***************Wow! Awesome Flag Ship Store!****************** Walking on the streets towards REI I looked up. I saw this tall giant of a structure. It was an awesome indoor rock climbing wall. The tallest and baddest one of all! A precursor of what's to be seen inside:) As you walk in you will pass a bike trail? What? Yeah! A place where you can take your bike on a quick test. I was so excited to get inside it was hard not to bolt towards the main door. But wait-I can't there's so many more things to enjoy before the front door. A waterfall will welcome you to your right as you proceed a few steps further. I am so impressed. It's almost I'm back in the forest. It's so lush with greens and flowing water that I almost forgot I am simply in Seattle REI. Before you get to the main double doors you will pass several clocks with different cool peaks. One was for Mt. Everest.. awesome! Two story of gear madness! I was in heaven. They even have a huge fireplace on the first floor. I saw a couple people there chillin out reading their survival book:) They have the Jansport Kids Camp that was so cute. The tree house was adorable. Check out the Foot gear test trail. It was like the test trail for my Rover! Anything and everything that you need is here. Very upbeat staff. Helpful and proud of their work place. I would be too! read more

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Called the day before going to see if they sold National Park Passes and I have to say the guy i talked to was so absolutely amazing and friendly. This store is so clean and organized and has plenty of staff for any questions or help. The ranger that sold the pass was quick and efficient. Walked around and shopped and was very pleased with the setup in the store. Very spacious and organized. The cashier I had was so nice and pleasant. The staff are all so knowledgeable and patient. I was so impressed I bought a membership and plan on shopping online too. In a society where good customer service is hard to find this was so refreshing and amazing! I could have stayed for hours. I give it 20 stars!!! *************************** read more

Fabulous, knowledgeable service w a (masked) smile. Well organized & clean stores (Portland & Seattle). Quick service checking out incl reactivating of old membership! read more

This place was huge! Couldn't bring anything back because there were absolutely no space in our luggage but great place to visit if you love the outdoors. read more

REI in South Lake Union is a special place- seriously, it's a fun tourist destination too with its parklike setting with waterfalls, hiking trails and even a giant climbing wall - it's an outdoors enthusiasts urban dream! The store doesn't have a lot of parking and the garage fills up quick. So my advice; go early and go on a weekday if possible. If you don't mind walking though - there is an abundance of on street parking nearby too. But South Lake Union is a busy so again your best bet is to go early. This particular REI is two floors of beautifully tempting treasures! Of all the stores I've been to over the years, I feel like this one has the largest departments and lots of inventory on hand. On the rare occasion they are out of a particular style or size- you can order online and ship to the store with free shipping! The South Lake Union REI has huge selections of everything you'd need for camping, hiking, biking, fishing, climbing, etc here in the Pacific Northwest! Thinking about taking up kayaking or trail running? How about just a quick overnight car camping trip? The staff at REI can walk you through everything you'll need and have lots of helpful tips and advice for beginners in your chosen activity or those just new to the area. Every time I visit an REI it's been a positive experience. The staff all seem very knowledgeable and friendly. They don't work on commission so there's no hassle or added pressure. They are all outdoors enthusiasts themselves and just seem genuinely interested in helping you have a good experience outdoors with the products the store has to offer. They have all kinds of clinics and classes you can sign up for too. Want to find a hiking group or go on a nature hike with a botanist? The folks at REI can hook you up or point you in the right direction of some great local resources. Over the years we've bought all kinds of gear at REI: polar fleece everything, sleeping bags, daypacks, travel packs and purses, sandals, hiking boots, snow boots, coats, t-shirts, cooking gear, even hand lotion and so many others. We've had great experiences with it all. They have a strong member satisfaction guarantee as a co-op and seem to really care about the customer. Good quality products that work well and last. All of this keeps me coming back to REI! read more

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CLOWN SHOW I brought back a fabric rainproofing spray for which I paid a lot of money, because it clearly didn't work after 2 tries following directions on the can. The clerk told me it had really worked and I just didn't sufficiently notice it. Ha ha, that's a knee slapper. Of course, his manager was not available. Do yourself a favor and shop elsewhere where it isn't a CLOWN SHOW. read more

Huge store in downtown Seattle that I never knew existed! It's hidden and feels more like a universal studios attraction than a store as you walk through the trees and paths up to the entrance. Huge selection of high quality outdoor gear. Most of it is too expensive for me since I'm not an avid outdoor enthusiast so I usually just browse and check out the clearance racks. It's worth checking out just due to its location and size. Check out is agonizingly slow and lines are often long. Maybe this is due to the pandemic but associates just seem incredibly slow. read more

Problems with garage: crowded, poor signage, dark, PLUS YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT so, essentially you're paying to shop at REI. Problems with customer service: woefully understaffed so that even on a weekday, early in the day, you wait to be helped then you wait in long lines to get to a cashier. REI is not good on customer relations, that's for sure. They do things to aggravate. read more

This is by far my favorite REI location to visit. The walk up from the parking lot is enough to get you excited for your next hiking adventure! I literally don't mind parking way down on the lower levels of the parking garage here because I enjoy the foliage surrounding the staircase up to the entrance. That being said this location has everything you could possibly be looking for in an outdoor store. They rent tents, sleeping bags, gear, etc, they guarantee all of the products they sell, and their customer service is amazing. They also have crazy good garage sells a few times each year - but those can get a little crazy so be prepared if you're coming for that frenzy! Parking is free for the first hour so it's convenient despite being downtown. There is a cool rock wall for enthusiasts that want a little physical challenge while they are enjoying this retail mecca. read more

I know... everyone loves "REI". It's definitely a tourist must see and you have to love the rock climbing, rustic setting and stone fireplace. REI is the place to get outfitted for climbing Mt. Rainier. You can spend an hours browsing all the varity of camping and outdoor gear. And the building, biking trail and falling water makes me think of Frank Lloyd Wright's "Falling Water". Now for some tough love . . . Although the parking if free, it can be daunting to get into and navigating the garage. The parking spots are all compact and the attendants will still let cars into the garage even when at capacity and completely full. REI prices are typically full retail price; so REI is great for viewing and then waiting for their 20% off sale coupons (for members) or comparison shop online. Lastly, I'd like to see changes at the food cafe to have more diversity, rotate the franchise or more of family hang out with some leather couches and WIFI; like embed a "flagship" Starbucks in the "flagship" REI That said, REI is an must see in Seattle. ...and of course we all love "REI". read more

Massive inventory. Miss the old days when it was more focused and they weren't playing grocery store tricks near the checkout (walk by hundreds of little products---most of which you don't need or want). Staff insight is mixed. Quality is mixed too. read more

Just came here to say that Marco is an angel. He was so patient with me and my friend who came in the other day with 2 damaged items. Totally helped us out in a time crunch. Such a great experience, was able to set out on the trip with everything we needed the next day! read more

REI - New Osprey Hydraulics Reservoir after my first one broke! - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The REI Flagship store...where all of your hopes, dreams, and money come to play. This location is my preferred location because they have a much larger selection than the other stores, through right now there's some construction going on in the footwear and women's departments. Huge climbing wall and a nice outdoor area to test out the bicycles, this REI is definitely the one to go to! read more

I have been a member since the 1980s. When they offered electronic communications instead of mailings, I signed up. Several years ago for some reason I stopped receiving emails, which meant I received no notifications of sales or member coupons. A staff member at customer service tried to help. Everything on my account was set up correctly. Tried online customer service, who did not know what to do, who said they would get in touch with tech support. Never heard back. Have gone online several times to send emails. No response despite verbiage about how oriented they are in service to members. Finally reached out to a Board member: can't remember which one. No response. That is lame when a member-owned co-op doesn't respond to a member. read more

REI Seattle bike tech's are the best in the business. Honest, Quick and friendly never goes out of style.Thank you

Wasted time driving to two separate stores after a preorder only to be told they were out of stock, and can't use my rewards after they messed up. Have to wait to 10 days for a check after using if THEY mess up read more

Beautiful huge flagship store with indoor rock climbing! Its size is impressive and all the decor are amazing. I personally love REI, materials/quality is always good, and variety offered is amazing! If it isn't so expensive I would always shop here if I could afford to. It's a cool place to visit nonetheless. read more

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This is the flagship store with an amazing 3 floors of outdoor gear with an enormous selection. A 30 ft rock wall located inside, an outdoor mtn bike trail to test out MTB's and a little rock surface located next to the shoes to test out hiking boots. They have thought of pretty much everything! It's super organized with room to roam around without feeling like you're in a sardine can. THIS STORE HAS A RANGER STATION LOCATED INSIDE THE REI itself. The workers here are all exceptional and willing to help with any questions or queries. Come by this store when you're here in Seattle. You won't regret it (until you get your CC statement) but it's a long term investment in FUN! read more

REI - Multilevel 3 FLOOR REI - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I got hiking shoes and the service was the best I have ever received for buying shoes. Tsetop was incredibly insightful with his advice and helped me test out several pairs. I found one I'm very happy with. Shoutout Tsetop. read more

REI has been a fixture of the Pacific Northwest for decades. It has always been solid and consistent, with great products and great service. I've been to a few different REI store locations throughout the years. However, my experience at the South Lake Union REI this past Wednesday has left me feeling particularly appreciative of the wonderful employees at this REI location. As always, the store is beautifully laid out, well-stocked, and well-staffed. I popped in to this REI after my hair appointment down the street. I was happy with my new haircut, and I was looking forward to picking up a few cold-weather essentials at REI. My husband and I are REI members, so we got 20% off on the one full-price item that I picked, plus a $17 dividend that I have no idea why we had, but that got applied to my order too. My other items were all 30% off, so I was happy about that as well. I very recently bought a black fake-leather moto jacket from a random online amazon seller because I didn't want to pay the price for a real-leather one. I've bought a few cheap items from random amazon sellers before and most of them have worked out fine. However, while I was at this REI location, my new moto jacket bunched up on my arms and stuck fast to the black velvet shirt underneath it. I yanked and tugged at it several times to try to get the jacket off, but it wouldn't budge! It got to the point where it was cutting off my circulation in both of my arms around my elbows. Literally THE weirdest experience I've ever had with an item of clothing in my entire life! Just to be absolutely clear, I did NOT purchase this jacket from REI, this incident occurred while I happened to be located AT the REI! My house was a good 20 minutes away, and I had another hour before my husband was going to swing by and pick me up at this REI on his way home from work. The jacket situation was getting more dire by the minute. I started getting concerned about the potential effects of prolonged hampered circulation in my arms. I explained the situation to the REI employee near the front entry door (I'd already bought my REI items, sat near the outdoor fire for a bit - during which time the jacket situation got much worse - and then I went back into the store again). The REI employee was amazing. He cheerfully responded to me as though customers come in every day asking to buy or borrow a set of strong shears to cut their malfunctioning jacket sleeves off of their arms. He pointed me to the snow sports section, where 2 brilliant employees found me a set of heavy-duty shears and one of them came up with the idea for me to cut my jacket into a new vest so that it wasn't a total loss for me! Again, this jacket was NOT their merchandise, and it didn't need to be their problem, but they were super invested in helping me solve it! I felt so relieved and so grateful. I am now in possession of a pretty sweet black fake leather moto vest and a huge amount of gratitude in my heart to REI that probably won't ever subside. So much thanks to everyone who helped me that day. Literally not a single employee in that store gave me even the slightest hint of a weird look during what was a really weird situation! REI, you have my business for life. Thanks again. read more

I love the Downtown REI because they have so much more selections and each department is triple the size of my Tukwila branch and parking is free. So, once in awhile Ra nice to go there and explore and see what they have! read more

Incredible - an amazing store with great employees!!!! Thank you Kelsey for helping me pick out my Hoka sneakers!! Not only was she knowledgable, but has such patience and understanding of shoes and their fit as well as people and their problematic arches. What started as a sock sale ended as a great experience with a cool new pair of sneakers. The store is a must see if you're visiting Seattle from the outdoor and indoor fireplaces, the selection of outdoor gear and gadgets - we love our new compression dry sack for traveling! We also loved all the other helpful employees in the men's jacket section as they were so helpful in explaining the materials in the clothing. What a great experience!! Forgot to mention the fun playground for kids - they were all laughing and great to see such happy kids! read more

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Long time member giving REI 1 star for holding me and many other members hostage in their parking garage with a defective payment system and no attendant. Not what I want after spending $1300.00. read more

Pretty pricey and nothing special overall. Place seems to be more hype than anything. They do have some cool stuff, but the selections really weren't that big. read more

By far the largest REI I've had the pleasure to visit!! In addition to the beautiful garden walk wrapping around the store there is also a rock wall inside. Excellent selection of women's technical and leisure attire, bicycle center, kayaks, back packs, maps, food, tents, camping supplies, shoes, and more! Only downside is the parking. I am not a fan of basement structure parking alas this seems like the norm in this area so it can't be counted against the rating. read more

REI - Street view - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Hello REI, 5 digit co-op member here. why are you recently always out of stock of what I want??? 3rd trip this month to your so called flagship store and again the item I came for is out of stock; and your web site is so clunky one can't determine if you have it in stock ; like one can at even Home Depot. It doesn't seem to be a supply issue as every item was available for shipping on-line; I see it as a store management issue. read more

If youre comsidering buying anything from REI, keep considering. You can do better on price elsewhere. And if you order something from the website it will never arrive, and they just put you on hold till you give up and hang up. Obviously i will find other places to spend lots of money on commonly available gear...you know, someone tolerable to do business with. Id encourage anyone else to do the same. read more

Nathan at the Bicycle repair shop was incredibly cautious about germs. He brought the bikes outside for us. He sanitized them before we touched them. He work a mask and maintained at least six feet of distance with us, even though we had papers to sign. He even sanitized the pen for signing! I appreciate his careful attention to detail and his friendly service! I'm a long time REI member. All their products are selected for quality and I feel good about shopping there. As a co-op I know their $ goes to members and employees not stockholders or wealthy owners. Big REI fan!!! read more

Went there today. It's an outdoor store in Seattle and I was turned away because I have my dog with me. How are you headquartered in Seattle and NOT dog friendly?! Maybe I just have unrealistic expectations, but this is the first outdoor store I can remember that only service animals allowed. Needless to say, they lost my business. I guess I can just go to a competitor or order on Amazon - free same day! read more

I'm not lying when I say this is the best bike shop I have ever been to. The mechanics are approachable and knowledgeable and there is none of the ego or closed mindedness I have found at other shops. Impeccable quality and great attitudes. As for the rest of this store, top tier service. read more

Too many unwanted customers around. I don't feel safe shopping here anymore. Too many homeless

Love the variety and quality of products, but BEWARE of the $100 credit card offer with Capital One. Was issued a card in Sept 2022, met all the requirements for the $100 REÍ credit, received nothing! Called the bank, asked in the local store, even sent an email to REÍ . . . NOTHING! read more

A must visit if you have never been! I was blown away by the size of this REI in comparison to all of the locations in California (2 stories). There's an amazing outdoor area with a mini waterfall, huge parking structure, tons of things on display, and a HUGE clearance section. Parking in the structure does need to get validated, and can be quickly filled up. read more

There's a reason why this is the flagship store! It's an amazing property including a rock climbing wall and mini bike trail path to try on bicycles. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful and you can get lost in this shop for hours. I find it easy to park on Sundays when street parking is free. read more

Purchased some snowboarding gear in-store prior to a trip up to Whistler. One of the items purchased was a $300 Arc'teryx jacket. On the first very day of snowboarding, a tear/hole developed about 1 inch to the left of the zipper, probably when I fell. The expectation for a $300+ jacket is that it should be durable enough to last beyond a single day of use. Went to the store to return it and was told that their policy is that "accidental" wear means that it is exempt from the return policy. I was also given the suggestion to "put some tape on it." A jacket that tears after one day seems much more like a defect to me rather than accidental wear, and I have no confidence that it will hold up if I were to continue to use it. Called corporate customer service to appeal and they said that they would most likely abide by the Store's decision but were willing to give me "40%" off an additional jacket purchase instead. I declined. Will never purchase from here again, nor will I recommend any of my friends/family to come here. read more

Here's what you need to know about this place and none of that die-hard fanboy stuff. - This is the flagship store, so its huge. It has lots of stuff and a lot of PNW outdoorsy folks that work there. - There's an outdoor area and even a sick wall that you could hang about. - Prices are pretty average and properly vouched for (per REI standard) Here are the Cons that I noticed from a couple of recent visit: - Yes there's an outdoor area but I actually expected more.. - The signage wasn't updated. The roof rack/rails were not where its supposed to be. - I was hoping to see more exhibits for the novice folks Maybe my expectation was too high but when you say flagship I was expecting more than just 3 REI jam-packed in one lot then put it next to the freeway away from everything else. But REI still deserved 4 stars. I'm just not a fan of the "flagship" store. read more

Camping and outdoor goods are in high demand (Aug '21) as people try to get out in nature during the pandemic. While many of those kind of items are in low stock, the staff at REI were helpful and informative. HUGE shout out to Steve, who turned out to be our camping guardian angel and was able to find a workaround for what we needed. He saved our camping vacation!! read more

This review is not for the store per say, but for the ranger station inside the store. I cannot say how impressed I was with the rangers there. They have National Park, Forest Service, and State Park representation there (not all at the same time). It's where I will always go now for all my parking passes (can't we just combine everything and have one pass! :P) I've dealt with 3 different rangers so far and they were all super knowledgeable, and very helpful in giving me trip advice. They will even take the time going over bear safety, LNT, trail etiquette, and whatever else you may have questions about. I'll be heading down there in a couple of weeks to talk about my next trip! :) read more

I went in today looking for mens' pants. I wear a size 28 waist, which most stores usually carry at least a few of. The smallest I could find was 30, so I asked a worker if they had any 28s in stock. He replied, "Well, you could just put some meat on those bones! Just kidding!" He then looked for five minutes on his phone to tell me they don't have any 28s but I could get some pants with drawstrings and maybe I could pull those tight enough. That comment crosses the line from bad customer service to rude. So be aware that if you don't meet their standard of what size a man should be you may end up feeling like you're back in middle school or at dinner with your overly-concerned great aunt. read more

I received a set of six Yetti mugs for my birthday they didn't fit my cup holders on my boat so I went in to exchange them for a tall style. When I arrived the answer was no receipt no exchange. I've been an REI member for over 42 years. Needless to say super poor customer service and the manager made me wait 10 minutes only to say the same policy. I guess I'm used to Nordstrom, Costco and Home Depot. REI doesn't even come close in regard to customer service. Pretty poor experience. read more