REI Member Days: Big Gear Deals Unlocked

Garmin’s Forerunner 165 Music is $50 off during REI’s Member Days.

REI’s exclusive shopping event is in full swing, running through Monday, March 23, and it’s designed to lure you in with member-only perks and a library of outdoor gear deals. The headline grabber this year is the Garmin Forerunner 165 Music, discounted to $249.99 at REI, Amazon, and Best Buy—a $50 drop from the $299.99 list price. That price is compelling for runners who want offline music and solid training metrics without chasing pricier models. It’s not a doorbuster, but it’s a clean, visible savings on a product many athletes already have on a wish list.

If you dabble in video on the go, the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is also part of the emphasis, touting a 1-inch sensor, three built-in microphones, and a 2-inch rotatable screen. It’s pitched as a compact, stabilized camera for travel and casual filmmaking, a niche that’s heated up as more people blend hiking with content creation. While the Verge article didn’t pin down a specific sale price for the Pocket 3, the inclusion signals REI’s broader push to bundle outdoor tech with the usual tents, stoves, and trail footwear.

Two big structural notes for shoppers: first, joining the REI Co-op costs $30, and many deals are exclusive to members. Second, members also get 20 percent off one full-priced item—or one REI Outlet item—when using the promo code MEMBER26. In practice, that means you can stack a modest sale price with a one-item, storewide discount, but the exact application can vary by item and by retailer. In short: you’ll want to read the fine print on each checkout screen and keep an eye on whether the 20 percent off applies to the same item already on sale or to a separate purchase.

Two concrete, practitioner-like insights for shoppers navigating this sale:

Break-even math matters. The membership costs $30, so the math only pays off if you buy at least one full-priced item where the 20 percent off would apply, or you plan multiple purchases. If your cart revolves around a single $250 purchase, the 20 percent savings would be $50 on top of the sale price, but you still shoulder the $30 membership fee unless you’ve got another qualifying item in the mix.

Availability and eligibility are real frictions. The Garmin watch shows strong price consistency across major retailers, but stock can swing quickly during member events. The Pocket 3’s price and availability may vary by store and region, so you’ll want to move fast if you’re eyeing them. And don’t assume you can stack more than one promo—the MEMBER26 code tends to be a one-item deal per qualifying purchase, not a blanket shopping cart discount.

For the broader outdoor-tech landscape, this sale slot fits a growing pattern: retailers lean into member programs to lock in repeat shoppers before the spring and summer travel surge. It’s a practical reminder that the “deal” isn’t just a big event with huge markdowns; it’s a curated bundle where a dense mix of gear, access to member perks, and the potential to combine discounts can tilt a purchase toward “buy now” or “wait for a better window.” If you’re already in the market for a wearable or a pocket camera—and you’re measuring the value of membership—the REI Member Days package is worth a careful eye.

Bottom line: Buy if you’re shopping for the Garmin Forerunner 165 Music or the Pocket 3 and you can justify the $30 membership, plus the one-item 20% off. Wait if you’re undecided or you don’t need full-priced gear right now. Skip if neither the discount nor the item in your cart makes financial sense this season.

Sources

Here are 20 of our favorite outdoor deals from REI’s Member Days Sale