I'm writing this review after having a horrible experience at a completely different store. Bad experiences happen and we could be just like today's angry keyboard warriors. Positive experiences are rarely highlighted never giving recognition to the truly good people that we encounter. This Saturday I swung by REI. My wife wanted to get a fitness watch she has been debating on for a while now. The lady who helped us was awesome! She juggled helping my wife navigate her decision on top of helping several other customers around us. Her expertise and patience were the best we have experienced at any REI. It made us feel like we were in a small town outfitter which is surprising because it's California. Guess we stereotyped this place wrong. Not to shadow the good experience, but please, someone please tell the cashiers to stop pressuring us into buying a membership. Some of those kids should learn from the other employees to help ensure people leave happy. A few of the boys at the checkout tried to aggressively push memberships for our kids. Even after I said that is a good idea, but we are good for now, they persisted selling something we weren't interested in buying. Remedial training is needed for some of those young adults handling the cash register. The lady who helped us decide on a fitness watch didn't sell us something that was already sold. She helped us make a decision that was best for our needs which is what we're after when we buy anything, especially gear. read more

Not one of the better REI locations. It's small and the selection is pretty sparse and spotty. Climbing gear is almost non-existent and their clothing and shoe departments tend to run out of popular sizes quickly. However, it's rarely ever crowded, parking is never an issue and it's convenient if you live in the area and ship your online purchases to the store. read more

Surf racks at surf shops are surprisingly crappy. They sent me to REI and boy am I glad they did! With fins off, I can stack 4 surfboards plus towels & wetsuits! Daniel did a phenomenal job helping me pick everything out and Ryan did a fantastic job with the installation. Tip Top Magoo from start to finish. REI is TremendouSSS... Get here! read more

First of all, you're an outdoor store and you only allow service dogs?! Really?? Not sure what the big deal is to have my 5lb dog with us. Not to mention we're in Southern CA, the most dog friendly place on earth. I can literally bring my dog to restaurants but not in a store built around the outdoors. You could of at least told us in a friendly manner. Second of all, the merchandise is waaay over priced, including sale items. I can find much better deals for the same brands online or at discount stores. Needless to say thanks to the rude girl who scolded us about bringing our dog in and the price tags, we'll take our business elsewhere. read more

I keep returning to this particular REI due to it's location and thorough stock. The locale is fairly convenient, not too far from Route 5 and there is plenty of parking, food nearby, etc. I usually only visit REI when I need a last minute item for a trip, or need to size some rock shoes, or a friend needs a piece of gear. This location has a great selection of all things outdoors, and I've been lucky to find the right size shoe to try on every time. The staff are friendly as always, and its easy to get lost in a conversation with a gear specialist about some upcoming trip or past excursion. I like that about this REI, theres good people here. I've made a good number of phonecalls ahead of time to confirm a stocked item, and service is usually good. Often, the first human I speak to can look up inventory, but occasionally, theres a long wait; I assume they're busy. Its hard to go in to an REI and -not- find something else that you could use, and I have to steel myself against exploring the closeout racks upstairs. Still, you don't have to spend much annually to make that REI membership worth it! read more

Terrible experience. Sunday afternoon, check out line backed up 8 - 10 with only 1 cashier. Assisting a woman and daughter who are discussing articles, sending the daughter back to bring other colors, items, etc. Everyone standing there waiting on them. Finally a second cashier. Get up to the cashier (woman still at the other one) and have to debate why I don't want to join the club. Doubt I'll ever shop there again. read more

Great place to find anything u like to have outdoorsy great knowledgeable staff .shoes selection are great .

This REI is just wonderful. Clothes, hats, shoes, tents, water bottles, bicycles. You name it... they've got it. And if you don't like it, you can return it no questions asked. It's the Nordstrom of sporting goods stores. Minus one star for the inefficiency of the shoe department. When there are 10 customers waiting, you need more than one shoe fetcher. read more

Picked up a bike in June and it wasn't really working out for me, brought it in for a return today not knowing what to expect. It was a super simple, quick, process - truly 100% satisfaction guaranteed. read more

I heart REI. I pretty much purchase all of my outdoor/camping gear here. The prices can be a littler higher, but the quality justifies the prices. Also, REI is a co-op. If you join the membership (i think it's $20 for your life) you get deals and coupons and at the end of the year they send you a dividend which can be spent at the store. On the most recent visit I am dinging them one star because I had to go back. I purchased a new camping stove. Unfortunately when I got home there was no gas regulator in the box. I had to go back to this location which was kinda out of my way. Taking the extra trip out of the factor though I can tell you there were very helpful and took care of my issue very quickly. I was in and out with a replacement stove (including the gas regulator) in a matter of minutes. read more

My experience this time was a bit better, I guess I can say I had a great time shopping this time cause I knew what I wanted and was on a mission to find it!! Still no customer service skills here, they just look at you then put their head down and go on with what they were doing but I think I gave them another star because it was nice and neat and I had a great time looking at the luggage!! I still didn't find what I was looking for but it was fun and that's what matters!!! read more

Stopped here to get sock liners at 8:00 pm on a Monday night. Or what I needed and went to the checkout. One person was at one register and he was helping a guy who didn't have an account. He keeps me waiting there for ten minutes. Finally another guy comes over to ring me up. Took all of one minute. Keep your over priced crap. read more

This review is for Michael -- he calmly and thoroughly helped me out when I returned items I bought online as we talked about my recent trip to Sedona, and when I came back in five minutes later because I wanted to clarify that the correct amount of money was returned to my card, he walked me through the return again and balanced other customers in line. All with a smile. Thanks, Michael! read more

This place has the coolest stuff for the serious camper. You can tell when you walk in that the quality of the brands they carry are top notch. Once you've shopped around for these kinds of items you'll see there's no place else you need to go. Our family loves shopping at REI for all of our sporting needs. I give this place a 5 Star rating!!! read more

Can not say enough about how cool it is to shop at this store. I had just purchased a tennis racket at Big 5, which left me feeling like I have just stared in a scene from the movie clerks. Those poor guys had now idea about any of the equipment, if you could find someone that is. REI employee's live an breath the stuff they sell. I was wearing a pair of hiking shoes I had taken up Kili with me, and one of the cleats was broken. They insisted I return them for a full credit. I felt bad, because the shoes were two years old, but they would have none of that. "The cleats should not break before you wear a hole in the sole" they insisted, so who was I to argue. I am happy to spend a little more at REI. It is a great retail experience I would recommend to anyone. read more

As a huge REI fan I have visited various locations. Although this store is on the bit of the smaller scale, I have never walked away feeling that I could not find what I was looking for. I have been so pleased with this REI. Recently I had done an REI co-op trip to Coronado and loved it! The instructors were awesome and we got to use cooking gear from REI during the trip. Today we visited REI as my husband and I are headed camping and we needed a few supplies. It is the middle of summer but we hoped REI would have some options for us with waterproof pants and cooking gear. There was an associate in the women's section and I wish I would have got her name but she was SO helpful. I asked here if she had any waterproof pants and she said of course let me show you, she showed me where they were and explained the different options with each pant. I am quite short, 5ft, and I do often shop in the children's section at REI. I didn't know if there would be rain pants for children but before I could even ask the question, after seeing how long the women's pants were, the sales associate came back and found me and said "you know what, let's try out the children's section!" Luckily there were some great selections in there that fit better and were cheaper ;). I bought an REI co-op brand rain pant and can't wait to use them on our rainforest hikes. Thanks again for your help! We also needed to pick up a cooking set and there were plenty of options to choose from. We chose a Stanley set and feel fully equipped. There was a long line at the check out but the cashiers were handling everything with grace. Our cashier was super nice as well and he made sure he applied my dividends and a coupon. Thank you for a great shopping experience today. We had gone to a few stores before going to REI but now we know to go to REI first. They were the only store that had what we needed and the best customer service in town. read more

Went there to return an item and purchase another. The workers there were very helpful and knowledgeable. It was nice to see that many people were willing to help. read more

I've only been to REI once but holy God damn what a great first impression. My girlfriend and I went in because we want to start cycling but have no clue what we're doing. We had gone to a cycling specialty store earlier that day that was completely unhelpful. We were basically told that if we weren't willing to spend a grand on a bike that we should just go to Wal-Mart. Even knowing nothing about biking I knew that was garbage and my girlfriend suggested REI. We stopped in and were soon approached by Eddie as we were looking at bikes. He spent well over an hour asking us questions about how we were going to use the bikes, our price range, showing us bikes, and even letting my girlfriend test a couple of them out. It was exactly what we wanted and needed. My girlfriend ended up buying a bike that she really likes and I now know what I'm looking for (I'm broke so I have to buy a used bike). At no point were we pressured to buy anything and we were actually encouraged to take as much time to think as we needed. When it was time for my girlfriend to get a helmet he asked one of the other employees for help because they know more about the helmets than he does. Prices were in line with other stores and they had a much better selection for both enthusiasts and beginners like us. Eddie made us fully aware of other stuff that we needed to know as we start to ride more. It was very obvious that his one concern was to make sure that we got the right product for what we needed. Because of this visit, I know that I'll come here first for any outdoor equipment that I'm interested. PS - Make Eddie manager already (his name tag said "Asst. Manager"). read more

I came here to buy a rock climbing gift for my brother, and walked into a fitness lover's heaven. An employee greeted me as soon as entered the store. I had no idea what a "chalk bag" was but he was extremely helpful and ready to answer any questions I had. He then walked me to the section of the store I needed to go to. How nice! The store is huge, like its own department store. As if the bottom floor doesn't have enough tents, shoes, accessories, camping gear & nutrition products-there is an upstairs level! Everything they sell is QUALITY, guaranteed or your money back. The employees all seem passionate about what they do, & all look like athletes. This is a one-stop shop for all your fitness needs: camping, hiking, snowboarding, biking, rock climbing, etc. This store makes me want to go outdoors & GET FIT! read more

Great people make this a great store. Bought a roof top tent here and they helped us get the large box on top of our truck. Thank you Giancarlo for all of your help! read more

Love this store, love their products. A little pricey but hey, I'm a college student and everything is pricey to me. Overall, I trust my life to REI products every time I go backpacking. 1. Great quality 2. Great return policy- from personal experience 3. Great customer service- from personal experience 4. Great message (OptOutside) 5. Annual dividends rock my socks off 6. Lifetime membership for only $20 Thanks REI! I always looking forward to my next visit (and my next dividend). read more

I am soo glad it's nearby, though I miss my REI adventures to Kearny Mesa. They stand by their products. I brought in a jacket that needed its sleeve fixed and - voila! Like brand new! I do wish there was more paddling gear and a better choice of PFDs, if any, but it's not an issue anymore. I got the PFD I wanted. Regardless, thanks REI. I love the points I've earned, and I'll come back to spend them again and again and again. To earn them again and again and again. read more

Great REI, honestly every REI I have been to has been the same. They carry the same selection and all the employees are helpful and nice. I bought a nice pair of binoculars here and the guy was very helpful and explained some of the differences. REI can be pricey but everything they carry is great quality. read more

I'm going on a backpacking trip this summer and need hiking boots. I wear two different size shoes and have a difficult time finding places that will split the sizes for me. It becomes quite costly for me to purchase two pairs. I contacted REI to ask if they could help me with my hiking boots (split the sizes or maybe offer a discount) and they said they couldn't help me. "we don't offer that service." Even if they had taken the time to talk through the situation with me it would have been better than just completely blowing me off. So I took my business elsewhere and bought all my hiking gear and my son's hiking gear from a customer oriented store. read more

The great outdoors. There is nothing that can compare to it. I have no problem going to the bathroom in a vault bathroom and I have no problem not showering for a couple of days. Lol. For a outdoor, hiking, and camping fan like myself REI is a perfect store. I walk in and I want to buy everything! They have the coolest things in store! Sure the store can be a little pricier than lets say Walmart, however the quality is always there. More bang for your buck. Store is always very organized and the employees have always been helpful. I recommend becoming a member I think it costs 20 bucks but you get invites to their used gear sale which is amazing! Alot cheaper gear and its practically brand spanking new. You also get good deals on merchandise, coupons. read more

My favorite store to shop for camping and climbing gear, I always find good deals and everything here is great quality, never regret buying from here. read more

They got rid of the rock wall. It's a shame, but when you have Solid Rock Gym in San Marcos, Poway, Old Town, Mesa Rim in Sorrento Valley and Vital in Carlsbad you have no need for the behemoth. I get that it really shows your gear off and your employees are trained in belay techniques, but it was a staple for a long time. Bittersweet. I also feel like they could have used the newfound space a little better. read more

I love REI for their customer service. I bought some rock climbing shoes here and when I returned for a replacement pair - mine had worn out, they asked what didn't I like about the last pair. I told them they just weren't working well and wore out too quickly. No big deal, I got some use out of them. Oh no they said, this won't do - full refund! What? Really? Yes, we want you to be happy with your purchase. Yup, that sealed the deal. Could I buy the same products online for less? Maybe, but I would not receive service like this. A good selection, just short of the Miramar location, can be found here. A rock wall to test your shoes was constructed in the corner and it has a second level upstairs for more goodies. Definitely become a member as you will receive a check at the end of the year with monies you can use toward future purchases. Sounds lame, but it's a really good deal. read more

I'm a big fan of this REI in particular. Everyone here has always been super duper helpful. A few examples: 1) I bought a bike here after 30 minutes of riding around the parking lot trying various bikes. Brought the bike home, tried it out a few times, crashed once, decided a "comfort" bike wasn't for me. Six months later, brought it back - exchanged and out the door with a brand new mountain bike in under 10 minutes.. No questions asked!! Gotta love that return policy. 2) Another time, I found a pair of Merrills that they were out of my size. They had another pair in a different color I was able to try on for size. I was then able to order the shoes from a store in Bend, OR and they shipped them to my house for no extra cost. These shoes were on clearance, so I knew they wouldn't be getting more. My shoes arrived at my house less than a week later from the other store. 3) Backpacks - They will find the perfect one for you, even if it takes an hour - trust me. Great service, great people. I always come here for everything and anything related to my outdoor adventures. My very small only complain is that this location is not a snow sports shop - no skiis, no snowboards etc :( read more

This is my second home. The customer service is top notice and the prices can't be beat. They've got it all. Everything from travel gear to biking and camping essentials and a ton of stuff that you didn't even know that you needed. The merchandise is amazing: electronics, climbing basic and advance items, day hike gear, backpacking, manuals, maps, the list goes on and on and on. But they also offer more than just gear, they also routinely have special training clinics and members only events. My favorite event is the gear sales wherein they have both used and discounted items. These are like rock concerts with folks lined up around the corner of the building. Don't be late though, if you want any gear from these sales get here early because the deals are amazing and they items go fast. read more

A little slower paced, and usually less busy than the REI in San Diego, this place is great! The staff is extremely friendly and helpful, and if they don't have what you need they can tell you if another store has it. If you want an REI with more in stock, try the one in San Diego, but there's tons of parking here, and for me its much more convenient. read more

I actually am not an outdoorsman, or a cyclist, or a camper, or anything that REI really caters to. I went there because I wanted a BOB stroller, which are the total best strollers in the world, hands down! They were so nice in their recommendations, suggesting, without pushing the optional features I might want, and also installing them (for a charge - the car seat adaptor). When I got a flat, they fixed it. When it wasn't working out for me (too small of a car - had to fold it up to fit it in my trunk and there was no room for nothing else, was scratching up my car, etc), they TOOK IT BACK!!! I highly suggest that you join their co-op. It was a nominal fee, you get rewarded with $$ to spend in the store again, and it was because of this that I was able to return my totally used stroller for a full refund. Don't worry REI, I now have an SUV, and I purchased a double BOB right back! read more

The ultimate toy store for adults. We got so much great, technical camping and backpacking gear today. Everyone there is so knowledgable and friendly and they are always offering deals to members. Totally worth joining as a member if you haven't. This store is not as big as their store off Convoy but it is still awesome! read more

REI - All the things! - Bikes Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Since signing up for a triathlon...REI has become my new 'home away from home'. It is the first place I go to when someone says "and you'll need one of those". There are 2 REI stores in San Diego and this is the smaller one. Still has teh essentials, but if you want a bigger choice and more selection than go to the one off Claremont off 52. read more

This was the only sporting goods store I found with "hiking belts". I have a skin allergy to nickel belt buckles and hiking belts have plastic buckles. It's a very niche item and they had a decent selection. The store had a nice layout and appeared to stock quality merch. read more

The 5 stars is for a specific employee (Brian), rather than the REI location as a whole, which i'd give about 3.5/4 stars. In the 2 hours I spent in REI last night, I had left my headlights on and my battery died, with no jumper cables, so I went back for help while they were locking up and an employee named Brian said if I could wait about 30 min for them to close up, he would help me out. 30 minutes later, he comes out and realizes his cables are in a different vehicle, which was a big bummer after waiting in the cold. Then, Brian goes far above and beyond, not even as an REI employee but as a human being, and starts walking around the parking lot asking for jumper cables to help me out, eventually making it into Walmart to start asking customers. Since we were in Walmart, I just decided to buy cables and Brian went over and waited about 10 more minutes for me to come back with cables, gave me the jump, and I was on my way. Absolutely amazing human to have on any staff, so huge props to REI for finding such a good guy. I was having a bad evening and his generosity and kindness made it better. As for the store itself, I've always enjoyed the REI staff and energy down in the Convoy area, but this one was definitely lacking comparatively. I'm sure this is partly because of the lack of volume and because they were closing. But twice in the 2 hours I was there, I needed someone - the first time, there was only one employee on the second floor and she was already helping someone, the second time, there literally wasn't an employee in site other than the registers downstairs. Taking it further, not a single person approached me offering help until the end at the mats. When I did find and approach an employee, he was very helpful in helping me choose a rain shell and convinced me to buy something (Mammut) nearly twice as nice as I was planning on, which I'm excited to now have. The quality of selection was also noticeably less too, with odd logistics for the locations/signage. I was looking for a mat (Exped Megamat 10) and they didn't have it, or even a decently large selection of mats. The employee in the mat/bag section is the only one who took the initiative to approach me to offer assistance. He sold me a cheaper mat (REI Camp Bed 3.5), making sure to point out common problems that they have heard, which I definitely appreciated and will prepare for. Overall, I would choose a drive to the Convoy one due to product and general employee vibe, but Brian and the employees who I did talk to were great. Promote Brian or at least give him some free gear because you don't want to lose that guy! read more

I have waited to write a review on REI Carlsbad because I love the REI brand so much but since I had been there a handful of times and the staff is always consistently bad I wanted to share with other like minded adventurers. My experience last time was almost like a sitcom show it was so ridiculous, went into the dressing room to try on several items for an upcoming kayak/camping trip, which I was prepared to spend quite a bit of money, but quickly decided after this experience I would rather shop elsewhere. I told the woman working in the women's department sorry for the clothes I left in the dressing room and let her know there were some in there prior, she immediately sighed out loud and rolled her eyes at me, with no response and stomped in there. I decided to not try anything else on. Next stop tents and sleeping bags, hoping this was just a fluke, waited at the sleeping bag area after asking an employee for help about 15-20 minutes, everyone just walked by, chatting with each other, didn't smile, didn't ask you what they can help you with, I had to ask again for help with a great employee named Christian who was very helpful and got me exactly what I needed. He was not even a permanent employee just filling in I believe he said. He said they were busy, but the store was empty, I saw more REI employees than customers. I skipped anything else I needed and decided I will never shop there again, I have worked customer service in my youth for over twenty years and know that you shouldn't be in that job if you are miserable, sadly each time I have gone there I just feel everyone is on their own agenda or unhappy at their jobs. It is kinda sad as REI brand should help us find our adventure and inspire us with their products, they do in their print branding but it is lost once you walk into this store. read more

I dig REI, but this is one of those stores that I have to avoid when I don't need something because I will walk out with something that I didn't intend to buy when I walked in. They usually have every cool thing you could ever want or need for the outdoors (Minus the hunting and fishing gear you would find at Cabellas or Bass Pro Shop). Most of the gear that they carry is really quality stuff and if there are any problems for any reason with anything you buy then you can return it without a problem (I've done it a number of times). The membership is well worth the money if you are going to shop there a few times, you'll end up earning your money back pretty quickly. The problem with all of these perks as well as getting the quality of the gear is that you pay for it... dearly. I've been shopping there for years and I've learned to justify the costs over time. Some of the gear is really worth the cost when you get out into the elements, but shoot, sometimes it's just brutal. I'm pretty sure some of the manufactures are making bank on their product. Either way, I can't control the cost, I love the gear, and I haven't been displeased yet when I get out to test the gear out. If you're not serious about outdoor sports, this probably isn't the place for you. There are better prices at sports authority, sports chalet, or big 5 and you'll probably be happy with what you get for every now and then. If you're serious about the outdoor, though, then this place will carry what you need. read more

I love REI and I think that this is location is better than the San Diego location - they seem to have a better selection of stuff. If they don't have something on site, they can have it sent over from another store and they'll call you when it comes in. Their return policy (if you are a member) is phenomenal and the main reason that I don't mind spending more money on their items - it's good to know that if you break a hiking pole and a yak-trak the first time you use them (oops!), you can just return them and get new ones. The staff here is also very friendly and helpful :) read more

We really like this place, especially my husband they have a fair selection on everything you could need, a great return/exchange policy (1yr) I get money back on my purchases. Fair sales/garage sales. Tip: the REI socks are awesome sauce. Defiantly recommend... Friendly staff... Cool place read more