{"id":193022,"date":"2023-10-04T00:05:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-04T07:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=193022"},"modified":"2025-11-20T22:31:34","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T06:31:34","slug":"member-benefit-highlight-trade-in-gear-with-re-supply","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/news\/member-benefit-highlight-trade-in-gear-with-re-supply","title":{"rendered":"Member Benefit Highlight: Trade In Gear with Re\/Supply"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Back in the early 2000s, Mike Soltys was your standard broke undergraduate student at Clemson University. He marked his calendar not by term paper due dates, but by REI Garage Sales, in-store used-gear extravaganzas that, like other retailers’ Black Friday events, drew crowds well before the doors opened. Keen to be near the front of the line, Soltys and a few outdoors-loving, penny-pinching pals would pile into his navy blue Subaru (with its tiger-print seat covers and pitiful turning radius) on the day before<\/em> the sale, drive nearly two hours south on I-85 and set up a Sierra Designs Lightning 2 FL Tent<\/a> in the parking lot of the Atlanta REI store. They weren\u2019t alone. \u201cIt was like a party,\u201d Soltys recalls. \u201cThere would be people playing Frisbee and slacklining. Everyone was there to get an early start on the deals the next morning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soltys still camps (typically sharing my tent\u2014we\u2019re married), but no longer in parking lots. The REI Garage Sale has evolved into Re\/Supply, an avenue exclusively for REI members to buy and trade in lightly used gear and apparel, rendering Soltys\u2019 endearingly zealous overnights unnecessary. \u201c\u200b\u200bRe\/Supply is an evolution of that REI Garage Sale experience,\u201d says Laura Kelley, senior manager of recommerce at REI. \u201cNow members can buy and trade in used gear year-round, in stores and online.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While buying used gear from REI has become more convenient, it\u2019s been around almost as long as the co-op. Over 60 years ago, a burst pipe in the original Seattle store destroyed inventory and threatened to shut the co-op\u2019s doors. REI founders Lloyd and Mary Anderson were thankfully as determined in their business endeavors as with their <\/a>mountaineering pursuits<\/a>: They salvaged what gear they could and sold it at reduced prices. The effort guaranteed the co-op\u2019s survival and gave thrifty recreationists a chance to buy high-quality (if slightly soggy) gear and apparel at a discount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both the \u201cWater Damage Sale,\u201d as it came to be known, and Re\/Supply \u201cget at the heart of what it means to be a co-op,\u201d Kelley says. \u201cWe\u2019re putting purpose over profits, building on principles of sharing amongst members and enabling more accessible and sustainable ways to get outside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An
Photo credit: Will Dunn<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

No question, Re\/Supply lightens the impact on our wallets. Used gear like tents, backpacks and sleep systems, along with pre-loved apparel, typically costs approximately 30% to 60% less than new. Take the Osprey Manta 24 Hydration Pack. The latest version<\/a> of this 24-liter hauler costs $200. A recent Re\/Supply search found that if you\u2019re willing to accept some patches of faint discoloration on an older model, you can get it for $156. Opt for the \u201cwell worn\u201d pack, which comes without a reservoir, for about $110. (Search results will vary based on current inventory.<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lower price barrier of entry to outdoor pursuits through the used gear avenue,\u201d says Allie Vaughan, Re\/Supply program manager. \u201cWhen we are able to offer the same quality gear at lower prices, we can welcome new, younger, more diverse folks into outdoor activities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The impact is also lighter on the environment. Since the earth takes a hit every time we create and distribute new products, REI estimates<\/a> we can reduce our carbon impact by around 50% simply by stretching an item to its functional lifespan. \u201cThere\u2019s a huge carbon savings to buying things that already exist in the world rather than buying new things,\u201d Vaughan says. \u201cWe want to keep good gear in use for as long as it will last.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Re\/Supply isn\u2019t only great for shopping used gear, though. Members also earn rewards for giving their gear a second life. Here\u2019s how it works: REI Members receive an REI gift card for 10% to 40% of the item\u2019s original price when they trade in their lightly loved items. Plus, there\u2019s a joy in knowing the boots you wore throughout the South African savanna or the tent that kept you warm on below-freezing nights in the Canadian Rockies will live on in someone else\u2019s adventures. \u201cMembers are pleased to help another member get outside,\u201d Kelley says. \u201cThey\u2019re keeping good gear in use that may otherwise just be sitting in their closet or garage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2022 alone, roughly 31,000 members gave more than 95,000 items a second life through Re\/Supply. And to hear Kelley describe it, Re\/Supply is just getting warmed up. \u201cWe’re in the early stages of our trade-in program,\u201d she says, \u201cImagine if every one of our members traded in one item: We’d keep millions of pieces of good gear in use and help millions of other members get outside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No parking lot camping necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ready to trade in your gear with Re\/Supply? Let’s review the three easy steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember, Re\/Supply is an REI Member benefit. Sign up today<\/a> for a lifetime membership that also includes benefits like early access to new gear and free standard shipping on orders from REI.com.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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