REI is great but they removed the used gear section from this location which is very saddening.

We all know how stupid doing stuff outside is, but if you absolutely have to do stuff outside, REI has all the things you need. They actually have way, way more things than you need, but luckily you don't have to buy everything. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that. I was going to a place where the mosquitoes are the size of eclairs and they carry lupus, so I came in just looking for DEET bubble bath. Not only did I find all the expedition-strength mosquito repellant I wanted, but I also walked out with hundreds of dollars worth of clothing, gear, gadgets, and at least two doohickeys. Seriously, if you plan to run, bike, ski, snowboard, camp, hike, climb, sleep, eat, drink, paddle, or poop outdoors, this massive, well-laid out store has the stuff you should be wearing or using while doing so. As an added bonus, the people that work there all seem to be people that do things outside, and they are knowledgable about said things AND not angry about having to answer questions. read more

Went in today (Wednesday 31 July) at about 6pm to return a $20 item. There was no separate customer service line. There were about 50 -75 people on the line and it took me nearly 40 minutes to return the item. If you can possibly avoid a visit to this location - DO IT. They just don't have enough people working in there and when I asked someone who worked there they said blame the management. So let's blame the management. read more

A one-stop shop for planning your "roughing-it" experience. I found a good quality headlamp and non-deet mosquito repellent which both came in handy while on a trip to Myanmar. Both items served their intended purpose well. read more

After hibernating for so many winters, I woke up and realized that I wanted to ski again. Thanks to REI at SoHo I was re-acquainted with the latest ski outfits and gear. The three story superstore carries all sports and outdoor outfits, equipment and gear for all seasonal activities. From winter outfits to summer outdoor activities such as climbing gear, camping equipment, skate board, bicycle etc. They also have an end of season sale at the lower basement area. Ideal if you're not mindful of the latest fashion trends. The rewards card is also recommended if you and your family members are frequently upgrading outfits and gear. I was impressed how knowledgeable the staff were. they recommended to me the best and latest stuff (goggles, ski pants, water proof jackets) and he really took some time explaining different items with me. I will definitely coming back here soon. read more

See all

Reviewing for Steph, who helped me look at sunglasses at the NY store. Very helpful, pleasant and hard working, I hope she and other good employees are well treated and appropriately compensated. She made my experience in a very busy store successful and I enjoyed talking with her. read more

Wow, REI made it into NYC! I've been a fan of REI for many years. The closest store is out on Long Island. Now I can visit anytime by subway. This Houston St. space is huge and airy. This is a sporting good shop for the not-so-serious to serious people (or for dreamers like me!) I love looking a the seasonal equipment and their bicycle selection. It is one of those places I will visit everytime I'm in the neighborhood. read more

This review is regarding the ONLINE REI store. Today I had an experience with a customer service rep named Laurie, who went above and beyond! Absolutely extraordinary customer service to get me my shoe order from another location in order to get the shoes to me in time for my vacation. I was almost in tears after she made this possible. Thank you again, Laurie. read more

Went into this store to look for snow gear today. Store looks like a thrift shop, clothes off hangers , etc. I encountered a staff of plenty but maybe 2 helpful ones. The rest just sauntering into oblivion... pretty useless. If I want scraps I'll come back. read more

Selection is fine, but the employees in green vests who are there to help customers are not interested in helping. Every time I asked an employee (and I asked several different people) for help with something, I got one of the following vibes from what they said, facial expressions, and body language: 1) I could help you, but I really don't want to, so I am going to send you to some other part of the store and let someone else deal with you (and let me go back to staring at my phone); 2) I could help you, but I really don't want to, so I am going to discourage you and tell you that you will not find what you are looking for so you will go away and I don't have to help you; 3) I could help you, but I really don't want to, because I would rather stand around and chitchat with my fellow employees; 4) I could help you, but I really would rather not because I am overworked as it is and I don't get paid enough to do more than the bare minimum I am paid to accomplish today. This is a sign of poor management, training, and a low morale among the employees. The cashiers seem to have an easier job, so seem to be in a better mood, but others look either lazy or overworked. read more

Everyone is so helpful! Hats off to Dave and the gent behind the repair counter that helped me purchase my first NYC bike!!!! Give them a raiseeeee!!! Love this store too! read more

*Specifically their bicycle repair* Last Thursday, punctured my tired and I was right by REI so I went there. A tall, asian guy with a tree tattoo on his arm spent 10 minutes explaining to me the benefits of becoming a member. Was very adamant despite telling him no not interested multiple times. Fast forward to today, less than a week later my tire goes flat. Bring it into another repair shop and he said there was some debris left on the rim from when REI changed it. Wasn't thrilled. Please focus on fixing bikes properly than trying to sell people on your membership. Why would anyone want that from someone who can't change a tire correctly? read more

I'm not sure what happened to this place, but the service and supply is terrible. I really wanted to buy a new pair of hiking boots for my upcoming trip and while the downstairs was definitely somewhat busy, the workers have no reason to be speaking to customers the way they did with us. After receiving one shoe (asked for two sizes, haven't bought hiking boots in some time) our salesman did not show up for another 15 minutes... of course, I asked someone else, and he very rudely told me I MUST use my original salesman. This is not some designer store, it's REI. When I waited an additional 5 or so minutes for my salesman and asked for a size and color, he walked into the back and came back about 2 seconds later, I kid you not, telling me sorry we're out of the shoe after he recently told me yes they had that color and size? Goodness... go to Paragon instead!! read more

I shopped yesterday during the insanity that was the annual sale, and even though it was crazy in there the employee working in the climbing section was VERY helpful and went above and beyond to help me find the right gear (I'm a total novice). I really appreciated them. Maybe their name is Jody? I saw someone else posted a review yesterday referring to the climbing section GOAT...anyway, 11/10 service. read more

Honestly, I always have a mixed experience at this store. Selection is often poor, and many employees are disaffected. Often, no one is visible to help. Lines to buy and return are always long. Still, I am a co-op member and a frequent shopper. Prices are high. read more

Great place to come for outdoor equipment ranging from clothing, tools, biking, climbing, snow sport, etc. Service staff are knowledgeable and helpful. Please feel free to ask them questions and insight. Their suggestions can be very helpful and accurate. They seem not to be there to make sales but to meet with what you need. Definitely worth coming to this place to look for what you need before you take an outdoor adventure! read more

Vast selection of sporting goods fill three sprawling floors. Whether you're a runner, climber, cyclist, skiier, hiker, camper, or other sportsman, REI SoHo has you covered. For runners, there are energy gels, reflective gear, belts, electrolyte replenishers, socks, running clothes, shoes, and more. The shoe selection seems a bit small but well- curated. Great place to fulfill your outdoorsy needs. read more

REI - three levels of sporty goodness! - Outdoor Gear Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Outdoor enthusiast heaven. REI finally made it into the city. As i usually mail order items from REI it's great that they now have a brick and mortar store in manhattan. Great selection of outdoor camping, hiking, biking, clothing equipment. It's also my go to place for weekend camping trips and hiking items i need to pick up such as food and supplies/fuel. The history of the building is great as well as it use to be a old printing warehouse and you see remnants of it with the old printing plates and steam engines. Great knowledgeable service from the staff and i always get the right informed information from everyone as they all are outdoorsman/woman as well. TIP: become a REI member for only $25 its a lifetime membership and you get dividends for rei purchases at the end of the year. Also they offer great free or paid classes on anything that is outdoors regarding camping, hiking, biking, or outdoor book author seminars. Check out the rei.com/soho website for classes. read more

Have been a member since 1988. Usually has the top brand stuff but lately the range within a brand seems very limited. The full pricing is annoying even with the member "rebate"; which merely brings the price down to what I can get it for elsewhere without having REI hold my extra cash. In this economy, REI should make it cheaper overall and offer more options online. It is convenient if a store near you has what you want and you need it NOW. Rental equipment is usually good as well and a great feature of the store. read more

I love this store despite that I find it to be insanely expensive! I do love how massive in size the store is and the tons of stuff they have for the great outdoors. Whatever your outdoor adventure is (e.g. hiking, running, biking, camping, etc) they have a section for it. Love outdoor activities? Not stopping by to even just look around will leave you missing out. read more

If I can, I'd give 5+++++ stars. Very spacious flagship store with every section dedicated to a certain activity, such as biking, running, camping, rock climbing, etc. and each stationed with a staff who is knowledgeable and experienced in that particular activity. Staff are very friendly and helpful, especially when they have years of experience using many of these items themselves. I can spend HOURS here, and get all excited about the next outdoor adventure. You can get a lifetime membership by only $20 and you'll receive a dividend every year derived from full priced items you've purchased. Business model based on sustainability and with focus on ensuring happiness of employees. One of my favorite companies, and I feel fortunate that I can easily come to this flagship store! read more

Large location with plenty of items, small children's section. I've been here on 2 occasions and the staff is always very friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful! Check out lines can get a bit long. read more

Love REI. I visited the SoHo location a few years back when I was looking to try the warmest winter coat I could find. They carry NorthFace, Marmot, Canada Goose, Patagonia & Columbia, to name just a few highly recognizable quality brands. I bought my first Marmot coat here almost 6 years ago, and a membership to go with it. I've recently joined an outdoors winter group and am looking to get back into hiking, camping, backpacking and snowy winter sports (showing and cross-country skiing specifically). The people at this location are so friendly and knowledgable. They've got everything your imagination can think up, and then some. I also recently found out that they have classes for beginner and advanced outdoorsmen, which seems like a pretty neat way to get your feet wet and meet other like-minded, adventure seeking folks. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, this is definitely worth checking out. read more

Best place I know for outdoor gear and a step toward adventure! Ask away for advice from the professionals and they will give you exceptional service. The company is sustainable and give large portions of their profits back to employees. read more

Terrible experience trying to pick out hiking boots with my partner - it felt low key discriminatory. We had to literally wait around for like 45 minutes trying to make eye contact with the staff in the shoe section all the while watching them have in depth conversations with every other person around us to help them find a hiking shoe tailored to their needs and foot. Since my partner was the one shopping and couldn't get anyone to offer help I finally grabbed the shoe we wanted to go with - through ZERO help of any of the staff - and I went up to one of the workers to ask if they had an 8 new/not the display and he curtly replied "what are you talking about, this is new." So I reiterated if we could get a non display. He said no, this is the only 8 we have" and snatched it out of my hand and walked away. Awful. This was a problematic enough experience to ruin our desire to shop through REI in future, but we will keep our membership because of the good service we had in a Wisconsin store picking out roof racks for our car and realize this was unique to this location. While I was so furious I was nearly in tears walking out, my partner unfortunately said he is used to being treated like this is stores - invisible, like he isn't worth the effort of a sales person. We will continue to shop online while living in the NYC area and use stores beyond this location. read more

I'm not an outdoorsy person. Like, at all. But this place seems pretty righteous if you're into that kind of thing. First, it's hard to imagine a store like this could exist in NYC. I went in for a simple item, it was very easy to find and cheap too! They also have a "lifetime membership" for $20 which sounds pretty great if you like camping and hiking and stuff like that. I'm a city dweller, so it's lost on me haha. Also clean bathrooms! Seems to cater to the city bikers. If I'm in the area and need outdoorsy things again, this place is a can't-miss. read more

I would say this is our new go-to sports store. My bf bike rides and needed a pair of padded biking shorts asap for a ride with his friends the next day. Normally he would order on Amazon but it would not arrive in time for the next day's ride. We went to Paragon's and TJ Maxx in the area and neither had any. I looked up bike shops in the neighborhood but we decided on REI remembering it was nearby. Without the chain stores like Modell's and Sports Authority in existence any longer we are hard pressed to find a sporting goods place with variety and specialty all in one. We also didn't realize aside from the camping gear that REI is known for, they also have a decent bike section. We got a pair of padded liner shorts for $50, not cheap but the best we could do for a last minute Sunday evening (before 7 pm) purchase. read more

Recently had a bike packed and shipped thru REI. I hope everyone knows they can do this because shipping a bike is a major hassle and REI makes it simple. I came into a pretty busy store an hour before closing. Waited about 5 minutes before Rafael C. started processing my order. From start to finish Raf had me confirmed and paid up in less than ten minutes also confident that the bike was in good hands. This basement bike shop does not disappoint read more

Went for some simple rain gear. They were out of stock of medium/large of everything except for the $400-500 dollar items. Same story every time I go in. read more

I love REI, and this location is very nice in the Heart of NYC. 2 stories of retail and a bike repair shop. REI has a military discount and great sales. They are a premium store but you get what you pay for,& that includes friendly service and a spaced layout that you can navigate with a stroller. read more

REI - Outdoor Gear Near Me - New York, New York

Horrible customer service. Not sure what's going on here if it management or just poor hiring judgement. But your people are grouchy even to lower NYC standards haha still bought a ton of crap but not due to your people but my need for retail therapy read more

Broad array of offerings and equipment. Most prices on the "high-end" of regular retail prices. When I was looking at the backpacks, as a potential to replace my "book bag" for traversing the city, I was surprised to see that none of them were priced. Someone did help me, quickly and without me looking. She scanned the barcode and provided the answer I needed. Again, was on the high end of what I'd expect at the retail pricing. If you need some special camping or "travel size" items. Or some rugged outerwear, and you have the money, then check them out. Otherwise, I can't see them lasting with this much square footage for retail. read more

Everything you need for everything outside!! Great service, excellent quality products and brands.

I'm a huge fan of snowboarding and snow sports, and REI is the place to visit when you're looking for the latest and greatest. Conveniently located in SoHo, this place is massive, and every thrill-seeker's paradise. You've got a section for biking, hiking, climbing, skiing, snowboarding, camping. You name it, they've got it. You need something? They've got it in five different colors. Every one who works at REI is super helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. They're there to provide you with equipment to optimize your experience whatever it may be. read more

I might be biased. I love REI, I usually shop online. I wish they could do the "Garage sale" here. The staff is super helpful most of the time. However there is like one particular employee who knows just enough about climbing to be dangerous with her recommendations as she doesn't know as much as she thinks. I and multiple friends have had conversations with her individually while getting new shoes over the past year and yikes. She just straight up told one of my friends that he wasn't a V7 climber after asking what he climbed and... Just no. Also, the first time I bought climbing shoes here and had to exchange them for ones that fit there was zero help from the staff and I literally had to jump to reach the box with my size shoe as no one was around despite being right next to the cash registers. read more

This REI is great just like all of their stores. Amazing selection of quality gear and extremely helpful stuff that loves what they do. read more

See all

Good selection but long wait in line to pay. Infuriating to watch clerks at registers avoid eye contact with customers while they slowly, passively aggressively organized hangers. Management should tell them it's more important to take in money than organize hangers. read more

REI was always my go-to for winter sports related stuff. when i lived in california, i would bring my snowboard here every few trips to get a wax and/or a tune-up. REI has always been there for me when i needed new stuff -- gear, accessories, clothing -- you name it, they had it. since moving out to the east coast, i've been hard-pressed to find an alternative. EMS doesn't really cut it, and all the name brand snowboarding stores are too far out of my budget range to make them reliable go-to's. then REI soho opened. it is, by far, the LARGEST REI I HAVE EVER STEPPED FOOT INTO. there's so much stuff, i got kinda lost looking for gloves because i didn't know which section they were filed under. the street level has most of your gear/equipment and a smattering of clothing and accessory options. the level under that has ALL of the rest of the clothing, accessories, shoes, etc. and the bottom level is home to the service shop. i could spend hours in here just browsing all their stuff. and REI has some of the friendliest and most knowledgeable staff in the business. if you are really into winter sports (or biking/camping/hiking in the summer), i suggest you get the lifetime membership here. it only costs $20 and it entitles you to discounted shop services, as well as a 10% refund on certain purchases at the end of the year. pretty good deal if you ask me, considering how often i take my board in for a tune-up every year. read more

REI - my new snowboarding helmet! :) - Outdoor Gear Near Me - New York, New York

I was so excited to hear that they opened an REI here in the Big Apple. I am from down South originally, and we had a few of these close to where I lived. I have been meaning to come here ever since it opened. And well on Sunday, I finally made it into this sports great MECCA. Wow, I fell in love instantly. First floor has bikes, some popular items so that people can get in and out quickly (this includes yoga gear, bike gear, nutitional bars). In the back, is the camping area and also where they sell GPS watches. I have been looking for one for awhile, but haven't seen anything to my liking and what my needs are. A very friendly staff saw me eyeing the GPS case and came over to help. Too bad I was so flustered. REI has a handout on all the different GPS watches they carry and the specs for each. Really, there are 30 watches? What the...? I also wandered downstairs and browsed some yoga apparel, undergear, and also some shoes. They also carry a wide array of sporty clothes just for everyday wear. This place is just plain awesome. I love it. Great customer service, attentive and nice staff, clean and spacious shopping space, and high-quality sports gear. Who could ask for anything more? Perhaps Niketown should learn from these guys... read more

One of the best big sports stores in the city. It's located in the heart of Soho in front of the 6/orange trains on Broadway/Lafayette. REI is a great addition to the city as there are not much sporting goods stores other than smaller boutiques or Paragon Sports. The prices here are not too bad either. The ground floor of REI holds snowboarding gear, biking clothing and equipment, hiking gear, camping gear and some other random nutritional items by the counter. The basement has a shoe/sneaker/boots section, jackets, running, children's and clearance section, as well as a fitting and bathroom. They do sell some yoga gear below too. There is so much for the fitness guru to get swept up in that I recommend you get their membership card which is $20 for life. It really helps if you at constantly shopping here and is also for a good cause. read more