REI

Nice looking store filled with expensive outdoors equipment. Don’t camp or ski often enough to be tempted. A few gadgets appealed to the techie in me. Kept my credit card in the wallet. I may venture back if we ever get snow as they had some warm light weight winter jackets that may be worth a try. Hiking boots, hear might be a spring/​summer purchase. Not as well stocked as Dick’s

Let me preface this by saying that I’m as much of a fan of REI’s corporate culture as I am of their products. Sometimes I feel the prices are unnecessarily high; however, I can also say that there are some products that I just wouldn’t buy anywhere else. I particularly love the selection of beach/​hiking hats, camping gear, and shoes/​sandals. The sales staff are always very friendly and knowledgeable. Also, I suggest joining the member program, as the dollars you spend are directly related to the amount of dividends you get back. I’ve heard good things about their bicycle repair department but have never used the service. And, one of these days, I’d love to let my son try the climbing wall.

Everything you can get at a number of outdoor fitters but with a much higher mark up. The prices are not worth the quality (clothes wise) that they charge. The do have very good prices on some camping equipment and supplies and the staff seems knowledgable but couldn’t tell me if a backpack had a place for me to secure a rifle during a hike/​hunt.

I was surprised to see the climbing wall at this location. Deffinately one of my favorite locations. I try to visit every REI that I travel near and this one seemed to have more of a selection than the Robinson location, as with every store I’ve been in, the staff is great, knowledgeable and always willing to help.

REI stores over all are great, I have found the selection for outdoor recreation activities products unparalleled. The staff here were very nice and helpful.

Like the store, so much to gear up for outdoor adventures. However, I hate the lack of parking. It’s great they have a membership, but they have not sent my checks multiple times. If they can see it in the computer, why not offer it as in store credit?

Great store with a huge collection. They accepted an exchange on a Gerber knife even more than a year later because the bad kept slipping loose. Great service by that manager. Some of the other staff didn’t really seem to know their product… a little disappointing. But still a great rei with some good sales we took advantage of
They also had an indoor wall which was pretty cool and a great idea. We didn’t make it in time to climb ourselves but would be a great tool trying out some new gear.

If you’re an outdoorsy kind of person, REI will have what you’re looking for. Everything from camping, to hiking, to biking and anything in between, this place has it. While the store is well-​stocked, it does house higher end brands, so it ain’t cheap. There are sale racks with plenty of North Face fleece from last year etc for those who don’t want to splurge. Don’t expect the staff to find you; it’s a large building so always ask for help.

Love this place! Great service! I can always find something on the clearance rack. I love the smart wool socks. I pretty much like everything in this place.

This is another great REI. This is a big, well-​stocked store. The people who work there are knowledgeable and helpful. The bike-​shop techs are extremely helpful and will go out of their way to make sure your bike is safe and set up properly.

Love it.
Live it.
REI is awesome, no matter where you go — Yes, they can be pricey, but with some luck and patience, you can find lots of great deals on outdoor wares and clothes. You can’t beat a brick and mortar store where you can check out items you want for your next camping or fishing trip, and the salespeople are definitely knowledgeable about their products. Always a fun place to shop!

REI is a beautiful store with great customer service and phenomenal products and brands. However, I hate to say it, but I’m just not an outdoorsy enough person to fully appreciate this retailer! I primarily browse their jackets and kayaks when I’m in the store but have never been compelled to purchase. I understand the value in their products and in their service, but I don’t necessarily believe they have the best prices.

I like REI I don’t love REI because they only offer top priced brands and tippy top prices. But my like teeters on the brink of an iceberg of love… why? They have some good perks. And there are perks to be had here my friends especially if you join their 20 $ membership thing.
Perks: Everything is returnable break it, get sick of it, hate it return it. Member only sales on these items a few times years, the sales can be hit and miss. It turns into a mad house but you might make some great finds at great prices. SALE sale SALE! and coupons in the mail.
This week I bought 1 pair of columbia hiking shorts originally priced at 40 $ marked down to 19 $, an Osprey day backpack for my hydration bladder at 35 $ priced at 60 $ originally. Plus some socks and a couple of those gross gel packs (I know but I am doing a 30 mile in one day hike hoping they will help me through mile 29 when my knees begin to buckle). After I threw in my 20.00 $ off coupon for being a member I got all that for a little over 50 $. So if you play your cards right the prices come down.
As for larger items many can be found at cheaper outfitters, used on CL, or other online outfitters. for example I bought a brand new older model Kelty coyote large Pack for about 100 $ less then any newer model I would find at REI. I might review that outdoor outfitter later. Shoes are another thing you can purchase cheaper elsewhere. So its worth shopping around if you see something you want here. I did buy my backpack stove, water filter (which again was on sale 20 $ off), and some cook ware here. Sometimes I need these items flash fast on payday and buying online isn’t an option. Only one time were they out of stock of an item I wanted at this store location I thin it was running shoes.
Tip if you need a dressing room go to the shoe department and ask for help if nobody responds after the first bell ring. You’ll know what I mean when you get there.

I do wish the prices were lower at REI, but I must say that their products are high quality and they stand behind them with an excellent return policy. I have made some excellent sale purchases, and also some impulse buys, but I am always impressed by the durability and design of their products. Some things that I use all the time are a light weight backpack and some marvelous hiking boots. The sales personnel are never pushy and always helpful. I enjoy their climbing wall from time to time, but also it’s fun to watch kids take the challenge of climbing to the top. If you are an REI Member, you get a better price, so I advise you to join, plus there is a nice rewards program. I do have one story of a wonderful experience I had with my bicycle at REI. The quick release lever had fallen off my front wheel during a ride, but because I was an REI customer, they gave me the part free. It didn’t matter that I had not purchased the bike in the store.

So I love REI. I am a member, so I get rebates n’at. It’s still overpriced compared to EMS or other outfitters, but they always have some cool gear and fun things to check out in the store. This location also has a climbing wall which seems extra popular with the kids, and they run workshops pretty frequently on basic outdoor-​skill things.
The bike shop guys are efficient and really knowledgeable, too. I’ve brought my bike in for anything from a new wheel to a total replacement of my brake lines.
Side note: this location seems to have some interesting/​friendly employees. Every time I go in, I end up talking to someone about something strange that I don’t necessarily have time for, but they kinda follow you around the store — such as, how it must be nice that I can buy kids clothes or how I should be taking shark fin supplements (you have to be kidding me) for my joints. On the plus side, they aren’t pushy from a sales perspective as one other reviewer has said and you can feel comfortable coming in and poking around without spending money.
If you have never been in an REI or EMS or similar store, definitely stop in.

REI in general: In brief, we’re huge fans. In fact, we’re REI members which means that we get a 5% discount on our purchases via the dividends program. If you end up loving REI as much as we do, check into this great program. They treat their members right! They have great brands, both designer and own-​brand, the staff is very knowledgeable, and they don’t push sales. The sporting goods competitors simply cannot «compete» with this store – unless you’re talking purely price.
This store: they have a climbing wall along the large window so you can get a view of the Mon if you climb up. My daughter tried it at age 2.5. That was a little young. :) Maybe this year!
The biggest downside for anything in this area is parking. Ugh. I usually find a meter in the middle of the week, but on the weekends, it’s parking garage city. If you’re okay with a little walking, try the side streets adjacent to the shopping area and walk.

Took along time to get some help and they were not busy.

I love going to this store, probably one of the only stores in the entire world that I can spend more than 10 minutes in without walking out empty handed. Yes this place is spendy but if you are a somewhat thrifty shopper such as myself you can actually score some really good deals.
This store also has an extremely good return policy, essentially they will take anything back for whatever reason within a year and sometimes more. I purchased a few items and they went on sale two weeks later and they were happy to credit me back the difference. I guess that procedure is pretty typical at retail stores but they didn’t make me feel like I was stealing something when they were crediting my account back.
Also a lot of people don’t know that once a month they have a «rummage sale» You have to get there early because if you are not within the first 30 – 40 people most of the really good items are gone. They basically resell all of the returned items at ridiculous discounted rates. All the items are slightly used. The have a ton of footwear at deeply discounted prices. Example my last score was a $ 150 pair of Merrel hiking boots worn once maximum for $ 9.83. The sole wasn’t even scuffed. Just look on their website when the monthly garage sale is.
The only thing that I am a little put off by this store is that to really fit in when shopping I feel like I need to have a beard.

*Disclaimer… I will try to keep the editorializing to a minimum because I know a couple of the staff here, so these are the basics about this REI:
–It’s an REI. This is awesome, if you aren’t familiar with the company. (OK, a little editorializing.) They are a co-​op, and every year that you shop here as a member, you get a pretty healthy member rebate to spend on whatever you’d like. They treat their employees well and it’s generally a great place to spend time and/​or money. They keep their staff well-​informed and up-​to-​date, they’re not pushy with sales, and they offer a ton of year-​round educational options like bike care workshops, outdoor navigation clinics, and other useful things. The products are all top quality and there are usually a number of options at different price ranges in whatever outdoor activity you’re pursuing.
–They’ve got a climbing wall. I personally don’t care for this feature but it looks fantastic and they’re happy to help you try it out. It’s three stories tall, surrounded by glass, and probably has a great view of the river and the city from the top. Go try it out and report back!
–They’ve got a couple of rotating seasonal activities departments, but there is a year-​round bike shop, extensive footwear department, and the usual REI men’s/women’s/kids’ apparel sections. They carry top outside brands and of course, the high-​quality REI versions of most things.
–A hint for the parking, which people have complained about… it’s the South Side, and it’s always crowded. Keep in mind that there are a number of restaurants and a movie theatre within 2 blocks of the store, so try visiting at non-​peak entertainment hours to have the best shot at a cheap space. There are garages, metered street spaces, or you can drive around the back of the building (toward the river between REI and the Cheesecake Factory] and take a chance on finding a space there, although they may be restricted to other businesses.
Or, you could take the bike path along the Mon River and not worry about parking your car.

Very expensive but the selection is huge for everything you need for the outdoors. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable.