2016 REI dividends?

Eh…not to hijack this thread here, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Palisades pack.  It’s actually a GOOD thing to have the weight over the front legs and NOT over the back itself – that’s their shoulders and it’s a much more stable/better weight carrying surface (maybe a vet can chime in, too?)

I don’t velcro the pack (didn’t even know it did that!) but I don’t have a problem at all with it flipping over (unless there is a dramatic squirrel hunt through brush…rarely happens) and it rides really, really well.  No chafing if it’s adjusted right…we’re on our second pack at this point.  Ruffwear sent us a new one FOR FREE when I emailed them a photo of the clip that started coming loose.  That pack had hundreds of miles on it!

Anyway – my 2 cents.  I can’t imagine a better pack for a dog than the Palisades.  You can remove the pack without taking off the harness so he gets a break at rest stops, too.  One of the best gear investments I’ve ever made and definitely one I wouldn’t change.

I can’t wait to put it back on CharlieDog!

After discount and dividend, I got a new Platypus 2L bladder for the whopping price of $0.22 out of pocket.

I decided not to cash all of it in and purchased a pair of Microspikes, mine are still going strong, but eventually they’ll need replaced. Also grabbed three pairs of Darn Tough socks- can’t have too many :)

A combination of simplifying my gear, lightening up, and trying to support small vendors makes it a lot easier for me to walk out of gear stores with little or nothing. I just wasn’t interested in much beyond the life jacket and Exped Schnozzel Bag I knew I wanted before I left home, and I don’t think there are cottage alternatives for either of those. I wonder if I felt the same contentment a dieter has after successfully fending off the lure of a buffet.

I’m cheap so I always maximize my dividend by taking it as a check. I am going to use the 20% coupon on a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Xlite SV pad for bike touring.

Now were really going off the rails.  Jenn, sorry if I gave the impression that I don’t like the Palisades because I do and I still use it.  I almost exclusively buy ruff wear stuff.  It just has a few down sides like anything. And while I do agree with you about the weight I think just for my dog in particular she dosent carry weight well front, middle or back.  I’ve had it for almost 6 years and have tried all sorts of configurations. Now I just put light bulky stuff in it like the dog towel, bowl, etc…

1. i decided to get an ursack!

You can cash out the dividend?  I thought I would look for some good ideas here – have almost $300 due to active credit card usage.  Most of my interests these days are for cottage vendor gear.

I figured I’d get something with the discount – maybe for car camping.

Yes, after July 1 you can receive the dividend in cash at an REI store or by check https://www.rei.com/membership/request-a-check/.

Using the dividend towards an REI purchase means you won’t benefit from the additional 5% discount by charging the full purchase amount to the REI credit card, $15 in your case.

have almost $300 due to active credit card usage.

I had a decent sized dividend this year but only $11 was from my credit card.  I think I’m going to go hog wild with it this coming year to see what kind of a dividend I can earn with it.  I do know that you get extra points for groceries but unfortunately/fortunately we shop at Winco which is an excellent grocery store, but they don’t take credit cards.

Thanks for the input on dog packs. He has an REI and Mountainsmith pack. I’ve never like the “ride” of the Mountainsmith pack so he only uses it on short trips where I take both dogs and the girl gets the REI pack. It is certainly well built. The REI pack has actually worked great but it’s been well used and time to replace it. One thing I like about it is the grommetted drain in the bottom of the bags. That’s a big plus for us. Can’t tell if the Palisade has them but if not I’ll put some in. It also doesn’t look very easy to attach his Zrest to the top of the pack. The Mountainsmith shock cord worked well for that. The straps I put on the REI pack worked but tended to lift the pack up when lightly loaded and cinched tight. I may just abandon that practice and carry his Zrest for him, Have to go to town today for work so I’m going to stop by and check out the Palisdae in person. Too bad dogs aren’t allowed in REI.

I see that REI’s outlet.com has the Kimtah eVent shell on sale, and that I could get another 20% off (+ yet another 5% if I use my credit card). I’ve not had any eVent gear, so I thought it might be a cheap(er) way to check it out. I know that Eric B. is a true fanboy of that jacket, but I have a question about the fit. It seems that when I tried one on at the local REI several years ago, the fit was a little goofy. I can’t remember if it was too big or if it was a bit too small. Also, they might have redesigned it since then. I know that they added pit zips, so maybe they also changed the fit? Does anyone have anything to say about how it fits? I am thinking that it could be a good winter shell for snowshoeing and XC skiing, due to its breathability and pit zips. I normally wear a large, but I’d want to layer this over a synthetic jacket, and maybe also a couple of base layers. So do I blindly order an XL, or would a L be roomy enough? I e-mailed REI’s CS a few days ago about this, but they are being pokey about responding.

I’ll hit REI this afternoon to pick up my annual Jetboil 8 oz. fuel canister with the 20% discount, and I’ll see if they have any Shuksan II eVent shells in stock. Maybe the sizing of those is the same as the Kimtah?

I hate ordering an expensive item online, without knowing what to expect as far as fit. I also hate to have to return things to REI, despite their generous policy. Any help with my conundrum would be much appreciated, folks.

does anyone know if they let use the coupon code more than once?  I know in years past they did, but thought I heard of someone last year that couldn’t use it again????

Fuel canisters – I was thinking I would use my dividend over time on that, not realizing I could get it in cash.  I hadn’t thought about using that 20% discount on a single fuel canister, but  I might be there soon.

FWIW, I was planning to use this rebate and coupon on a tent for my son to use in scouts.  Then noticed the REI Half Dome 2 on clearance, with an extra 25% off and a $20 gift card a few weeks ago.  I used the gift card for the footprint and now my son has a bomber tent, maybe heavy for backpacking, but perfect for most scout treks.

My local REI is really small – I really doubt they have anything eVent.  I was looking for rainpaints, but the only thing in the store is the Precip and no length options.  There are better options that REI doesn’t carry.  It’s becoming a theme for me.  Other than fuel or heavy duty stuff for my scout, I’m not sure I have a lot of REI gear in my future.  I do like you can order online, try it on and return it conveniently at the store if necessary.

Yup, my $1.90 dividend is really burning a hole in my pocket :)

“does anyone know if they let use the coupon code more than once?  I know in years past they did, but thought I heard of someone last year that couldn’t use it again????”

Members are expected to use the discount once.  REI does not monitor to verify how many purchases you make with the coupon code, they rely on the honor system.  Proceed accordingly.