I agree with John Z. The staff here knows what they are talking about when it comes to gear but it is WAY over priced. I usually come here to take a look at gear and then go online and find a much better deal. If you want to pay 120$ for a shirt by all means go for it. They should definitely change the name to CREI- Chinese Recreation Equipment Inc. read more

REI - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

See all

I understand the need to be cautious with Covid, but the inefficiency of this store since re-opening is unbelievable. 15 minute wait to get inside. Another 15 minute wait for shoes or to try on clothes. Then another 20 minute wait in line to check out. There were at least 8 staff members behind the desk, but only 2 of them checking people out. I'll be giving this REI store a break for a while. read more

The good: A lot of high quality stuff in one location. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. ( I've returned a watch that didn't last six months ) I've returned boots that I have worn indoors only ( left the tags on) The bad : I met the manager mike on the coastal trail one day. My ski boot pin broke in the boot rendering the boot worthless. He told me to return it. I told him it had been two years since I bought it. He said don't worry about it. It was faulty. The next day I couldn't return it. The snoty attitude teen couldn't find a record that I had purchased it there. Wtf! I don't make big purchases there anymore if someone else on town has it. ( it'll be cheaper somewhere else ) The youngsters there often think they are somehow superior in advice giving. After a lifetime of fishing hunting flying working outdoors. I find their advise clearly based on theory. ( the young salespersons). The older guys n gals are a great resource. Especially mark in climbing and Martin in camping and skis. Go see them. read more

I went to check in on a backpack that I'd looked at earlier. Zach came over and made sure it fit, put in weights to what I expected to carry, and fit it to me precisely. He was amazing -- taught me a bunch in the process about how to work all the straps and how to arrange items in the pack. I appreciate him so much! I felt immediately confident walking around with that pack, so different from trying one of ours on at home. Thanks!! read more

This is a giant REI. It's amazing. I love REI and have been to REI's all across the country. This one is awesome. The Garage Sale section is huge! They must have 100 pairs of shoes there!! I could get lost in the store for a couple hours easily. read more

Like coming to this store. It's the old Montgomery Wards store my mom worked at when I was a kid We have bought a lot of things from the REI read more

First time to this store, walked in and the employee standing by the entrance says "are you okay". Kinda weird as most businesses would say "hello" or "welcome", this person should be greeting and welcoming customers into the store. I continued to walk the whole store and didn't get any assistance, or anyone checking if I had any questions/etc. I passed by the other entrance and noticed the employee constantly on his phone, just poor customer service plus most of the items at this store is overpriced. Most items you can find elsewhere at a cheaper price and you would get better service too. The first employee by the entrance when I walked in really set the tone but I didn't let that get to me. It was just my overall experience of the store start to finish on this day that gave this place just a 2 star rating. read more

Love the new facility. Fair pricing. Staff is friendly and typically knowledgeable. Great selection of items.

No complaints about the quality of their items, however I feel things here are extremely over priced and honestly not worth it. I came in here before I left the country for awhile and got shoes and a few pair of pants for 200 dollars... absolutely crazy that I decided to go to bass pro and look around.. I tell ya, I found all the same items here and total was less than 100. Big plus is their reward program but even that isn't worth I 90% of the time read more

Great amount of stuff but the store has absolutely no sense of organization. It's a big hodgepodge pile of outdoor merch that take a lot of effort to find anything in. Feels confusing and chaotic. Probably won't come here again unless I know exactly what I want and in which part of the store I can find it. Bad floor design. read more

I was in need of a summer weight down sleeping bag. The floor staff was VERY knowledgeable and asked good questions. He found the right bag for my needs. My last bag last 25 years with medium use. I know this will be my last bag, as I'm 70. read more

I have to give their rental department some serious kudos. I'm not an REI member, but my father-in-law who is local is. They gave me the insanely cheap member's rental price and gave me some good hints about where I should be X-C skiing. Other than that, REI is a known quantity. Good selection, a bit on the expensive side. If you've ever been to an REI before, you've basically been to this one. read more

I will say there are the wannabees, the athletes, the really serious people who would rather find solace 100% of their free time rather than drink at a bar, the people who are too lazy to shop around for better deals on similar items, and the people who go just to get good advice for a sport they're considering undertaking. I'm not sure where I fit in, but I've never bought a $400 sleeping bag. Nor did I buy a $800 mountain bike, thanks, I have a great friend who gave his to me. It's nice that they have dedicated employees who really live for sports. and you'll get pretty good information. It's the only place I know where to get a kayak, but for a $100 cycling shirt, if you have the $$ go ahead, indulge. I'll go online. read more

It's a awesome store they have things that I would use as I go about my daily activities a bit pricey tho that would be the only thing stopping me from going there on a regular basis read more

I've received excellent help from all areas of this store, in the form of advice, repairs, maintenance, and returns. This is worth extra bucks on the initial cost of items. If there's a $30 difference will I go online and order the item? Probably. If the difference is $5-10? Probably not. Plus you can order from the REI site and have items delivered to the store for free anyway... Though I visit a few others, this is my favorite outdoor equipment store. read more

REI is, well, REI. You know you'll get quality, even if it is upscale-ish, yuppy-like, trendy quality. That said, I know REI will stand behind their product, accept a return, and give me points as a member to make that big once a year purchase! I appreciate the local information about hiking, biking, kayaking...when we lived in Alaska, the REI was a good spot for finding out what's up. Plus, the coffee shop down the shopping strip is good...and Title Wave Books is right there...so, it's a mini-event! read more

Yes, I am an REI fan -- I'm a "member" and have got the card. Ha! So I know it's a bit pricier than other stores - - and I'm okay with that. I get what I expect from REI - - excellent quality items, superior & knowledgeable service, and a cute little dividend check EOY. This was a nice, large store. Again, being an outta-stater I appreciate the no-sales tax. Friendly staff -- great selection. read more

This store is every outdoors person's dream. I could spend hours and thousands of dollars in here. They have awesome customer service and personalized help for your needs. read more

REI is a safe haven for athletes and wannabes. I am no athlete. And yet, I found myself here more often than what would seem normal for a girl lacking in any type of coordination. Why? How about the aisles of fun gadgets? Sure, I may never need a portable water filter, but they're fun to play with! What about appealing to every girl's first love--shoes? Oh, there's plenty to try on here. I always liked this store because the worker never seemed pretentious. I think I have a beacon that just shouts that I don't belong, and yet every time I've been in here, they've been very patient with my very basic questions. The downsides to this place are 1) it isn't as big as it could be, especially since we're such an outdoorsy state 2) the parking lot is shared with a bunch of other businesses so it can be a pain on the weekends to park. read more

Fancy, high-quality outdoor gear costs a lot of money, and REI is happy to sell you all of the expensive outdoor gear you need. Whether you really need a $90 merino undershirt or a tent that can survive a category 3 hurricane is another matter entirely. There's no reason to break the bank if your wilderness experience is limited to climbing Flat Top once a year, but REI's selection certainly beats other outdoor stores in Anchorage for people who really will benefit from fancy undershirts and 4-season tents. The REI brand is a nice, inexpensive option for people who are somewhere in the middle. Don't bother going to REI for hunting and fishing gear unless you are in need of something along the lines of the aforementioned merino undershirt. There really isn't anything in Anchorage that compares to The Prospector in Fairbanks. If nothing else, the dividend is a pretty good deal. If you really hate the employees for some reason, just order online and have it delivered to the store for free. And even if you never wear your Denali jacket outside of town, buying it at REI entails a lot less shame than buying it at Nordstrom. read more

I love this place! A large,nice store with a great number of selections. They have everything you need to enjoy the great outdoors, not to mention that their stuff is of high quality, too (accepts returns and has money back guarantees). You also earn points as a member. The staffs are very friendly and knowledgeable of their products. Whether you're an athlete or not , I'm sure you'll enjoy visiting this top notch store. read more

They made an exchange I had really easy. Nice employees and can't beat tax free! It's in midtown Anchorage and still close to a lot of the other shopping. read more

The location was a good spot for them to expand. This REI is huge compared to the previous one. The clothing section that used to be upstairs is now nicely separated and has much more space. The inside is amazing. Very industrial looking with wooden shelves and décor. Of course you can get the usual road running to trail running shoes, camping gear, fat bikes, hiking and snow gear. This place has just about everything you need for enjoying the outdoors. Customer Service is always helpful, they really know their stuff when it comes to gear and what you'll need for recreational use. One worker helped my husband with a pair of hiking boots and even let him try it around the store. Love the new spot. read more

See all

I was excited to see that there is an REI all the way up in Anchorage - it was unbeknownst to me and I happened to be driving down the street and saw the big sign while waiting at the light. I had been trying to buy a ski jacket online at the REI website but when I went to checkout it was completely sold out. The website even said it was not available in any of the stores anymore. Downtrodden, I had all but given up hope for the jacket but decided to go in the store here to see if by chance they happened to have it. I'm so glad I went in that day because they had the jacket! On top of that they had a pair of gloves I had been wanting all season that I couldn't find in my size. Needless to say they have a great selection of goods here and the salespeople are super friendly and helpful. read more

Bethany at the check out helped me so much trying to find my membership numbers. She was friendly, helpful and attentive. She treated me like her own family member and I felt like I was getting treated like a VIP customer. She did not rush even though there was a long line of customers and handled tough situation well. I call it a great customer service and I would definitely recommend this REI to anyone who needs outdoor gears. Thank you!! read more

When it comes to outdoor hiking, camping and biking equipment I must confess I am kinda of a sporting goods "snob"! I absolutely love the large store and the vast selection of name brands that they have to offer. Along with the many classes and activities that they host on a seasonal basis this has become my retailer of choice over the years. The real appeal of REI versus any other outdoor retailer is the staff. It is very refreshing to walk into a place of business and have employees that are knowledgeable and competent in the products that they are selling. Sure you can go on-line these days and purchase pretty much whatever you want and sometimes even get it cheaper than heading down to the store! But the personal touch and years of knowledge you get from interacting with someone that has experience is absolutely priceless! read more

Who doesn't love rei??? And it's so convenient? Nice parking lot. Big store. Not hard to find. As you go in, there are thing to the right and left. The educational room which is like a classroom is to the right. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. It was a very pleasant experience. They have everything you would need to go into the Alaskan wilderness... Even bear spray and mosquito netting... So stop by if you've forgotten something... I did. read more

REI is by no means a "hidden gem", but somehow REI is just elusive enough for me to have just stepped foot through their doors after several years in Alaska! This store makes me wish I had tens of thousands of dollars to spend in a single visit. Thousands of dollars is a lot of money, but it will only get you so far in an expensive place like REI. I typically choose instead to wait for killer deals on their merchandise (Marmot, OR, etc), or through other vendors before I shell out money for hiking/camping/backpacking/outdoor gear. As soon as I walked through the front doors an employee greeted me and asked if he could help me find what I was looking for. Since this was my first time visiting I elected to shop by myself and have a good look around. When the time came, I solicited help from another employee to find a pair of replacement hiking boots, then asked another employee to correctly size me to a backpack. Turns out, after years of backpacking and several hundred miles travelled throughout Alaska, the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian Mountains, I have been wearing my backpacks just a little...wrong. The employee sized me specifically for an Osprey pack, adjusted the torso length, threw the pack on me and it felt amazing. Not sure if it was the custom adjustment, new(er) technology, or just the right backpack, but I left with a smile on my face and a few dollars shorter than when I entered REI a few hours earlier. Unbeknownst to me, REI also offers a club rewards program. Pay a one-time fee of $20 up front and receive recurring discounts/coupons in the store and online. I used a coupon that saved me $50...already I netted $30 from the one discounted purchase. I think it is a great program! I would definitely shop at this location again. The customer service is pretty solid and they have a great selection of merchandise. read more

This has been awhile back, REI just never disappoints, where else would you buy gear to go enjoy the outdoors? This place. First time visiting Alaska? Stuck in Anchorage and you're not prepared for the weather? Go here. Walking in, there's a chance that you might or already feel like a "hipster" not because of what's inside, it's just the vibe being on there. The staff, they'll help you and give you space, really nice people and can be entertaining. read more

Second attempt in the past month to get a few small items. Today, just the one item. After perusing for 35 min or so I make it to the check out line, and lo and behold, for the second time in a row, there are no less than 30 people in line and 2, I say again TWO!! cashiers open. Last time there was a sale going on, but there must have been 45 people in line. So I left then as well. REI, how about training one of the 3 guys standing around BSing in the shoe dept to run a cash drawer... or any of the 12 or so "try to look busy" agents milling around the floor. It's not that I don't have time to wait in line, it's the principal that "should I really wait here for all these people for this one lousy item??" And for the second time the answer is no. No excuse REI. read more

Great place. It's huge, as other reviewers have noted, and has pretty much everything you need for your outdoor needs in Alaska (which is also huge). The staff is very friendly, and very helpful. The prices are high, but reasonable for the high quality (as with all other REI stores). read more

Another great experience at REI. Steve in Mountain Gear went above and beyond to help me sort out a rope/lanyard dilemma. Much better selection of outdoor gear and clothes than Fairbanks location. Yes, it's pricey but you get what you pay for - in quality of products and service - and the return policy is second to none. read more

sad to say, first time ever in the history of shopping at REI that i was disappointed. i went in to buy a bicycle and the sale man told me, that i was not allowed to get on the bicycle to see if the bicycle frame is the right size. i'm 5'3 and I needed a small frame. the down side, he told me to go buy my bicycle some place else. he had both small and ex small frame on the rack. but since i wasn't allow to try for size...yikes. so i did, i went across the street to the bicycle shop. not only did they allow me to take the bicycles outside to ride around, they adjusted the seats to make sure everything was a good fit. i found a bicycle i like with a much better price. Thamara. read more

"Outdoorsy Alaskan" for dummies and first stop for Noobs on their way to Ocean Fest - how better to express your sporty lifestyle than by buying into the slick pre-packaged REI image? Nice carabiner, dude, hope you don't run into a mountain on your way to Kaladi's. read more

Because of rei's return policies in the past, I always buy my gear there. They wouldn't return 3 bags purchased out of state. I love this store. Their recommendation was that I call corporate and give them all of my SKU numbers while they very easily could look up the SKU numbers under my husbands account, they were not even willing to try to help me in anyway. They gave me that only option, call corporate. I'm a little disappointed obviously this is Anchorage so I will be back however, I guess my bad. I will become A member so that will not happen again. read more

Once again I thought I would check out REI. Once again very disappointed with service. Guess I don't look athletic or outdoorish enough for them. This might be about the 5th time I've gone to REI and decided based on the service that I would buy whatever I was looking for somewhere else. Last time I decided to get my $300.00 + boots elsewhere. This time hiking shoes. Nice new store but I'm sorry to say same poor service. It's ok, there are plenty of other places in town with much better service. Wonder if the management knows they've lost out on a couple thousand dollars from me because of the way I get treated there. read more

I have been a member for 20 some years. I am so tired of walking into a crowded REI and waiting 20 min. for help; because they are busy with other customers. Once I get the employee's attention, the employee is very nice and helpful, but the problem is there are not enough employees! After, I finally get my item I have to wait another 20 minutes in a line to check out. Today, there is a line of 20 people almost to the middle of the store and two cashiers. There is no help with a long line? Every other store that I am in, immediately call for more cashiers if there is a line that has more than 20 people in it. After 20 years now, why do they not hire more people! Sick of the full parking lot, and long lines. I'm focus on Amazon from now on. There are no lines. read more

While the employees are consistently top-notch, helpful, and polite, in my opinion REI is going the way of Wal-Mart. It is increasingly hard to find anything but inferior Chinese made items, while the prices are still in the top-of-the-line range. read more

Very disappointed with the new store. Too cookie cutter with the lower 48 motif. Dark, unorganized, exhausting to find anything. I end up confused and frustrated after each attempt to give it another try. Have been an REI member for decades but this may be the end for me. The old store while small was very user friendly and felt like part of the Spenard neighborhood. I feel like REI totally sold out to the corporate America with having to. Sad..... read more

Bought shoes for my grandson Christmas Eve went to exchange them 2 days later for one size smaller and they charged an additional $10.00. What an unethical practice. Put things on sale before Christmas and not allow an exchange 2 days later. RIPOFF read more