoor pursuits grew, we realized that in the case of memberships, two is definitely better than one!

By having our own Co-op memberships, we get to accrue our own member rewards and we each get 20% off member coupons when they come around—so we get to save even more on our big gear purchases. As a married couple, Michael and I can share and compromise over a lot of things… but our member rewards don’t need to be one of them 😉

The Top Reasons To Become an REI Member Today

10% Co-op Member Reward

You can receive 10% back on all of the eligible REI purchases you make throughout the year.

In springtime, REI sends out the reward to members, and you can use them for purchases in-store or online.

Just like getting a tax return, it’s a nice bonus to help with buying new gear for summer.

Member Only Coupons

Throughout the year REI has a variety of sales, and during those sales, they offer members even steeper discounts with member-only coupons. The terms of the coupons differ from year to year, but they’re only available to REI members.

Members Get Free Standard Shipping

A new membership perk is free standard shipping on REI.com purchases, with no minimum order required!

This benefit is such a good value–previously, shipping was $5.99 for orders under $50 (and still is for non-members).

Personally, I’m a sucker for free shipping and have been known to add items to my cart that I didn’t originally set out to buy in order to qualify for the minimum purchase amount.

If you can relate, then this is definitely one of those benefits that will more than pay for itself!

Member-only access (or early access) to gear

For high-demand items, REI puts its members first.

For example, demand for snowshoes has outpaced stock availability, so at the beginning of the season, you had to be a member to buy them.

Additionally, REI is giving members early access to new Co-op gear, and even curates a specific members-only collection.

REI’s Return Policy

REI has a very generous no-questions-asked 365-day return policy.

Bought a backpack that felt great at first, but after a few long hikes starts chafing your shoulders? Return it. Bought a mountain bike that just doesn’t have the clearance for your favorite trail? Return it.

This policy really takes the anxiety out of our expensive, important purchases.

While everyone is entitled to this policy, members don’t need to worry about showing a receipt. It’s all logged on your membership number.

Buy used gear

So what exactly does REI do with all that gear that gets returned? A lot of it is resold in a dedicated used gear section at your local REI store (what used to be their Garage Sale).

Additionally, members now have the ability to shop for used gear online at the REI Re/Supply store, which also features gently used (and inspected!) gear that other REI members have traded in.

This is a really great opportunity to save some money while purchasing new-to-you gear in a more sustainable way.

Members can trade in their used gear

If you upgrade your gear but your old stuff still has life in it, keep it on the trail and out of the landfill by trading it in for an REI gift certificate with REI’s new Re/Supply store! Learn more about this members-only program here.

Save on REI Classes and Trips

Did you know that REI offers classes and workshops? The exact schedule differs store by store, but we’ve seen a ton of really interesting classes at our local store in Bend. This past winter we took classes on winter backpacking, bear awareness, and snowshoeing!

Some classes are free, but some have fees–which members can save upwards of $20-$30 on.

REI also leads amazing adventures to outdoor destinations–backpacking in National Parks, overnight kayak trips, guided mountaineering summits, and family adventures. Here REI members can enjoy some really significant discounts.

Up to 33% Discount on Gear Rentals

Most REI stores have a gear rental department, and members will have access to great discounts of up to 33%!

This is a great way to try out a new activity without committing to going all in on the gear.

Stores may rent out climbing gear, snowshoes, cross country or downhill skis gear, camping gear, bear canisters, and more. You can find out what your nearest location has in their rental department here.

Special Pricing on Shop Services

Cyclists, skiers, and snowboarders take note! With an REI membership, you get a 20% discount on all bike & snow shop services.

Take your bike in for a tune, brake and derailleur adjustments, assembly, and more. REI locations with a ski & board shop will be able to tune & repair boards and skis.

Even better, your membership gives you access to free flat tire repair (all stores) and free ski & snowboard machine waxing (at stores with a ski & board shop).

Giving Back to the Outdoors

REI gives back over 70% of its profits to the outdoor community. Few outdoor companies even come close to this. By signing up as an REI member you are helping to incentivize companies that take outdoor stewardship seriously.

With each new membership purchase, REI donates $5 to The REI Cooperative Action Fund, a 501(c)(3) charity which gives grants to nonprofit organizations that promote justice, equity and belonging in the outdoors.

When you buy an REI membership, you can share which of the Fund’s three grantmaking initiatives you prefer—connecting people outside, creating space outside or centering health outside.

Learn more about the Fund and it’s current grantees here!

Do we have you convinced?! Click here to become an REI member today!