I rarely go to outdoor goods stores as I would rather buy online for better pricing and selection. I do like how the REI in Bellevue is massive, but most of the items are not priced to sell and I could probably find a better price elsewhere. However, I do like the convenience of shopping in store when I need something right away. I will say the parking lot of the Bellevue store always makes me jittery when going there because the spaces are tight or awkwardly designed. Not to mention the amount of cars circling the parking lot makes me concerned about fender benders, which leads me to avoid it if I can. read more

Very helpful staff, as a person who just came for waterproof shoes and doesn't do much else outdoorsy stuff. They're very patient and willing to help/walk through discuss needs. Came with someone who wanted climbing shoes and was somewhat disappointed they didn't have a mini test climbing wall like they have the test mountain thing. The parking is a bit of a struggle, I've always gotten a spot eventually but it might be easier to park in the garage and walk over instead. read more

There is always something about the customer service at REI that just ruffles my feathers and makes me feel uncomfortable. I should like REI, especially now that I hike more and I really enjoy going into Road Runner Sports. But something about the vibe is always off. This visit we were looking for a jacket for the honey. A customer associate ignored us as he was 'organizing racks' and very avidly eavesdropped on our conversation while we were trying to decide if it would be better to just have something sent from Amazon with my allergy issues, and boy could you feel the judgment coming off this associate. We did end up finding something on sale that would work and went to the front where the service was not quite friendly. They don't provide bags so we walked out with our item and put it in one of our target bags so it would stay as clean as possible. All in all, I much prefer the smaller mom and pop hiking stores and plan to avoid REIs in the future. read more

Clean, organized, easy to find things, good selection considering it is a very small store. When you need help, it is not too hard to find someone. The staff is happy to help and very knowledgeable. They keep things stocked well Parking lot is small and shared with Trader Joes and HomeGoods so can be challenging. It is exactly what you would expect from REI and if you do not know what that is since you have not been, then go to this one and you will know what the typical (and consistent) experience is like read more

I just became a member today, so my review below is through those eyes. Service The service was touch and go. I spent a solid 15 minutes looking for snow pants and no one came to help me until I went to a different section. The associate was nice but pointed me back to where I originally was. I finally found what I needed and it wasn't until I got to the fitting room and called that now there were associates, who opened the fitting room door. An associate was in the fitting room when I left, the room. Take what you will from that. The only time I felt like an actual value customer was at checkout. 2/5 Selection It seems like this store is not as large as the one in Seattle. I did find what I needed but the store could be organized differently, particularly having brands grouped in the same area. With that said, they did have the basics of what people would want or need. 4/5 Value Look, anytime you get high quality gear, it's going to run you a pretty penny. The things I came looking for were on sale, but they were still pretty expensive. 4/5 Verdict All in all, I give this place 3/5, might come again. Please focus on improving your customer service. Had I known I would have that type of experience, I probably wouldn't have gotten a membership. read more

I was being cheap and couldn't find what I wanted to spend for what I needed. Scott ran all around the warehouse helping me find what I was hoping for . He went above and beyond to help me and I am very grateful !!! Thank you for making my weekend! read more

This REI is a little lacking compared to the flagship store in Seattle. Selection feels small and things are not as organized. Customer service was fine when i asked questions of the employees. I just felt like this REI didn't have that much to offer but you can get some basics here. read more

I really like REI overall and the service is good if you can get someone to help you which is usually during less busy times. Unfortunately I didn't have great experiences during sales events trying to get help in both their ski and shoe departments on two separate visits. They lacked sufficient personnel and process to serve customers in a timely and efficient manner. I ended up having to go to a non-REI store or online to get what I needed. read more

REI - Prices for snow and bike services. - Bikes Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

I have been a proud member of REI for 40 years. Staff are generally helpful and friendly but, occasionally, customer service is poor. Today the Asian gentleman in the shoe department was brisk and impatient- he seemed to feel my simple queries were dumb, inane. He also subtly mocked me at time. I soldiered on and eventually found a pair of shoes (which I quite like) but left the store feeling slightly depressed. read more

Bought my skis and boots here last year. Just had my skis and daughter's board tuned today. Staff always makes me feel like my experience really matters to them! read more

I have patronized this store many times throughout the years. I feel confident that I can write an objective review. First of all, they have more inventory than the Issaquah store. No fault of the Issaquah store, but just the way it is. Parking is tight here on busy weekends. Customer Service. Returns and exchanges: not bad. Cordial, but not overly friendly. Shoe Department: Slow and unapologetic about it. They ask you to wait by "the sign" to get served. The oldest man working there, skipped us in line and asked a customer as he walked past him if he could wait on him. Oh great! Add another minute or so to our wait. What actually happened today (as well as other days I've been there), we stood by the sign for 20 minutes!! That is ridiculous! I had to find a manager to complain about the wait. I don't plan to return to buy shoes here. They've been notoriously slow. Issaquah has this store beat hands down when it comes to service! They are nice and kind in Issaquah. I've always left there feeling like they care. read more

They have very knowledgeable staff here. I can always ask a dumb question and don't feel pressured. I always come here to before any nature adventures. Their collection is a bit small, and I haven't noticed many deals at this location. If you are looking for bargain, this is probably not the best place (I noticed more deals at REIs in other cities). read more

Ug, yuk. I hate the Bellevue store. Staff are fine, store isn't the Seattle flagship, but selection fine and in line. Value it's an REI, get it on sale if you can. Parking and crowds awful. Ordering online and coming here to pick it up is a reminder why you might want to have Amazon Prime. Worth it to pay the shipping at which point it isn't price competitive. I miss the Redmond store. read more

I posted a rave review a few years ago, but it looks like my experience is consistent with others' that recently, the customer service at this location has gone downhill. Today, I took a display shoe down to look at, and immediately an employee "asked" that I give it to him because someone else wanted to try it on. I'm sure that person had a great experience today, so I guess it's the luck of the draw. May the odds be ever in your favor. read more

I'd give 0 stars for customer service if possible. I wasted over 90 minutes of my life on a beautiful Sunday at this poorly managed store. Waited in line outside for 45 minutes due to social distancing. No big deal, until I got inside and had to wait in checkout line for another 45 minutes to buy $16 worth of gear. 2 cashiers working the registers whilst the floor is packed with associates. Maybe if you ring people up quickly, you can increase volume and sales. Very frustrating and will not return. read more

I have been to many of the REI's in the west and east coast and There a lack of customer service in the Bellevue, WA store. Extremely disappointed! Take the time and travel to one of there other locations in Lynwood or Seattle instead. read more

This is a weird REI. It's the only REI where I've encountered bad service. One employee was just pointlessly mean and people don't really seem helpful. The reason this is weird is that the Redmond REI, which closed down and moved here, was great. Every other REI I've ever been to has been great. I thought my experience were just some weird fluke, but based on the other reviews here, there's something wrong with this REI. Anyway, whether or not it's just me or other people are having the same problem, this place is so bad I started ordering things online from Backcountry and Sierra Trading Post to avoid having to shop here. Even though online sites have always been cheaper, I like to shop in physical stores to support the existence of physical stores. But I'm not going to pay a huge markup over online prices in order to get bad service! read more

The store itself is huge and they have a large selection of all outdoor sports you can imagine. You can become a lifetime member for $20 with a lot of benefits if you see yourself buying stuff from here a lot. Another nice thing is they have a decent sized parking lot. I've been here quite a few times recently for everything ranging from hiking boots, snow boots, and snow pants. When I bought hiking boots one employee helped me get started on what to look for and answered questions about which boots had good traction for which types of terrain. When I bought snow boots on a separate visit another employee gave me his opinions based on what I was telling him when I had both on. Ultimately I bought the pair based on his advice and expertise. When I bought snow pants on another visit another employee helped me find a small and medium. He couldn't find the small but told me he would keep looking. I went to the fitting rooms to try on the medium (almost certain they wouldn't fit but figured I'd try anyway) and just as I close the door I hear someone going through the dressing room hall saying, "Was someone in here looking for small snow pants?" I opened and he told me that he had found the last small on the rack. The small size fit and I ended up buying those. Through my multiple interactions with employees I've had good experiences. They are very knowledgeable with what they are selling and are friendly. read more

Used the online-purchase, drive-up (curbside) option. There was a long line extending from the front door, so i was grateful not to need to enter. There was a tiny bit of a wait, but it wasn't major. The associate who brought our items out was upbeat and efficient. read more

Bad customer service overall, trying to force people to sign up for credit card for referral benefits and then joking about it in front of me with other employee. An awkward interaction read more

Large and spacious with plenty of parking and stress-free shopping! When the REI in Redmond Town Center closed I was sad for a minute before I realized they were just moving to the less busy side of Bellevue! Where it was a challenge to find parking at RTC it is always a breeze locating a spot at this new location. They do share their lot with a couple other businesses but I haven't ever been here when I couldn't find a spot within a minute of turning into the lot. The entrance is on the top level of the parking structure so depending on which side you're coming from you may have to go up the ramp when you turn in. I like the layout of this particular REI because there is a lot more space to see what is on the racks and rounders. At all of the other REI locations around town (with the exception of Southcenter) it seems like product is a bit crowded and it is a lot more stressful to both find parking and sort through all of the product inside. This is a claustrophobe's dream store. Friendly helpful people abound and the vibe here is great. This is my go-to REI location whenever I need outdoor gear or athletic wear! read more

Just can't get over the fact that they won't allow dogs. Love the brand hate the store management. I will go to the Issaquah store any day though read more

Solid REI close to downtown Bellevue, with plenty of parking and friendly customer service. Although the store isn't as large as other REI locations, it has a decent amount of stock, and is well-organized. Signs are clear for promotional deals and sales, which is super helpful when it gets crowded here. I came here for snowboarding gear and was pleased to find many of the items that I needed, as the store is divided by sport or activity and gender. They also have a good selection of brands, including their own. What I'm most impressed by this REI is the customer service. Unfortunately, at other REI locations I've visited, the staff seems so disconnected from the customers where you basically have to beg for help. I was so used to lack of service from other REI locations that I was taken aback when someone greeted me here! It was a nice surprise, and in fact, much of the staff was super helpful and asked me first if I needed help in finding sizes or stock versus me having to track someone down. Such a relief! This REI is located in a small shopping center next to Trader Joe's and Home Goods, so has ample parking, with two stories of lots, and an escalator to easily get you to a different level. Glad this is closer to my area, and especially am happy with the customer service here. read more

Just left store would not honor year warranty on my work shoes that are no longer water proof after 4 month I returned the same pair 4-6 months ago and they looked worse than the ones I'm trying to return now ..... so after buy about 6 pairs of different shoes n closths n what not for me n my 4 growing boys I'll be posting elts where as well the guy behind counter " just doing his job" yes helping is not a quality here nor r smiles hope the best tho seem to be common theme these days read more

Well, went there to replace my sandals which had fallen apart after several years of good use. Due to the "limited access" policy in place, I didn't even have the opportunity to see if they even had any at all, much less what brands, colors, sizes, etc. I stood at the "wait for an associate" barrier, in full view, for at least 10 minutes without any acknowledgment that I was there. I'm so annoyed by this I'm considering dropping my 25-year membership. read more

My rating here is strictly based on the new location. I find this outlet rather dull. Exterior AND interior are uninspired. This is just my humble 2 cents. read more

Horrible customer service. I asked an older saleswoman in the women's department for assistance locating ski pants. She rolled her eyes at me and made a huge deal about how they were all located right in the front of the store. She was unbelievably rude and unhelpful. Once I found a few pairs that try on i had to face her again in the fitting rooms. She then gave me so much attitude and told me to go to another fitting room across the store despite their being 3 vacant rooms right i on n front of me. Not only was this woman not helpful, she was incredibly rude and arrogant. When I asked to speak to the manager at checkout the guy said he wasn't there and didn't offer any support whatsoever. I will not be returning to this store. read more

We love coming to this store! The sales floor staff is super knowledgeable & friendly!

I really like having an REI close to me, although this particular location is still struggling a bit to figure out their identity. It's a single-story location without most of the frills of the Seattle location and I found the selection for popular items (ex: base layers in December) to be very limited. As others have mentioned, the parking lot is small with many of the spots up front designated for electric vehicles. This somewhat arbitrary and preferential treatment based on the type of car you drive certainly sends a signal to the non-electric vehicle drivers that they aren't as welcome in the store. Ironically, most of the cars in the parking lot were SUV's (some of which parked in the electric-only parking spots) and I'd imagine that this time of year many were stocking up on outdoor equipment to go places that an all-electric vehicle would struggle (i.e. the mountains or deep snow areas). I was also a bit surprised that no one offered any help to me as I browsed through the men's clothing section. There were at least two employees there, but neither offered any help as they attended to re-organizing some racks of clothing and meandering throughout the department. I'd like to imagine that they would've helped me if I sought them out, but I figured that since they didn't have my size in a lot of items I figured I'd save the money and shop elsewhere Note: I went to Uniqlo for base layers instead and no one helped me there either, but this is what I expect for a store that offers product for much, much cheaper than REI. read more

Easy access off of 405, short lines and a great selection of the basics. Free parking in a private lot- no validation required. An easy store to pick up online orders. Overall no complaints with this newer REI. read more

Bought a super expensive high end E-Bike. Had issues setting up the technology for it so had to call REI for assitant, which is what the manufacturers website forces you to do, and REI could not help me. Additionally, they scratched up my bike, which I usually would not complain about, but this was a $5,500 bike, I just had to. No one likes to get a high quality bike that's all scratched up!! Extremely disappointing, I will no longer shop at REI. read more

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For living in the Pacific Northwest, I'm too fond for the outdoors like everybody else here that spends their weekend camping, snowboarding/skiing, or hiking up some ridiculous trail all for a couple Instagram photos so I rarely visit this store although it's SUPER popular in this region of the country. I did had to stop in for a couple items that Target did not have for tubing like a life jacket and dry bag. My first impression was that this is a paradise for the adventurous outdoor fanatics, huge inventory for every outdoor hobby with beautiful nature paintings on the wall to give you an illusion that you're on the mountain or forest away from your daily reality. I was running late to meet up with my friends to go tubing that morning(yes I'm last minute) and was able to get an employee, Jeff to help me find the items quickly. He was able to help me locate those items and find my fitting quicker than the standing in line waiting to pay process. These were some good quality dry bags because all my shit was able to stay dry the whole time, I was able to keep food and not be hangry during the 4 hours float. Beef jerky and fried chicken tasted so good when it's not soggy. The little hooking thing was super convenient, I was able to just attach it to the handle of my float so it doesn't go anywhere. This is located in the same parking lot as Trader Joe's, Homegoods, just go upstairs to park. If I ever give up on the idea that there's serial killers hiding in the woods, I'll come back to shop for nature gear here. Tell me about your experience if you've been here or is going to after reading this review:) read more

This REI is fantastic! They always have great service, and you can make appointments for fittings to make sure you get the right sized gear. Highly recommend them for that, but also for their vast selection of trail snacks near the checkout! You can return most items for up to a year after purchasing. We've been helped by multiple people here who are knowledgeable, and they'll also offer to pass you to another employee if they can't help you! You can get backpacking supplies, dog gear, camping supplies, climbing gear, biking and running stuff, really anything you need for the outdoors! Can't recommend this REI enough! read more

REI - Bikes Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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I can tend to sort of resent the super grungy granola vibe. But it's unquestionably reliable that the items I buy at REI are worth it. Used a 25 yr old REI backpack this month - looks absolutely new! You will never need to replace things, the quality totally justifies the price. read more

Though REI didn't have the shock cord I was looking for a very nice and informative gentleman helped me navigate my next steps. He told me all about tent pole technologies and some tips and tricks regarding how to replace shock cord in tent poles. Friendly and helpful staff and received great customer service! read more

It's a solid suburban outpost for the chain that helps Seattle get outdoors and enjoy the drizzle and the mud. They have the little REI architectural touches, the reverse flying buttresses, the climbing rock that looks like a gigantic concrete mangrove root. They really want you to feel like you're shopping in one of the Seattle stores. So, you know, if you have a question, stand near a salesman for fifteen or twenty minutes while he and the guy who got there first mumble incomprehensibly about a pair of hiking boots. Or whatever. And then, when you say "hey, quick question, sorry...," you shall brace yourself for the wintry freshness of the death glare, because the guy ahead of you still has muttering to do, and here at REI, we put the customer first, and by that we mean we put the other customer first. Actually, they're not trying to be rude. They're all like that. And by "all" I mean REIs, not REI salespeople. Whenever you do finally low your way through the cattle chute to find a cowgirl in the ring to talk to, she always smiles at you like she feels bad that you had to wait so long, and feels especially bad that you, for some reason, forgot to bring a book to help you pass the time while you waited. It's tricky--supermarket checkers aren't supposed to say hi to you until you're at the register, because it makes waiting in line seem longer. They're not even supposed to look you in the eye until then. But when people just mill around, like on a retail floor, you're supposed to let them know you see them. REI takes the supermarket approach for some reason, and it makes it less fun to shop there. I should say nice things about the store itself--boats, boots, clothes, tents, accessories, everything your little heart desires when you raise its pulse rate, everything you need to make you're fully equipped to allow that fresh air to get all the way into those musty lungs of yours. Seriously, their prices are actually fine, especially with the co-op thing, and they know their gear cold. They hate having to talk to you about ANYthing other than the gear, including saying "hey, how's it going?" But, well, that just means they're pure, right? What they care about is the gear. Which might be why they give you so much time to look at it while they're talking to someone else. read more

Um, is this Seattle? How come this REI hasn't been reviewed yet?! Sited in the fairly convenient if initially-hated Redmond Town Center, this REI is a beautiful mid-size store. On two levels with a big climbing wall in one corner, you can get almost any outdoor gear you need at really decent prices. They have outdoor gear rentals at a desk downstairs behind the cash registers making it easy to try a sport like snowshoeing or to get extra gear for out of town friends. The prices for gear rental are totally reasonable for a week or less; if you're going to rent for over a week, for many things, you might as well buy. They have clinics and classes here, they'll help you with your bike, and they have tons of clothes and shoes. I really love the fake trail with inclines and rocks and stuff designed to help you "test" shoes under more realistic conditions. That setup steered me away from a pair of Vasques that were over $200 to a $135 pair of Lowas. Snobbery is not always so good... more expensive's not automatically better. :-) Most of the staff people at REI are active folks themselves and they can often give you great first-hand information. They definitely can help you with your gear selection, finding the right map, and shoe fitting. Prices are higher than what you'll find at Target and the like, but for the most part, so is the quality and the member dividend doesn't hurt either. If you need to stay within a really minimal budget, I've had much better experience with REI-brand gear than I've had with stuff from Target... the Target gear was cheaper but usually lasts years less. Not a good trade-off. Parking and hours are reasonable, for the most part. read more

REI - Bikes Near Me - Bellevue, Washington

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Trying to get a puncture fixed on my bike at 5:00pm on Saturday is the greatest challenge, half the bikes stores in the area are closed or have long lines. I have up and went to rei, and what a abreeze,b great service read more

First of all, reading all the reviews of this REI store, I'm struck by the fact that a large portion of them are actually reviewing Seattle store/s - not the Redmond Town Center REI. Reader, beware. I cannot believe I've not reviewed this store yet! My kids and I were here for the store opening many years ago. My kids put their handprints in the wet cement outside this store on opening day (where 1st day customers could legitimately do so, to mark the community involvement surrounding this store), and got t-shirts and other swag. We've been here countless times since, and you know what? THis is one of the few stores that has remained great in terms of quality of merchandise, selection and customer service. Like Nordstrom's, the prices here are not cheap. But wow, the quality is super! And if ever there's a problem, we've never had a problem returning anything. Ever. Even after wearing a pair of shoes. They will gladly take them back. Plus they have a nifty reward ("dividend") program. Plus all the sales help there are super knowlegable about the equipment and merchandise. I've been here to get biking gear, camping gear, swimming gear and hiking gear. All the folks have been super helpful and patient. I've taken a few classes here, too, when I was preparing for the Danskin triathlon a few years back. The classes were free and unbelievably helpful for me. My kids used to climb the climbing rock on weekends, too, and they loved that. This is a great family-oriented store. There's stuff for kids and even the family dog. We always get our Keen sandals here, and it's a fantastic resource (staff, books and equipment) to learn about all outdoor sports and activities. I recently got a bunch of hiking stuff for my kid's teacher for "Teacher Appreciation Week". They really have everything and are happy to talk to you about it all - with no pressure to buy (which I really appreciate). read more

Solid REI store. Great staff. It's REI: Slightly overpriced at retail, great service, good sales.