Can I give it no stars like the no bike they sold me? Ordered $3K bike after they told me it was in stock. They charged CC right away, a week later, after I had called regarding status of pick up, they tell me it still needs to be assembled...be patient. A week later they tell me the one in stock is damaged and they cant repair it so they need to order another from their Ottawa store. Another week later they tell me the second one is also damaged and they cant repair it. Seriously, if they cant get two brand new bikes working, heaven help you if you brought them in one that was actually damaged to fix. I asked them to follow up with Cannon, the manufacture, but that was like a month ago and still no follow up. My riding season is off to a great start...not, thanks for nothing MEC. read more

I wanted to say that I'm very impressed with the Vancouver-based MEC Service Centre. There was a problem with my jacket order...they couldn't find a Synergy Gore-Tex Jacket even though their system said there was at least 1 on hand in Canada at the clearance price of 30% off. Well, I asked and they agreed to ship me a 2018 Synergy Jacket for the clearance price. What a deal...or could I say steal!!! Terrific customer experience is what it was. The jacket arrived yesterday via Canada Post (free shipping) and I'm now set with my 3rd Gore-Tex coat in 30 years. It's a fantastic all-weather material if you maintain it. Thank you MEC! read more

Here is the breakdown of this place and as too why they are receiving a generous 2 star when it could be a one star after this ridiculous representation of a legitimate business. 1. Quality: There is no argument they shave a variety of awesome merchandise for not just cycling but hiking, clothing and general fitness items 2. Price: I guess you get what you pay for because this place from merchandise to service will destroy your savings account. - Not to mention the scam involved with their mandatory membership policy _at cost which I don't think saves you anything. Instead it ads another waste of plastic into your wallet which you only need once a year and can never find. Really sucks and money grab is written all over this nonsense. 3. Staff: Friendly and very knowledgeable. Willing to go the extra mile. 4. Phone: Maybe the worst contact by phone setup and system I have ever been associated with. +1 (905) 333-8559 B) Try calling because the first thing then automated moronic computer voice expresses is that we are not to leave messages because right now they can't get their messages. Fantastic!!! C) Then, try and tap one of their selection buttons as it leads you right to the comment, " one moment please, you've dialled an extension that does not exist". Tried #1 to speak with an employee and got that. Tried #2'to get locations also getting nothing. Well done MEC, you really are attracting my business. 5. Hours of Operation: As you can see in their photo as it clearly says 9pm closing time, it's Wednesday. Hence, my reason for calling was to provide awareness that I Was in my way to pick up my sons bike who will be crying all night, (thanks MEC, might not get enough sleep and sleep through my alarm and miss work, get fired, entire family in the streets under Toronto bridge is possibly what you guys could be the initial sparks of!) I was going to ask if I could pay over the phone as I would be arriving just before 9pm/ just before any legitimate business would lock there doors (the time they have posted in their door and website/ not 2 minutes before) I arrived at 8:58pm parked in front of their door and attempted to go in. LOCKED. No one in site. I knocked. No one came. I then say some younger male employee locking another back door. I ran over there knocked they heard unless this employee was hard of hearing which statistics would suggest almost not a flipping chance. I checked my phone as I was knocking and it flipped to 8:59 (the iPhone X is click is satellite based correct? So it wasn't my mistake). Closed early, wasted my time, wasted gas, infuriated me, made a boy cry and possibly the spark of the awful ending mentioned above. MEC u r not good! Extremely not good. Lights just went off 9:38pm as no one even showed their face as I knocked. Lost a customer for sure. Will pass this one every time bike talk is presented for the rest of my life unless something is done to make me happy. Good night! read more

MEC Burlington - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Burlington, Ontario

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One of my favourite store brands in Canada is Mountain Equipment Co-op or otherwise known as the MEC. After living out west in the mountains of B.C I grew very accustomed to the lifestyle and gear associated with northwest living. Camping, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Kayaking..basically anything that dealt with outdoor recreation and living. The MEC carries everything for living the lifestyle. The one main thing is that you need to buy a membership to buy anything at the MEC..the cost for a lifetime membership...$5 bucks. Crazy... The return policy is also one of the best in the retail industry. They stand behind everything they sell. If it breaks, bring it it. They will replace it or try to find a resolution with you. The location in Burlington is one of the newer stores in the Ontario region. When you walk inside, a vast expanse of outdoor gear bombards your vision. Its almost overwhelming. Kayaks, Skis, Bikes hang from the walls and ceilings. Protein bars and survival food pepper the shelves. GPS and heart rate monitors in display cabinets for you to check out. The Burlington location is 2 floors with clothing taking up most of the top floor and equipment in the lower portion. The staff here are very informative and can help you find almost anything your looking for. If you can't find it in store you can also order it online and have it delivered to any of the stores free of charge. The MEC is the place to go for anything outdoor recreation related. I would highly recommend checking one out if you haven't already done so. 5 Stars read more

MEC Burlington - The outside of the MEC - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Burlington, Ontario

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Burlington, once referred to as 'Borington' by me and my high school classmates is now home to the newest MEC location. I wonder if the kids still call it that now that they no longer have to take the GO in to TO to find their fleeces, puffy vests and backpacks. This beautiful new LEED certified building feels just how a MEC should feel, although strangely it seems less spacious than the downtown Toronto location. Maybe because the building footprint is smaller to allow for the (free) above-ground parking lot. It was fun to ooh and aah over the new bikes and I noticed that they also have an in-house bike shop. I found the typical MEC out-of-your-face but accessible staff when I had to ask for some help to find an obscure little replacement buckle. I'll probably be stopping in to this location again next time I visit my parents just because it is easier now that I usually have a tot in tow. The co-op must be doing all right with all our little $5 membership fees. read more

MEC Burlington - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Burlington, Ontario

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great location, with easy access to the highway on both ends, lots of parking, and a very clean store. the staff are super friendly and helpful, with a great selection of goods and services that they offer. a really cool fact that not alot of people know about mec, is that they have alot of involvement with the community when it comes to active events, on youre way out if you can often find programs or info on runs, hikes, or climbs in the area *i once got kicked out of this location for taking photos* read more

Three stars simply because you have to pay a membership fee to even enter the premises. That is stupid. No, it's not expensive, but if you went to a few different places that charged for this, that adds up. Plus, you may not even buy anything and then it is a waste of money. The selection is really good, but again, what if I still didn't find what I wanted? UPDATE: I didn't remember, but having to pay $5 to make a purchase is even more ridiculous than paying $5 to park there, so changing to 1 star. read more

Shoe selection just sucks. I've come here a bunch of times looking to get shoes or boots and they NEVER have what I want in my size. My size is not crazy either (11). Nevermind that each model shoe has its available sizes posted very clearly -- it means nothing! read more

So for Americans: This is basically REI. If you've been in an REI, you know almost exactly what an MEC is like, the main difference being in how the membership works. To shop at MEC you have to pay a $5 lifetime membership, at REI the membership is optional but offers you a dividend at the end of the year. I only stopped in for a short period while visiting with Lee, but I do know from his own experiences shopping here (he's not much of a Yelper) that it is an excellent place to pick up gear for backpacking. They offer all the major useful brands, and have a great selection. The staff here is also very friendly and very helpful, answering newbie question without making him feel like an idiot. read more

I love this place. I bought a second hand bike (see my Sportchek review for how I ended up here) and dropped it off for a service. They really know what they are talking about - and the guy who serviced my new bike was very helpful with good advice on what should be done and what didn't really need doing. The turnaround was next day - though I had been promised 3 days. Thank you. The price was VERY reasonable too, imho. I am very lucky to have MEC nearby - their stuff is all seriously good quality, their pricing model is amazing ($5 lifetime membership to access the best pricing on the market), and you can feel good about buying from a co-op working hard to protect the environment. read more

I love MEC. Its becoming my favourite place to shop, for reasons not quite clear to me. The Burlington location is my favourite, less crazy busy and sold-out compared to the downtown TO location. Makes for a more enjoyable shopping experience. I went looking for some cold-weather running gear. The woman that helped me was great, she showed me a couple different tops to try, and explained how the fleece lining would be warmer. I liked not being rushed and I could back and forth from the change room with no hassle. They have a race October 27th!! Thats the other thing I love, their races are super affordable, $15. read more

It used to be worth the drive to MEC. Now? Not so much. Over the last few years they have become very bike centric. Dedicating almost half the ground floor to bikes which has meant some items have been delisted due to lack of space. The old kid's standby back packs have been replaced with inferior, much more cheaply made versions that aren't likely to last ten years like the old ones did (I still have two old ones going strong). There seems to be an emphasis on carrying premium brand names now where in the past the emphasis was on their own high quality products at superior price points. I shop at my local bike shop for bikes and feel MEC is doing them a disservice. I used to make a couple trips to MEC a month but that stopped a while ago. Not the same environment many of us fell in love with years ago. Now it feels like any other profit driven enterprise. read more

On July 11, 2018, I went on a recreational bicycle ride from Toronto to Hamilton (round trip). On my way to Hamilton, in Burlington, the cable for the rear derailleur on my Cervelo R3 snapped. I asked someone where the nearest bicycle shop was, and I was told Brant Cycle. I went to Brant and let the staff know that I only had about $30, which I would think would be sufficient to replace the cable. But the lead staff person told me that it might not be enough, because of internal cable routing. I found a few dollars more in coins, and I indicated to him that I'd be willing to risk losing the money and ride the bicycle home as is if it couldn't be fixed in half an hour (Brant charges hourly for labour). But he told me that he can't do that, because the bottom bracket might need to be removed, and he couldn't tell how long that would take. He asked me if I had a VISA card, and I let him know that, unfortunately, I left it at home in Toronto. He said he couldn't do much, and I left, disappointed. He left me out stranded -- all for a silly cable and a few dollars. I then decided to see if there was another bicycle shop in the area, and found an MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop) branch on Brant Street. There, I told staff what I told staff at Brant -- that I came from Toronto, my cable snapped, and I only had $30. The response? "Oh, you won't need $30. The cable costs $2 or $3." MEC staff took my bicycle on the spot into the repair area and, twenty minutes or so later, I had a brand new cable installed with new housing. The price? $8 + tax (parts and labour included). Wow. I no longer had to cut my ride short and ride back to Toronto on the smallest sprocket. MEC is amazing. Absolutely amazing. I love MEC! Staff there understood my situation and did what they could to help me. I received such professional customer service from the mechanics and sales staff. Unlike Brant Cycle, they cared and didn't leave me stranded. Burlington MEC: you guys are the best! read more

What can I say,,, I really like coming here. While walking thru the bike section, I dream of one day owning a 4000 dollar road bike. I will ride it proudly wearing a tighty cycling outfit with my nipple impressions popping out. Calm now ladies and men. LOL. All types of gear at MEC. From Mountain Climbing all the way down to Hole Digging. Oh ya peeps,,, you need to get your 5 dollar membership. If you don't have one yet, that would be the first thing you do when you walk into the Store. Whatever you do, don't go to the check out registers, with merchandise in hand, without having secured your membership. Heed my warning people!! lol. The staff here is great. Friendly and soo informative. (minus the one short haired stocky asian dude). MEC,, you must run a seminar on Social Interaction and make it mandatory for this one sales rep to attend and re-attend and re-attend until he gets it. I have even heard from other MEC customers that this guy talks down to people. I just want to grab a hold of him and hug! Hug it out bro, we need to hug it out!! Optics MEC Management. OPTICS. Other than that, I love it here. The great thing about the Burlington location is the parking. It is free and is also a very big lot. Peace out my Yelpers!! read more

If you are into hiking, biking, camping or canoeing this is the best place in Ontario west of Toronto.

Great friendly helpful and not pushy staff. Nice selection of rock climbing gear. Amazing return policy. The best camping/hiking selection as well. Easy to spend an afternoon browsing the store. read more

Clean Location, Friendly Staff and it has great curb appeal in a location that 10 years ago looked like a real mess when I live around there. I have only been in the location a few times but each time I've seen a lot of interesting products, my Uncle is a huge fan of all of their rock climbing stuff. read more

Everything you need for camping, biking, climbing, hiking, etc. They also offer courses and meet ups for these activities. They also stand behind their products. I once had a bag tear from regular use and they took it back and gave me a substantial discount on a replacement (roughly 75%, if I remember correctly). Another time, I returned a bag I had had for almost two years for a full credit just because it hadn't worked out for me. Unfortunately, they aren't dog friendly, but hopefully they'll change that one day. read more