Being the oldest in outdoor adventures has never bothered me. In 2012, the kids in my Wilderness Leadership course nicknamed me “Mama,” short for "Mountain Mama...
Like a first love, my first gear purchase is etched in my memory: a Gregory J28 pack. I bought it in 2014 in preparation for my inaugural backpacking trip—a mul...
Since he started running in the third grade, hitting the road with his dad, a cross-country run has been Cal Dobbs' dream. That dream finally came true in 2023....
Gary Rose came into work the other day. This was unusual, considering he’s been retired from REI for nearly 30 years. He walked in with the slow but confident g...
Summer mornings are glorious in North Lake Tahoe. The sun shines, the winds are calm, the temperatures are mild, and the streets and sidewalks are nearly desola...
Nature is often the backdrop for the stories we tell. It’s the glacier lake we jump into; the pillowy snow we send our skis down; the wind that whips at our ten...
This story was originally published on September 27, 2023 and was updated on April 5, 2024.
Biking roughly 3,000 miles from the northern tip of Maine to the ...
Co-op members know that REI is a different kind of company: Not only can you can find top-quality gear and a wide range of expertise to aid your outdoor adventu...
I used to run alone. I’d get up early to jog around my neighborhood or squeeze in an evening sprint before darkness fell. In fact, solitude was what drew me to ...
As an undergrad at Santa Clara University, Mike Carey was a running back: He’d receive the football and rush through a sea of players that tried to shove or cru...
How did 23 friends become 19 million members? To celebrate 82 years of the co-op, we asked our community to tell us their favorite outdoor stories. More than 10...
For our 82nd anniversary, we’re highlighting 82 of your outdoor stories. Share your favorite story on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with a photo or video and t...
