REI vs Backcountry vs Amazon: Where to Buy Backpacking Gear

I get this question more than almost any other: where to buy backpacking gear when the same tent, stove, or pack shows up on three sites at three prices. I live in New Hampshire, hike the White Mountains most weekends I can, and over the years I've bought gear from all three big players here: REI, Backcountry, and Amazon. Each has earned my money, and each has annoyed me at least once.

This is my honest, no-drama take on how they actually differ once you get past the homepage marketing: return policies, price versus selection, REI's co-op membership and dividend, real sales cadence, warranty handling, and when I reach for each one. One thing up front: RidgeNote earns affiliate commissions when you buy through some links. That keeps the lights on, but it never changes what I recommend. If Amazon is the right call, I'll say so, even though our commission there is thin.

Return policy is where these three genuinely diverge, and it matters more for backpacking gear than almost any category, because you often can't tell if a pack fits your torso or a quilt keeps you warm until you've slept out a few nights. REI's Co-op Member return window is one year on most items (90 days for electronics), and members can return gear that simply didn't work out, not just gear that failed. That's unusually generous, and I've used it honestly when a pad turned out too narrow on a shakedown night.

Backcountry gives a generous window too, with a straightforward process, though it's a standard retail return rather than a co-op satisfaction guarantee — read the current terms on unused versus used items before you count on it. Amazon's window is typically 30 days, and while the mechanics are frictionless, the experience varies wildly depending on whether you bought from Amazon directly or a third-party seller. That distinction is the single most important thing to check before you click buy on Amazon.

Amazon almost always wins on raw price and on breadth of small commodity items: stakes, cordage, ferro rods, buckles, batteries. If you know exactly what you want and it's fungible, Amazon is hard to beat. The catch is that the catalog is a firehose, quality control on third-party listings is inconsistent, and counterfeit or gray-market outdoor gear is a real, documented problem for premium brands.

REI and Backcountry both curate. They stock specialist brands, current-season technical apparel, and the ultralight and mountaineering equipment Amazon carries spottily or not at all. Backcountry goes deep on premium and niche brands; REI's selection is broad, reliable, and tilted toward proven gear plus a solid house brand. My rule: buy consumables and commodity hardware wherever's cheapest, but buy the expensive, fit-critical items (packs, boots, sleep systems) from a curated retailer where you know the product is authentic and support is real.

REI is a consumer cooperative, and membership is a one-time fee for life. The headline benefit is the annual Co-op Member Reward — the "dividend" — typically around 10 percent back on eligible full-price purchases from the prior year, paid the following spring. If you spend real money on gear annually, that adds up and effectively lowers your cost basis at REI.

Membership also unlocks member-only sales, used gear access, and the stronger return terms. Neither Backcountry nor Amazon has a comparable profit-sharing structure. If you buy from REI more than occasionally, the membership pays for itself quickly; if you're a once-a-decade buyer it matters less. I keep mine because the dividend plus the return policy has covered the one-time fee many times over.

REI's sale calendar is predictable, and that's a feature: the Anniversary Sale in late spring, the semi-annual member events, and holiday markdowns. REI also issues member coupons that stack onto sale pricing, so if you can wait for a named event you rarely pay full price on bigger-ticket items.

Backcountry runs frequent promotions and deep clearance, and their sale section is often where the best absolute prices on premium brands appear, especially prior-season colors and sizes. Amazon's discounting is chaotic and algorithmic: prices move constantly, the Prime events produce genuine deals on some gear, and third-party sellers adjust independently. So: REI is easiest to time deliberately, Backcountry is the best clearance hunt, and Amazon rewards price-tracking more than calendar-watching.

For most quality gear the warranty that matters is the manufacturer's, and the strong brands honor claims regardless of where you bought, as long as you can show it's authentic. That authenticity requirement is exactly why buying from an authorized retailer matters. REI and Backcountry are authorized dealers for the brands they carry, so a warranty claim is clean. On Amazon a manufacturer can decline a claim on a gray-market or counterfeit unit — a headache you don't want when a seam blows out on day three.

Beyond the manufacturer, REI's return policy acts as an extra layer of buyer protection for the first year, and in-store staff can help route a claim. Backcountry's service is generally responsive. Amazon handles defective-on-arrival returns quickly, but a warranty issue that surfaces months later usually means dealing with the manufacturer directly, and your ability to prove provenance depends on who you actually bought from.

Used gear is the most underrated way to outfit yourself, and REI's used gear program (Re/Supply) is the mainstream option: member trade-ins resold with condition grading. It's a good place to find lightly used packs, tents, and jackets at a real discount, and because it's REI, authenticity isn't a question. Dedicated used-gear marketplaces and brand resale programs are worth a look for higher-end pieces, and trail-town gear swaps can beat any website if you're patient.

For new gear, compare the manufacturer list price first; my sequence is simple: decide on the exact item first, then check REI (with any member coupon), Backcountry clearance, and the manufacturer's own outlet, and only then compare Amazon while confirming the listing is sold and shipped by Amazon or the brand itself. Set a price you're happy with and buy when you hit it rather than chasing the theoretical bottom.

Here's how it shakes out for me. I use REI when fit and returns matter most, when I want the dividend working for me, or when I want to touch gear before committing — my default for boots, packs, and sleep systems. I use Backcountry for a specific premium or niche brand, deep clearance, or wider selection than my local REI stocks. I use Amazon for commodity hardware, consumables, and replacement parts where price and speed win and authenticity isn't a concern, always checking it ships from Amazon or the brand.

None of these is the right answer for everything, and anyone who tells you to always buy from one place is selling something. Match the retailer to the purchase: curated stores for the expensive, fit-critical, warranty-dependent gear, and the cheapest reputable source for the small stuff. As always, RidgeNote may earn a commission if you buy through our links, but the recommendation above is the one I'd make either way.