REI

REI is the place we buy our county park sticker, and not much else. REI has the best gear. They’re also the most expensive. Sometimes you get what you pay for, but sometimes not. If you’re doing car camping, you don’t need to spend big bucks on a tent at REI when you can get a perfectly good one at Dick’s. If you’re backpacking, you want to go to REI and get yourself the lightest tent you can. If you’re into climbing, you have to go to REI. But the selection at the Eugene store is SMALL in comparison to the Bend and Portland stores. This is a good store, and you can get good advice from usually non-​snobby staff most of the time – but sometimes it’s hard to get help because the store can be busy and the staff is spread a little thin. I don’t recommend it, unless you want stuff that you are serious about and making a serious investment in. For things like water bottles, don’t spend $ 25 for an REI logo. Go get the same thing somewhere else and save up for your next trip to Thailand.

REI is one of the best outdoor stores in Eugene yes it’s expensive but you get great quality gear for what you pay for.
The staff at REI is very knowledgable in every department.
The best part is the REI close out (also known as scratch and dent) sales where they returned items for sale for a cheap price!!!
Pros:
Staff
Great quality gear
Wide selection
Cons:
Prices

REI overall is irrationally overly priced. Personally, I like a lot of other outdoor stores, many of which are online and local. I will not name them only because I am well, greedy and don’t want everyone and their mother crowding my deals. In addition, this particular REI often lacks items in my size in clothing and shoes. My size is what one would consider «average.» You would think that they would figure out that average sizes should be more highly stocked. But, that is NOT the case here. Perhaps this is their b.s. tactic around supply and demand. Believe me, it just makes me not want to even enter the store since I will have to inevitably go on a futile treasure hunt to find something I like in my size. They also often lack available dressing rooms. I was in there yesterday for instance, and there were no available dressing rooms. There was a lady keeping her «large» poodle in one dressing room as if it were a kennel. REI should keep a tighter leash on entitled dog owners who use the dressing room as a kennel. In addition, they simply need more rooms, period! Anyway, onto the shoes. The shoe department is often a total sh*t show, especially on the weekends. Do not go to this REI on the weekends expecting adequate service. It is simply not possible to receive such service for an array of reasons: 1. They are understaffed 2. There is not enough space for people to sit on their asses and try on a shoe 3. Unfortunately, you can hear the shoe dept. employees rightfully complaining about how rude customers are. Customers are rude due to the aforementioned issues. However, you would hope that the shoe staff would have the awareness to know that their little back room is not so private. I felt embarrassed for them. It is clear that the staff have a reason to complain about the rude customers but at the same time, the customers have some reason to be irritated with the overall situation (see aforementioned notes). It would be quite humane for REI to work to alleviate this situation on many fronts. To conclude, I only go here if I have a gift card to be spent or am in need of some dehydrated food options.

I love REI! Great customer service and the place to get gear! The staff are just as much into the outdoors as they people who come here. I have found myself engaged in some meaningful conversations with staff and fellow shoppers here so besides picking up some new gear you met discover some kindred spirits.
Interesting fact the Eugene REI looks different than other REI locations since it is a converted Mill adding a unique feel and architecture.
See you at the garage sale on Oct 18^th, but you won’t find me camping out overnight with the rest of the hardcore outdoor enthusiasts.

Huge thanks to Conner. He helped us with everything we needed for our backpacking trip. Great products at a great value.

Huge thanks and shout out to Jason at your store. I was visiting the area a few weeks ago and was looking for a hydration pack for the Avon Walk. We tested a few, and he showed me the Ultimate Direction pack for women on your website (since it wasn’t in stock). He found it at an REI near my home and had them hold it for me. I bought it, and he was absolutely correct about the pack. I finished the walk and was one of the few whose back was not aching from carrying water. Thank you, Jason, REI, and the Ultimate Direction Jenny Collection pack! I had a successful 39.3 mile walk this past weekend in San Francisco. :)

Customer service at REI is number one!!! Without question, I go to REI to get the latest gear and if the company that made the gear just plain sucks, then there is no fight to return the product. This is invaluable as a customer and brings me to their doors each and every time.

I love REI… but, not this location.
On a Friday, I brought my recently purchased bike in for it’s «tune-​up.» They could not help me until sometime the following week? The person at the bike shop area said «I’m not even qualified to touch it!»
Very disappointing service.

How could you not like REI? With a 100% satisfaction guarantee on EVERYTHING they sell, you can’t go wrong. If you’re a member ($ 20 for a lifetime membership) and you don’t like a product, return it. What a great customer service policy. And the business is thriving because of it. If I can buy it at REI, I do. It may be a little more expensive than online or other stores, but the satisfaction guarantee is important to me and makes the purchasing it here worth it.

Good selection of sporting goods but pricey unless you get something on sale

Went in with a friend when visiting Eugene, for a very specific item that involves a pretty dorky «sport.» The staff directed me to exactly what I needed, and I was shortly on my way. At the check out, they were having a hard time finding me in the system for their loyalty/​dividend program. I was totally fine to just pay and not get credit for my purchase, but the clerk insisted she find me in the system. After spouting off old phone numbers and email addresses, I was finally located, updated, and my purchase recorded.

Pluses:
Friendly helpful staff
Wide selection
Carries the bike I’m lusting after
Has a good selection of vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore camping food.
Meh:
Prices can be hit or miss.
Minus:
Limited to down right non-​existent plus size selection.

This is still one of my favorite places on earth-​something about this place just makes fireworks go off in my head. I’m not really outdoorsy, so maybe I’m the wrong person to talk, but hey, I got a Unilocal account, so, deal with it.
The staff at REI, and the return policy, and the overall quality of the products sold are the reasons I keep coming back, year after year (the dividends check helps too).
However, the reason for a 4 star as opposed to 5, is that I spent 40 minutes looking for a jacket, after having a salesmen (very knowledgeable and friendly, I must add) help me, still couldn’t find the product I wanted. A simple soft shell NorthFace waterproof windbreaker. I knew it was in that store, and all be damned if I wasn’t going to find it.
I accepted defeat, and in my hour of weakness (more like 45 minutes, to be specific) I trotted down the stairs, head held in shame, and there it was, in all its majestic splendor and glory, with the ability to heal all of those shopping letdown wounds, the one word we all want to see, «CLEARENCE».
It gets better, guess what I found on the rack? The same windbreaker I’d spent a half of a day (about 40 minutes, this was an exaggeration) attempting to track down. It made my day. But it was also simultaneously frustrating because the staff didn’t mention it.
It seemed shady, did they want me to buy something for full-​price instead? I don’t know, but it seemed weird to me. So, that’s why they get 4 stars, even though I find them to be a consistent 5 star on the regular.

The Disneyland of outdoorsmen! This place is awesome! I just wish I had a million dollars in the bank whenever I come here because they have so many cool things for anything to do with outdoors sports/​activities. Everyone should come & enjoy the feelings this place brings out in you.

Their return policy is Amazing! I come here every year for backpacks and water bottles for school. Their employees are always helpful and they don’t make me feel like a jerk if I don’t know as much as them when it comes to outdoorsey stuff…

Ah, REI… Sometimes I love you, sometimes I hate you.
Here’s the deal. REI has the best gear. They’re also the most expensive. Sometimes you get what you pay for, but sometimes not.
If you’re doing car camping, you don’t need to spend a fortune on a tent at REI when you can get a perfectly good one at Dick’s (heck, go to Wal-​Mart if you only go once or twice a year) for a lot less.
If you’re backpacking, you want to go to REI and get yourself the lightest tent you can.
If you’re into climbing, you have to go to REI. But the selection at the Eugene store is SMALL in comparison to the Bend and Portland stores. Seriously, for the «world’s greatest city for the arts and outdoors,» it sure is hard to find a good selection of stuff for the… arts and outdoors.
There are two breeds of annoying REI fans. There are the elitists, who think that because every piece of clothing they wear says «Patagonia» on it, they are therefore better than you in your so-​last-​season inferior performance wear. They are also the types to size you up as you walk in the door and silently judge you. I know what they’re thinking. «She’s wearing flip flops that could’ve come from Old Navy, NOT Tevas, and her toes are painted. Get thee out of her, you mainstream and pedestrian outdoor wannabe with your nice shaven legs!» These are the types that just don’t believe you are hardcore enough to be in this store. They could be the employees, but more often they’re the shoppers.
Then, on the opposite side of the spectrum, we have the «i don’t ever do anything outdoors ever, but I have to shop at REI because it’s where the cool kids shop» people. You’ll know them when you see them. They like the brand because they wish they did more than stay in the AC and watch TV. They have fancy Thule bike racks for their pleasant rides through suburban sidewalks.
This is a good store, and you can get good advice from usually non-​snobby staff most of the time – but sometimes it’s hard to get help because the store can be busy and the staff is spread a little thin.
I recommend it, especially for stuff that you are serious about and making a serious investment in. For things like water bottles, don’t spend $ 25 just for an REI logo. Go get the same thing somewhere else and give your money to starving children or something.

I really love REI.
Lets see, where to start. Well they are the ONLY store in Eugene that carry Vibram Fivefingers (Matt LIVES in his Fivefingers and has for sometime now). So that’s a pretty big deal.
As long as you’re a member you can return your items at any time. Even if they have been threw the jungles of Peru and back, they can still be returned.
Customer service is in my opinion top notch.
Prices can be steep but because of member dividends I am ok with that (Matt bought me a new school backpack with it this year).

If you want the best advice and best selection of outdoor gear, with of course the best return policy in the world, then REI is the place to be.
This location is small, but still has enough to keep any outdoor gear junkie busy for several hours. Also, the Scratch and Dent sales are memorable. I have only been to one, but it was easily the most fun I’ve ever had shopping (even after waiting outside from 5 am to 10 am).

Only the best place to purchase camping, hiking and biking gear. Plus, if you join the co-​op you get a rebate back once a year.
I always look here since I am a member before going anywhere else to shop. You can score some awesome shoes in the clearance area (my dansko wool clogs that were $ 125 were on sale for $ 79.95!) and they have an awesome return policy.
You can wear those clothes and shoes and if you don’t like them, return them. They won’t look at the bottom of your shoes and gripe because you actually tried them out!
If you go to their online store, you can have stuff shipped to the local store for free. Thrifty!