Most of us have been stuck at home for months, and travel in the near term will likely be closer to home than many of us would like. International getaways and cross-country trips might be a step too far for the time being, but camp outs, picnics, and even just themed summer evenings in our own back yards are all fair game.
REI x West Elm
If you spent your time in home confinement perfecting your decor, you can now do the same with your outdoor gear thanks to REI's new collaboration with West Elm. The lineup of products marries REI's high quality outdoor gear expertise with West Elm's design aesthetics, and the initial products in the collaboration mostly eschew the bright colors of typical camping gear in favor of more muted, on-trend colors that would look right at home in, well, your home.
The collaboration is clearly geared more towards close-to-home outdoor experiences than it is serious campers. For example, with the Outward Low Lawn Chair (available in Salmon and Sand Storm), the Outdoor Blanket, the Park Picnic Tote, and the West Elm Modern Melamine Dinner Plates, you could host the best looking picnic in the park, but you probably wouldn't want to carry them up the side of a mountain.
There's nothing new here in the sense that some version of most of these products already existed, but it does mark the first time that REI will sell its first-party outdoor gear at another retailer; the collaboration is available for purchase at both stores. If West Elm's trendy patterns and sophisticated-but-not-pretentious aesthetic encourages people to spend more of their summer outdoors, we say it's a win.
You can see all of the products in the collaboration here, but we've highlighted a few of the most noteworthy pieces below.
REI Co-op Outdoor Blanket, $50
The REI Outdoor Blanket features two sides; a soft one to sit on, and a water-resistant one to prevent the moisture on the ground from soaking through. It's also made from bluesign®-approved polyester, meaning it was sustainably and safely produced.
REI Co-op Park Picnic Tote, $50
A movable interior pocket system lets you clear space to bring a full roll of paper towels, or keep a wine bottle from jostling around while you walk. When the top zipper is closed, it's a 22.5L tote. But when you open it up, it expands into a 40L picnic basket.
West Elm Color Pop Outdoor Pillow, $40
Available in two different colorways, this is probably the most West Elm-y of all the products in the collaboration, but it's not just a looker. The cover is water resistant, and the fill is made from the equivalent of 38 recycled plastic water bottles. If you don't like the color blocks, a "striated" design is also available here.
West Elm Ombre Pop Outdoor Rug, $200
While REI's outdoor blanket was meant for picnics, the 5' x 8' Ombre rug from West Elm is designed to stay on your patio permanently. And like much of the gear in this collaboration, it's made from recycled materials.
Outward Low Lawn Chair, $60
At nearly 7 pounds, it's certainly not REI's lightest camping chair, but with its trendy colors and wooden handles, the Outward Low Lawn Chair might be the best looking seat they offer. It also features backpack straps and a locking mechanism that allows it to hold thin items like the Outward Side Table inside while you carry it, so you can keep your hands free.
