REI Member Days: Major Outdoor Deals

REI’s Member Days kick off with big outdoor deals—exclusive to members.

The two-week shopping event is in full swing, running through Monday, March 23, and it’s built to lure gear-inclined shoppers into paying for a membership up front. The perk-heavy structure is clear: the co‑op charges $30 for a year of access, and members will get 20 percent off one full-priced item (or one REI Outlet item) with the promo code MEMBER26. That 20 percent is the cherry on top of discounts that are already being pitched as exclusive to members, a clever way to lock in loyalty even before the summer adventure season hits.

Among the sale highlights highlighted by Verge editors are Garmin watches and compact video gear. The Garmin Forerunner 165 Music, for example, maps into the trend of sport-ready wearables with offline music support and in-depth training metrics. The full price is listed at $299.99, but the item is shown at $249.99 in listings across major retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and REI itself during Member Days. The trade-off here is clear: you gain access to a lower price for a device that still keeps you connected to playlists and streaming services on the go—handy for runners and hikers who don’t want to juggle a phone mid‑workout.

Another entry in the mix is the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, a pocket-sized stabilizer camera that touts a 1-inch CMOS sensor, three built-in microphones, and a 2-inch rotatable screen. For content creators who want better video without lugging serious gear, this kind of compact system can be a meaningful upgrade over phone video when you’re out on a trail or at a campsite. Verge notes the pocket-size appeal, and the bundled features make it a plausible upgrade path for hobbyists who value stabilized footage without a big camera setup.

Two practical takeaways for shoppers are worth noting. First, the Member Days structure is a loyalty play: you pay $30 for the year to unlock member-only deals and the 20 percent off one full-priced item. If you were already eying a big-ticket item this season, the math can work in your favor, especially when you factor in the 20 percent coupon—though terms matter. Second, the savings aren’t uniformly dramatic across every product category, and stock can move quickly as spring weather encourages more outdoor activity. The Verge roundups show great possibilities, but a quick price check on both full price and discount prices is essential to avoid overestimating the benefit of the 20 percent coupon on Sale items.

From a retailer standpoint, Member Days is a smart play in a crowded outdoor gear space. It nudges high-visibility products into contention while nudging consumers toward a paid membership that promises recurring revenue. For buyers, it’s a reminder that the best value often comes from steering the savings toward items where the listed price reflects the true ceiling, and the membership perk then reduces the out‑of‑pocket cost.

Verdict: Buy if you’re already planning a purchase in the outdoor category and don’t mind paying for a year of membership. The Garmin and pocket-camera deals illustrate credible savings, but the real payoff hinges on picking a full-priced item you’d buy anyway and managing the 20% coupon strategically. If you weren’t planning to buy soon or if you don’t want to join the co‑op, wait for a different sale window or skip the membership and shop non-membership retailers.

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