When Is The Next REI Garage Sale? (2024)

Updated 2024

REI Garage Sale is now online as REI Used and the selection changes regularly, so it's important to check back every so often to make sure you catch all the deals.

You can save 60% on the Exped MegaMat Duo 10 Sleeping Pad ($489.95 new). 

Only pay less than $200 for a Osprey Atmos AG 65 Pack ($270 new) - perfect for summer trips in the mountains!

I can't believe there is a pair of Women's Vasque Breeze III Mid GTX Hiking Boots ($179.95 new) listed for $61.72 - What?! Amazing!

Save 50% on a great selection of winter layers at REI Used. Check out the Women's The North Face Journey Jacket offered at $61.92 ($120 new).

I already own more than I need, but I might have to snag one the Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Long-Sleeve Base Layer Top at over 40% savings - they are so versatile.

Another great addition to the layering game is the REI Co-Op Midweight Base Layer Half-Zip top for women regularly $54.95 new and offered at REI Used for $33.51.

Anyone who has tried on anything Vuori knows the level of comfort and softness, so if I were a guy I would jump on the opportunity to get a pair of Vuori Ripstop shorts for 50% off ($74 new) from the REI Garage Sale used site.

If you are an REI Co-op member, then there is a high likelihood that you have at one time or another asked, 'When is the next REI garage sale?'

Unfortunately, REI's website is not easily navigated to answer this question quickly.

It takes at least five steps and some poking around to find out, 'When is the next REI garage sale?'

I found this ridiculous and frustrating, mainly because the only reason I ever check their website was to find out the upcoming REI garage sale dates for my local store. 

That's why I wrote this article, first, to explain how you can find your store's garage sale dates on REI's website. It really is ridiculously complicated.

Second, to tell you that I've created an easier way by writing an article for every single REI store that includes the store's upcoming garage sale dates. 

All you have to do is go to my article REI Garage Sale Dates By Store and find your store in your state.

How Has Covid-19 Affected REI Garage Sales In 2021?

If you have ventured out to your local REI Co-op lately then you may have seen what looked like a mini-garage sale going on  in the parking lot. 

The new Covid inspired motto at REI is 'Our Garage Sales are always on!'

This is the REI Covid 19 Garage Sale. No more huge jaw dropping wait in line all night for the best deals in the world REI Garage Sales. 

Yes, Covid even took the garage sale from us.

BUT, REI our rock, has thrown us hope because on their website they specifically say that the garage sales 'are paused for now'. 

I've walked through the the 'always on' garage sales a couple of times and there wasn't much, always plenty of shoes to shop from.

Why anyone would ever buy new shoes when they could buy 'new' shoes at the REI garage sale for half the price, I don't know. 

We shop at the REI San Diego Co-op and there always is a lot of tents, even now, comment down below the most common items you see at your REI with your city. 

I'm interested if everyone is overrun with shoes or if San Diegans are horribly picky and return them at a much higher rate? 

An article for your store will appear that has all the garage sale dates. 

Bookmark your store page and check back occasionally to see if your store has recently added a new garage sale date. 

What Is REI Garage Sale?

The REI garage sale is a clearance sale that each store holds in its parking lot to sell returned items at hugely discounted prices. 

REI offers a one-year hassle-free return policy, so most items that are being sold are returned still new and unused for whatever the reason. 

The words have gotten out that REI Co-op members can purchase brand new gear for half the price at the garage sales. 

Consequently, the REI garage sale has become a popular event with people camping out the night before to be the first in line.

Learn 'What is REI garage sale?' in our article REI Garage Sale - What to know before you go!

How To Find Your Stores Next REI Garage Sale

I don't know why, but REI's website does not make it easy to find your store's garage sale dates. 

Fortunately for you, we have written an article for every REI store that includes their garage sale dates! 

You can quickly find your store's garage sale dates by CLICKING HERE. 

But, if you are dead set on getting there through the REI site, here are the steps you'll need to take. 

First, you will need to go to the REI Garage Sale page.

Once there, click on the 'Check your store for details' button. 

Find your store on the REI store locator and directory page by selecting the state your store is in. Please select your store to be taken to the page with its classes, tours, and events. 

REI stores can have multiple garage sale dates, and the default sort on this page is by date. 

To more easily find the upcoming garage sale dates, you can change the sort function from date to 'Name: A-Z.' 

Once you sort the classes, tours, and events alphabetically, move through the pages and look for the M's. 

You will see the title of 'Members Only Garage Sale!' with the upcoming time and date if your store has any garage sales scheduled. 

Or you can just go to our REI stores page by state and find your store's garage sale dates. 

REI Garage Sale // What To Know Before You Go!

If you are into outdoor gear than you are used to the sticker shock that comes with buying quality equipment. 

So it is no wonder that REI garage sales are becoming America’s worst kept secret for unbelievable deals on recreational equipment. 

A couple of times a year, REI corporate organizes local REI store ad REI garage sales to sell all of those returned items they’ve collected for deeply discounted prices. 

Some higher volume stores have a local garage sale almost every month with corporate coordinating at least four to six a year for each individual store.

Unfortunately, the word is out about these amazing steals and if you hope to get one of the really good deals, you’ll have to do a little planning ahead of time. Or try the REI Used online option!

We will discuss multiple pre-game strategies to maximize your chances of scoring that $1,500 mountain bike you’ve been eyeing for half the price or how to get a down jacket for $50 at the next members-only clearance sale.

It takes a plan once you are inside to identify and claim those high ticket items in the first few minutes and walk away a big winner. 

This article will give you insight into how to prepare before the big sale, common standing in line strategies, what to expect when you enter the REI garage sale area, and a strategic plan to use to maximize your chances of getting a deal on the expensive gear.

I'm Going To My First REI Garage Sale

I almost died (twice) at my first garage sale. Seriously…

Who would have thought that REI would bring danger to outdoor adventuring in their very own parking lot!

Pandemonium would be a good way to describe this unicorn of a clearance sale, yes, the deals are that good. 

My first sale I witnessed vehicles running over mediums trying to get to parking spaces and a general lack of concern for the pedestrians in the way of vehicles attempting to get a parking spot. 

Which brings me to my first word of advice, pay fucking attention while you walk to the line!

If you don’t, you will get run over which will undoubtedly slow you down as you race to get to the best deals.  Another safe option is the REI Outlet online shopping!

The sale is going to go on whether you are laying in the parking lot dead or limping around on a bloody stump, so don’t get hit.

This sale is a bit cray-cray...

You can help stop this madness by not being the asshole running over mediums or mowing down groups of outdoor adventurers for 10 points. 

Plus, there is a high probability that you awkwardly end up in line with anyone who had to parkour out of your way as you two-wheeled it into the parking lot. 

Once in line you will slowly file into the cordoned off garage sale area and be allowed to madly dash around trying to find a great deal. 

Keep in mind that the tags on the clearance recreational equipment are color-coded to indicate the reason for the return. 

Most tags you will find will be yellow. Look real close for any defects but don’t be surprised if you can’t find anything wrong. Yellow is their default tag color.

When Should I Get In Line For A REI Garage Sale

The most popular question we are asked is, ‘When should I get in line for the REI garage sale?’

Unfortunately, the answer differs based on your local store’s size and the gear you are hoping to get. 

Some stores are in much smaller areas and their garage sales don’t generate as many people so you can show up an hour before the sale (usually at 8 am on Saturdays) and still have a good chance of a big score. 

Other REI stores in large metropolitan areas will have people start camping out the afternoon before the sale. 

If you are coming for a specific high ticketed item, you should plan on trying to be one of the first people inside which will require an overnight stay at the stores in bigger cities. 

You’ll want to get there early if you want an expensive specific piece of gear because there probably will only be a one or two available and everyone in that line is probably looking for,  or at least, won’t pass up those types of deals. 

A great example is Yetti coolers, they are super expensive but for some reason are returned in droves to REI and are sold for half price at the garage sales. 

Everyone in that line wants one of those Yetti’s for half the price but only the first group inside is going to get one.

But, if you are just looking around for a good deal on clothes, backpacks, shoes (tons of shoes!) or whatever, cruise by whenever. 

Keep in mind that I have found a bunch of great deals on clothes over the years hours after the garage sale started once the chaos has died down. 

A good first-timer plan is to show up an hour before the garage sale opens to get a feel for the experience. 

However, the people who tend to get the best deals do come early, often, and with a plan…

REI Garage Sale Tips & Strategies

A week before the sale we make a list of all of the gear we are looking for and list them with the highest cost items at the top. 

We visit REI and look at the packaging of the gear we are hoping to find at the upcoming garage sale so that we can more easily identify them as they are thrown into their respective piles. 

4 Steps To A Successful REI Garage Sale

(only for the slightly crazy hardcore shoppers)

Knowing the difference between the packaging of say a Nemo Dagger or Nemo Hornet can be the few seconds you need to beat the guy next to you to your dream tent at half the price. 

The REI crew will start to set up all of the recreational equipment and clothes around 6 am. 

This is a prime time to stand outside the barriers and identify where your top choice gear may be put. 

Feel free to use your camera to zoom in on tags and piles of gear to see if what you want is there. 

We take many pictures during this time and spend time scrutinizing the gear labels and even the REI sale tags. 

Once we have identified the gear that is available we will discuss our strategy for getting to each item on our list as quickly as possible. 

Usually, this involves splitting up the list by areas and grabbing the closest item in each area as we work our assigned grid. 

It is not uncommon for us to save $300-$600 at each garage sale just by planning ahead and sticking to these strategies.