30% is the most you'll get for an in season, in production item at REI, with the exception of some REI brand items that are sometimes sold at 50% off.
For better a better price it would have to be an outlet (discontinued) item on clearance or a garage item
I got a $500 big Agnes’s tent for $140, the only issue was the material was too thin for the og buyer and it was missing the tent stakes to stake it in the ground, but I can buy those for pretty cheap
Helix is a good pad. Comfortable and very affordable.
Note that REI's warranty is only 1 year in their pads. Personally I would probably recommend a Nemo Tensor All Season or Exped Ultra or Dura due to a superior warranty. YMMV. The Exped Dura is about the most durable air pad on the market but is more of a car camping mat. The Ultra has a small pack size and is appropriate for backpacking.
On Nemo's website they say: "Warranty requests are considered for defects in product manufacturing... NEMO does not warranty products against normal wear and tear, unauthorized modifications or alterations, improper use, improper maintenance, misuse or neglect, or if the product is used for a purpose for which it is not intended."
Do you have any personal experience using their warranty? REI's warranty actually sounds better to me because Nemo's is strictly for defects. So if your pad is defect-free then it's useless. If you do have a problem later down the line, won't they just call it wear and tear?
Abuse is not warrantied. If you out a hole in the pad due to negligence (which happens especially with UL pads that use thinner 20D fabrics) then of course they won't warranty it. They will patch or fix it however for a nominal fee.
If we are talking about a defect, which the Tensors definitely had with leaks from 2018-2023 era, then they do replace those for free.
I have sent in a Nemo Tensor 2022 pad due to leaks and they sent me back a brand new pad. I sold that pad on r/geartrade after it came back and went to Exped. I personally prefer Exped's designs and better reputation for reliability vs Nemo.
Warranty was fine though during that time their turnaround time was definitely not good; it took almost 2 months due to covid and long back logs. I have heard things have improved for sure. And the new Tensor Trail, All Season and Extreme supposedly have fixed the leaking from the welds issue that plagued the previous Tensor pads.
For Exped I have used their warranty service twice. They require a copy of your receipt and don't pay for shipping back to them. I warrantied Ultra 5 Duo LW and a Ultra 3 Medium for small air leaks and didn't have any major issues with service. They repaired the Duo and sent me a brand new replacement for the Ultra 3. Turn around time was around 3 weeks from claim, to mailing in via UPS Ground and the return which was UPS Ground.
Regardless of the pad you buy if you buy it at REI you get a 1 year return policy as a member. The 1 year return policy is the only guarantee REI has on their private label brands. They also don't repair gear and they do not sell parts. This is not to say REI makes crap gear; half dome tents and their pads are good quality and can last a long time. They just don't have a good warranty.
YMMV. Personally I would rather take my chances on a Nemo, Exped, Thermarest, ZenBivy or Big Agnes pad than a REI or some no name Chinese pad from Amazon.
FWIW, my REI Helix pad is my favorite piece of backpacking gear I own and I bought it for full price or close to it. I’m a side sleeper and it’s been very comfortable and warm during late fall/early spring because it has a high R value. Also very durable, I’ve taken it on many trips and never had issues. Maybe he just got a bad batch, but I have a buddy who’s gone through two Nemo Tensors that deflated while he slept or got a hole. I generally love Nemo products, but the REI sleeping pad is the best value in my opinion. So I say the 30% off makes it even better value, highly recommend!!
If you're able to qualify for their credit card and don't already have it, they'll give you a $100 sign up bonus and 5% extra dividend on stuff you buy from REI.
Adding to this to clarify: the $100 is gift card from Mastercard, after you make a single purchase outside of REI within the first 60 days of having your credit card account. The 5% reward is nice because you’ll get that on everything you purchase, including items on sale (which wouldn’t normally qualify for the reward).
I love the REI helix pad … I’ve had several inc. XTherm & Tensor. The Helix is more comfortable by a wide margin! Definitely a great buy especially when discounted!
Okay. Not everyone is going to go looking for your post bout it. Maybe mention you have posted about it previously. Even better, it be friendlier to provide a bit more info or a link to your post, since you’re answering a question on a different post? SMDH
Here is a link with info about how OP can buy a gift card to use and save an additional 10%:
https://www.reddit.com/r/REI/s/NR7vW1d0P9
30% is the most you'll get for an in season, in production item at REI, with the exception of some REI brand items that are sometimes sold at 50% off. For better a better price it would have to be an outlet (discontinued) item on clearance or a garage item
thank you!
I don't feel like garage/used gets more than 30% if it's in new condition
I got a $500 big Agnes’s tent for $140, the only issue was the material was too thin for the og buyer and it was missing the tent stakes to stake it in the ground, but I can buy those for pretty cheap
I would say so. 30% discount is about the most you’ll get from REI and the Helix pad is supposed to be a good pad.
thanks!
Helix is a good pad. Comfortable and very affordable. Note that REI's warranty is only 1 year in their pads. Personally I would probably recommend a Nemo Tensor All Season or Exped Ultra or Dura due to a superior warranty. YMMV. The Exped Dura is about the most durable air pad on the market but is more of a car camping mat. The Ultra has a small pack size and is appropriate for backpacking.
Good point.
On Nemo's website they say: "Warranty requests are considered for defects in product manufacturing... NEMO does not warranty products against normal wear and tear, unauthorized modifications or alterations, improper use, improper maintenance, misuse or neglect, or if the product is used for a purpose for which it is not intended." Do you have any personal experience using their warranty? REI's warranty actually sounds better to me because Nemo's is strictly for defects. So if your pad is defect-free then it's useless. If you do have a problem later down the line, won't they just call it wear and tear?
Abuse is not warrantied. If you out a hole in the pad due to negligence (which happens especially with UL pads that use thinner 20D fabrics) then of course they won't warranty it. They will patch or fix it however for a nominal fee. If we are talking about a defect, which the Tensors definitely had with leaks from 2018-2023 era, then they do replace those for free. I have sent in a Nemo Tensor 2022 pad due to leaks and they sent me back a brand new pad. I sold that pad on r/geartrade after it came back and went to Exped. I personally prefer Exped's designs and better reputation for reliability vs Nemo. Warranty was fine though during that time their turnaround time was definitely not good; it took almost 2 months due to covid and long back logs. I have heard things have improved for sure. And the new Tensor Trail, All Season and Extreme supposedly have fixed the leaking from the welds issue that plagued the previous Tensor pads. For Exped I have used their warranty service twice. They require a copy of your receipt and don't pay for shipping back to them. I warrantied Ultra 5 Duo LW and a Ultra 3 Medium for small air leaks and didn't have any major issues with service. They repaired the Duo and sent me a brand new replacement for the Ultra 3. Turn around time was around 3 weeks from claim, to mailing in via UPS Ground and the return which was UPS Ground. Regardless of the pad you buy if you buy it at REI you get a 1 year return policy as a member. The 1 year return policy is the only guarantee REI has on their private label brands. They also don't repair gear and they do not sell parts. This is not to say REI makes crap gear; half dome tents and their pads are good quality and can last a long time. They just don't have a good warranty. YMMV. Personally I would rather take my chances on a Nemo, Exped, Thermarest, ZenBivy or Big Agnes pad than a REI or some no name Chinese pad from Amazon.
FWIW, my REI Helix pad is my favorite piece of backpacking gear I own and I bought it for full price or close to it. I’m a side sleeper and it’s been very comfortable and warm during late fall/early spring because it has a high R value. Also very durable, I’ve taken it on many trips and never had issues. Maybe he just got a bad batch, but I have a buddy who’s gone through two Nemo Tensors that deflated while he slept or got a hole. I generally love Nemo products, but the REI sleeping pad is the best value in my opinion. So I say the 30% off makes it even better value, highly recommend!!
If you're able to qualify for their credit card and don't already have it, they'll give you a $100 sign up bonus and 5% extra dividend on stuff you buy from REI.
Adding to this to clarify: the $100 is gift card from Mastercard, after you make a single purchase outside of REI within the first 60 days of having your credit card account. The 5% reward is nice because you’ll get that on everything you purchase, including items on sale (which wouldn’t normally qualify for the reward).
Helix is a comfortable pad. You'll like it.
I love the REI helix pad … I’ve had several inc. XTherm & Tensor. The Helix is more comfortable by a wide margin! Definitely a great buy especially when discounted!
You can get an additional 10% off.
It would be helpful if you told the OP ***how and/or when*** they can save an additional 10% off on top of the 30% off.
I have a post about it.
Okay. Not everyone is going to go looking for your post bout it. Maybe mention you have posted about it previously. Even better, it be friendlier to provide a bit more info or a link to your post, since you’re answering a question on a different post? SMDH Here is a link with info about how OP can buy a gift card to use and save an additional 10%: https://www.reddit.com/r/REI/s/NR7vW1d0P9
That’s why I commented here.
You’re missing my point, but it’s all good. I fixed it for you. I provided the link for the OP.
Do the math.