REI

The staff all seem to really know their stuff. I have taken several classes, and they have all been really, really informative. Love this place.

I like the set up of this store better than Columbia for some reason. First of all, the service is great– the guy helped me pick out a bike rack and got me set up. I found a really cute bike/​skateboarding/​snowboarding helmet on SALE. And it was my size. No dorky bike helmets for me! I also got a water bottle and had to not cruise the rest of the store because I knew I would have wanted to get way more stuff. REI may not be that cheap but it’s quality and I like their business model. I’m a member and get that little dividend back too. I just wish I had bought this stuff during their 20% off window.

This place is an outdoor lover’s dream! It’s got just about everything I need for climbing and hiking even if the climbing section is a little sparse.
They had some good sales going on this weekend which is great since I can’t really afford most of the full price stuff. It’s not that REI prices are above normal, its just that high quality outdoor gear is always expensive. But I found some good deals so I can’t complain!
The cashier was friendly and I found exactly what I was looking for. Success!

I’m not a frequent patron of REI, but the one time I ventured into the Timonium store, I was pleasantly surprised.
Though this branch doesn’t have most of the items that are available on their corporate website, customer service here is immaculate. I told the staff what I was looking for, and they were so friendly and so helpful. They invested a lot of time in me, showing me what was available and what could potentially fit my needs.

LOVE IT! Customers may act like they’ve never seen black folks but the service here is AWESOME.
And we lucked up and came on the huge garage sale weekend. now the rain boots we came for weren’t on sale… but i can’t help but love the excitement of a sale. lol.
quality stuff. quality stuff. :)

ReI is a great place, it has just about everything you could think of and more. If your looking for something in particular they most likely have it and a great team of staff members that will help you out. This is the place to go if you need to get outdoor gear. They’ve got specialty areas for biking, climbing, hiking, camping, etc. Dont really know if I would go anywhere else to get stuff for the outdoors.

Shopping, if you are a member, is great.
This review, however, is about the bike shop. I recently dropped off hybrid bicycle for a bronze level tune-​up. I was going to be out of town so I arranged to pick up my bike in five days time. It was «ready» when I arrived to pick it up.
I’m no Bike mechanic, But this bike does not seem as though it is been tuned up. Shifting is a nightmare. The brakes are squeaking like mad with very little stopping power. The chain had definitely not been cleaned. Maybe they dumped lube on the dirty chain. I don’t know.
When I first went into the shop but I assumed the bike would need more love than the bronze level tuneup provided. The on duty mechanic looked it over and said bronze was all I needed. I don’t understand why my bike is in the exact same shape as when I dropped it off, save for some new tires that I had them put on. If my bike was in need of a higher level of service I would have gladly paid more. But no one ever suggested it. They just took my money and watched me walk out the door.
I will continue to buy products from REI, but I will never use their bike service ever again. I will strongly recommend to anyone asking that they go to their local bike shop and skip REI for mechanical assistance.
(I reached out via Twitter to ask about what I should have expected with a bronze level service. The response was snarky — not cool)
*****Update: Obviously REI reads their reviews on Unilocal as a manager called me on my mobile asking for me to call them. I had already had someone else look over my bike and make the necessary adjustments and declined to engage. But it is good that they take the reviews to heart.

We live in Westminster, and make the trip to go here. We have Dicks, but it doesn’t come close to REI. We are a hiking, camping and biking family, and this is the place to go to outfit for our activities. Prices are high, but the quality of merchandise is worth it.

I’ve been shopping at REI ever since EMS left the area. I would give this location 3.5 stars, but that isn’t an option, so since I am feeling generous, they get four.
Parking lot in front is massive, plenty of spots, but keep your head on a swivel, it is a busy lot with lots of traffic cruising around.
The store is landscaped nicely and I dig the mountaineering axes for door handles.
When you walk in, there is a wall which has pictures of the staff in various outdoor activities. I wish they had a more robust bio of the employees though, it would be nice to understand their specialties and passions.
You can walk either left or right (left towards the registers/​returns or right into the bike/​climbing section).
The back right of the store is the shoe/​boot section, the front right is where they keep the boats, on the far left is where you’ll find backs, sleeping bags, and pads. The women’s section is generally in the back left and the men’s is generally in the middle/​back/​right.
I can count on one hand the number of times I have been greeted walking into the store over the last ten years and still have a few fingers left over.
The staff always seem to be busy, but rarely do they make eye contact or approach you (unless you are in the shoe section).
Their selection is good, I can generally find everything I need.
The perlon cord is in the bike shop area.
A bit of advice, it is sooooo worth it to sign up as an REI member. I have gotten so much cool stuff for free with my dividends.

This is the place to go if you need to get outdoor gear. They’ve got specialty areas for biking, climbing, hiking, camping, kayaking, etc. You can find all the accessories and apparel to outfit you for your next adventure. If you’re looking for a gift, you can pretty much find something to satisfy that adventurous spirit. If not, get a gift card and your outdoor enthusiast can find something that suits them.
Join the coop and you’ll get credit at the end of the year. If you spend enough, you just might get a dividend check at the end of the year for your next purchase.

Spectacular customer service at this place. I stopped in to rent some sleeping bags for a quick camping trip and ended up paying the 20 bucks for a membership and learning more about REI then I ever expected to know. I dig the set up of this place as a co-​op and the staff don’t seem to hate their jobs. Everyone was very knowledgeable, helpful, and down to earth. I kept my bags an extra night and they didn’t charge me for the extra time, pretty sweet deal.
Notes:
–They do attic sales for members where returned items are drastically marked down. Some items have flaws or need some work but everything is usable.
–A bad ass return policy.
–Tons of discounts.

This location is all about greed. I wanted a Forerunner 305 for a gift and they upsold my husband a 110. They said it has just as many features and it comes with a heart rate monitor. They said this is new, sleek and more of what I want. (Dude had the nerve to pull a monitor out of a box and acted like that was what my husband was going to get.) My husband thought since he was paying 60 dollars more and this looks more up to date, he was doing a good thing…
110 has MANY less features than a 305, it did NOT come with a heart monitor and he upsold my husband a membership — WHICH I ALREADY HAVE. I like REI, but I would never go to this store. Now we have to travel back (we do not live close to this location) to return a 110 because they are greedy and did not have a 305 in stock.
NEVER will I return

Normally I don’t review the über chains but after a particularly bad experience at my «hometown» REI (see
for the dirty), I had my faith in REI restored after visiting the Timonium store. Great customer service, the usual great stuff… no bad taste from the interaction. Don’t miss the garage sale coming up!

Fantastic store for outdoor gear. The things they sell aren’t always the absolute cheapest, but the quality is great and their staff is very knowledgeable and helpful.

As a place to shop: 5 stars. About the best selection of gear around, co-​op program, good prices, friendly return policies, always something on clearance.
As a place to keep your budget: 1 star. If you like adventure sports — you will spend money. You will likely spend money on something you won’t use near as much as you expect. For example, we almost bought a canoe today — a beautiful, used-​only-​once, cruiser (will handle lakes or 1^st class with ease, they told me) — that was over 60% off. It would have been great! Of course, if we had bought it, we’d have used it once in the next 5 years. We managed to resist the urge — but it was real hard.

Knowledgeable staff which can answer all your questions. Primarily the employees actually participate in the activities for the deparment they are working in. Therefore you can get first hand recommendations about their likes and dislikes of each item. Also acquire an REI membership to receive reward points towards new purchases or choose to receive the dividend check at years end.