the staff at REI Santa Rosa shoe dept are very knowledgeable and helpful, and took the time to explain the features

While not the largest REI store, it fits the bill for what you may need. While REI is known to be quite expensive, they excel in their inventory and customer service. Never had an issue at this location and enjoy their yearly sales to grab items I've bookmarked. Location is also quite nice as there are other stores nearby for other goods if needed. I'd give this location a solid B to be honest. read more

Look if you have alot of money and want name brand overpriced equipment, by all means this is your place. I bought some hiking shoes and the staff was extremely unhelpful. Also the guy at the cash register kept trying to talk me into membership and had major attitude when I declined, multiple times. He was extremely pushy and just plain rude. If I didn't need the boots for an upcoming hike, I would've left them and walked out. He was extremely dismissive, took my money and turned his back on me. I guess me declining membership was personal for him? Anyway, I found Sportman's warehouse in Rhonert Park that I will be shopping at from now on. read more

Came by to get our snowboards waxed & Eden helped us -- Eden is awesome! As members we got each board waxed for $16, which I thought was a steal! We were expecting turnaround time to be a couple of days & to our surprise they were ready same day! Our boards look great, can't wait to take them out to the slopes in a couple of weeks! read more

REI - Bikes Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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Worst customer service! Pushed me into getting their credit card with the promise of $100 credit to use in store. Fraudulently charged my credit card that I took out to get the hundred dollars and now refused to give me back my money that belongs to me and the promised $100.00. I canceled That cc and won't be going back to that store. The people in the store are particularly combative, rude, antagonistic. I had a horrible experience with Alex who apparently is a manager, but doesn't act like one. She did not manage the situation at all. Instead she further antagonized me and escalated the situation. She raised her voice at me, accusing me of something that I actually wasn't doing. I was just trying to get clarity on what the staff was doing and why my credit card got charged against my consent. There is so many other places you can buy the same merchandise for less money. I encourage you not to support this store. It's not what it used to be. I will never shop here ever again. read more

I usually always come here just to wander around and pick up a few things here and there. But this time I had my first big order of a new E bike. I had it delivered here because they would put it together for me at no charge. My experience with the bike staff was very pleasant. The gentleman who helped me when I went to pick it up was very knowledgeable, was patient with me, and was excited to show me features about my bike. He clearly loves his job, which made my experience more enjoyable. It made me happy enough to write this review read more

Horrible customer service. I've been a member since 2010 and have visited well over ten rei locations in the last 14 years. This location by far has the rudest staff at the counter especially when doing exchanges or returns. They argue their policy and are very judgmental as to returning items, a few weeks into their "1 year" policy, that didn't work out - like the customer is wrong for returning an item that doesn't fit right or work as advertised/intended. read more

While our SR REI isn't the most flashy or biggest, its staff and service are awesome . People actually know their stuff in every department! Quality backed up by a rock solid guarantee- what's not to like? read more

EXCEPTIONAL service. We went in to look at children's bicycles and left with a bicycle and a roof cargo carrier. The bicycle was on clearance and we had a 20% coupon for the carrier so the prices were beyond reasonable. India was so patient while we were looking for the exact bicycle we wanted in a different state. Chase was so sweet helping us out the cargo carrier on the car. Then, Brady truly went above and beyond helping us disassemble the bike. We stayed so long we left at closing time and didn't realize it wouldn't fit. He was helping us after store hours with a smile on his face. This is a great store with amazing staff. I would give six stars if I could. UPDATE- it's the very next day and we needed help and expertise. Graham could not have been more helpful. We are so grateful there are people who love helping people still left. read more

Bicycles are coming back into stock. I bought my Cannondale Bad Boy 1 on the REI website and had it sent to the Santa Rosa store for assembly and pickup. Let me say, the bicycle staff is kind, helpful, and professional. Their workmanship excellent. They also do warranty work for Cannondale. About a year ago, I bought a Cannondale from a shop in Southern California and it had a dent in the frame. REI kindly did all the paperwork, got a new frame, stripped everything off the original bike and put in the correct replacement frame. This was no small feat. I paid for the assembly and was reimbursed by Cannondale. Highly recommended! read more

REI - Kevin's Cannondale Bad Boy 1 from REI online and shipped to the Santa Rosa store for assembly and pickup. - Bikes Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I will not shop at REI, Santa Rosa any longer! I am appalled after been followed and hustled out of the store because I had my dog with me. I have NEVER had such an experience at not only REI or any of the sports-type stores, never. I am a long-time member and this experience not only embarrassed me, it was unnecessary (my dog barked a little yip a few times because he was excited, but was he aggressive in any way, NO).. so hey, no problem, I'll just consistently take my business to Sports Basement, where we ARE welcome!! read more

Have been a member of REI since the mid 80's - never had an issue with returns especially of new unused items with tags still on - their return policy is one of the factors that has made this store outstanding. Manager and staff were completely unhelpful and treated me like a criminal. Will not be returning to this REI store and will be looking into the plethora of alternative outdoor goods vendors. read more

I used to schlep all the way from Petaluma to the REI in Marin because that's where I moved from 3 years ago. Today I did a Christmas present pick-up at the REI in Santa Rosa. Very nice! I can't tell you about the trip, I was in the midst of the atmospheric river that started yesterday and it was raining dogs and cats and slowed down traffic. I can't tell you about the parking except that I had a choice of spots, one was even close! I walked and asked the greeter where to go to get a pickup and he pointed me to the checkout folks. I got in line, it moved VERY quickly. Maybe a sporting goods store with half a dozen trained people is better than 1 overwhelmed clueless person? Hmmm I got a couple of welcoming smiles and nods while a waiting. I went to Jen's window and told her that I was sure I got an email that my gift was ready but all I could find on my phone was the initial one that said "don't come until you get an email saying it's ok to show up." Jen smiled, copied down the order number, smiled again and said "It's ready, I'll be back in a moment." She was. And went off with a little joy in my heart. Sonoma County nice. You can't beat it! Except when you find confident, knowledgeable, Sonoma Nice people like I did at Santa Rosa REI. Kudos to the manager(s) who find, teach and empower such great A-players! I'll come back after the holidaze and see if I can find help picking out a roof top carrier for a stand up paddle board, then help installing if need be. Then I will write again! read more

I have shopped at this REI many times and I always leave feeling like I was well taken care of, but this time, the service went above and beyond my expectations. My friend and I were on a mission to get him fitted for a new backpack to hit the trails with. We got there and looked around, then asked for some help. An employee radioed the person who was in charge of the backpacking section and within a minute or less, Bruce showed up. Bruce was so incredibly knowledgeable and made my friend and I feel like we were in the best of hands. Buying a new pack can be a big deal, but Bruce made the process comfortable and easy. I ended up getting fitted as well and sure enough found myself walking out of there with a new pack alongside my bestie. I've had an Osprey for years and am onto a Gregory now with the help of Bruce. My new pack is actually a different size than the one I've been using for the past several years. Bruce was able to size me up and show me why the XS size was best for me. I cannot wait to hit the trails now knowing I have the best pack fitted perfectly for me. Bruce also helped my friend pick out a new sleeping bag. He explained why it was so great and again, made the experience so easy. As you may know, these items aren't cheap and you plan to have them for many years, so you want to make sure you're getting the best item for you. REI does have their one year return policy, but it's nice when you can get it right the first time! I think I am still on a high from this last REI visit. Bruce spent about 45 minutes helping us out and was there to answer any and all questions we had. Thank you so much for giving my friend and I such an enjoyable experience shopping, Bruce! Until next time, ! read more

Bike department is awesome... Quick and easy....Same Day service Friendly people most of the time, lol read more

this rei in particular has horrible customer service and absolutely no regard for anyone. me and my friend have both had horrible experiences here and it very obvious that these workers are on a power trip and think that working at an rei is equivalent to the damn navy. how hard is it to assist a customer with a question and scan an item. how developmentally stunted do you have to be to not be able to two simple tasks. my question for you is, what does working at an rei entail and how is it so hard for you small brained, homosapien adjacent beings to be unable to do the simplest job I have ever even heard of. you literally work in retail. another question? are common sense and decency no longer sought after traits for the average person? those stupid looking puke green vest uniforms do not give you any authority to be rude and disrespectful to the people who literally pay for your paycheck. read more

Excellent REI. Fantastic layout for merchandise. Best service I've had in any REI. Very friendly and attentive staff. Quick to offer assistance, and quick to leave you alone while you're looking. Fantastic selection of camping chairs. On my way to my first camping trip since I was 7 years old, I stopped to get a camping chair. Chairs were easy to browse and most were open for testing. Great price range, although the lightest aluminum chairs are very expensive, as much as $150 for a simple chair. read more

An institution, The baby boomers grew up with enough money and time to take to the out doors. REI Co op was there to help folks access outdoor gear at an affirdabke prices. It was nice to see that the Santa Rosa store full of outdoor enthusiast shopping the 75 anniversary sale on memorial day . It was obvious from the crowd ( 1/2 baby boomers now gray haired and hobbled are joined by every generation. Even on a very busy sale day i found the 4 different staff members that talked to, thoughtful, sincere and knowledgeable. read more

Been coming to this store and shopping here for my out door equipment that I got my friends to join the membership program but after today's experience I am not coming back. Emiliano wasn't such a big help and was just mugging and seem annoyed. Customer service was bad at explaining why was my money missing. read more

Had a flat tire in my bike and they got me in and out of there in 30 min. Awesome service, great prices! I would've liked to go more local but all the local shops around me told me that they would need 1+ days to fix it and have restrictions based on weight / size of bikes. read more

I can never get enough of this place, they always have the best high quality gear. If you don't know REI you need to make you way into this outdoor playground of all the most amazing gear and equipment in the market. This location alone always tends to have what I need if not you can always get it shipped to store for free pick up. The staff are always incredible and super helpful. If your unfamiliar with a item or activity ask their speciality and they can provide you all the details and recommendations. The service department alone is incredible, all the needs you can want for a great deal and in a timely manner. Its always clean and appealing making you wanna stay longer and continue shopping around. You can not forget to mention they have a amazing return policy! Get yourself over to REI you will not regret it. read more

REI is one of the finest places to shop for any level of sporting related products. The Santa Rosa store has a section for garage sale products that were used but good condition at great discounts. Each time I visit and require help I find the staff to be incredibly supportive and full of amazing knowledge. Its nice going through the process of finding the right product, receiving amazing support and walking to my car feeling good from the entire experience. Then getting home and enjoying the discovery of using my new purchase... read more

REI - Bikes Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

I'm solely writing this review to give David a major shout out! My friend and I are planning a trip to Glacier nat park, and road tripping long distance for the first time. We came in search of some hiking gear, and David took the time to explain the differences in day packs for us. David went over what to look for, what's most important, and how to wear and adjust the packs to our bodies for the best possible results and comfort. My friend bought her pack then and there, and David was able to look up a special order for me which I placed up at the check out. We really felt comfortable with him and he was so knowledgeable and sweet, and also made us laugh. We will definitely be back to get more gear as our trip gets closer! read more

REI - David is awesome! - Bikes Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

The Whole Foods of recreational equipment stores. Got that organic hip vibe happenin'. The brands are high quality. The selection is admirable. The prices are sky high compared to discount on-line vendors. Sales folk are informed and pleasant. No other place you should go for mountain trekking equipment. Recommended. read more

REI is just a great place to waste all of your money. Everything they have is always big banger status, so you might as well just get everything you set your beady little eyes upon, then you can be rugged in the highest luxury :) We like to buy the tents from this store, because they have great deals and great sales, that allow us to buy the merchandise at a much more affordable price. I like money. If you're thinking about that tent that you should have bought, well I got news for you my friend: You shoulda bought it! But fear not my sweet summer child, for there is still time. Now go forth! read more

Visited Santa Rosa store today and the new expansion is impressive - no more crowded aisles. Great help in women's clothing. Busy, yet relaxing atmosphere. Staff in front of store at cash counter were friendly. Really enjoyed this experience rather than shopping online (which I usually do). Bringing the "fun" back to the brick and mortar store experience. read more

Bought two pairs of socks there for $50... you read that right $50. Why did I do that? Well, because I was told they were the best socks on the planet with a lifetime warranty "just bring them back if you have any issues and we'll replace them". One year later the best pair of socks on planet both have holes in them. So I take the best pair of socks on the planet back to the store for the lifetime warranty and I'm told that they'll only take them back if I have a membership.... So I got ripped off. read more

Excellent counter service today Oct. 14, 2023 when Abby (sp?) gave us extraordinary help figuring out a return.

Gross, nasty, unacceptable. Bought a black hole duffel from this store yesterday, opened it up with my expecting wife today in the nursery, and there were USED women's undergarments INSIDE the bag. Store manager didn't seem phased, like this happens all the time. I had to drive all the way there and exchange it. Don't worry, the manager is really sorry for my inconvenience. read more

Do you ever need a reason to come into REI to drop some scrilla? REI has just about every outdoor sport and seasonal outdoor sport covered. REI is super high end and VERY VERY expensive!!!!! But their above average high prices are worth it because they 100% stand behind ALL the products they sell. With an out of this world return policy. For example: I bought a roof rack system, cross bars and a Thule hulavator kayak rack system. I spend $1,700 on that set up, it lived on my 2001 Montero for 3 years. I bought a new 2013 Tacoma. And had REI (the original installers) remove it and transfered it to my new tacoma for me. To make a long story short, after being assured this would work for my new truck, the system failed and fell off. I retured to REI and had the system reinstalled a second time on my tacoma. The same installer went to give it a shake test to make sure it was snug. It poppedcoff again. This time leaving a golf ball size dent in the roof of my brand new truck i only has for a week. Make a long story short, after having the Hulavator for 3 years, they refuned me the $1,700. And the company Thule paid to have the dent removed. * the only thing i am not a fan of is, REI is NOT DOG FRIENDLY. But i am sure thats because of some cooperate policy. read more

Exceptional service, great selection and the smallest parking spaces around. The store is in the process of expanding but anything you are looking for can be found here. read more

REI - SUP time - Bikes Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

REI is REI. It's a large corporation and big box type store. I like anything outdoors from camping to camera gear to clothing. REI has gadgets and high functioning top of the line gear for so many outdoor activities and hobbies. Enough, let's talk this store specifically. They claim it has a ski shop. Hello? What? Nope, in fact, this season I ventured in to browse both for gift giving as well as for my upcoming snowboard trip...that's right, it's freakin' snowing in Cali again! Not only was the selection for snow gear sparse, what was there for gloves and accessories was low end stuff. I don't mind paying a little more for a solid product that will last but I'm not looking for high priced flimsy gear. Especially when it's going to be used to the extreme and not last through the first day. So the snow, is a no go. I've also taken my bike in to get tuned up. I'm not a huge mountain bike fanatic but I do take my bike camping and traveling with me for weekend trips. I felt the tune up was overpriced given that I just needed some lube on the chain and new tires. BUT the service was friendly, communicated well, timely, and thorough. All things I appreciated in any business. I thought the technicians tip that I would need a new bike soon was a strange "salesy" comment. My bike (3 years later) is just fine for what I'm using it for. The best section here is the day packs, bags, hiking packs section. There are a ton! And the refillable water bottles are plentiful. I love love love the hydro flask I bought last summer. Hey, hello, why is one of your best/biggest departments water bottles? We live in Nor Cal. Where are all the SUPs? The kayaks? Skis! Ski poles? Snowboards? Snowboard boots? Ski socks? Life vests? Idk because I'm not seeing it. The clothing sections are pretty solid for Men and Women. It would be cool if they carried more out of season stuff as they are and outdoor store and if you travel, the weather is not local but that's super nit picky I know. The clothing sections are full of quality brands that last in durability and color etc. I've found that the clothing is suitable for both casual and slightly above casual occasions while staying comfy. Layers are your friend folks! Now I know this isn't Cabella's but I would love to this store add to the binocular/knife case. Until then it's Big 5 for me. Let's talk Shoes. I mentioned the lack of ski and snowboard socks...if you're hunting for hiking, climbing and walking socks this is your place. Lord do they have variety for this! Jackpot! For anything else, it's a desert. Back to shoes. There is a good selection of quality outdoor/hiking shoes. They have sanuk brand shoes which I love but there's very little selection. I have a pair of low top and a pair of high top hiking shoes that I love and are very comfortable. They are each a good brand and have really proven to be a great investment. With all of this said my suggestion is get the app, shop the store, register, and hit up their garage sales. I have purchased bindings at a great price at a garage sale held here. I have no idea how the bindings ended up here since they don't have them on the floor but whatevs. The hiking footwear I mentioned was also purchased at a garage sale at this location and were a steal for the quality. ***new parents newsflash! The strollers abound at the garage sales. Like people run over each other to get to the BOB. Check it out! If you hit up a garage sale get there early and have an idea of what you are looking for. It's Walmart on Black Friday. No joke. If you have a few hours on a Saturday morning you can get some good stuff at a great price. Tents are great to look for here. Why join and register an account? Dividend of course! It's a nice reward when you check out and you have a few dollars in your dividend to put towards a purchase. There's no membership fee so do it if you're going to shop at REI more than once. This store is small but the employees are as helpful as they can be and the store is always organized, clean and well managed (from the shoppers point of view). I want them to expand this store and give us what we deserve in NorCal with the beach, lakes, hills, mountains, wildlife, snow, sand, and amazingness outside our door! read more

REI - Folding kayak!? - Bikes Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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Friendly, helpful staff | Good outdoor store $$ - $$$ I owe everything to my dad for getting me into the outdoors since I was 3 years old. Who I am today is all because of him. He has been a member with REI since the 1960's and he got me a membership when I was young. We love the company and the consistent experience we get when we shop at any REI location. Yes, I have worked with this company before, but I am no longer an employee (i miss those awesome discounts!!). So, why not the 5 stars? Read on to find out... I used to go to any REI location to shop for all of my outdoor adventure gear, but now that there are other competitors online, I look to other places for a good price and selection. Now, don't get me wrong, they have a good selection (depending on your area, too), but it's mostly for hiking and casual wear. I know that the REI locations in SF and Berkeley are big and have a lot of inventory, so those places are great to hit up, but this location (Santa Rosa), doesn't have a lot to offer for climbing. I'd like to think that they have just enough for every type of sport due to its location size, but sometimes that is a deciding factor for me to look elsewhere. The staff is always friendly and helpful. They never make me feel rushed and they're always willing to help you with any questions. They also like to share stories! BUT, I just can't give 5 stars to REI when I see that the demographic they're really targeting are people that have the money to spend on a $200 jacket they plan to wear casually at the mall. For people like me, I'm looking for the same quality but in a place that doesn't hike up prices for the adventurer. Also, not that I think this is a bad thing, but they did change their return policy. (I wholeheartedly agree with their new policy and the reason for changing it) Customers may return their REI items within the year it was purchased. SO, no more returns if you've had an item for 15 years and have gotten your use out of it. Anyway, good store if you need to get a couple of camping items. Also, a good store to hit up during their REI Used Gear Sales and when they have general sales going on. Otherwise, I would look online or other stores nearby. read more

Customer service is hit or miss and they seem to retain some of the rudest employees. How special is that?! I've noticed over the past few years how expendable their staff is. It's exceedingly rare to find anyone there over 35. Today was the final straw when I was treated with suspicion during a return of a NEW item from two weeks ago. I was even questioned about having a different last name that my spouse when he looked up the receipt. After which he didn't want to honor my large REI dividend. It was a ridiculous situation. They finally lost our business for life. read more

I'd been shopping around for a roof rack to fit my car and found the staff at REI all very knowledgeable and friendly, especially Peg who took the time to go out into the parking lot twice to take measurements and help me figure out my options, and what I needed. I really liked the large space and feel of the store. I became a member and plan to return soon for some camping gear. Thanks REI!! read more

Greeted promptly when we got there. Made our way back to the shoes. The ones we wanted were not on display but the tag was still there. When the associate finally emerged from the back with another customers shoes we asked. She didn't seem too sure of it but went back to look. Came back just handed over the box and left before we even opened to make sure it was the correct one we were looking for. read more

I went in there recently with my bike to ask for help attaching a basket (I had lost one of pieces), and a young gentleman was happy to help me for free (even though I was willing to pay)! He improvised a solution even without the missing part and made the basket fit perfectly for me. He also gave me a basic lesson in how to use my bike lock. He was super nice and I was impressed that he did all that for free. Wish I had taken note of his name! :) read more

The REI crew was amazing. I joined the club and the stuff in the garage sale was outstanding! Going on a lake trip to Bend Oregon and the lady India (?) was fantastic! She knew all the spots I was talking about and scored some sweet gear that will be perfect! When I went to check out Maxwell (?) let me know with my membership I get free wax for my board all winter long. $15 dollars savings on Amazon sounds good, until you realize how awesome the experience at the store is! Shouts out to Jacob and his crew for killin' it! Ten Stars guys! read more

ORDER ONLINE Let me give you a backstory - I live in Saratoga and we have an amazing REI store. However 2-3 days ago, I set my eyes on Patagonia Nano Puff - the discontinued Big Sur Blue synthetic down jacket. The employee at my local REI store helped me to locate this specific jacket since they were out of Medium size. There was one left at the REI Santa Rosa store. Anyways, the next day I dropped by the Palo Alto store on my way to work. Again, great service - customer service help desk suggested that I might not have to drive all the way down to Santa Rosa - I can ask them to ship it to my home if the merchandise is over $100 (or $75??). I immediately called the Santa Rosa store to put this item on hold. I was about to drive to Santa Rosa (2.5 hours - looking back I thought I was crazy). Anyways, being a weekday, I wasn't able to drive all the way to Santa Rosa after work. So instead of driving there and buying it on Friday, I decided to drive on a Saturday morning. Before I even began my drive, I thought I will call this store to give a heads up. Now here's the thing - I called at 10:58 AM and to my surprise, the first store clerk recognized me and said he will go around and check. And then out of nowhere someone else picks up the phone and responds that they don't have it anymore. WHAT THE HECK? Here's why I was super disappointed - 1. They denied shipping back a jacket that costs +$100. And I felt that hostility, as they expected me to drive all the way to Santa Rosa to pick up this jacket. 2. ORDER ONLINE - I think I had been said this numerous times "You could order online" when I mentioned that the size wasn't available online, and I got to know about availability of this jacket via REI employee at their Saratoga store (through their in-store inventory system). 3. Beat this - upon not being able to find that jacket, they offered me to connect to REI's sales line i.e. a 1-800 number. DO YOU THINK I DON"T KNOW HOW TO USE GOOGLE? And do you expect me to manually do a search hunt for this jacket or you should have offered some courtesy to look it up for me? Anyways, this is nothing against REI as an organization - just the employees at this store. Hope someone from management read this. read more

I was pretty floored with the awesome service I experienced today. I'll preface with this -- the prices aren't great, so over the years I've mostly shopped on Amazon and at Target for my camping gear. However, when my BF needed climbing shoes I knew we needed a little more expertise than reading reviews on Amazon could offer. We walked up to the climbing shoes and within seconds Sean offered us assistance. I was looking at the cheapest pair, and without any judgement he told me they would work great for his skill level and where we're climbing, and went to get him a couple of sizes to try on. He was patient and had my BF climb a little on a pole to test them out. It honestly felt like he wanted us to walk out with the right pair of shoes, not just trying to make a sale. We were then meandering around the sleeping bag sacks when I needed a price check, Bruce helped us out and when I laughed that I wanted the cheaper bag, he actually told me that the cheapest bag was his favorite because it kept spiders out of his sleeping bag when storing it in his garage. I wanted to hug the man because I hadn't even thought of that, but it's exactly what I needed. On our way to the checkout Bruce mentioned the new pair of climbing shoes, and in the most beautiful upsell I have ever experienced told us how he likes to wear thin polypropylene socks with his climbing shoes to stop blisters. I swear Bruce is a mind-reading angel because by BF (while I do love him) has sweaty feet and that will help him tremendously. Basically, the slightly higher price is worth it for the experience and customer service you'll experience. Thank you, Sean and Bruce!! read more