I haven't been to REI in a while so I was unaware that they opened up a new building dedicated to…read moreaction sports only: biking, skiing, snowboarding, etc. It was a nice surprise to have more options and to have the extra space to roam around. Since REI is located in an industrial street, there are many parking spots available for this building and the main building. My husband and I took our snowboards to get waxed. This time around, we opted to pay for the hot wax as opposed to their free machine wax. The hot wax is usually $36 each but they were having a promo that it's half off until March. We went on a Saturday mid-afternoon and it took only about 20 minutes. I also wanted to buy some new boots and I put my name down on the sign up sheet on the clipboard. I was the next one in line and thought the wait wouldn't be too long but I still ended up waiting about 30 minutes to be seen. It seemed there was only one guy dedicated to the boot fitting area. After a while, I ended up approaching another worker and thankfully he said he was able to help me out. *Tip if you're going for boot fitting: put your name down on the list but also just ask anyone with a green vest to see if they can help you out so you don't end up unnecessarily waiting a while. I'd like to give Mike a huge shoutout for helping me find the right boots! He was so personable and he took the time to explain what I should feel. He suggested I put insoles in my boots because I have flatter feet and it made a whole difference, so I really appreciate that. Overall, we had a great experience and received wonderful customer experience between getting our boards waxed, fitting for my new boots, and checking out.

Shopping in San Diego, California…read more.. My cousins didn't have many shopping requests, but REI was one of them. We don't have REI in Hawaii, so I was game. REI stands for Recreation Equipment, Inc. Most of the merchandise seems to be geared towards camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities. I saw tents, sleeping bags, campfire cooking equipment, sunglasses, clothing, shoes, bags, first aid kits, and more! My cousin was so happy to find a pair of name brand flip flops for half off (around $50). My other cousin bought some dry-fit clothing. As long as they're happy, right? They are literally Happy Campers! =D

We had a fantastic experience at Hansens in Encinitas! My fiancé and I stopped by on a lovely day…read moreand checked out their snow sale. I tried on a bunch of jackets and pants--shoutout to London at the fitting rooms, who was lovely! I initially left with a total of $381.58. But later, I noticed a couple of discrepancies: the jacket's discount was miscalculated and the pants were mislabeled as XS when they were actually smalls. After some research, I found the items for less on Amazon, so we called Hansens. My fiancé spoke with them, and they were willing to price match. Enter Patty, the awesome manager! Patty was incredibly kind and helpful--she matched the Amazon price and gave me a partial refund right on the existing order. I didn't even have to drive back to Encinitas or hassle with a return. Thanks to Patty Bolton and the team, everything was made right--and I'd absolutely recommend Hansens to anyone! 5 stars

Haven't been to this store in a long while. Went to the snowboard rental section and the staff and…read moreservice was amazing. They made it real easy to pick out the right board and bindings for my son. As far as snow rentals, I highly recommend these individuals.

These guys rule. Great location, expert technicians, friendly & chill neighborhood vibe. So awesome…read moreto be able to have all your ski/board repairs & maintenance done in town at a local shop. Up at the mountain you'll pay way too much and it will be a pain. At the big box stores, you're not likely to get the quality of skill and knowledge. This is the sweet spot to get it all taken care of at your own convenience. The guys even went out of their way to help me with a technical issue I had despite it not being any business for them. I'd trust them with any of my family's skis, boards and bikes.

The most helpful staff, and great hours of operation. When I tried calling other bike shops they…read moredidn't wanna help or they had long wait times. I'm so thankful for this place! Highly recommend. Good pricing, lots of stock on hand.

Small local surf, skate, and snow shop! You'd be surprised how much they can fit in the store and…read moreit's bigger than you'd expect. Great selection and carry some brands I was surprised to see but also stoked to see. Alec was solid help and super nice! Great knowing that this is less than 5 minutes from me

The guys at Wavelines were really helpful and friendly when I went in to buy a wetsuit for my son…read more I definitely recommend this store!!

OMGGG..I can not rave enough about this place!!! Ever since a good friend recommended it to me…read moreyears ago, my fam and I have since come back for our EVERY snow need. PF Powder (aka P.F. McMullin Snowboard and Ski Co) is a cute small business ~ literally your one stop shop, specializing in all things ski & snowboard. It's located in Santa Ana in the deserted looking Edinger Business Park. They are definitely known for their discount prices on all winter/snow-related gear, outerwear, and accessories, as well as services like waxing, tuning, and rentals. When you walk in, the store is so neatly arranged and organized, it's super easy to find everything you are looking for. After coming here for so long, I legit just discovered that upstairs houses their "gently used" section, for those looking for an even more affordable option. The workers are super friendly, with a chill vibe. Everyone is knowledgeable & always willing you help you. My lil fam of 4 snowboards every year, so we have come here (year after year) to update our snow outfits, to googles, boots, snow socks, thermals, & beanies. You name it, they have it..AND we've bought it! Even when my kiddies wear younger..babies, we even got sledding/tubing gear here, so they could play in the snow. We really appreciate the affordable prices ~ ranging to discounted ones to more pricey name brands. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

It's been like 20 years since I've gone or touched a snowboard. I was out of touch with all the new…read moregear and board types but the two people working there were SO helpful with everything. Helped me pick a board, boots, and bindings. It's been so long since I have been anywhere that actually has good customer service. Im glad to see some stores still have it.

My lesson here was absolutely wonderful and necessary! I had tried to learn snowboarding during one…read moreseason and did not have much success. This year I decided to do an intro lesson before heading back on the mountain and it really helped me to get the basics of snowboarding. Mieu was my incredibly patient and kind instructor that helped me throughout my entire lesson. She gave me great tips and would correct my form, stance, balance, etc right away. She explained so much of what I was struggling with and was clear and concise. I felt way more confident going back to the mountain for my next season. I look forward to more lessons in the future!

I have been snowboarding since I was 7 years old and have never been able to master the toe side…read moreturn. One lesson with Mark, and after 16 years of being a heel side warrior, I was finally able to do it! I took a lesson 2 days before my Mammoth trip and videos are attached of me getting it. I really didn't know how well the simulator was going to translate to the mountain but best believe that I will be telling all my friends about this awesome place!

My son had an issue with one of the vendors at the San Diego event this year but after contacting…read morethe SnowJam staff we were able to get everything taken care of. Big thanks to Andrew at SnowJam for responding immediately, being understanding and making things right. He really went above and beyond to solve our problem quickly and made the whole process hassle free.

Not worth it. No brand-name things aside from skis and goggles, but the discount wasn't even that…read moregood espress09 for very old models (majority of skis were about $500) I can find better at the end of season in New Hampshire... All the ski seem to be really old models too, I guess it's a bonus if they come with bindings but those are also no-name brands which I wouldn't trust. Why would you put some crappy bindings on Nordicas or volkls??Aside from clothes and gear there are a couple of mountains that have spin- the-wheel- win-a-free-keychain type of deals and a couple of booths with Desperate sales people trying to get you into a timeshare presentation. I wouldn't even go to this if it were free but it costs $33. Such a waste of money!

Not many good ski tuning options in SD county but I'm glad I stumbled across Encinitas Ski and…read moreSnow! Fair pricing, knowledgeable staff and quick turnarounds. When I need rentals for Friends, I bring them here. They get them fitted quickly and confidently and that's amazing for a new skiers first time. They have flexible schedules for rental returns as well and again GREAT PRICING. This really is the best ski shop in SD!

I decided to take a last minute ski trip land realized my skis needed to be waxed and scraped of…read moresome rust and they were so kind and able to fit me in despite the last minute notice. The worker even helped me find a way to get the best bang for buck.

We went to Dicks in Point Loma to get a bike for my son's birthday. Cliff was extremely helpful,…read moregot him all set up, and made a big deal out of his birthday. The whole experience was so fun and successful thanks to Cliff!

I like how the in-house gym market is growing to include an ice pod & your own sauna box. These…read morethings are epic cool and small enough that you can put them in yo tiny SD pad. Customer service is scarce and rando, some are happy workers while others were not so cool and a bit annoying. Good thing we allll gots the internet to be our #1 CS.