REI is the spot if you love the outdoors! They have everything you need and tons of stuff you didn't know you'd need. Staff is great: patient, helpful and extremely knowledgeable. read more

I brought two neglected bikes in for service and couldn't have found a more helpful or knowledgeable staff. More importantly, I was genuinely impressed by their enthusiasm--they all genuinely seem to like what they do. Ryan took his time to explain everything so that my novice brain understood, and he delivered on everything he promised. When I picked up my bike, Colby stood outside with me in 100 degree heat and talked me through mounting a rack onto my car minutes from the time he was supposed to get off work. Patient, kind people across the board who also happen to know their stuff. read more

I've been a LONG time outdoor recreationist and having transitioned over the last 4 decades from Surfing, Diving, Mountain Biking, Hiking to Backpacking I've been going to REI for over 20 years after spending my money @ Sports Chalet. The thing that put's REI over the rest is that they candidly are the Nordstrom of Outdoor recreation stores. I've NEVER been dissatisfied with any aspect of their customer service and the variety , quality and warranty on their supplies just keeps me there for life.. 7/30/2013- Time to edit this entry. As most of you know that are co-cop members REI has recently implemented a new policy. One of the things that was analogous to Nordstrom is no longer the case. As I recall in their new policy is that if it's over a year and it's not defective, your stuck with it. No returns (possibly a credit?) but as a result I've knocked their rating down to 4 stars. Still good, just not as good as they use to be. Heck are any of us? Well I'll let my wife answer that and you let you're significant other do the same to, right? Anyway, we'll see how this 'washes out' down the road. read more

I have been doing business there for the past 4 years. The staff is well informed-educated and incredibly helpful to deal with. Always a smile and a way of asking if I am happy with the products. Recently I realized I had bought a pair of pants and it was the wrong size. The problem was I bought them over 6 months ago and had been in my closet. Upon realizing that the size was wrong I brought them back to the store and anticipated a problem because of the amount of time that past. Instead I was met in the store by a happy face and when I told them my problem the gal said " no problem let me see if we have it in stock" well they did and replaced the pant in the correct size with a smile. My kind of store to do business with. Thank you REI AND YOUR GREAT EMPLOYEES! Irwin Z read more

THE ONLY PLACE TO GO FOR YOUR OUTDOOR GEAR! I have probably spent close to a grand here in the last year alone. The clothing section is huge, bigger than any REI I have been to except the one in Seattle. The reason I decided to rate it a 5 is that I called last week to check on a Thule Bike Rack. The guy answered the phone, very polite and went to check the stock. Came back a minute later said he had everything and asked for my name to put it on hold. 2 hours later, I walked in to the counter and paid for it. Customer service is rare these days and I appreciate it! read more

Over priced never again will I come here. It's the rodeo dr of sports. I'll stick to going to big 5 great selection great product. Seems like employees here don't know there stuff when you ask them questions they tell you to hold on and they use there walkie talkies to ask 5 different employees to respond back with your question not enough training read more

I wrote this so the management at REI Northridge can see it. I lost my key for my Yakima roof racks. It came off so I took one side to REI to see if I can get another replacement key. I spoke to Kevin. Nice guy. He very patiently went thru a bunch of the Yakima keys on the ring. He was cool and calm. Finally after around 20 keys we found the one for my replacement. Perfect. He then went online and found me the keys and helped this old man replace it thru Amazon. Thanks Kevin. He works in the bike section in the back. Thanks a lot for the help! read more

This is specifically regarding the service I received in the bike repair department from Colby. We were donating an el cheapo bike from target from a kid's wish list as part of a toys-for-tots type of thing. The folks at target didn't do a good job putting the bike together, the brakes rubbed, etc. And it was their last one so I had to take it. I tried to fix it and failed. With little time left before I had to donate the bike, I brought it to REI, explained the situation, and Colby fixed it right then and there in about 20 minutes. It was more complex than I expected because of the cheap parts on the bike. But he got it working so I hope there was a happy kid over the holidays! read more

Great Store. I cant believe the amount of camping stuff they have. The floor people are very smart, and know everything about everything. I purchased 2 tents, 4 sleeping bags. camping fuel and lots of bug spray. lol! I would recommend this store over other sports stores read more

Love this place! This particular REI is not the largest, but the service is top notch and the staff are all very friendly & knowledgeable. Keep in mind REI is more of an outdoor recreation store than a "sporting goods" store. Can be pricey but there are sales. Also, if you are a member you do get some $$ back at the end of the the year. I live in the Antelope Valley, so it is a drive for me but I have been very satisfied with all my purchases from this store. read more

Love this location and the team members that helped me here today. They were super accommodating in spite of me inconveniencing them. And helpful. Top notch customer service in my book. Thank you REI Team Northridge!! You guys are the best. read more

Must admit that although I am not an "outdoorsy" person by ANY stretch of anyone's imagination, REI has everything anybody needs for a treck to the mountains. The sales staff is more than accomodating and they really have EVERYTHING from A-Z in terms of clothing and equipment. Kudos! read more

Just left this store and was shocked at the over 15 people standing in line, worse than Disney. 3 registers open and total of 5 registers available. Plenty sales people. When I said something, got an attitude from 2 employees. Even one took his break regardless of line. Will never shop here again. read more

If you've been to one REI previously then you know what to expect. They have all the camping and outdoor activity area you could hope for. But this location in particular has a great staff who is amazingly helpful. I went in there looking for my first hiking shoes in 30 years and received the best service I could have hopped for. read more

Sadly, dogs are no longer allowed in the store (except service dogs), and while I understand why they have the policy, it used to be one of those nice things that set REI apart from the competition. Aside from that, REI has a good selection of quality outdoor gear and some of the REI branded equipment and clothes provides name brand performance at a reasonable price. The Northridge store is pretty blah compared to the newer locations, but it's easy to find parking and it's well stocked and staffed. read more

We are new members here, on our second visit back ( we just became members) my wife came in looking for a bag and a vest, the person at the front was helpful, showed us some bags and we ended up picking one. Then we asked him about vest and he told us to go up, there's a guy named Niel that can help us out. This was late at night and there was another couple in the store... so it was not busy at all. So we go up and we ask him where the vest are... and he goes " we have vests here and here and here and here...." then my wife told him she is looking for a thinner one that's not too hot... and he responds " I'm showing you all the ones I have" as if we are pissing him off for having to do his job on a empty Monday afternoon when there are no other customers around... so sorry for bugging you man read more

Wow first time in here and i am amazed. This is gotta be the first and last stop when going camping. Mmmaaann u just fell in love with this store. Fair prices, respectful employees. Cant go wrong here read more

Things at all REI's have changed quite a bit over the years and it appears to be just getting worse and worse. They are carrying less and less variety of items as they are just selling more and more of their own Coop aka "generic" type of items. Their satisfaction guarantee as many other yelpers have noted is no longer true as any kind or return is extremely difficult and for some customers it seems impossible. Also their dividends program is horrible as in many case there are restrictions of when you can use them or when you can use them. I think REI is on the way down and out based on the way they are now vs the way they used to be. I will be taking my business elsewhere from now on as there is nothing there worth putting up with there lack of customer care. Maybe I will be back for the going out of business sale when it happens down the road... read more

I came in for some hiking boots and sandals, and Collin was a great help. He had some very helpful suggestions and was clearly knowledgeable about my needs. The store looked great, and Collin took no time at all in finding the footwear in the size I needed. They had a good selection as well. read more

Haven't been in this store for probably 10+ years. Seemed much bigger then....maybe it was. Didn't see a climbing wall anymore. Bummer! Actually not why I went there anyways. I found an old gift certificate (talking at least 10 years old). In CA a gift certificate never expires so I figured they had to take it. I wanted a hammock, pro mounting kit for it, and a water tight pelican case. The greeter was very friendly and offered to help find anything I needed. I used to be a manager at PacSun so I really notice cleanliness and organization. The store was very clean and for the amount of items they have, was pretty well organized. Everything seemed to be in it's place. The guy at the register looks at the certificate and first thing he says is "it says expires in 2 years and looks definitely older than that." I said "Yeah I know but there's no date on there AND in CA the law states that a coupon may expire but a gift certificate or store credit is always worth what was paid or owed" Meaning, $20 can't be worth $40 but if $40 was paid, it's good until that business closes and you're not allowed to slowly deplete cards each month like they used to try and do. He ended up calling over the lady standing next to him and I had to repeat the exact same argument. They spent a few minutes trying to mess with their system and then told me they couldn't accept it. I asked for a manager or someone that could help me. She said that I would need to call member services. Instead, I requested that THEY talk to member services(why would I want to sit on hold?) After she sat on hold for 10 minutes, she just hung up and rung me through with a "discount" for my $40. I would understand if I was holding a certificate for $500 but it was $40 and I was spending way more than that. I know it was my fault that I had a certificate that was old as fuck but that whole experience makes me think twice about wanting to shop there again. Glad I didn't take NO for an answer! read more

After experiencing poor customer service at the Burbank location, drove across town to this one. The staff here were so helpful and pleasant to deal with! I didn't find what I needed today, but I highly recommend this location. read more

Bought a rain jacket years ago. When I bought the jacket, it had a lifetime guarantee. I over paid for the REI jacket. I choose it because the salesman said lifetime guarantee. Could of bought a Northface jacket for similar price and higher quality. The manager Brandon offered a 20 percent discount on there over priced jackets. I will never buy anything from REI. Amazon will take them out. Will be buying my jacket from Amazon. read more

REI is probably my favorite outdoor store ever. The staff are always very knowledgeable and they've always got the best quality products. REI own brands are now winning some pretty good awards, so look at some of those for your bargains. The best thing is the friendly and very accommodating customer service. Their return policy is incredible - maybe better than Costco's! Don't forget if you're a member you also get an end of the year dividend! read more

This store is great! Those seeking a place to get your gear for outdoor/indoor adventures should look no further. Great selection of pretty much anything you'd need. Very knowledgeable employees and being a member has many great rewards. They have plenty of sales throughout the year and many times you wouldn't have to wait for a holiday. read more

I came here in desperate need of new casual sandals. Having bad knees, I needed a pair that have great support. This place has been a long favorite store of mine for many years. I got great help from the employees, & the selection is ok. I just wished they had more variety in terms of sandals. Located in a strip mall. Very convenient to get to, & abundant parking. read more

I have been an REI customer for a long time. I even became a member because I liked the company so much. I used to go to the one in Berkeley and started shopping at the one in Northridge when I moved here. Unfortunately, they have now lost a customer. I recently received a sales flyer and noticed that a backpacking pack was going to be on sale. I wanted to invest since every year I go on a retreat with my job. I thought, "Great! I'll call and see if I can get the sales price" a few days early. The sale is this coming weekend. But I work 2 jobs and the Northridge shop is kind of far from where I live but I did have time to go that evening. I called. The guy didn't even transfer me to the camping department. He asked but he didn't. Then I asked and told him my situation and he was just not budging. It was like the only word he knew was "no." This has never really happened before. Why are you going to treat your customer, who is also a member, that way. I really liked REI but that was the worse customer service I've ever experienced. Honestly, I would have missed that sale. Also, if I could have gone what is the point of having your customer buy it. Come back to return it. And then re-buy it for the sale price or get a credit for the sale price when you could have just kept a satisfied customer by give them the sale price for a sale that is happening in 3 days. read more

Very helpful staff, and great selection for every budget. I was on the search for wet suits but they don't have them at this location. The prices were definitely comparable to most surf shops. I'll definitely be back. read more

This REI doesn't carry skis or snowboards - their staff isn't as knowledgeable as the REI in Santa Ana which carries winter equipment.

Really, I love this place. It's got everything I could ask for (except lower prices). Yes, it's expensive, but the staff are very knowledgeable and I feel confident with any gear that I purchase from this place. I just got a new pair of hiking shoes last night and did 5 miles this morning, feeling great! I can't wait to go backpacking in a few weeks with my spiffy new anti-gravity pack. They also offer some nice free (and some cost money) classes. If you are looking to get outfitted for the great outdoors, this is a great place to start! read more

I have no issue with this store besides the fact that they try to push their membership program too hard then get a little upset when u decline. read more

I am getting ready to leave for a South American excursion and came here for a hiking backpack and boots. I left with way more knowledge than imaginable! Backpack: I got measured, was provided with backpacks with weights, packing tips, and was told to walk around the store to see "how it felt". I decided on an Osprey and am excited at all the bells and whistles on it! Boots: foot measured, suggested wool socks, different shoe tie knots and a speech about how no-one is going to notice how I think the boots are not fashionable on the Incan trail. There is even a rock that they have you climb on to test the traction and fit of the boot. Its like the Range Rover dealership where you drive your 4x4 over as a test drive (I don't have a Rover, just have seen it). The service here is wonderful and all the things here are great. Going to this store makes come want to camp and do every granola thing you can think of. Invest in the $20 lifetime membership card bc it will be worth it and you will get 10% back at the end of the year. Thank you REI for all the info in prepping for my trip! read more

Even though I'm generally a pretty outdoorsy kind of girl, I had for some reason never stepped foot into an REI. Ever. I had heard of them from my dad, who does a lot of hiking and backpacking into the high, wild and gorgeous country of the San Gabriels and Sierra Nevadas, but I tend to stay at lower elevations; *I prefer desert camping/hiking and rock climbing*. So it was with great interest that I entered into an REI to prepare for an upcoming hiking/vacation trip to one of our National Parks at the far Northern edge of our borders. I have not bought heavy duty, cold weather hiking gear in nearly 12 years. For most of my trips, I've used old gear from high school that has served me quite well in temperate climates. I tend to layer, so I can get by that way in most weather. For the one cold weather vacation I took, I used a super heavy, super bulky fleece puffer jacket that I will never, ever wear again. I came into this store with my mom and we started out by the hiking poles. Mom needed some and my jaw literally fell open when I checked the prices on them. $125 for a set of hiking poles? That's almost two weeks of gas and dinner for me. I think the cheapest set I saw was $85 or $90. Mom had some questions so she found a sales associate to help us (I forget his name, but he was excellent) and he started off explaining everything about the poles and exactly which ones she would need, how he used them, their benefits, everything. By the time he was done, we both knew more about hiking poles than we probably should have. I'm not complaining though, this guy was not only extremely helpful, he was also hands down one of the most handsome, down to earth guys i've met in a long time. If it helps, he's a sandy blonde with some awesome hiking related tattoos. He also helped me pick out a carry bag for my day pack, and he was super helpful with that too. From there went upstairs to the clothing area. This would be where we would spend most of our time. The first thing I should say is that when I checked the prices here, I knew immediately that I would have to set a limit on what I could buy that day because the prices will make your head spin. The only way I was able to stay under my limit was by scouring the clearance rack, and I STILL couldn't get everything I needed. I did manage to get a few vital pieces (wool tights and weatherproof pants), but the one thing I desperately was in search of, a new lightweight cold weather jacket WITHOUT bulk, I simply could not afford. All the jackets I found that were what I needed were at least $200 or above. We had an extremely helpful employee who assisted us, Shannon, and she ended up giving me some excellent tips on what to look for in a heavy jacket. Even though I can't get my jacket here at REI, I now know what to look for when I do purchase it. The cashier who checked me out was helpful too-he showed me a neat trick of folding my clothing up so that it makes a neat and tidy little ball. Extremely helpful, and I'll be using it when I pack for my GNP trip in a few days. As I was leaving, I also noticed that they have an activities board that is packed full of different hiking excursions, rock climbing classes, rope tying classes; essentially anything you might be interested in, they have a class for it. In my opinion, that's just the cherry on the cake. In short, I highly recommend REI if you want quality service AND the best outdoor gear in the game. Do be prepared to drop half, if not all of your paycheck here. As much as I would like to come back to REI and buy ALL of my new outdoor clothing and equipment here, the cost is extremely prohibitive, so I'll just have to drool from a distance or wait for one of their famed sidewalk sales. read more

I've been a loyal REI customer since I was a scout. With my recent rediscovery of cycling, I've been frequenting REIs more and more often. Although I get annoyed at their exclusivity in brands and somewhat inflated prices, it's a no brainer when you need knowledgeable help. This review/story is not so much about the product as about the service. I was home for the holidays and brought up my mountain bike. Early Thanksgiving day, my brother and I headed out on our bicycles to the Rinaldi trail. On my ride, three spokes ripped out from the hub. Perhaps I weighed too much, or I hadn't been good about keeping my spokes tightened (ehh, so sue me). On the way back, I ripped my chain apart. After fumbling with a chain tool, my brother just headed home and grabbed a bike rack. So the next day, Black Friday, I go to REI to buy some supplies. I headed into the bicycle shop in the REI and talked to Thomas, the bicycle tech. I explained that I no longer lived in the area and I am trying to replace my spokes and chains that day. After showing me all the parts I needed and giving me tips on how to do it myself, I casually asked how long it would take a bicycle pro like him. He said he could do it all in an hour and he could do it that day. Surprised, I went home immediately and brought my bicycle. Sure enough, 90 minutes later, I had my bicycle with a new chain, three new spokes, rims trued, and ready to ride. Okay, so it was like 30 minutes more, but there were other customers (hey, it's black friday). All said and done, $35 for a new chain and 3 new spokes, and the labor for installing the chain, installing the spokes, and truing the tire. Not too shabby for premium day-of service. That weekend, I rode through the Las Virgenes trail one day, and the Rocketdyne/Santa Susana Pass on the next. Thanks REI, for letting me beat the hell out of my body. read more

Finally rei northridge upped their game with customer service. Great new employees very kind and helpful. Glad to be coming back here again hope it stays this way. read more

They got a decent selection of cargo pants. I did have problems with getting help in the clothing dept. this afternoon. This is why I am only giving them 4 stars. The store was not super busy either, sometimes you wonder. Overall, I still like REI. read more

Great customer service. Ask for Eddie at the bike shop section. He was a fountain of info and never made me feel pressured in buying anything. read more

I went to this store recently looking for hiking shoes. It was initially hard to get help because there were several customers who were very pushy/entitled and would jump in every time the staff person came out of the shoe room. I had been patiently waiting, but then someone else would jump in and demand something from her. She seemed very stressed/overwhelmed when I arrived and clearly needed more help upstairs for the number of customers. I was beginning to think she didn't even see me standing there waiting until finally it died down and she got me some shoes to try. She proceeded to help me for the next hour probably...bringing me different shoes, measuring my foot, teaching me how to check the fit of hiking shoes, informing me on the best socks, and showing me how to tie a hiking shoe. She was so knowledgeable - I was amazed! She knew which shoes/brands ran narrow or what I could possibly try, which ones would last longer and how many miles, etc. I appreciate her knowledge and patience in helping me to find the perfect shoe and sock. She also told me about the lifetime membership which I had no idea about! $20 and you are a member for life. You get 10% back on all purchases ( to use as credit or cash out) and you get certain privileges such as access to the garage sales (gently used items)! Awesome. Why did no one ever tell me about this before!?! read more

Horrible Customer Service. I Received a Gift and went in to the Store to Return it for the Exact Same Item but just a Larger Size and the Manager would Not Accept the Unopened/Unused Return without a Receipt. Not like I was asking for a Refund, just an Exchange and Pay the Difference! Never will I Reccomend this Place or EVER Return here Again! I'd Rather go to Big 5 and Give them My Business... read more

Great gear, knowledgeable people, and the refund program for members is fun. Highly recommended.

I'm writing this review based on my experience TODAY (10/30/2014) around 7 pm. The guy at the bike shop today was a F**King douche bag. Terrible attitude not just towards me but also towards others who needed help. He was RUDE! Because of this guy, I'm returning my mountain bike that I purchased from REI even though I actually like the bike. I've been to this particular store a few time and the other guys were not so nice either except ONE. Why on earth would they hire people like that? read more