REI

Workers are generally knowledgeable (the lady who was in the navy knows her stuff). The pricing is really expensive, but the nice thing is you can find good quality stuff and you can find what you want. Plus you have a great return policy. 6 months for anyone, a year if you’re a member (one time fee of $30 to become a member). They don’t ask lots of questions when you return things so returning is fairly easy. Their sales are usually decent so I’d recommend waiting for their Christmas sale or anniversary sale that’s in the spring. Sometimes their gear has defects (it’s usually really good) but their good return policy makes up for it. I’m still giving them a 5/5, because I think that if you put price aside they live up to expectations .

I enjoy shopping at REI. If timed right, you can get some good deals on great products. I normally don’t need staff help but they are always friendly based on my experience. I recently had a very positive interaction with Brooke from REI. She was friendly, helpful, and enjoyable to talk to about gear. She’s the kind of associate that I enjoy interacting with. REI needs to keep hiring more people like her.

I have been a customer of REI for various outdoor gear and services, but my recent experience with their ski tuning service was deeply disappointing and has left me out of pocket. In November 2022, I entrusted my skis to REI for a routine tune-up. I ended up not skiing at all last year and my skis sat in the corner of my garage all year. I then took them in again this year to REI where they pointed out the Anti Friction Device Plates on both bindings were missing - a crucial safety component. The staff claimed these plates "fall out all the time," which is perplexing considering the complexity involved in their removal and the only activity for the skis in the past year was being unloaded from my car, put in a corner and reloaded into the car. When I followed their advice and sought replacements where I purchased my skis, I was informed that not only do these plates not simply fall out, (you have to remove the bindings and remove 4 screws) but they also cannot be replaced and I had to purchase new bindings making the service at REI very expensive in the long run.

I went in for a discounted pair of hiking boots that were available at this store, and it was a very smooth process. Kate and Blake are very knowledgeable, genuine, and friendly and helped me out to get the shoes I needed. They gave thorough explanations of the differences in various products, and overall made for a great experience!

I’ve visited REI twice in the last month or so. My first visit I was helped by a girl who knew her stuff and had some great product suggestions for the questions I was asking. My second visit I wanted to walk out with some trail running shoes. I ended up leaving empty handed after the staff member in the shoe area didn’t seem interested in helping me find a shoe that would fit my needs, or giving me suggestions. I ended up buying shoes elsewhere.