REI CEO Eric Artz said the outdoor gear retailer would end its Experiences unit, which offered adventure classes and trips, and lay off 428 workers.

Affected full-time employees will receive their full salary and benefits through March 9. Workers who split time between the stores and the events, classes and tours business — known collectively at REI as Experiences — may be able to stay with the company, depending on the store. REI has more than 16,000 employees.

More than 400 employees will be let go as part of the decision. CEO Eric Artz said the 40-year-old experiences division was unprofitable.

Any customers who have Experience trips or programs booked will receive a full refund of costs paid to REI. These aren't the first layoffs REI has enacted in recent years. In January 2024, the company laid off over 300 employees. In early 2023, the company also laid off 167 people.

REI Experiences was launched in 1987, then branded as REI Adventures. In 2022 the company rebranded this to REI Experiences, stating that it hoped that the new name would be less intimidating and encourage growth. It discontinued tours outside the United States in early 2020, citing costs even before the pandemic.

REI is cutting hundreds of jobs as the Issaquah-based co-op eliminates its "Experiences" division.

More than 400 employees will lose their jobs as REI closes its Experiences program, ending the adventure travel and outdoor education programs that have been part of the retailer’s identity for 40 years.

REI Co-op, the beloved outdoor retailer, announced Wednesday that it would be closing its Experiences division. Known for providing classes, selling group travel excursions, and operating various tours for 40 years,