Scratch and Dent - Score!
My friend Matt camped out in front of REI last night. They are having one of their scratch and dent sales today, and Matt is an absolute sucker for bargain outdoor gear. Admittedely, so am I, but I'm not quite up to spending the night on the sidewalk in front of the store; that and I didn't need anything.
About a year ago we went 3 hours before the store opened and were first in line, and I stocked up on all of the gear I could think of. I still haven't even used the 4-bike rack I bought at the last S&D sale (it requires a hitch, and I haven't ponied up the money to install one yet).
A frequent REI shopper might counter with "Ah, but it's REI, you _always_ need something".
They would be right, as long as you interpret "need" as "want".
I was going to drop by this morning and hang out with Matt for a few hours before the store opened, but after that beef and wine last night I had trouble sleeping (I don't drink much, and small amounts of alcohol act about the same as caffiene on me), so I slept in.
I got there late enough that I didn't have to stand in line. Matt was on his second trip (he'd already checked out once, loaded the car, and gone back in).
I was kind of hoping that most of the good stuff was already gone. Like I said: I didn't really need anything, but once you start finding deals you're not getting out of there without dropping at least $50.
So, what did I score, you ask?
The first thing I found were some chipped clip-in bicycle pedals. Normally $70. I have been thinking about upgrading, and damaged-but-working goods are great for trying things out. How much? $2.93. I think I can manage that (he says while trying to ignore how much shoes and cleats will cost).
Next, I found a nice gel-filled bicycle seat. Perfect condition. Looked like it had never been used. $20. I consider this my most practical find, since my current seat is torn and slowly losing stuffing.
As I walked from the bin with the bike parts, I saw a pair of cross-country skis. I like x-country skiing, so I figured I'd take a look. These were damaged as well (the tips were starting to separate, and needed some epoxy). Otherwise, perfect skis: no visible wear. Metal edges. I looked at the tag:
$0.93.
Yes, a buck for skis! Epoxy here I come! The check-out guy did the same double-take on this deal as I did.
I looked for ski boots. Nothing in my size, but I did score a $120 pair of ski pants for $40.
Total damage: under $70.
So, I left with an arm load of stuff and a list of things to buy at the next sale, which I have already found out is in October...
I'll have to ask Matt how comfortable that sidewalk was.
About a year ago we went 3 hours before the store opened and were first in line, and I stocked up on all of the gear I could think of. I still haven't even used the 4-bike rack I bought at the last S&D sale (it requires a hitch, and I haven't ponied up the money to install one yet).
A frequent REI shopper might counter with "Ah, but it's REI, you _always_ need something".
They would be right, as long as you interpret "need" as "want".
I was going to drop by this morning and hang out with Matt for a few hours before the store opened, but after that beef and wine last night I had trouble sleeping (I don't drink much, and small amounts of alcohol act about the same as caffiene on me), so I slept in.
I got there late enough that I didn't have to stand in line. Matt was on his second trip (he'd already checked out once, loaded the car, and gone back in).
I was kind of hoping that most of the good stuff was already gone. Like I said: I didn't really need anything, but once you start finding deals you're not getting out of there without dropping at least $50.
So, what did I score, you ask?
The first thing I found were some chipped clip-in bicycle pedals. Normally $70. I have been thinking about upgrading, and damaged-but-working goods are great for trying things out. How much? $2.93. I think I can manage that (he says while trying to ignore how much shoes and cleats will cost).
Next, I found a nice gel-filled bicycle seat. Perfect condition. Looked like it had never been used. $20. I consider this my most practical find, since my current seat is torn and slowly losing stuffing.
As I walked from the bin with the bike parts, I saw a pair of cross-country skis. I like x-country skiing, so I figured I'd take a look. These were damaged as well (the tips were starting to separate, and needed some epoxy). Otherwise, perfect skis: no visible wear. Metal edges. I looked at the tag:
$0.93.
Yes, a buck for skis! Epoxy here I come! The check-out guy did the same double-take on this deal as I did.
I looked for ski boots. Nothing in my size, but I did score a $120 pair of ski pants for $40.
Total damage: under $70.
So, I left with an arm load of stuff and a list of things to buy at the next sale, which I have already found out is in October...
I'll have to ask Matt how comfortable that sidewalk was.
posted by tk | Saturday, August 19, 2006
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