REI return policy

None of this will be relevant once time machines are invented.

Speaking of which, anyone making progress on that front? I need to go back to last week and return the pair of poles I bent over the weekend.

I believe freightrainer has expressed his point very well.  And REI is definitely on the hook for warranty claims / contract terms in place at the time of sale.  Keep in mind that REI has built a nearly 2 Billion dollar company, in strong part based on that warranty, mowing down it's competition as it went.  It's completely legitimate to use the full extent of that return policy.

That said, I'd guess that not one voice in this conversation has returned a longworn and threadbare piece of fleece just for the freebee.  I doubt anyone in this community has.  Personally I've appreciated the return policy that has helped allow me to make some political statements to them along the way, including on topics we've discussed here before, such as their evasive position on liability aspects of their house-branded products.

I rarely shop there, now, but I want to keep tabs on their evolution since I bought into the co-op thing in the '60s.  One year not as good as lifetime, but I can work with it.

Sure, that's all valid. But choosing to stand by your product forever, no matter what, is an endearing angle in the industry. The standard was set by LL Bean, which has replaced completely worked Bean boots 20 years out, no questions asked. Patagucci and Black Diamond are still for the most part stand up about taking back stuff years out. Like Arc'Teryx and Dana Designs before they got bought out (then bought out again). It's ok to change, but it's ok for members (like me) and the public to phase shift in response.

And REI is definitely on the hook for warranty claims / contract terms in place at the time of sale.

See the parallel thread on nwhikers, in particular the reply from REI on this point - they said they will honor the prior policy for past purchases. While there, also see some discussion on the meaning of "lifetime" as well as "satisfaction." ETA: anyone who returned a product they bought there, during what could reasonably be construed as the product's "lifetime," due to not being satisfied with that product, certainly has no need to justify that action to anyone.

I rarely shop there, now, but I want to keep tabs on their evolution since I bought into the co-op thing in the '60s.  One year not as good as lifetime, but I can work with it.

Holy crap David that is an age telling thing. I drove by the old location today and thought of the field trip we took in elementary school to REI in 1972. We all got membership cards for free (one of my classmate's Dad worked there).
Sure wish I hadn't lost that card just for sentimental values.
But much has changed since then and has sold the values out of the origional members, now it's like a pricey JC Penny's of outdoor gear to me.

pine street.  yeah,  i misplaced my card at some point, too.   it was the LATE 60's, btw.   it was a great building to rummage around in.  bought my first few hangliders there, from Bob Stadshaug and Jerry West.  rei quit the hg business around '73 i think (whittaker thought it was a liability), so Bob and Jerry opened up shop in Bob's home garage.  they bagged that after a couple of years and settled on windsurfing.  last i heard, Bob was still at rei

hmmm..  elementary school in '72.  you seem, somehow...   older..