First time visit to REI as I had been eyeing a pair of Blundstone boots for a long time and was unsure about sizing. The store has a nice layout, and you can easily find what you're looking for. I met Leslie, who was super helpful and patient. She recommended I spend a few minutes walking around the fitting area to get a good feel of the boot to determine the best fit. I'm in between sizes depending on shoes, brand and design (6-6.5 US Women) and typically wear lightweight socks with all year-round boots. To my surprise the Blundstone Original Chelsea # 510 in size 3 (AU/UK) = 36 EU fit just right. I wore my new boots to Vancouver, and they were comfortable right out of the box, no need to break them in. I signed up for their membership and can't wait go to back to pick up a few more things--overall solid experience. read more

Your Urban Basecamp for Outdoor Everything The REI in downtown Austin is the kind of place that somehow makes you want to go camping immediately, even if you walked in just to browse. It's well-stocked, well-organized, and staffed by folks who clearly live and breathe the outdoor life. What makes it great: Excellent layout -- spacious, easy to navigate, and doesn't feel overcrowded, even when it's busy. Gear is thoughtfully displayed, and the store flows well from one department to the next. Helpful staff -- genuinely friendly and super knowledgeable. Whether you're getting fitted for boots, comparing bike racks, or just looking for the best water bottle, they take the time to walk you through your options without upselling. Well-stocked -- From high-end hiking gear to commuter-friendly bike accessories, it's got a little of everything. Great selection of clothing, trail snacks, and even travel gear if you're about to hit the airport. Bike shop in the back is a hidden gem. Solid service, quick turnaround, and honest recommendations. Bonus: Located in a convenient area with easy parking (which is a huge win downtown). Feels like a hub for the local outdoor community -- check the events board or just chat with someone about where to hike, paddle, or ride next. Bottom line: Whether you're prepping for a thru-hike, a weekend at Barton Creek, or just commuting across town, REI Austin is a reliable and inspiring place to stock up. Great gear, even better people. read more

Always get great service here. Went in to get water shoes and was helped by Tiago. Cannot say enough good things about him. Not only did he provide recommendations, he also took the time to chat. like we were old friends. I appreciated. that read more

BEST SERVICE EVER Today I talked to a gentleman, Patrick Degree. He answered the phone when I called 800-426-4840. I can't raiive enough how helpful he was. If I could give him 10 stars I would! I really like REI AND LIKE THE PEOPLE THEY EMPLOY read more

I was using a light weight DOP kit this past month and went to put it away and realized what a fine product I was holding. It's made by Eagle Creek and REI still sells their products. I bought it in maybe 1985 or maybe even earlier. It looks brand new and it has been all over the world. My career took me all through Europe, Asia and Russia. Hundreds of trips and many many back packing trips. It's well over 40 years old. Kudos to two great companies. read more

This review is for Sean at the bike shop! He was super helpful when my bike pedal fell off while riding nearby. I stopped at REI as the closest place with a bike shop in it. He got me back on the road in 5 minutes and explained why my pedal failed! He was very knowledgeable and nice--not trying to upsell me. I will be back for future repairs and maintenance based on my interaction with him alone. Thanks, Sean! (Or Shawn.... Shaun....?) read more

We don't live very close to this REI so every time we come here, it's a treat! I love walking into this REI even if I don't buy anything, it's just fun to look around and be inside it. The staff is always so kind and welcoming. The selection here is pretty great, I think they have more stuff than the North REI but I could be wrong. This REI shares a parking lot with Book People and Anthropologie but even still, there is always plenty of parking. If you aren't already an REI member, just do it. It's worth it even if you only buy 1 thing a year. It's a 1 time fee for a life long membership :) read more

I walked into REI on N. Lamar for the first time in my life feeling completely out of place. I lived in Seattle for 9 years so I know I am not a hippie or mountaineer of any kind. Believe me when I insist I GLAMP. I do not camp. I didn't buy my cycling shoes or cleats here, as the Northwest-y clothing sold at REI is not my style. But I'm so happy I came in. Here's why: Determined to get my cleats installed on my new cycling shoes, I took them to the REI bike shop at the recommendation of my trainer. Then I discovered the bike shop and saw that there are bikes... and fell in love. It totally made my day! Sean is super cool and efficient, and so is the gal who installed my cleats on my cycling shoes (I so regret not getting her name!). They turned out beautifully. I am so excited to clip into my bike tomorrow and ride! :D I walked out the door with a $30 REI life time membership, which includes complimentary cleat installation. So essentially the install was free with my membership. As I browsed the store after my cleats were taken care of, a friendly sales associate approached me and we had a very nice conversation! I quickly explained my lack of granola vibes and he welcomed & accepted me regardless. I felt so seen. :))) I am soooo looking forward to buying more cycling stuff here! Who knows, maybe I'll give in and go on a granola adventure with my Seattle friends when I visit the mountains soon. Thanks y'all! :))) read more

REI - Recreational Equipment - Thank you so much to the bike shop for installing my cleats!!! :))) - Sports Wear Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

There is something magical about going to REI. I love that this company invests in the community that they are in. The employees are so helpful - we've gotten our roof racks, camping gear and a few clothing items from here and have always received great advice for what will work well for our level of adventure. You could find just about everything on Amazon or elsewhere but I think it's important to spend money at places where they are caring for the planet and people. REI is a great alternative and they have great deals for members throughout the year. They also have an incredible return policy that beats out other stores. read more

REI is outdoor gear mecca. I have been a member here forever. I always come to REI for shoes and yoga gear. I also love cargo pants. Some things can be price yet the proof is in the pudding. You get what you pay for and the gear is some of the best there is. Quality that lasts. read more

REI - Recreational Equipment - Sports Wear Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

REI is one of those stores you go to that inspires you to go out and live life. My newest hobby. Hiking, has a lot of elements to it and this store not only has everything you could want for outdoor hobbies like this, they also have knowledgeable personnel who are eager to help. I experienced this in the Houston REI and again recently at the Austin one. The Co Op has so many great benefits like an awesome return policy if anything you purchase there just doesn't work out for you. Sales are important because with great equipment and brands comes a heftier price tag. Even if you aren't into outdoor activities. Visit REI and I'm sure you'll find something to fall in love with read more

Clean, friendly staff, easy pick up, and a sensible return and exchange policy. Let me start by saying that I am not at all the outdoorsy type, but husband is and we made many a trip here to prepare him to vacation overseas. This is a nicely organized location. Even though I have no interest in being outside for more than a few minutes, I still enjoyed browsing the shelves and taking a look at the trave clothes. I might get myself a thing or two when it's my turn to venture out of the country. Staff is very knowledgeable and helpful; they can point you in the right direction if you're bit lost. I've seen reviews say that it gets crowded Hubs joined the Co-op and they made sure he understood their policies before taking his money. Apparently they had a special deal going on that day for new members. He has found the membership to be well worth it already. Be sure to check out their returns section for discounted previously owned items. Some discounts are small while others are steep and end up being a great deal. read more

Understaffed and overcrowded. The line has 15 or more customers and you'll be waiting half an hour just to get into the part that snakes in. read more

REI - Recreational Equipment - Way too crowded here - Sports Wear Near Me - Austin, Texas

Came in looking for boots and left with a great pair based on my needs. Curtis and Zach were incredibly patient with me helping me with try on at least 6 pairs of boots. The whole time they were helping other customers and spent time going back and forth between customers, inventory, and cleaning. Incredibly knowledgeable and helpful staff. I expect nothing less. Thanks! read more

I notice REI sells clothes as "everything's $99". I consider this store is a $99 store. Dollars not cents. :). Other items beside clothes are great. Be sure to check where it made from. :) read more

Suggestion to REI: mark your checkout line clearly. We arrived at checkout from the west side of the store with a decent sized order today. There was no line. We waited patiently. When a register freed up, that cashier didn't want to serve us. He pointed at the back of the store and said "You're not in line." We said "Where is the line supposed to start? There's no signage. There are no ropes." He finally checked us out like he was doing us a favor. It was so weird. We did nothing wrong. The store didn't provide any guidance. And yes, we saved the receipt with the date, time and cashier. read more

It is always fun to make the drive after ordering something online, receiving email notifications that the item is ready for pickup, waiting half an hour for the staff to look for it, only to hear that the item was being shipped to your house 2 weeks later. Never one to learn from a first mistake, I reordered from another location only to get an email just before the projected pickup time stating that they had an inventory error and the purchase was being refunded. I appreciate the 15% off voucher this experience "earned" me, but what I would really appreciate is a store that can implement basic inventory management. That would be amazing. read more

Tim was great and help a ton of useful tips for backpacking. Store was awesome and it was hard not to spend too much money.

I went in to the location on Lamar here in Austin to get some gear for a skiing trip here in the next couple days. I spent an hour looking for things and jokingly asked a random worker named Doug if a snow proof jacket looked small on me. He agreed once he saw it that it was indeed too small. He then proceeded to walk me around the store to find all of the things I needed. Within 10 minutes we found all of the items. The whole time he was polite and funny and I will definitely be coming to this location again because of him. Doug I hope this finds you well brother! Best of luck to you! read more

Always stellar service at the bike shop, this time with Gene. Techs are knowledgeable and educational, and repairs are highly affordable-- or often complimentary if they do something on the spot. They feel more like biking advocates than a typical business trying to get every last cent out of you. read more

I purchase a Thule Cargo box from REI online and was able to ship it to the store for free shipping. So that's the first awesome thing! The shipping did take longer than originally expected but I had time no big deal there. When I came to pick up the box the in store clerks we do nice to me, I felt welcome immediately. They sent me around back to pick up my over sized cargo. Upon getting to the back, I wanted to put my box on top the car, as it wouldn't fit into the car... This was a slight issue as I needed an appt for that, which i didn't know! The guys were awesome. Since I already had the crossbars installed, they made it happen for me and I didn't have to come back. It maybe took 15 minutes. I was extremely grateful and I would definitely consider big purchase from REI in the future! Thanks!! read more

REI - Recreational Equipment - The rei crew hard at work installing my Thule Cargo Box. - Sports Wear Near Me - Austin, Texas

Not the largest and most well stocked REI I've been in. Not terrible though, believe I'm spoiled being from the Seattle Area and living near a flagship store in Denver. Bikes and camping equipment. Also some stand up paddle boards and kayaks. They carry what works for Austin's climate and terrain. Still the store has an impressive dog gear selection and an impressive hat and biking selection. Sounds like an Austin REI to me. Partner wanted to have a look around and ended up purchasing some Chacos. The saleswoman in the shoe section was extremely cheerful and had no qualms about getting numerous sandals in various sizes for us. Checking out we had a nice conversation with the cashiers about why we were in Austin (ACL 2018) and who we were excited to see. Rest of the store was clean and orderly. Lots of sleeping bags, camping food and miscellaneous gear. Just felt a little underwhelmed on the store variety. Totally makes sense though, why would Austin carry skis or snow equipment. Worth a visit but as I said nothing super remarkable. Guess we just expected a bit more from an REI in such an adventurous chill town and at an amazing location. Get the membership! Only $20 for a lifetime and the dividends you get back each year plus member discounts and coupons are worth the initial fee ten times over. read more

I have been a REI Co-op member for 21 or 22 years and I have always had a great customer experience at the north Austin store. Since I moved and the downtown location became the more convenient one, I've tried it twice and they don't seem to be interested in my business. I felt like a turd in a punch bowl both times as I watched other customers being helped and even when I asked a question, I just received a quick and unhelpful reply as the associate kept walking. And once when I was leaving, the greeter asked how it went and I told him I couldn't get any help. His reply was simply "Aw!" News flash, folks: I'm irresponsible with my money and I like outdoor gear! I'm not saying I won't buy from them anymore but it won't be at this store. I'll let them pay for the shipping if my purchase qualifies but otherwise, there are plenty of places to buy stuff. The S. Lamar Trek store even had a Christmas gift box waiting for me when I stopped in on Saturday. Now that's treating a customer like he matters. read more

Great items! Shocked they don't allow dogs. I have taken our dog to other REI locations.

Once again, REI has proven to be the absolute best at what they do. I visited the store recently to purchase a pair of hiking boots. Julia was incredibly helpful in finding the right pair of boots and the right size. She clearly knew what she was talking about, and without her help I would've walked out of the store with the wrong boots in the wrong size. Furthermore, I was able to get an incredible deal on a returned pair of boots through their member program. I would have not been able to afford these boots otherwise. Took them out on their first hike last week couldn't be more happy with them. Again, huge shoutout to Julia for all her help. She's the best! read more

I came in to get some sunnys and was having a rough day. Hot muggy day outside and a worker named Tia Davison helped me out picking the best polarized sunglasses from her cashier position. She really had the best attitude and im so lucky i had a great experience with her. Tia is a great worker! read more

I can't say enough how much I love THIS bike shop. I am always happy to see Britt, Doug, Matthew or Quen. Quen, has helped me out on multiple occasions and always helps me find the BEST options for my bike, I truly feel like he cares about his customers. Everyone is amazing. I came in yesterday and Matthew helped me with my brakes and gave me recommendations for safety. What a great shop, I find it hard not to stop by everyday. read more

REI - Recreational Equipment - Repair - Sports Wear Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

How I got my North Face jacket is a cool story bro, I am going to tell it again, at a party perchance. Just like the Houston REI: I like this place a lot. Unlike Joel B.'s experience I don't think the employees are "snooty or difficult to track again" -- instead I think they give you an appropriate breadth if you look like you know what you are doing. Apparently I looked like I knew what I was doing. SUCCESS. Larger selection than the Houston REI (good) No Taco Bell in the same shopping center like in Houston (bad) Next to Book People (awesome) On balance: shut up and take my money (insert the picture of Fry with money extended) read more

I love coming to this location though it is downtown. It is far enough away from the capitol crazyness. The staff is friendly and very helpful. I am so glad that they have regular sales to help offset some of the prices, but the quality is fantastic. It really pays to be a member and be apart of the co-op if y'all haven't already! read more

We were shopping for our first electric bike and had the amazing good luck to be helped by Raychill. Super knowledgeable, kind and willing to take the time to walk us through the pros and cons of different models. Thank you so much for answering all our questions and getting us on the right track! read more

Kristi was so nice! I needed an umbrella and had some sensitive documents to take to the courthouse and she went out of her way to open up the store a whole 2 hours before opening time. Because of her will and desire to serve others I can have a piece of mind that my documents are safe. This is humanity at its finest! read more

It's not that this place isn't cool because it is. It's just the place isn't very friendly. The competition is very stiff and if you are going to have prices that are that ridiculous you better bring something to the table. Unfortunately you don't. Used to buy a lot of equipment from REI. Now I shop local. read more

Raising the Fleece Per Capita (FPC) in the Whole Foods, Book People, Waterloo triangle, REI is doing it's part to outfit all of our urban, suburban, and outdoor adventures. This is a brand new store, to compliment the North location. It seems a bit smaller, but they still pack the place neatly with tons of great gear and clothing. The bike department took a lot of care and personal attention at fixing our bike wheels and tires. See my review of the North location for more company info. These guys are friendly, reasonably priced, and impressive all around. read more

REI - Recreational Equipment - Sports Wear Near Me - Austin, Texas

Large and clean store. I've never been in an REI before so when my friend said it was somewhat like DICK's back home I had to go in and have a look at the outdoor and workout stuff. I ended up buying a very reasonable REI brand light fleece jacket that I love. It was $50 when the comparable North Face fleece would've been $179. You can't beat that! They have outdoor stuff, bikes, bathing suits, workout clothes, warm weather and rain gear clothes as well as outdoor accessories. Great location with plenty of parking near the heart of downtown Austin too. read more

I mean I understand wanting to be safe for Covid but they're acting like we are back in April. Had to wait in line for no reason. The parking lot wasn't even full. read more

Great service, knowledgable staff. Was told a registry item was in stock, when we looked that was not the case. Staff confirmed with us that it was not available and helped us order online. We opted for a gift card. One star off for the inconvenience. read more

REI - Recreational Equipment - Can't ever get my husband out of these - Sports Wear Near Me - Austin, Texas

See all

This was my first time in REI and I was pretty clueless! I went in looking for a backpack to take on a 3 week long trip to SE Asia. I walked in and starting looking at what I "thought" I needed but then was greeted by Corey. He was SO incredibly helpful!! He took the time and helped me find the perfect travel pack! Even completely adjusted it perfectly and made sure the weight would be okay! I really could not believe the level of customer service I was given. If you are thinking about purchasing a travel backpack go IN STORE and find Corey! Now a REI loyal customer. read more

I love REI. But this location didn't have much in clothing nor in doggy apparel and accessories. Employees were very helpful and I love that I didn't have to look for parking, rare treat in Austin. read more

I'm always a fan of REI. Drove up to Austin to check out a few stores, REI being one of them. Staff was friendly, the store was nice and clean. It was pretty busy today, yet the folks in the shoe section were very helpful and provided service with a smile!! The cashier was also cheery, which made for a nice check-out! Overall, good experience in REI today...would definitely recommend visiting this location -- service is spot-on! read more

Came in to buy bike, after 10 mins waiting, only bike salesperson in clock came to tell us to get off stair ladder we were using to get closer look at bike (vs trying to help). Salesperson then went to get sign to apply to ladder to say "keep off". All this while having a "I'm above you" attitude. I realize REI doesn't pay you well and you aren't happy with your place in the world, but that doesn't give you the right to look down on customers like we are beneath you. You don't have a job without us. Honestly, this is why customers prefer shopping at boutique cycle shops or on Amazon. Bigger selection without entitled young yuppies giving other millennials a bad name. read more