Don't go here if you want to feel like you are being profiled. I've been to multiple REIs and this is the first time I've felt deterred from going to any REI again. The REI in Berkeley is definitely much better. I came here to buy some supplies for an upcoming hiking trip. For the most part, everyone was helpful except for the lady who thought I was going to steal something when she was opening the dressing room. I liked that she came to that conclusion since I was bringing a coat into the room although there were no signs that outerwear wasn't allowed in the dressing room. From there, she decided to alert the whole store what I had in the dressing room. My favorite part of the experience was when I purchased my items, the cashier alerted the other workers that I had only 1 pair of pants. Will never go here again. read more

I'm not even an outdoorsy type of person and I like wandering around this massive store. The camping equipment makes me want to snuggle up in a sleeping bag and cook out of a tin pot for dinner. No offense to the real campers out there. I salute you. I envy you. I hope one day I can be you so I can spend more time selecting my goods from REI. So what was I doing here? I was looking for my yoga mat and sportswear. That's right! REI tailors to us too! Oh and the cute boys who work here?? that's just a bonus. read more

Came here to pickup a backpack I ordered online. Kind of a strange location, off the main road. Had a decent selection of products. I just can't stand that there are always more workers in the checkout section than the 'customer service' section. I get it, make it easy to buy, and hard to return. But f***, it took me 30 minutes to get my bag... read more

This is our go to REI spot since we live in SF (our previous digs were in Oakland, so we frequented the Berkeley spot). Service up front is consistently pleasant and helpful; it's a bit hit or miss while on the floor. Usually the bf and I come here knowing what we want and since we're members, purchasing and returning is typically hassle free. The only complaint I have is that we were able to bring #nigelfancypants with us until we noticed a "No Dogs Allowed" sign unless they were service animals. Somewhat lame since they don't have fresh food/produce here, but it's likely because other irresponsible pet owners messed it up for the rest of it. Other than that, no other qualms. And hey, we've even seen Danny Glover here. That's pretty cool, eh? read more

REI rocks. Why? Do you enjoy the outdoors? You know,hiking,camping or any other outdoor activity. Are you constantly looking for a place to shop other than Big 5? If so,you should come here.You will probably find what you are looking for. Helpful staff. REI and Big 5 are both decent stores I depend on for outdoor stuff. read more

Nice location, plenty of parking, friendly staff too. Customer service: excellent. Typical REI store: they have most everything, including the very high quality equipment. Good prices and fair prices for the high quality equipment. I enjoyed the evening class for compass reading; it was fast and informative. Within a few minutes of Trader Joes. read more

I have to say, customer service is honestly one of the best things a store can offer. And that's when I met Michael.. My boyfriend and I needed to buy snowboard boots. And Michael took about an hour helping us. Making us try on all the different boots and keep them on for 15 minutes. He kept saying, doesnt matter what the brand of the boot, "the better boot is the one that is comfortable." And even better, out boots were on sale. It was a little sad I didn't buy the boa's I wanted, but man, those burton boots were more comfortable than the boots I wore to the store!! REI membership is a one time fee of $20. REI is a co-op and you receive a 10$ dividend at the end of the year. So really, it's 10% off, and you pretty much buy enough to get your membership paid for! So worth it.. Also, they have discount lift tickets. On another note, when things aren't on sale, I find that sports basement is a little bit cheaper. But then you toss up the questions, save a few dollars, or....pay a little more at REI for lifetime satisfaction? hmmm... read more

REI is great. Other REIs, mostly....or rather, I guess I've only really been to the one in Greensboro. No one was rude, nothing like that. Other people have complained about parking/location. For me, it's even near other stores that are over there that I need to go to (and I'm on foot, yes). The store was busy, a little crowded. Some sales going on, as usual. However, service was lacking, and I've never seen such a slim-seeming (at least) selection of women's shoes. Only 4 pairs of trail running shoes? The difference between 2 pairs being ONLY the fact that one is waterproof & one is not? The sales person didn't seem to know anything about the shoes, really. No good recommendations, or anything. I'm starting to learn, but I've definitely had more knowledgeable people than me at other stores. So, kudos to the REI in Greensboro. read more

I have a love-hate relationship with this particular REI. I love the company; this store? not so much. The departments are consistently understaffed (I've experienced this is on three separate occasions in three different departments: bikes, shoes, and backpacks). Wandering around, getting incomplete information from flustered staff gets frustrating, so I've chosen to walk out and take my business online several times. I have no complaints about the online shopping experience - but I would prefer to buy my gear in-store. Hopefully this REI fixes their staffing problem. Otherwise, I love it here. The return policy and member program are unbeatable. So while I definitely won't be taking my business away from REI in the foreseeable future, I probably won't be taking it back to this store. read more

A big fan of REI - they always have what I need. Perhaps I'm comparing this REI too much to other REIs - at the ones in the East Bay, every staff member seems to know the place inside out. On this trip, someone offered us help, then told us she was from a different area of the store, and didn't offer to bring an expert over...fortunately she was still able to answer some of our questions! The downstairs people seem a bit wary of the upstairs, and the upstairs people were...well...not there. Eventually convinced someone from downstairs to go upstairs. So yeah, not my favorite REI, but still a reliable place. read more

5 Stars for Doug the manager of this REI. 4 Stars for this REI in general. Doug was very helpful and considerate when I called to express my extreme dissatisfaction with a purchase (someone had returned my item, and it had been reshelved used and filthy.) I was really upset. I love REI, but this is not the first, second, or third time this has happened to me. (-1 Star because of this.) But the customer service is fantastic. And the selection is great. And Doug went above and beyond to make everything better. read more

Came here to learn about and purchase a pair of minimalistic shoes. The shoe section, on the second level far right corner of the store, was packed with people looking at mens and womens shoes. I waited and browsed around a bit before I got to talk to Ileana. Out of the staff there, Ileana was the perfect match for my questions about minimalistic shoes. She, in fact, uses minimalistic shoes herself; so she was more in the know about the shoes and wanted and offered great advice and suggestions for the right pair for me. I ended up spending an hour until I found the perfect shoes. Thanks Ileana! read more

REI is the go to store if you are looking for anything outdoors related. I would say that REI is the Whole Foods of outdoor equipment. They have a lot of good stuff, but the price will definitely be more expensive than other places. Be advised, the parking lot entrance is very narrow. If you come at a busy time, parking inside the lot can be difficult. Luckily, there are people directing traffic to vacant parking spots. The employees that I have encountered are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I purchased a water filter and freeze dried food packets for a backpacking trip to Big Sur. They had a lot of different flavors as far as freeze dried food goes. They only had a few at Wal-Mart and I wanted to treat myself to the good stuff! However, the price per packet was about $1-2 more. They have really cool gizmos and gadgets here for whatever outdoor activity you are planning on doing. I will be back for camping/backpacking needs. read more

I love REI, they give me money back at the end of the year! Of course I have to spend that money at their store, but I choose to ignore that detail. I'd give it 5 stars if it had better parking, but hey what is more fun that almost getting in a fist fight with some jerk who stole your parking space, then confronts YOU?? It's a sporting goods store with friendly and helpful employees. Not much more to say but this... If you SKI, be sure to call them to see if they have any discounted lift tickets/coupons for the resort you're headed to. They usually have Northstar coupons for $44 lift tickets. Worth checking out! read more

Catherine at REI was super helpful today while I shopped for a new bag. I bought the REI IGNEO mostly because of it's features but Catherine was so informative and pointed out things I hadn't considered. She also helped me sort out my next sleep pad! If you're in REI ask for her, she is very polite and friendly, very helpful. 5 stars REI for staffing the place with amazing knowledgeable friendly staff! Loved my experience!!! read more

Rei - My next sleep pad! Thanks Catherine! - Sports Wear Near Me - San Francisco, California

This store doesn't need an explanation. REI is one of my favorite stores ever. If I can buy it at REI I'd rather do that. Store is always clean, organized, staff readily available, doesn't take long to look for a staff member if you need help, and prices are relatively fair. PROS Return policy Garage Sale Online Outlet Knowledge of every outdoor activity Helpful staff CONS they changed their return policy from lifetime to 1 year, which isn't a big deal really they could stay open for longer on Sundays Garage Sales used to be monthly read more

I actually called REI at a different location today (somewhere in the San Jose area, I forget). So technically, this review doesn't apply to this particular location. BUT it just goes to show that REI is in fact a crappy establishment. The first guy who answered was actually helpful. He managed to transfer me to the bike department. But the next person who helped me totally blew it. The lady in the bike department didn't seem to know what a "Dahon" folding bike was (I also mentioned the model, Speed D7). After repeating it a few times, she put me on hold to go check in the back. She said they were out. So, I asked how much they were selling it for. Put on hold again, and then she comes back and says that it's $599..or $799...I don't remember, but it doesn't matter because both prices are retardedly overpriced anyway. "Wow, that's kind of high for that bike isn't it?" I said. "Actually, that's the price for our other model," she replies. Okayyyyyy. Why the hell would you give me the price for a different model??? I can't think of any other reason other than that the lady is incompetent and/or flat out lazy. read more

My boyfriend and I used to come here once a week. No joke. This place is organized and clean. They have a great shoe department with the most helpful staff (well...if you're there on the right day). We've also taken a bike here to get the wheels/tires changed/fixed (I can't remember) and they were quick and did a great job. I can't find much to not like about the store besides some of the staff. Although most are nice and helpful, some are rude and stuck up (what reason would you have to be stuck up?). There is parking here, but it can fill up quickly, especially on weekends (in the summer). Not all of the parking spaces are for REI customers either. There is another building surrounding the lot and some of the spaces are reserved for them. I'd still pick REI over other outdoors/sporting stores regardless of some of the poopsy staff. read more

Last time i was there i bought a down sleeping bag (Marmot Plasma), which in this case was around $500. (As an aide, after several trips to cold places and spending quite a few nights cocooned in the Plasma, my love and respect for this bag is such that when i die, my wish is to be buried in it). REI, unlike some retailers, but like all serious outdoor-gear shops, hang their down bags (like a trench coat stored in a closet. It's a lot easier and saves a massive amount of retail shelf space if they are stored in the tiny compression stuff-sacks that are sold with the bags. but it damages the down. Anyway, REI doesn't do that, which impressed me, because a lot of REI's customers would never know the difference--they just come in and load up on everything they might ever need and then some, all for that hiking trip to Santa Barbara. REI actually has an impressive selection of down bags too--the best way to select a bag is to compare the available options grouped by total weight of down in the bag (the quality of the down matters--anything rated 800 or above being pro grade). You can think of it this way: any bag with about 900 grams or more is a serious expedition bag; bags with total down weight less than about 350 grams are "summer" bags, and what's in the middle are the alpine bags--pack down small enough and are usually light enough to summit. alternatively, you can choose a down bags based on a given temperature range (manufacturer's nearly always provide this in addition to the total down weight). The lower the mean temperature in that range the more down that's inside the bag. Some manufactures also specify a season in addition to a temperature range--e.g., "summer" is the lighest bag; "winter" is the heaviest. i was looking for one -5 - +20 F and they had four or five, all very high quality. There was one woman who worked there who is an experienced alpine climber; she obviously knew what she was talking about and i was grateful for her advice. Beyond that, they sales people at REI are unobtrusive--there seem to be a lot of them, but they don't bother you or try to pressure you into buying something if you ask their help. If you've never been to an REI, make sure you get the membership card (it's coop, so you get a refund at the end of the year). read more

Slow service- we called to ask some questions- they said the person who is in charged of skiing section was too busy to talk. We came to the store- it is a huge one and the service was so slow- seems like there are not enough staff. Waited for 15'- then we left- the one in Berkeley definitely has more customer service. read more

This was a pretty okay store. I'm surprised though that Cole's Hardware Store (literally a random hardware store) had a bigger selection of Timbuk2 backpacks though than an REI, especially considering Timbuk2 is operated out of San Francisco. You'd think that REI or Timbuk2 would at least try to get more than 5 different models in the store. Another thing that irked me was the customer service experience. We went to REI to return an item we bought online, and the staff member that helped us had no idea what he was doing. Granted, he said he was from the footwear department and has never done the CS counter before, but still, I'd expect some degree of training beforehand. He didn't know how to find the online order in the system and called over the manager 4 times throughout the process. She ended up doing almost everything. To conclude, I hope this particular store can make sure their employees are better trained for the roles they're in, since the customer experience is extremely sub-par if this isn't the case. read more

Avoid the ski shop at all costs! I had a pair of skis this season mis-mounted by a rude and defiant staff. To make matters worse, the tech shop used the wrong glue when I went to remove my bindings and place them on another pair of skies. Wood glue is fine on wood core skies fellas - you dont need to used industrial strength epoxy which takes an hour to remove Bottomline - one set of skis were ruined, stay tuned to see how they back up their "100%" satisfaction commitment. read more

I surely like this store. I have found some inspiring shoes on sale there that became my life-favorites. Also, bought there a good deal-priced sunglasses (unlike selection of their competitors). REI - you are getting my pay. read more

Max and Rico helped me out. Great guys and great job! Super professional. They made the process very easy for me.

Many years ago when I joined the REI Co-op it was the store in North Berkeley that became my destination week after week after week. I got many pairs of hiking boots there as well as my first external frame pack (an REI 50th Anniversary model) and my first backpacking tent. It's probably been close to twenty years, and that backpack and that tent are still in very good working condition. I don't do as much camping and backpacking these days as I would like, but one thing that hasn't changed is the frequency that I visit my local REI store. Now it's the store in San Francisco and because I work less than a block away one can find me browsing inside the store week after week after week. Most of the time I'm in the store just to check out gadgets and tools and often I'll just go in for an Odwalla juice and a bag of Clif Shot Blocks. The prices are retail, but if its something that I need chances are I'll get it here keeping in mind that I do get a 10 percent dividend voucher every spring on all non-sale items. Most of the time I can wait until one of their big sales events. Fantastic selection on all kinds of outdoor gear and clothing and extremely helpful, friendly staff who know their products well. read more

Now most of my friends would tell you I am not a major 'nature' person. I think otherwise. Maybe I don't like to go camping but I don't mind day hikes. I just like to shower and sleep in a bed instead of stink and sleep on the ground. What's wrong with that? Well, This store is pretty big and at first I had no idea where to go but after walking around and watching all of the outdoorsy people do their shopping I found myself where I needed to be which was in the shoes. I needed a pair of gortex walking/hiking shoes for a trip I am going to be leaving on in a few short weeks. Well, I was helped out right away and any question (dumb or not) was answered. I found things I never new I needed including a membership of which actually sounds really cool and is beneficial for me and my friends. Woohoo! So, if you need anything that is required for outdoor activities (i.e. hiking, camping, snow stuff, etc) then go here. Oh yeah, did I mention they have a parking lot! Awesome! read more

So I just got back from a 3 week vacation in India and my trip was smooth sailing (as smooth as sailing can be in a developing country) and it's all thanks my dear friends at REI! I love, love, love the staff here. They're so knowledgeable and helpful and friendly, which is great because I was clueless about what I needed to bring with me on my trip. On my first visit to REI, I had sat down in the middle of the floor and I was intensely scrutinizing two bottles of mosquito repellent for a good 10 minutes when my REI savior (who was on his way to lunch) stopped to help me select a product so I could move on to my next purchase. Thanks to him, I learned that any repellent with less than 70% DEET in them is just a waste a money in countries like India. Other great finds were my water bottle with a virus/bateria filter already built into it. (I didn't get sick once while I was out there) and my REI duffel bag with backpack straps. I spent A LOT of money in REI during my 3 visits before my trip, but I don't have any shoppers regret and 90% of everything I bought came in handy and is durable so I can use it on my next trip. The things that didn't work out, I just returned to the store as they have an awesome return policy for members with no expiration date and the items can be new or used. And if you lose your receipt, they can just look up the item at the register. Thanks REI! Did I mention that this location is also a co-op??? read more

I know people who buy expensive software to track their spending habits. Fortunately for me, I don't need to sit around a computer to figure out where it all went wrong. REI has all my money. ALL of it. In fact, REI has money that I haven't even made yet. Now, if I can just hatch a plan (that doesn't involve expensive gear) to get it back from them. read more

I would not recommend buying a car bike rack at REI. They have decent Customer Service, but are inept. To make a very long story as short as possible: I told them that i had a Honda CRV with the tire mounted on the back of the car; and that i wanted a two-bike rack that mounted on that tire. They suggested a Thule model, but said that i needed to have a hitch installed, "a 1.25 hitch". I had the hitch installed by my long term trusted mechanics. The Hitch install cost hundreds of dollars. When i went back another day to REI to have the Thule rack installed, it was the wrong one, they said. They then suggested a different Thule model that they had to order. When i went back a third time, they said that i needed to take the back tire off of the car in order to keep the rack on the car without a bicycle on the rack! The rack needed to fold up and the tire was in the way. I left the rack at REI and had time to think about it--at least they granted me that. This is the point where i really wanted out of the deal, and i had planned to buy a rack at a different company other than REI. So i called REI with this thought in mind and got a different manager than the one i had been working with, let's call the first manger Brian; [ Brian was not there that day ]. The second manager, let's call him Joey; said he had a Yakima rack that would work for what i want [ tire mount, 2 bike rack ]; he had only one left in stock and they would hold it for one day and that he was leaving by 4pm. So i hustled and went back to REI that day and was lucky that an installation guy was there and i did not need to make another appointment for that. When i got there Joey was still there, and i said; " I saw a tire rack mount for two bikes the other day; i spoke with the man who had it and he said that it used a 1.25 hitch and it worked well. I said to Joey, wouldn't the hitch be better support for the rack and can you get me a rack like the one that i saw? [ it was a different brand than Thule or Yakima ]; he said no. You get my main beef, beyond the amount of time, energy and money that i spent dealing with REI, for really more than a year on this sale [ they kept suggesting that i wait a few months for a 20% off sale, and i kept missing the date ]; I spent hundreds of dollars for a hitch i may never need or use! Also, i asked Joey about a warranty on the Yakima; he said one year. But luckily, I asked the installer if i need to register that i bought the unit with Yakima and he said "yes". There were other problems in this story that happened around this purchase, but in the interest of brevity; Customer Service overall, pretty good, they are nice, "but the road to hell can be paved with good intentions"... read more

REI is full of outdoor equipment that I didn't even know existed but now NEED! It is a little expensive but has the most amazing returns policy ever! If you are part of their loyalty program you can return anything, anytime regardless of reason. Staff are knowledgeable and for the most part helpful; there is always one! Parking can be tricky on weekends, it does not have the biggest car park and a narrow entrance sometimes causes some mild gridlock. read more

Pros: Awesome logo. Fantastic looking exterior. Plenty of parking. Interior, very clean, neat, & organized, not a thing out of place. Cons: Not enough workers to answer questions. Everything is market price, not a thing on sale. Before coming here I went to a Big 5 Sporting Goods, and comparing the prices really made me leave after 10 minutes of browsing. So I visited the nearby Sports Basement / Sports Authority, much more wallet-friendly. Don't think I'll ever come back, just because of the prices. read more

I had planned to never go to this place again since the last unpleasant experience at their rental department. However other REI places are fine and I wonder if it's only a single personal incident, so... Since my friend and I were both in the city today and we both needed a pair of hiking boots, we decided to go for another try. It was Sunday early afternoon but not many people; the staffs at the shoe department were more than the customers there. One came up and we described our needs. He pointed out the rack we should look at and recommended the one with the highest price. The description was "high-level overview-y" and not persuading; he mentioned stability and Gortex. I then asked for other choices since I'd like to have something to compare with; he pointed a couple more but again he could not deliver a solid analysis on the differences. At one point, he said "well... the I dont know the differences. It's all about style" (not exactly quote, but the gist). But hey... I'm spending big bucks on this; if I care only the style, I need no you. Regardless we still asked for try-on. We each picked one but he failed to give either of us the right shoes. I got the wrong model and my friend got the wrong size. We tried and asked for another; he failed AGAIN. While waiting for him to come up and make the correction, another staff offered help. We told him what we'd like to try and he gave us... wrong shoes again! I told him my size is 7 and he gave me 7 in UK, which is 9 in US. Also, my friend asked him a question about how different shapes of sole help on gripping; he could not answer. OH MY GOD. This is not the quality I'd expect from REI. I thought being professional is what they are selling! I am pretty sure I will never go back again. There are many other REI stores in the Bay Area and I'd rather drive further for better service. read more

Are you not outdoorsy person? Well, I am not. I am more of an urbanite than anything else. I needed to get a pair of hiking boots, water shoes, day pack camel bak, and other hiking stuff. First of all, I have no idea what's to look for in hiking boots. Are you kidding me? I know how to get a pair of high heels very well. So I needed good instruction. The first guy, not helpful at all. Second person was very charming, kind and knowledgeable. He begins with asking questions for what kind of terrains, how far do I intend to hike, how heavy your whole backpack be, if I am used to hike and so on. And he picked several choices of light hiking boots based on those answers and my criteria. I was about to make a decision...yet I was still a little unsure. And then the third guy came in and told me how to wear hiking boots. There you go. Now I know how to fit a boots and right way to wear them. Cool. And after that I picked other stuff I needed. I'd say some are a little over priced. But oh well, I knew this was last minute shopping and its just expensive. But they have a great store policy of 100% satisfaction guarantee, so that sounds promising to me if I don't like anything. If you get to catch a staff who's nice and knowledgeable, this place is the outdoor store to go. They have pretty well organized floors with full of outdoor gears. I'd say you can get most everything you can think of in here. read more

This store is definitely well stocked, especially the cycling department which seems to be the new craze in the Bay Area. The staff is nice and pretty well informed. read more

How in the world can the REI in a city surrounded on three sides by water not have shoes for going in the water? This store is badly laid out, things are difficult to find, and they didn't have water shoes. I'm grumpy. I'll stick with the REIs in San Carlos or San Jose. Thanks! read more

My family has been going to REI ever since I can remember and both my dad and brother are members. This place albeit expensive is awesome. The quality of the products is good, customer service is great and there is oh so much that is shiny (so to speak). There is also their wonderful weekend sales on the first weekend of every month and stuff is about 70% off which is faboo anyway you spin it. The reason I give five starts though is the customer service they give the community. This is truly an organization that gives back. They have been involved with our education department for year as well as BANF, and helped us promote our annual fundraiser race. Megan Perkins who is deals with outreach at the San Francisco store is wonderful to work which is a blessing when you are focused on community and outreach. I'd much rather spend more at a store like this than support a big business that doesn't give back. read more

My big score here was finding a replacement strap and clasp for my messenger bag for $1.50!!! Along the way I found way too much other stuff that I needed (wanted really bad). Somewhat higher prices maybe, but everything you could ask for is there. It was great to find a cheaper option to a Camelback. 4 Stars, because that little fake mountain to test out the hiking boots is ridiculous. read more

REI stores are great and this location is convenient and easy to access within SF (not a small feat). There is a very large private parking lot behind the store (with a narrow driveway entrance), and although there's not much to look at on the outside, the inside is well laid out. Since most REI locations are nearly identical other than square footage variances, this store is pretty mainstream with a two story layout. Product variation is good, though not great, one of the better tips I can offer is that you may get a decent discount purchasing lift tickets from this REI prior to driving up to Tahoe (up to 20% off depending on the resort). Overall, any location in SF that offers a massive parking lot and a good selection of outdoor products gets 5 stars in my book. read more

REI is great. $20 lifetime membership and you get an end of the year cash back from purchases. The staff was extremely helpful and very conscious about how consumers want to save money so they direct you to whats best. they are very knowledgeable about their product and outdoor activities. Only thing is, they couldn't direct me to find 550 para cord read more

Ronald was helpful in helping my friend and I get properly fitted in our new backpacks and answered every question that we had. He took the time to make sure we understood how to setup every strap and buckle. Very pleased! The staff are friendly and helpful once you get one but can be difficult to find when you need them. Many of the things I found on the website they did not have so I was a bit disappointed since I wanted to try them on before buying. read more