We’ve all been there: We purchase a new ski jacket, a fresh pair of hiking boots or the latest backpacking tent—only to realize we need a different version, a bigger size or another colorway instead. REI makes it easy to return items. Customers have 90 days to test out their new gear before making a return, and co-op members have up to a year to take back items. After all, trail time is the best test for whether a piece of gear works for you.
But there are other, less-conventional reasons to return gear too. Maybe your pack makes you look like a cartoon reptile, which isn’t really your trail style. Perhaps a backcountry breakup has soured your love of camping, and you no longer need that two-person tent you bought. There can be many reasons for REI returns, and some of them are pretty humorous.
We’ve rounded up a few of the funniest reasons for REI returns we’ve found. Want a good laugh? Keep reading—and make sure to look for more return tags the next time you shop REI Re/Supply in-store. You may just find a few gems.
Something Smells Off
“Pack has bad odor inside. Perhaps urine.”
Too Reptilian
“customer’s girlfriend thought the bag made her look like a ninja turtle”
Frowny Face
“Customer did not like snowboarding :(“
Backcountry Breakup
“used one time, broke up with partner and never want to backpack again”
“Breaking Me In”
“Tried out 30 miles, not breaking in, breaking me in”
Tight Squeeze
“squeezed outer toesies, decided diff model.”
The 100-Mile Test
“walked 100 miles, didnt [sic] like sizing after that.”
Color Conundrum
“Used for 7 months — Didn;t [sic] like color”
Tough Crowd
“Used a few times but made fun of by friends so she returned them”
Baby Shark
“clearly something happened from the source, seems to have a baby shark bite out of it doo-doo-doo”
Not Cool Enough
“didn’t like it. customer said, ‘son didn’t like it. it doesn’t look cool enough.’”
Buyer’s Remorse
“customer states ‘never used, brought it on a trip and set it up only to realize it was not a bag’”