REI

We had a family camping trip planned and made some purchases as this REI store. the night of the trip we had a family emergency and basically had to cancel, and drop everything, due to the circumstances everything was in a state of disarray. When everything settled we decided to keep the things that we had taken out of the packaging, but had one item that we wished to return (note this was only two days later). we went to the store, had the associate put a return sticker on it and then went to customer service. We explained the situation and said that we have the credit card that we purchased it with and it had only been two days, he basically threw it across the counter and said «sorry, without a receipt, cant help you» and that was it, not even really making eye contact, or trying to assist, paying more attention to his computer screen. I mentioned «well, I guess we will not be shopping here any longer.» and still nothing, no attempt as service recovery or anything, losing long term customers over one item and also adding insult to injury by treating customers that have had an unfortunate incident as more of an inconvenience than anything else. Unbelievable, I get having a policy in place for returns, but being able to use your discernment on a case by case basis also says something about wisdom and in this case there was obviously an individual and store policy that was and is afflicted by lack of both.

I needed a good pair of hiking shoes and some of the kind folks on Unilocal recommend REI. My last experience with REI was in 1970 when I ordered my first down coat from their catalogue. I believe they had one store in Seattle at that time. Who knew REI would grow into this glitzy, outdoor worldwide emporium.
This store is huge, but with lots of friendly, natural and hearty employees willing to assist you. I needed help because I was way outside my element. Being the New York slob that I am, I know my way around the IRT much better than REI. All these folks look so healthy!
I found the massive wall of shoes and came close to wailing, but realized I wasn’t in Israel and someone would be bound to help me. Maura came to my aid and handled my bewilderment well. When I mentioned all the shoes looked ugly, she was able to laugh at my schtick and agreed. There was some difficulty finding a pair that fit, since I have small feet and outdoorsy types must all be big. (No inference! Just my feet are small!) She steered me clear of what I didn’t need, and we settled on a homely pair of Addidas in close to the right size plus a pair of socks. That afternoon, I hiked the entire City Creek Canyon to the final cul du sac in my new shoes from my downtown apartment. I felt like a real outdoor dude. (not really). REI was a good choice and thanks.

Everytime I come here I want to spend my whole check. They carry really good quality products, and have some good deals when they have a sale. I bought my townie bike from here with my 20% off coupon which made it $ 150 off. I like this location more than the other ones since it’s bigger and has a good selection of stuff.

This store is an little slice of outdoor lover heaven. A little expensive yes, but otherwise has everything you might ever need. I am actually glad there is not one in Ogden because I would probably spend my entire pay check there.

Every time I go in here I feel like I am at home. The people are so helpful, friendly and laid back. Their customer service is impeccable too. I had a watch the broke after about 9 months and when I took it in, they gave me my money back for it, no questions asked whatsoever! Their prices are very competitive especially if you are a member, and you get the 10% dividend at the end of the year. Anything that I can buy at REI, I do, because I have been so impressed with their service and loyalty to their customers.

Their stuff is overpriced and they close too early on Saturdays. I went elsewhere to buy my stuff for a much better price. What retail business closes at 7pm. Proof right there that they don’t want my business. Obviously they don’t need my money.

Best customer service around! I tried on ski boots and got a great lesson on how they should fit and how to put them on, etc. I then rented skis and became an REI member when i learned about the benefits and 10% dividends received back each year. Great gear for everything outdoors.

Being new to SLC, we went to REI to get some maps for hiking. The gentleman in the map section was really helpful and friendly. He recommended several maps and books and told us where we could go hiking with the pup.

If you love the outdoors, then this is your joint. Mountain biking to snow shoeing, they have it. Why in the hell people would want to camp is beyond me but REI sells the best of it. Faux food, Gawd!!! Im not that dedicated… well I love to shop so North Face brings me in. When I was in high school, hiking boots and teavas were all the rage so REI was the «cool» place to go. So i have been coming here a while. Really good customer service. And the cherry on top? The chow truck parks in the parking lot once in a while.

This year I decided it was time to buy a new snowboard set up and started my search at REI. When I got to the snowboard section I was surprised to see that many of the boots were unlaced and sloppily placed on their displays. I had to walk around to find a sales associate to help me with questions on boards and get sizes for boots to try on. When I found one and asked him for help he brushed me away and told me to look for someone else, seemed another by me asking. A few minutes later a guy walked by and asked if I needed help, I had him get me a boot and asked some questions on some boards. Although this man was a lot nicer than the first, he did not seem to know much about the equipment nor did he offer to get someone that did.
Needless to say I did not buy from REI.
I’m not sure if it was my age (20) or that some people don’t like the snowboarder image for the way the first guy treated me. Maybe he did not think I was a serious buyer. I can’t understand how an employee could treat someone who was going to spend $ 1,000 + dollars.
I do not know if I will return to REI but if I do I hope to be served better.

I have been shopping at REI for many years and was happy to see an REI location here in Salt Lake City filled with so many wonderful winter items while I was on vacation late December.
With Salt Lake City snowing so much during our vacation (and with such cold temperatures… please note that I was born and raised in So. Cal where it is MUCH warmer), it is no surprise that this location had a great selection (and plenty of items) of warm winter gear (perfect for skiing and boarding too). Much more than the REI location I frequent back at home.
But anyways, when I entered this store, a few employees had greeted me and asked if I was looking for anything in particular. It was nice to see that employees were available on the sales floor to help customers in case they need it.
On this visit, most winter clothing was 20−30% off, which I ended up purchasing a few items (since Salt Lake City ended up being much colder than I was expecting. in the single digits!).
The woman’s restroom was clean upon this visit.
Would come back here again if I was in the area.

I feel like an idiot for raving about REI to everyone I know all over the place. Today I had a very uncomfortable experience where I was publicly shamed by a customer service representative after I was attempting to return a helmet that did not fit me safely.
The employee was assuming that I was «working the system» and said that «If you continue to do this, you don’t deserve to have a membership».
I’ve had a membership for 3+ years and have returned maybe 2 items in this time…
This experience left me with a sour taste in my mouth. But I am VERY lucky to live in Salt Lake City, UT where buying exceptional local outdoor equipment from smaller companies is so easy and available.
REI broke my heart today. =[

I love this store everywhere. Awesome gear. Awesome staff at literally every location I’ve been to. I used to work next to the corporate office too and even they were rad. The return policy for members is great too. This particulate store was huge and had so many friendly people just waiting to help. Way to go REI!!!

I’ve been here twice this week to get rain gear and yoga pants. Their in-​store brand clothing is about half the cost of North Face, Colombia, Kuhl, Arcterex, etc. which they also carry. They give you ten percent back once a year on what you spend if you are a club member. They have decent sales at the end of seasons. The employees are very mellow – they don’t care how many items you take in a dressing room and are good to check inventory. Their online service is good too.

Overall, I usually enjoy spending time, browsing, checking out products and getting what I may need for my next adventure. This location offers a lot of merchandise in comparison to other stores, however, they leave big gaps in selection and products. The parking lot is a always a nightmare! There’s usually no parking and tons of Subarus with bike racks sticking half way out of their spots.
On my last visit, I was shocked when I found out they don’t have ANY KNEE, SHIN, ELBOW, OR ARM GUARDS! They have a large glove selection for biking, and a decent helmet selection. I figured they would have a few styles at least for the effort of safety; sadly, they don’t stock them at all! Safety first!
REI is ridiculously overpriced on just about everything they sell. I usually will check an item out in person in the store and purchase it online for much cheaper price and usually, with a fantastic return policy and fast shipping… unless I need the items for the same day, or next day.
Some of the staff members are awesome, and super friendly, with a thorough and detailed amount of expertise on the products. It’s unfortunate though that more often than not, they tend to be clueless to their departments’ products, the functions of an item, or simply have no concern for doing their job whatsoever. The last 2 times I was here I noticed the people working the product displays were simply rude. I actually had one of the ladies at the electrolyte tablet and mixes you add to water (I don’t remember the brand name) insult me in regards to my outfit of shorts and a tanktop, nothing skanky or inappropriate.
If you have a membership to REI, that’s where it gets awesome. You get decent coupns a couple time a year and as long as you make the minimal purchases needed, you don’t need to renew or pay again for the memebership. You can also earn dividends when enrolled.
The best part of REI is the garage sales they hold, I think they’re twice a year. They sell gear that’s been returned, used (gently and heavily), or just on mega clearance. Be on the lookout and get there early, the shit sells out quickly and people get aggressive when it comes to the sales!

A big THANK YOU to Maddie, Orie & Chris for helping me out with our family decal collection! We’re from California, just dropped off daughter at school in Colorado, & now driving through
Utah … !!!

I love REI to begin with but the staff here is top-​notch! And rental equipment guy in back with long hair = nicest guy ever! Everyone is super helpful and genuinely nice, we always look forward to our REI trips!

REI means high quality with a very good selection for all things outdoors. The staff are highly knowledgeable in myriad outdoorsy areas, and tend to be dedicated enthusiasts themselves so are happy to share stories and advice.
They have a lot of nice extra services here too from equipment rental and repair, to a public lands & education kiosk that will help you understand rules and practices around local watersheds. As a recent transplant, this is vital since I had always taken abundant, clean water for granted.
The store is massive, which allows for big displays like an area with tents set up, and you can always powerwalk around the store trying on a new backpack or shoes.
Finally, members get good discounts through periodic coupons, and with an REI Card you earn dividends that can be substantial if you’re a frequent shopper. They also have big «as is» sales maybe twice a year where you can get steals on awesome stuff. The only problem here is there are no returns on this «as is «stuff. Period. So, if your sleeping pad springs a leak the first night you’re out of luck.
REI is very expensive, without a doubt. I have to knock them one star because their feel good, everyone can enjoy nature philosophy runs smack into a super high prices on most every outdoor «essential» they carry. Even the REI brand is highly costly, making the dream of the great outdoors just that for most people if you buy into the idea that you need lots of stuff before hitting the trail. The store is often super busy, and customer service can be hit or miss. You’ll be swarmed one visit, and not find anybody to help you the next.
We also got a rather nasty scolding from a manager once because we asked if they’d take a return on «as-​is» sleeping pads. We told them they allowed this at our old MN store, but the manager said «Um. No. Never. No returns. We don’t do that.» in a nasty snippy tone. Ok teacher, we won’t he naughty again.
Overall what you come to expect from REI.

Truly an amazing REI! Not only do they have an incredible selection of gear and clothing, but their employees go above and beyond to help customers. Although we don’t live in SLC, we were visiting for a ski trip and had a ski boot size mismatch from boots bought earlier at a San Diego REI. Anyway, I needed new boots (of the same size) and came here to buy new ones before hitting the slopes. Unfortunately at the first round, I ended up with boots that were excruciating and really uncomfortable while skiing. After a full and painful day at Snowbird, we came back to return the boots and find new ones.
Lincoln was incredibly helpful — he took the time to understand my concerns with boot fit and even examined my feet closely to make the best ski boot recommendations based on my foot shape. After about seven pairs of boots (and he was so patient through the entire process) I found the perfect pair which he then took the time to help me heat mold. Wonderful and lovely experience working with Lincoln. Brought a huge smile to my face!

Great store for outdoor gear and clothes. Its a co-​op so you pay $ 20 for a lifetime membership and then get a percentage back at the end of the year on everything you buy there. I went in recently during a sale to buy some hiking boots. It was extremely busy but the service was prompt and helpful and I left with a great pair of shoes.