Outdoor Stores

Store Wars

REI, Cabela’s fight for the hearts of outdoor enthusiasts

Andrew Haughey haughand000@hsestudents.org

Despite the simplicity often associated with the outdoors, activities such as camping, fishing, hunting and hiking can require an individual to purchase equipment that they may not have otherwise. Due to this, outdoor stores such as REI and Cabela’s have made it a point of emphasis to sell consumers both high quality and affordable items. As a result of many outdoors retailers selling similar items, competition between them is tight. For senior Vera Schafer, the decision comes down to several factors, including the quality and variety of the products sold at each outlet. “Over the summer we went camping for cross country, and during that time I brought my lantern that I bought from Cabela’s and it lit up our entire 15-person tent,” Schafer said. “I remember the other lanterns that the coaches brought all died and mine was the only one that survived.” In addition to quality and selection, Schafer said that the decor and overall feel of the store was important to her. Proximity was also a key factor. “It’s close to where I live and it has a fish pond, so even if you aren’t into camping, you can still go there,” Schafer said. “It has literally everything, and the inside is really cool, too. It’s like you’re actually in nature because they have a lot of animals as decoration.” Most of Schafer’s outdoor experience includes camping with items purchased from Cabela’s. Because of this, she has a fond connection between the store and memories from her childhood. “When my family would go camping, we would always go for a weekend or so,” Schafer said. “We would go fishing and kayaking sometimes. I was never really that good at fishing, but I still enjoyed it.” Much like Schafer, assistant principal Kyle Goodwin said he enjoyed camping and hiking as a child and has continued the activities into adulthood. Getting fresh air and creating positive memories is something that keeps him coming back again and again. “I spent a lot of time as a kid camping,” Goodwin said. “We didn’t have a ton of money growing up, and so one of the cheapest vacations we could do was pack a tent and a cooler and spend a week outside. That’s something that has stuck with me since I was a little kid.” Although he and Schafer share similar outdoor hobbies, Goodwin resides on the other side of the aisle in terms of which outdoor retailer he supports, showing a strong preference for REI. “There’s a really practical reason [for shopping at REI],” Goodwin said. “I’m a Co-op

Fish swim in the aquarium in the main corridor of the Fishers Cabela’s location. Photo by Andrew Haughey

Rewards Member there, so the more money you spend there, the more sweet deals you get. But they also have an outreach program that they put a lot of money through co-op partnerships into. They’ve got REI Co-op Action Network and they spend a lot of money on climate change research and reforestation efforts.” Outreach programs play a large part in where Goodwin decides to shop, but so do the prices of the items that the store sells. As an avid camper, Goodwin requires an array of equipment, including a backpack, water filtration systems and warm clothing. The prices of these items can add up quickly and become overwhelming. “I’m a pretty fiscally conservative individual,” Goodwin said. “I don’t like spending a lot of money, so the membership is pretty great just because of the discounts and things that you get.” While Schafer and Goodwin are primarily focused on camping and hiking, sophomore Lukas House enjoys hunting with his father and participating in fishing tournaments with his friends. “I have a lot of memories of the outdoors,” House said. “One of my favorite memories is when, last winter, I hurt my shoulder due to a swimming injury and my dad had me shoot my bow. I remember it hurting my shoulder to pull the bow strings back but I still managed to do so, so my dad decided to finally let me go hunt with my bow for the first time. That night I killed my very first doe with my bow and my dad and I were super happy about it.” Intimate memories with his father are part of the reason House continues to go back to hunting and fishing. These sports require equipment such as fishing poles, lures, guns and bows to engage in, so House chooses to shop at Cabela’s to ensure he is getting the equipment he needs. “These stores are amazing,” House said. “ I love the wide range of lures and poles they have available to me when I’m shopping. It’s hard to go inside and not come out $50 poorer.” Similar to Schafer, the proximity of the store matters to House. “This store has so many options since Bass Pro Shops bought it,” House said. “The other closest Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shops is about 2 hours away, which makes driving 5 minutes a big deal. A lot of outdoor stores are farther away from Fishers.” In a direct contradiction to House, senior Marley Mack tends to enjoy more casual outdoor activities such as reading outside. Because of this, Mack said the hunting and fishing selection at Cabela’s can be a bit intense for her enjoyment. “As someone who doesn’t eat meat and definitely doesn’t hunt, REI just has much better vibes, so to speak, than other, huntingheavy outdoor stores,” Mack said. In addition to the more relaxed atmosphere, Mack commented that REI had many more products that could be utilized in a variety of settings, rather than situation-specific gear. “Since I don’t do outdoorsy stuff often or camping all that much, I usually look for things that could have multiple functions or could be used outside of camping,” Mack said. “For example, we use our camping mugs almost everyday at home.” Although debates vary wildly among different groups of outdoor enthusiasts, each store has its pros and cons. While Cabela’s can offer a large variety of hunting and fishing gear, REI tends to specialize in camping and hiking equipment while being more approachable, according to Mack. “It’s a great place to get quality outdoors and sports gear without being bombarded with stuffed animals,” Mack said. Cabela’s nearest location to FHS is located at 13725 Cabela Pkwy in Noblesville, near Hamilton Town Center, while REI’s nearest location is 8490 Castleton Corner Drive, near the Castleton Square Mall. Both of the retailers also operate online stores which can be ordered from. Top Consumer Reviews

Comparably C+ 65/100

Top Consumer Reviews

Comparably B 68/100

A QR code linking to REI and Cabela’s websites. All photos and price data courtesy of Cabela’s and REI websites. Reviews collected from comparably.com and topconsumerreviews.com. Graphics by Andrew Haughey.

REI Co-op Trail 40 Pack $129

Price Comparison

Cabela’s Bow and Rifle Pack 41L $160 REI Co-op Base Camp 6 Tent $549

Cabela’s Big Country 6-Person Cabin Tent $500 REI Co-op Trailbreak 20 Sleeping Bag $109 Cabela’s Mountain Trapper 20 Sleeping Bag $120