The coolest and largest REI CO OP! They even have their own parking garage. 1st hour is free. There's 2 stories and so much cool gear. Large selection of stuff and lots of brands to choose from. Staff was also very attentive and helpful! read more

REI - Front door - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The REI Flagship store is large and has a large selection of items. It was a fairly comprehensive rock climbing section at the front entrance with a variety of shoes and climbing gear. The bike section is very large as well as the camping and shoes. The store was honestly awesome. I would have given it 5/5 stars, but the only reason I did not is b/c I visited the LL Bean flagship store in Maine, and that store was larger and even more comprehensive (excluding the rock climbing stuff). To me, that store was 5 stars, and therefore this REI had to be a little lower. This REI is still a great store though and worth the visit!! read more

Omg! I've heard legends about the REI locations on the west coast but I never believed 'em. After seeing one for myself, all I can say is Holy Granola Bars Batman! The shopping area at this location is two stories tall and has a HUGE amount of floor space compared to the pitiful REI in my hometown. Add to that, a three story, 100 foot tall, indoor climbing pinnacle for training classes. But wait. It doesn't end there! They even have an outdoor mountain bike test track to test their mountain bikes BEFORE you buy them. That's one of the things I love about REI - you can test anything out before you buy it. You can even walk around their store for an hour in a pair of hiking boots before you decide to buy them. And everything in the store includes a one year money back guarantee. If you bring your hiking boots, back pack, or mountain bike back within a year, because you decided you didn't like it, or it wore out quicker than you thought it would, they will give you your money back - NO. QUESTIONS. ASKED. PERIOD. The staff are also superb. If you go in as a novice and have questions about hiking boots, camping gear, backpacking, etc. they can answer it all. If you are new to something, I recommend finding an REI near you for expert advice. Don't go to an Academy Sports Store, or something that - those folks don't know jack! P.S. - pay a one time, lifetime membership fee of $20 and you get a dividend coupon for 10% of everything you purchased that year. You get other perks too, and you'll make your money back in no time. Look online for membership details. read more

See all

I really love flagship stores so I felt enthusiastic about visiting REI in Seattle. It was huge and the entrance way I took was beautiful. It gave me a lot of nature and outdoorsy vibes and I loved the handles at the door as well (in my pictures). When you come in, there's an ASL interpreter on a screen and I thought that showed that they put in the effort to provide accessibility towards their customers. There was also a tall climbing wall which was cool. The store was equipped with all outdoor activity related items. They had dry freeze food, tents and sleeping bags, and of course hiking gear, boots and clothing, etc. The workers were nice and everything looked great and presentable. I would suggest coming here to check out the store for yourself and potentially purchase something for your next hiking, climbing, or outdoor sport trip. read more

See all

First ever REI store and would say well done store. How they have used big logs and other stuffs to decor interior is worth appreciating. Anyways you get everything which is needed for any outdoor sports. Although I would rate 1 star less due to their high prices for everything. read more

See all

An REI store with a nature-y outdoor hike and bike trail is unheard of, one of the unique sport store I've been too~ Store is huge, with two floor of outdoor gear and clothing. Bike collection is vast, they offer repair services as well. Can easily spend an hour here window shopping and walking outside. There is a parking garage outside the store to park your cars. Great place to have a picnic since there's outdoor tables and benches. Highly recommend checking this place out, especially if you go camping often or anyone who needs spare time away from the busy city life. read more

Pros: -fairly large as REIs go -home of the original permanent used goods bargain basement! This is an especially good perk since COVID caused REI to stop holding quarterly garage sales -has a another entire used goods sale area for bicycle stuff -has not seemed to be *as* understocked as some other REIs even with supply chain issues -because of the large footprint, they have space to stock more local-specific stuff (books, art, clothes from hyper local companies, etc) even compared to other REIs in the Seattle metro area Cons: -not enough cashiers, even before covid-related staffing problems. They never seem to have enough staff at peak hours (weekends, after work, etc) -employees that are present tend to follow you around the store if you don't "look the part" of a Seattle outdoorsperson. Seems to be based on appearance (race, gender, clothes...) since I've gone with other people and only ~some~ of us get followed. It's creepy and off-putting, especially for a brand that allegedly advocates for liberal causes. I get it, theft is an issue in cities and theft mitigation is part of that...but the shadow employees is just over the top. -prices at REIs in general are not very competitive anymore, and not just in comparison to online retailers -the garage kinda sucks. Free parking is nice, but the gate arms are janky and don't always work. No parking attendant so you're on you're own if something goes wrong. This may be the responsibility of the landlord to fix, but at minimum REI could stick a phone number on the pay box to call into the store for help if it breaks on you read more

REI has really kept me sane during the quarantine....well REI and the great outdoors but still. I've never been a big outdoorsy person before moving to Seattle (I'm from the east coast and I just didn't feel like we had enough things to get me out there or at least it wasn't easy....). But here, we have amazing hikes nearby and there's like a million different trails during any season to explore. I know when I go to REI, I can depend on their quality, return policy, and warranties. I don't mind spending a little extra for the piece of mind. I became a Co-op member during one of their sales where they give you a $20 shopping card for your $20 membership which makes the membership free so how can you say no? So worth it! Things that make this REI great: + huge selection + shoe measuring, backpack measuring and fitting. I found out I bought the wrong size bag and it was so helpful to get the low down on how to adjust my backpack straps and fit. Makes hiking with it so much better. + Classes! + Garage sale - check out upstairs in the back for the used/returned items. Sometimes options are scarce but sometimes you can get really lucky and find the item you need for a huge discount. + all the associates have been so nice - you can ask them any question and they're happy to help. For an outdoorsy newbie like me, they've really educated me on a lot of things. read more

DO NOT RENT FROM REI SEATTLE. They rent out gear they know is broken. Totally ruined a snowshoing trip because we rented snowshoes that had multiple parts missing or broken. When we returned the snowshoes, the customer service rep refused to refund us even after admitting the gear wasn't usable (completely broken) and said that we should have tried to duct tape the gear to our boots at the trail head to see if that might make the snowshoes work. Laughable, unprofessional, ridiculous. Total rip off! Save your money and time and go anywhere else. read more

So large and beautiful scenery outside! Stopped by for the garage sale and so many people come that they have to ticket it. Still managed to get an awesome garage sale deal without going inside. Must try the little coffee place carabiner coffee. read more

After eyeballing and handling a multitude of shoes/boots at the REI Flagship Store (the shoes/boots seem to be displayed with the lightest to the right and the heaviest to the left, conveniently corresponding to expense and intent) I tried on seven other shoes/boots. After the initial three shoes/boots, I kept my favorite at my side then kept trying other shoes/boots that looked promising. My plan was to replace my favorite as I went along. My main criterion for shoes/boots is: comfort. I go outside in my fully fenced lot/property with my dogs four times every day, so I like my shoes/boots to be waterproof, but I don't like my shoes/boots to be hog-slopping clodhoppers either. I took a picture of the box's label for each shoe/boot that I rejected so that I wouldn't waste time on a shoe/boot that I had already rejected. I am relatively proud to report that I caught myself once. I went to this same REI store Wednesday night, but there were too many customers so I left then went back today (Thursday) afternoon. I love this store for the selection of good shoes/boots and the knowledgeable and friendly staff. read more

REI WAS A CO-op with, value added insight and latest gear for outdoor enthusiasts l. It has become a retailer that will do everything to take your money. Parking, high prices, no service and rentals that are less than value added. The pandemic saw them reduce staff and now the store is nothing more than a dicks sporting goods outlet houses in a 10% coop dividend ... Shop online save the traffic, parking and lack of gear experience with REI read more

1/31- Update- well, they promised me my bike bag would arrive on Saturday in time for my flight, but it didn't. I got it on Monday. A complete disappointment, so changing the review back to one star. I still think they should hunt down the guy that originally lied about the bag being in stock last Monday in Seattle and fire him for lying... John didn't call me on Saturday to break the bad news, they had another employee call me, perhaps John was off. But he did follow up this morning and I appreciate that he cared enough to check in. But the bag shipped out at noon on Friday for an overnight delivery so it should have made it on Saturday- someone else dropped the ball in shipping. This should also be reviewed. 1/28- Update- John Clark has gone above and beyond today to search the entire US to find me another bag, they are overnighting me a more expensive bag at no additional charge. I still feel the person in Seattle that dropped the ball should be held accountable, but if I get my bag by tomorrow then all will be ok, so I am changing my original review from below. I appreciate how hard they are trying to make up for this mistake. The most horrible retail experience ever! These incompetent lying people should be ashamed of themselves. I just hung up with John Clark in senior customer service, he is looking into this, but I initially was not super impressed with his overall approach relative to how he spoke to me. I was upset and emotional, but I feel justified in why I feel this way. I get that he did not cause this mess, but he is still a representative of the company. I called in to order a $600 bike travel case on their website on Monday. I needed this bag for my boss who is traveling with his bike on a flight on Monday (one week later). I wanted to make sure the bag would arrive in time. I got a nice lady on the phone who said they had only one left in the country- in Seattle. She put me on hold and called the store to ensure they had it, I was on hold forever. She came back and said they had found it and were holding it to ship to me. Who in Seattle took this call? And why did they say they had the bag? This person should be fired. The lady on the phone processed my order over the phone and I even paid for expedited shipping. Two days later they email saying the product is no longer available and my order has been cancelled and refunded. That's it. I was traveling and didn't see the email right away. Thanks a bunch REI! I am now going to lose my job over this. My boss will not be able to take his race bike on his flight, as I now have no time to try to source another bag. You lied to me. You have let me down. And now your customer service manager shows no empathy and is doing nothing to really help me. Not what I expected. You have lost a customer for life. My spouse and I have been REI members for a long time. read more

REI - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

"Siri, Canadian to USD" a voice next to me asked as I perused the Altra section. I looked over and standing next to me with shoulder length hair, a horizontal stripes flannel, twill pants, and some very very old yellow ultras that were turning puce, was a dude shopping for shoes also. "There cheaper in Canada, classic REI. How do you get help around here?" My go to approach is to breaking down crying until someone stops to help. This man however opted to raise his hand in the air until a green vest appeared. "Low drop. Trail. Preferably mid rise. Size 9" And Green Vest was off to get to to get to pairs of size 9. Dude informed me that his ride will be there in four minutes. As he was trying on the shoes Dude had a few more questions about colors and Green Vest suggested ordering the one he liked online, to which he said "I gotta dance tonight man". As I pondered whether this was a literal or figurative dance I turned to see what his final choice was, but he was gone. Godspeed Amigo. read more

The customer service in this store is incredible! I'm going camping for the first time in years and thought I would revisit this massive complex of outdoor gear. First, Steve helped me with freeze dried food selections, he actually could cite the flavor of many of the items on the shelf. Recommended the beef stroganoff and then for the gf, the best vegan dish they had (along with another employee's opinion). Since I needed a tent, they suggested the "repurposed" section at top back floor where I found a series of tents that were 25% of the original price because they were returned due to some noted flaw. Found a $150 tent for $26, it had a missing metal dowel at the end of one of the poles. Took it downstairs to repair and Jeff and Karl helped me; Jeff in particular took the pole back room for 10 minutes and came back with a jerry-rigged attachment that will do fine! Great service and if you look around and are flexible, they have steep discounts for premium gear! I'll return! read more

I really love REI, I do. As a matter of fact, I try to visit this store every time I drive down to Seattle. The 3-story flagship store is filled with amazing selections of outdoor gear and possibly almost everything an adventurer would ever want to own. The reason for this one-star review is for an unfortunately unpleasant experience from this past weekend. I like to stop by the Pinnacle Climbing wall when I visit - It's a 65 ft high pinnacle with challenging routes. When you get to the top, you are rewarded to the beautiful landscape of downtown Seattle. I stopped by on Saturday around 4:25. At the counter, there was a "We will be back in 15 minutes!" sign. I noticed a sign up sheet for drop in climbing left on the desk and registered myself for the 5PM time-slot. Walked around the store and browsed a little while waiting for my allotted drop-in climbing time, then returned around 4:50. Still no sight of any employee at the desk. I stood around the desk awaiting as I imagine that I had to take time to pay, set up. I wanted to make use of my session and get as many climbs in as possible. As I was waiting, I was greeted by two staff members at REI. They apologized for the wait then explained that the Pinnacle section of the store is run by another group of employees so they couldn't help me with the payment and belay. They noticed that I was visibly upset and tried let the management team know. I didn't get their names but I really appreciate their sincerity and attempt at helping. Their customer service was remarkable! By 5:05PM, there was still no sign of staff members at the desk. Feeling disappointed and disheartened, I had no choice but to leave. This was my first stop to my Seattle trip, and definitely not the greatest start. read more

See all

I don't myself coming here a lot more than I thought I would. I'm lucky to live around where REI flagship is. It's absolutely huge but still very well organized. I can't stay here too long cause there's always something to get or something to look at cause there's so much stuff! Staff here are generally very nice and attentive but I ran across a pretty rude dressing room person and aloof returns person. Odd encounters but don't want to fault the whole store for this two employees. Others have been good at ensuring we got the size or color we wanted. read more

If I could give 0 stars I would. This flagship location has gone completely downhill both in customer service and ethical standards. I won't be buying from this location or any other for that matter moving forward. REI, you forget you're no longer the only ones selling outdoor equipment. You're slowly being eclipsed by companies who sell affordable gear while also upholding fair business practices. You've lost traction on both. The story in The Seattle Times said enough. I refuse to support a sell-out corporate business who places profits before people. Shame. read more

One of my favorite places for outdoor gear! I had the good fortune to visit their flagship store in Seattle. Awesome!

I went in for a quick pick up, and ended up digging all the details at the store. It is really well put together - not only the selection of items, but also the vibe of the space inside as well as the nature-oriented surrounding outside. A must visit if you love, enjoy, or appreciate outdoors. read more

See all

I want to start this review by saying that this place was recommended as a place to visit while in Seattle because this store is different from all the rest, which it is but I left there feeling unsafe, unwelcome especially since I was with my 1yr old daughter. I walked a mile in the cold and up a hill to get to the store. The only positive experience I had was asking the gentlemen behind the counter where I could get a cold refreshment. He answered politely and personally and even gave me coffee shop recommendations by my hotel. Upon leaving the store I remembered there was a fire pit with chairs by the front exit. I decided to take this opportunity to feed my daughter some lunch by the fire to heat up before heading back tot the hotel. After 5 minutes I was approached by an employee who asked to sit on the other side of the fire. Another minute later another employee sat down next to him. I didn't think anything of it until the security guard came up and looked at the employees and then looked at me. This is when the atmosphere changed and I immediately felt threatened. I packed up her lunch and left. If I can't enjoy 15 minutes of warmth and comfort in front of your store to feed my 1 year old daughter then I will be taking any future business or purchases else where. read more

One of the best outdoor stores I've ever seen. Love the entrance. Huge array of products. Not sure about pricing but we found everything we need within minutes read more

The Mecca of REI. A wonderful two story indoor paradise for all things outdoors. Complete with hiking and bike trails to test out your gear before you purchase and it's own waterfall! What more could you ask for? They graciously provide free one hour parking in their structure below... but we all know that one hour at REI is not enough! Wish they provided validation for free parking with a purchase, but at least they give you the option. Their clearance section is one of the best bc the bigger the store... the bigger the clearance section! Be aware that Seattle has 10% sales tax! Ouch. Even though this isn't the original REI (first one is located in Capitol Hill), this REI is the Disneyland for the outdoorsy. Do yourself a favor and visit this location if you have the opportunity. read more

See all

I love REI, always have! So my friends and I knew we had to visit the flagship store while we were in town, and are glad we made time for a visit! This place is AMAZING! We were blown away! First of all, this place is humongous! I've been to 2 story REIs before, but this place is at least 2-3 times bigger than those stores. Take your typical Best Buy store, but make it a bit bigger and 2 stories, and I'd say that's how big this place is. It's also very well lit as well. And there's no wasted space, this place is filled to the brim with product. The large space here equals so much more stuff than you'd see at your typical REI. I feel like if you can't find it here, you can't find it anywhere. Also, there's a pretty huge section dedicated to just clearance items, which is pretty cool. And the shoe selection is pretty giant as well. Customer service is excellent, and checkout was fast. The ambiance is pretty nice too. It definitely will make you feel like getting your gear together and do something outdoors, lol. Also, this is random, but there's a fireplace in here. How cool is that? It felt like being in a ski lodge or something, lol. Definitely check this place out, you won't regret it. read more

REI - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Nice stop to get out of the heat. Parking is extremely tight (under the store). Really nice REI, larger than any in northern CA. Larger selection of outdoor gear. Great stop if you're visiting Seattle read more

Subpar Customer Service Experience I want to share my frustration about the customer service I got, which was really disappointing. The person I dealt with in the Bike department, named "Bailey B," was not professional at all. She repeatedly gave me wrong information about a new bike I was interested in, like whether it would fit my height and if its parts were available. It was odd that she seemed worried I might want to upgrade the bike I had bought just a month ago. What bothered me even more was when Bailey B suggested that I might take advantage of the return policy if I wanted to exchange my bike for a different one. She also said that people like me had caused REI to change their return policy. This seemed like an unfair generalization. After dealing with her unprofessional behavior for about half an hour, I asked her to be more professional and follow the company's policies. Her response surprised me. She said she was a "business person" in the company's co-op structure and represented the whole company. The disappointment continued during the checkout. I bought a display model of the bike, which had clear dents and scratches on it. Bailey B assured me that the bike would be checked before selling, but she didn't tell me about the scratches. I noticed them the next day. Given all these frustrating experiences, I strongly suggest considering other options for your outdoor gear needs. The customer service at REI is not great, partly because of people like Bailey B who think they can do whatever they want because of the co-op setup. read more

REI is always a class act. It was end of snow ski season, but I wanted to wax my skis one more time for some spring skiing. The technician was very helpful, efficient, and let me know when I could pick up my skis again. The wax job was terrific - and just in time for a PNW snow dump at Stevens! read more

See all

Very nice store they were helpful in all departments except for climbing a employee named mark was rude and made it the customers issue that we didn't know exactly what shoes we were looking for. But the rest of the employees were very friendly will come back but avoid mark. read more

It's a huge REI with a dirt path to test bikes on and an indoor climbing wall! I was super excited to see all the different items they carried compared to other locations. Definitely one of my favorite REI stores I've been to. read more

Always great merchandise as usual, but John Taylor, at the customer service checkout is the absolute best! Helpful, took the time I needed to have my account adjusted. Just a great guy. read more

Super big store with two stories and its own parking lot! Free parking for 0-1 hours M-F and 0-3 hours weekends. So many options to choose from, super friendly and knowledgable employees as usual. Prices are a bit high but it's a well-run company and definitely worth the experience and quality of goods! read more

They have a great team working at their bike repair shop and they've always done things right. I once had asked them to put on a smaller tire than what was on the rims for my bike and they told me that upon trying to place it on they decided that wouldn't be safe. It's good to have my bike taken to a place that cared about me and the bike. They take the time to talk things over with you to make sure you're making the best choice. read more

Pretty shockingly poor customer service, especially in the rental department. Looking at the numerous reviews around customer service and looks like their experience is similar to mine. Beware of their rental department! I had rented 3 ice axes which were supposed to cost me $25 for the day.I wasn't able to return them on time as I was arrived 30 minutes later than their 9pm closing time.So I went back next morning to be the first in line and perhaps plead my case about waiving off the $25 fine ( no such luck, after flashing some fake smiles and asking for first names, the rep said the "policy" didn't allow for it.) Anyways my expectations were pretty low from REI over the years so wasn't too disappointed. The kicker is, the rep said the fine would be added to the credit card and waved me off saying I didn't have to do anything further. After 2 days I get an email that my rental gear wasn't returned! I called in during my work hours to sort out the issue, and after long wait hours finally got someone on the phone and we have a rude exchange as to who was at fault. Apparently the rep did not click on the right button and that's why I got the email that gear wasn't returned. Also my expectation that they could have waived off the $25 was wrong as it was part of the paper work I had signed.( I agreed that was right, but I later realized I could have called in and said I would be late and avoided the late fees, all the rep had to do at the time I was renting was to remind me of that option was open to me, which he didn't. Maybe not his responsibility but for being a co-op that is what I would expect a friendly rep to do, not hope for me to fail and then nickel and dime me. Anyways, after having this heated exchange the rep said that's what it is and slammed the phone. ** I edited my review around charges which I thought were a mistake on REIs part, but turns out it was a mistake on my part where I made a wrong assumption for the what the charge was for (it was for a separate purchase I had made) However, after thinking more about it, my remainder of the review still stays the same with respect to how I was treated by REI seattle rental customer service. It looks like they are a separate department by themselves and a stain to REIs reputation. read more

Advertised as pets allowed, wasn't allowed in with my dog and wasn't allowed to leave her at the front of the store either. read more

REI - Update your info. - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Being an active and outdoorsy kinda gal, I HAD to visit the flagship REI store while in Seattle. As expected this store is so much more than a retail shop. There is an outside sitting area with a fire pit where you can relax. Along with the normal REI classes offered, this location has a rock climbing wall, so make sure you sign up before hand for that experience! The parking garage is connected next to the store and offer the first bit of time for free. If you're like me, you are not in an out of an REI typically in 5 minutes. This place is two stories and filled with just about everything you need for any activity. This was a purpose trip as I was in the market for new hiking boots since I failed to pack them and we were planning to go to Mount Rainier the next day. The young lady that assisted me was very patient and helpful. I explained what I needed in a boot and she recommended what I think may be the perfect shoe for me. REI can get a little pricey on things buuuut the bigger the store the larger area for sales rack. Yep, I got lost in the racks of bargains. Maybe it was my lucky day but there were a lot of great deals. Also, when you join the REI co op you can return items if you need for up to 365 days. Even if you've used the item. That gives some piece of mind in buying I think. read more

See all

Wow, coolest REI store ever! I came here on a weekday, so it wasn't super busy; I would say there were an average number of customers here for the size of the store. Amazing outdoor area that makes you feel like you're out on a nature hike instead of a store, especially with the mini waterfall. A good selection of items, including the garage sale items upstairs for REI members only (final sale). Staff were friendly and helpful, but sometimes you have to chase after them; they are busy! There's also a kiddie area on the top level to keep kids occupied on the plastic indoor playground. Restrooms are upstairs are clean. This REI also has a ranger from National Park Service. Although I did not buy anything during my visit (I wish there were better deals/sales), I definitely do not regret stepping into this store. This store seems to be on the more touristy side since it is a flagship store, so I suggest coming on a weekday if possible. read more

Always great to get to explore the store ordered a throw back 80's 90's picnic cooler for pickup got a chance today to make it into the city the customer service at the pickup counter was friendly and great! I should come to this place more often with the first of spring and phase 3 coming up! read more

See all

Solid selection of sporting/outdoors-wear. We had to rush here right before closing because we were whale-watching the next day and my fiancé suddenly remembered he hadn't packed a jacket... I got a cozy North Face windbreaker as well (not a fleece; I'm from New England and have seen enough of those that the very idea of them makes me queasy.) Prices are a little high, but we found what we needed quickly and the older gentleman who checked us out was a sweetie. Our very rushed trip here was ultimately successful. read more

This place is HUUuUUUGE! Why shouldn't we go to the REI flagship store if we're in the area?!!? There are multiple levels at this REI. . . A huge rock wall.. a whole course outside in case you want to test out your bike or your rollerblades? There's small hiking trails around the store. It's a whole maze to get in... it's nice. Walking around in here seems like as if you're in the forrest. :D There are tons of things they carry here that they don't have in other REI stores too! read more

This is an amazing store. It's got basically everything you need for camping or being outdoors. Even when you walk up to the store, you've got to to go through the urban forest, which in itself is worth checking out. There are plenty of places to test out gear (e.g. rocky slopes instead of stairs) and there are multiple spaces where you can check out tent capacity, see how well you fit in a kayak or how well those new shoes will do for rock climbing! Some of the lines they carry have REALLY different sizing (even if the REI branded clothes are pretty consistent). There are some pretty nice things in there but a fair bit of it was quite pricey. $80 for a plaid shirt? Okay, it was a nice shirt, but still, for something that's polyester... Customer service is really good in there; everyone I spoke to who worked there was super helpful and friendly, even though they're having a sale on at the moment and they were super busy. There's plenty of parking under the store, but you only get one hour of free parking, which is a little lame considering there's SO much to explore in the store that you're going to be there for over an hour by default, and you're going to be forking out a bunch of money anyway. read more

REI - Store interior! - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all