If you do outdoor sports, REI is probably worth joining. It's officially member owned and for 15 bucks you get a 10% rebate for life and you get access to their used gear sales which have some incredible bargains, if you don't mind - or possibly enjoy the frenzied rush of folks who have lined up to try to get first crack at the best deals. I prefer the North Reading REI, even though this is closer. It seems to have a better selection and the staff usually know more. All the REIs have some great free programs that can really help you get into something new. The website is useful for info on special events (sales and freebie events) and has a wider selection than the stores. Along with EMS and Hilton's Tent City, I lean on REI for to get geared up for the great outdoors. Generally, REI staff seem to know more than at EMS. If you are laying out big bucks and want to see what you are getting before you buy it, its worth checking out all three. Bob Smith's Wilderness House near BU has been knowledgeable, but their prices are usually the highest of the lot. They've changed ownership however and might be worth a visit as well. read more

Amazing selection for outdoor winter/summer activities, clothes, boots and equipment. 1 block from my place, excellent return policy, selection and online store. Customer service amazing and staff extremely helpful and knowledgeable. It's actually 4.5 stars, -0.5 stars as seems a bit pricey but considering their return policy don't think it's that much of a deal. will get 4 stars for the moment, lets c what they offer me for outdoor climbing this summer and can they gain that missing 1 star. read more

This is an awesome after lunch destination to kill 20 minutes. I got my membership a while ago, so its nice to get back 10% of what I spend at the end of the month (warning, if your item is clearanced or possibly on sale, this doesn't apply. So when buying that $200 dollar clearanced bike trainer, you won't get the $20 bucks back you spent on the membership) . You have to go in to find out about their garage sales (clearanced returned items sold for huge discounts a few times a year). They also choose a flavor of GU or GEL each month and discount them to 79 cents. Same thing with powerbars. Sometimes the flavors suck (mint gel?) but I scored a pile of mandarin flavored ones last month. Lastly, the crew here, during the day, is super helpful. If they don't know the products you're looking at, they will find someone who does. If the bag you really want is missing a clip, and its the last one, they might be able to find it for you. Cool place over all, if only it were a tad cheaper. read more

I love REI, as I am into a lot of random sports, and can always find what I need here, whether it be all the equipment I needed for my hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro or just another chalk ball for indoor rock climbing. I love the membership program, as you not only get coupons (used one today for 20% off any item), but also get 10% back dividends (was able to get $55 off my total purchase today from dividends) I was disappointed in the man who helped me in the shoe department today though. I told him I was doing a 12 mile mud run/obstacle course up a mountain, and would be in and out of water. I told him like the idea of the Vibram 5 finger shoes since you can run without socks, but refuse to wear those absolutely stupid looking toe shoes. I asked him if there was anything out there with the same idea but minus the toes. He said no, and pointed me to 3 different varieties of lightweight trail running shoes that are not barefoot shoes. He was very nice, and seemed knowledgeable about those shoes, however, once I was looking around on my own I saw that there was a pair of barefoot trailrunning shoes without the toes...Merrell makes them...exactly what I was looking for. He said he didn't mention them to me because they are sold out in the store in my size. I felt a bit misinformed. ...so minus one star for that, but overall, REI has all high quality items. Definitely a great store for those into fitness. read more

Usually I like to support the smaller, more local shops when I'm looking for outdoor equipment type things but my search for a new bike helmet brought me to REI. I must say that I probably had one of the best customer service experiences of my life! I was immediately greeted by Trevor and he told me all the ups and downs of the helmets that they had in stock. We went through a few different models and eventually I settled on a new Giro Hex that fit perfectly. I was long overdue for a new helmet and now I'll feel a bit safer while cycling on the LOL-ZOMG!-WTF streets of Boston. As with any REI store this location has all your needs for a quick weekend trip up north or a month long trip around the world. Outdoor gear can be super expensive but the REI member program gives you 10% back on purchases at the end of the year. That certainly helps if you're updating your equipment. Another perk is that REI has an excellent stewardship reputation as far as being eco-friendly is concerned. Local shops are great but I think I'm an REI fan for life. read more

Every time I come here for something, it seems I walk out with something slightly different than I wanted. I wanted the Leatherman Wave tool. What I got was the Surge. Why? They didn't have the Wave in stock. I wanted a pair of black Keen hiking sandals. I ended up with a pair with weird yellow highlights. Why? because they didn't have any of the black in anything even close to my size. This place is enormous. For things like footwear, you'd think they'd stock things in common sizes. But they don't. You'd also think they'd keep the most popular Leatherman tool in stock. Maybe that's why they were out, who knows. However, if stock issues bring them down a star, that's balanced by the fact that every single time I've been here, the level of customer service has been fantastic. So again, what are you gonna do. read more

My first and last time visiting this store was this weekend. I came here for help with finding a pair of sturdy sandals to take with me on my upcoming trip. I entered the store with no greeting, walked around looking for the shoe section with no one in sight for assistance until I finally found the wall. The section was not busy at the time...I arrived around 10am. There was two associates off to the side having a conversation and a potential buyer trying on shoes. Not once did either associate ask to help me and when I finally got the associate's attention, Caucasian older woman, she made it seem like I was asking for too much by asking for two different sizes. I am a pretty balanced person...I take things in stride and try not to take other people's attitudes as a reflection of something I did wrong. But this lady made my morning all the more stressful because her attitude made it seem like getting shoes wasn't part of her job. At one point when I had to remind her that I too needed assistance...her response was...I will try to remember what you are looking for... read more

Same as all....large franchise. Good selection, helpful staff....can get everything online just the same :-) No surprises here, if you been in one REI, you've been in them all. But it is a good place for buying reliable outdoor gear and apparel. read more

I love REI...used to work at one even. This location is small and jam packed with stuff of all kinds. Can get a bit crowded and hectic, but having this store in this location is much better than having to drive out to Framingham or Reading for a new pair of merino socks or zip off pants. REI is awesome because you can order stuff online and have it delivered for free to a store near you...you can also generally have stores call others in the area to see if they have the item that you are looking for. But, the best part about it is that REI is a co-op and only costs $15 bucks to buy in...you get a percentage of all the items that aren't on sale back at the end of the year. Love my dividends check :) If you park there, make sure that you get your parking validated especially if there is a baseball game going on. read more

REI makes me wish I did all the outdoor sports possible. It's awesome checking out all the different stuff they have here. Despite me wishing I could kayak and mountain bike and everything else, I realize why I don't. All the equipment is really expensive. I know that REI has good end of the season sales, and that the equipment is expensive anywhere, but it sort of crushes my dreams. They do have sweet hats, gloves, books, and pocketknives though...which I find to all be competitively priced. And the staff is really friendly, and there is a REI membership that you can join, and I am pretty sure it's worth it if you plan on going there a few times. read more

Overall I love the store and its products. Their staff are very friendly/helpful, though at times it is hard to find someone. I *LOVE-LOVE* that they have extended sizes..well the website does. AND that you can have it shipped to the store for free. If it was all like a warm, gooey chocolate chip..i would give them 5 stars...but no, there is an issue. It is when they have sales-or Super Sales. I ordered shoes online to be shipped to the store. While I waited 2 weeks(a week later then their est. delivery day), the shoes went from sale to *SUPER* sale which meant that when 1st bought them, they were $55, and now they cost half. So when I did get notification that the shoes were at the store, I went and asked for an adjustment. They said no. That simple. Supposedly, for this particular sale it was a major no-no. I even called customer service, and they said no. Instead, they told me that I would have to re-buy them online, have them shipped to the store *AGAIN* to get the sale price on the items that were already there. And of course, return the other items YEAH...not a good policy at all, not even to mention not very "green" of the company. read more

REI is my favourite outerwear and gear shop, this location has a huge space with all kinds of stuff! In general REI's co-op membership offers great deals, dividends, and never expires, mine paid itself off in the same transaction. The staff seem to know what they are talking about and are not too in your face about making a sale. Downstairs in the basement the bike shop lives, and they have been very helpful when I needed some assistance with my bike. Great for climbing gear, plenty of shoes and harnesses to choose from with the option to return them after use if you don't like it (part of a co-op perk). Also, if you are getting sore fingers from climbing, they have a nice variety of hand and finger gear to rehab your poor joints. Cams, nuts, ropes, slings, crash pads, slack lines, you name it. One thing they are missing are chalk buckets. REI also offers a variety of clinics from outdoor leadership to winter cycling. They also rent camping gear! Great shop, I always cruise though when I am on my lunch break, though sometimes it is difficult to track down an associate in the right department. read more

After my initial enthusiasm for this place I have changed my mind a bit based on some recent less-than-stellar experiences. Overall the price at REI is quite high and they rather have you buy more and the more expensive option than actually helping you finding the right product. Example: for my bike they suggested to replace the chain, casette and crank because it started to wear. Then it was cheaper to get the more expensive repair package (they -of course- don't just repair what is broken, you have to select a service package). All in all I ended up paying almost $400 for a slightly worn chain. I should have been smarter of course, they can be more honest, affordable and customer-oriented. That being said, their selection is great and they sometimes do have nice affordable stuff. Just doing research helps a lot before going here. Also, signing up for their savings program results in weekly spam to get a credit card, very annoying. read more

I'm an uber fan of the Boston REI. I have mainly gone there to get my bike fixed up and to buy accessories for said bike, so my review is mainly based on my experience with their bike shop and their customer service. First off, their staff is amazing! Everyone has been super friendly and knowledgeable...those people really know their shit! I also always get the feeling that they genuinely want to help people find a solution within a price range...I've never felt "forced" to purchase anything, and sometimes they'll even give me a simpler, cheaper solution that isn't offered in their store. They never seem to be in a hurry either, even with people who can ramble on such as myself (like in this long review). They make me want to TIP them they're so good. Second, the REI membership is really worth it if you are planning on coming here more than once or twice (especially to get your bike fixed). I paid $20 for it, but you get 10% back from your purchases at the end of the year, and you get major discounts on bike repairs and REI's many classes and workshops. It pays for itself. I've only been to one workshop, which was their "Bike Maintenance 101" (which by the way is $20 for non-members and free for members...see, pays for itself!) but hope to attend others in the future. Another perk of the membership: you can return items essentially whenever (provided they haven't been used/damaged, obviously)...like two years in the future...and you don't need a receipt. As far as price, the bike accessories and bike shop costs are very reasonable. Sure, a lot of the others items they sell are pricey...but so is name-brand gear at other locations. I personally only buy those sorts of things (raincoats, camping accessories, hiking boots, etc.) on Amazon or some other online retailer. Oh, and it's easy to get to via bike or public transportation! Yay REI! read more

While I tend to visit the REI Reading store more often, the Fenway store is a nice alternative if I am in the area. I like the Reading store a bit more because the Fenway location is usually a bit more disheveled and out of stock on key items at times, likely due to the increased foot traffic. The store is easy enough to get to by T, fortunately. The employees here are usually very helpful but have to juggle more customers at once and at times it is tough to flag someone down to discuss a product in depth. Anytime I need specific details on a product I am looking into buying, I stick with Reading. read more

Review for the bike shop: I got a flat right outside work and a helpful passerby told me that REI actually had a bike shop in it. Who knew? The bike shop was FABULOUS. They were able to fix my flat in a matter of minutes and apparently they have a loyalty program that allows you discounted tune ups. They also recommended new tires to me that are as close to "flat proof" as you can get. I didn't go for them, but it was a good tip to know that those tires existed for relatively cheap. This will definitely be my go-to place for bike repair near work now. And the customer service was awesome! read more

I came by to look at some boots and was immediately greeted by a staff member who asked if I had any questions and if I wanted to try anything on. He was friendly and wasn't pushy, and got me several pairs of boots to try on. Although I didn't buy anything, he didn't seem to mind helping me. Will be checking back for cute winter boots! I wish they had a full size mirror next to the shoe section, but didn't mind hobbling over to the mens area to look at my boots. A team member also asked if I was okay (I think I looked like I was having a seizure tying up my boots lol). She was like " Oh! you're just trying on shoes." "uh, yea!" Anyways, nice people here and looks like they are more attentive compared to previous reviews read more

I'm a big fan of REI in general. My only complaint about the company as a whole is that many things are rather expensive, but they do have an incredible return policy - basically if you want to return it, you can. Period. (disclaimer: you may want to read the official return policy before you take my word on that). This location seems to have a pretty good selection. It's not as large as some of the other stores I've been to in other areas. My one complaint about this location is that a majority of the times that I've gone in, no one has approached me to see if I need help. But to their credit, as soon as I've approach a sales person, they have been extremely helpful, without exception. One thing that I love about the staff there is that they are not afraid to tell you both the pros and cons of any given product. Which means that when they tell you a product is good, you know it's true. Also if you're not a member, but you know someone who is, they can look it up (by phone number, name, address, etc.) and put the purchase on that person's account. read more

The bike shop here is amazing. The guy in charge of the bike shop with the awesome beard is super nice, very knowledgeable, and does great work. I brought my bike in for a tune and he fixed it right up for a reasonable price. On my second ride after my tune my rear tire wall blew out. I brought it back in and he waived the labor charge and fixed it in a matter of minutes. I am a very satisfied customer and will be returning here for all of my cycling and outdoor adventure purchases . read more

Unimpressed with this particular REI. I needed three things, a pair of shorts, 40' of webbing, and a few locking carabiners, and had a gift certificate at REI so I started my search there.. Their short selection was lame at best, one pair of pirana's and maybe three pairs of REI's own brand, nothing I had been interested in from the other manufacturers, Cloudveil, Arc'Teryx, Mountain Hardwear, Outdoor Research, etc. Not that there is anything wrong with REI shorts, but the shorts they had didn't fit my style, as limited as it may be. The carabiner selection was good, but behind glass, and no employees were to be found. This didn't bode well for the webbing as it was to be cut by an employee only. After a few minutes of waiting/wandering/looking interested, I waived off the effort. As the shorts were the major reason behind my trip, I headed out and found what I needed at EMS. read more

The bad review is limited to the footwear dept. this location is well stocked when it comes to items you can purchase without help from the staff. Good luck trying to get waited on in the shoe department. Went in three times just to try on a pair of shoes. Not sure how the staff is trained but here's an idea. When you are returning an item to the back for a previous customer, maybe ask the next person waiting if they need a size from the back. Thank God for Zappos! read more

When I was moving to Ithaca, NY, the lab that I was working at the time gave me a goodbye package gift that included a card that said, "Have an ice trip" with penguins waving on icebergs, hot cocoa, camping meals, outdoor soap, instant thermo padding (the ones that you break and heat is release that can be placed in your gloves and socks, mittens, and a beanie. All except the card was bought at REI. I remember eating the camping food and hot cocoa in my studio apartment like I was homeless! Well, fast forward three years. I moved to Boston aka Snowy District. When I went to find the mittens and beanie that was given to me and used, it was misplaced and I couldn't find them anymore. So on what felt like a freezing cold November afternoon, I came back to REI for a purchase of a beanie and mitten using the $50 that my colleague gave me. They have a quite variety here of both and I chose the exact one that I had before (can't believe they still make them) made out of used recycled plastic bottles! That's one of the ways REI do to save the environment. read more

Came here to look for skiing supplies and definitely not coming again. I know skiing is expensive, but REI takes it to a whole different level. I came to get ski poles, and they had them on sale for $40. Same item online from amazon cost $25. Same with North Face, Columbia and Speedo items. Much much cheaper elsewhere. Employees are nice and friendly, but can't really help! Because they don't know about the gear, they don't know what is best to buy and have no clue what to suggest. I definitely suggest buying things elsewhere. read more

REI is so great in so many ways. First, it's a co-op, and so, if you sign up to be a member (which makes sense as long as you spend more than $10 in a year, I believe), you get 10% dividend back in the mail. In effect, it's 10% off everything in the store, all the time. Soooo... that's pretty cool. Second, they have everything you could possibly need if you're an outdoorsy/active type - or just an aspirational one (like me!). Every hobby Cambridge has thrown at me - rock climbing, yoga, minimalist running, hiking - REI has amply supplied me with the stuff. Just a few of my purchases over the years: - Lovely Merrell "Pace Glove" minimalist shoes, in which I docked 100+ miles without any trouble. - A GAIAM yoga mat and yoga block, of which the latter fell off my bike in Mass Ave traffic and was promptly RUN OVER BY A BUS. Despite some broad tire tracks, the block (still) lives! This was 1+ year ago. SUCH IS THE QUALITY OF REI'S STOCK. - A frisbee that is orange and therefore happy. - My rock climbing shoes, also happy. Every time I've gone, the staff is friendly, helpful and informative, without ever being invasive or pushy. It's such a high-quality, glorious one-stop shop - I can't recommend it enough. And even though the competition (Eastern Mountain Sports) is so much closer to me (Harvard Square), I still make the green line trek out to REI. Better stocked with cooler stuff. And! When I stopped in the Berkeley, CA, store long ago to get a birthday gift, and had forgotten my card, no problemo - still got my discount, still got my points. Yeeeeahhhh. High five, REI. read more

First of all the reason for review is to mention the manager BEN,who was extremely helpful and nice.Just dealing with nice people like him makes me come here more often. As far as the store goes ,I wish they had more variety of women clothes for travel.Anyway,it is a nice store and I love it. read more

The gear's on the pricey side, but hey...it's REI and you'll get what you pay for for the most part. The customer service is great and Ben was very helpful when I was trying on Merrell Trail Gloves and Vibram FiveFingers for fitment. The 20% discount with the lifetime membership (one-time fee of $20) is a welcome bonus and I'll def consider picking up the shoes here after I make a decision. read more

I love REI, hands down. The customer service is great, the products are top notch, and the stores are like playgrounds for adults. I went to this location to do an exchange of a pair of trail running shoes I had purchased at the Reading location - the lace locks had come apart after a couple of times of wear. I explained my situation to the returns associate in the basement, and he cited that all REI purchases are eligible for the "100% Satisfaction Guaranteed" policy. All I had to do was leave the original pair of shoes with him, go to the shoe department and get a new pair to do the exchange, and bring them back down so he could complete the exchange in the system. All in all, this transaction took about 5 minutes. Talk about efficiency! And all it takes is a customer policy of making everyone happy with what they purchase. read more

Bit of a sad REI. I was trying to purchase a knife here, I had the model in mind for what I was trying to get. I literally stood around for 5 minutes trying to make eye contact with the two cashiers. Eventually had to ask them to call some customer service over because the place was so barren. Selection here is also smaller than most. Customer service is less than average for most. Maybe it's because it was 4th of July and they were an hour away from closing? Even then, when I was helped with the knife, the guy didn't have anything to say about it. A bit disappointing, but I have yet to be disappointed by a Benchmade knife so I bought it. Being a member is also a must. I received to 20 dollar gift card at the register! Still a 3/5 tho for REI standards. read more

Always a great Place to get a good jacket or Shoes . The Return Policy Kicks ass The People here are very friendly and Knowledgeable. Thanks for being a great team and keep up the good work Returns Downstairs in the back the store made it really easy for me to return a jacket that I had Bought in their Santa Rosa store . Gave me cash back on the spot . I got a new Jacket . Good times ! Rock on with 20 wool Hiking socks on . read more

A smidgen more costly than other sporting places, but for me it turned into one of those stores that i start shopping at more just because i live close by. It's really cool that the people here usually know what they're talking about. I.E. the bike guy is usually a cyclist, etc. They're really environmentally-conscious (i miss they bay area...), and Indeed it is a good idea to join since all the money you pay ($15 for life) goes back to administration or donated to good causes. That is... unless you HATE THE ENVIRONMENT? jk Either way, I'm sure I'll be back to buy more stuff. Joining also lets you buy stuff from their quarterly garage sale, where there are apparent 'mad savings,' to quote the REI employee. I haven't been, but we'll see how it goes. Nov 3, from what I gathered. Well, I hope I save enough money and get mad. read more

I know, I know...REI stands for "Return it immediately" but the selection of brands other than REI's own (far superior to EMS's by the way), plus the super nice and well informed staff make this place worth frequenting. Regardless of how busy it gets, I can always find someone to help me and give me the full run-down on which item is going to meet my needs the best. Combine this with life-time membership (read 100% satisfaction-guaranteed, no-questions asked return policy without a receipt, as well as an annual cash dividend based on how much stuff you bought there that year), REI is the place to go for moderate to good quality outdoor gear for everyone short of Sir Edmond Hilary. read more

I went here just to ask a couple of quick questions about some work I might want to have done on my bike (re-taping the handlebars, replacing a damaged hood, removing unnecessary "safety"/cyclocross brakes) but was so impressed with their customer service compared to other bike shops I've been to that I had to write a review anyway, even though I haven't even had work done yet. The staff in the bike shop was very friendly and attentive, kept apologizing for the wait even though I wasn't at all upset about waiting, and sent non-tech people down to see if anyone in line had a less technical question that they could help with. I was there with a friend and on our way out the staff again apologized to us for the wait (???) even though we were so happy with how good the experience was we probably had big grins on our faces. REI, you won my business for any bike repairs for life. read more

It is, simply, ridiculous to go anywhere else if you're shopping for any even remotely ambitious outdoor-activity products, or if you care even a bit about quality. I have bought probably over 100 products from this store for everything from a hardcore South American backpacking trip (including food for 10 days and everything required to transport and prepare it in the jungle) to business casual attire (including shoes that drew compliments at work AND are waterproof), and everything has been incredibly durable, comfortable and effective. The consistency and degree of quality is unreal. I kept putting off getting a membership, since I'm disinclined to that sort of thing, but I just kept finding myself in there and eventually I caved. It was the right thing to do. I've also attended a couple of their classes, including one on DIY bike maintenance and one on outdoor food prep, and the teachers were both very approachable and fun with well-planned, engaging "curriculums." My only highly subjective suggestion: Beware the lure of the non-sale women's clothing section, ladies. Items when first put out are surprisingly expensive, but the sales come so quickly and are so very good, it is just not worth it to buy almost anything before it goes on sale. Don't be swayed by those appealing mannequins who are so beautifully attired yet wearing clothing that looks comfortable enough to use as bedding; the sales come so very soon. (If you don't believe me, check the REI website and see what's on sale now, relative to the prices of whatever item you were ogling on the features rack/mannequin.) read more

I am a huge fan of REI in general, and always have great experiences at the stores regardless of location. REI Boston was no exception. I spent a small fortune here when I moved to Boston last year. The staff was extremely helpful - I needed assistance in fulfilling all of my cold-weather needs from head to toe. As I've come to expect from the folks at REI, the employees' product knowledge and level of patience rocked. Worth the trip downtown when you are looking for a wider selection than EMS. read more

I had no idea there was a clearance section downstairs - but I am very glad someone introduced me to it because I walked out with a great pair of Merrell hiking boots for half off. There was no tag on the box, so we waited in line for five minutes; there were two people standing at the registers - one helping a customer, the other standing around looking at the ceiling - no worries, we'll take them upstairs where they have scanners so I can do it myself thankyouverymuch. The line at the register was also a little crazy, one person at the register looking harried, four people in line... I took the boots out this weekend and I can't get over how comfortable they are...so happy with them. Certainly worth the wait...in line. read more

I signed my 5 & 6 yr old to learn how to ride a bike. The instructors were great! Shout out to Ethan n Natalie!! My kids learn to bike 30-40 mins into class. Highly recommend this class as kids learn the right way, my back don't hurt, it would of taken more then a week to teach if it wasn't for this class! My kids are confident and love to ride their bike! read more

Charging for parking to spend $$$ in your store is Outrageous! It's unfortunate that you made this choice - I won't visit this location any more. read more

The staff is exceptionally helpful, and knowledgeable. Heck, even when I throw some old school mountain bike things at them, they seem to at least have an idea what I am talking about. Which is more than can be said for some stores. The only bad thing I can really say about the store is that it's hard to leave without spend a large sum of money. read more

Besides being a one-stop-shop for all my outdoorsy activities (which are many), REI is a place I don't feel bad making purchases at because as a co-op, (in the words of Mittens) the REI corporation is people, my friends. In my three years going there regularly, every employee I've spoken with has either been (a) super knowledgeable about whatever I'm looking for, or (b) honest that they don't know much about it and they get someone who does. I usually check online to see if they have what I need in stock, and if they don't I just order it for pickup there (free shipping, ya!). They also have great sales... but I still spend way too much money here (oops, my fault). My one complaint is that getting there by bike is a little crazy in those intersections, but hey, that's Boston. read more

The store is big. The staff is nice. But somehow, some way, I almost always leave empty handed. No matter what you're looking for there is just about always a reason why they don't have it, and should maybe be getting it in stock in a couple weeks or months or never. If it exists on the website just forget it. They're constantly stocked to the ceiling with last season's everything, and a 100 of those ugly Osprey backpacks with the 200 straps on them that no one ever buys or knows what to do with. It's why no one likes retail. read more