REI

Over priced items. All the items seem to be great quality, but prices are way to high. Seems to be the place for hipsters and yuppies to come but there Gear. Many other places in and near PDX to come here !!

Love their winter clearance sale… and it’s going on now! You have to be an REI member, but that’s easy to do… just sign up; and year end dividends too. Great customer service and knowledge, by all; REI employees know their stuff and live the outdoors. They have anything you could ever need or want when it comes to outdoor gear. I bought some Smart Wool socks for my kids and a REI jacket!

I’ve never come out of the REI store disappointed. Always get great customer service and advice on purchases.
We’ve racked up quite a lot of member points from 2015 purchases — all set for a great season of camping and hiking in 2016.

I had a terrible experience a couple of weeks ago. Went in about lunchtime. I am a handicap senior citizen and have a foot disability and was looking for waterproof sandals for the pool. I humbled myself to show my bare foot to the young man and explain my specific needs. I hoped he would understand and help me find just what I needed… half way thru looking at different shoes, he looked at his watch and said «oops, time for my lunch» and left me sitting there unattended! To me, customer service is everything and this store really lacks in that! I will never go back!

I’m used to the HUGE Seattle flagship REI so selection-​wise, this location is much more limited. But my experience is just as pleasant here as it is up north. I’ve found some great deals looking through the sales racks and also purchased tax-​free outdoor gear for the wonderful PNW rain! Sales associates are great and very helpful!
**LENGTHY REI GARAGE SALE REVIEW BELOW**
This was my first time going to the members-​only REI Garage Sale and I wasn’t sure what to expect so I did some research beforehand. It’s an annual (sometimes bi-​annual) sale where all returned merchandise, whether it’s still brand new with tags or tattered and falling apart, is resold as «used» at a steep discounted price. I was in the market for a pack (for some backpacking in the ‘Land Down Under’) and was hoping to score a deal.
Research showed me that you need to get there early to get the best deals. I got there 2 hours in advance and there were already about 30 people ahead of me. By the time the doors opened, there was a good 150+ in the line. So get there early! I’ve heard that at some locations, people will literally hitch tents and camp out the night before…
Packs are supposedly some of the most popular garage sale items, as well as sleeping bags, tents, car racks, and kayaks. I made a beeline for the 30 or so packs available, grabbed 3 packs that looked my size, and went into a corner to assess my picks. I look back and the racks are empty. Within seconds, there were people swarming me, watching me like a hawk to scoop up the ones didn’t want. I had 5 people staring at me as I tried them on and trying to grab them if they strayed a little too far from between my legs. I couldn’t figure out what the sizes of the packs were (FYI, there’s a small label on the top outer part of the shoulder straps!) and was hoping someone could help me. One guy appeared to want to help, only to grab one of my packs, try it on himself, say «hey it fits me», and walk off with it… wtf?! At least I knew it wouldn’t fit since he didn’t look like a women’s small.
I got an Osprey pack, retail $ 209, for $ 99. It looked practically new without a single scratch or mark. I also got a pair of brand new Chaco sandals for $ 40…retail $ 105. The fact that these were in like-​new condition made it worth it. But some other, more used items, seemed to be slightly expensive for it to be secondhand. Some other items I saw: Thule hardshell racks for $ 99 or less, canoe for $ 399, The Northface jackets were all at least 50% off (some new with tags!), Marmot sleeping bag for $ 50, and a mountain bike for $ 130.
Be aware that all sales are final. Some products have defects but is reflected by a deeper discount. It felt a bit like Black Friday but waking up at 6am to get in line was well worth it!

REI has GREAT sales! Otherwise way to expensive for me, but waiting for the sales makes up for that! And they are a co-​op, and when you become a member for all of $ 20 a year, you get 20% cash back at the end of the year from all you bought there! They have once a month «garage sales» for members only too, but just wish they would do those on Sundays not Saturdays!

REI is ok to say the best… They do have a good selection but, $$$ WAY over priced, i don’t know why people like to overspend here (ya, there return policy is good, but its not like other outfitters don’t) I go here to try stuff on and then buy online for at least 20% less. not just online but other stores as well…

I have always like REI, they have great sales, and you end up getting a refund back from what you buy at the end of the year, so I’m a fan. The people at the location here have always been helpful and friendly. Anyhow… I buy stuff from them time to time… depends on the price and when and if I can afford it. I tend to stick to hiking and camping stuff. Haven’t had the greatest luck with slippers, shoes, and clothes… anyhow…always learn something new when I go there.

If I didn’t catch it they would have sold my daughter an obviously broken bike… AFTER the complimentary tune up. Lame.

REI is my go to store for almost any outdoor equipment.
I usually frequent REI two to three times a year before I embark on an outdoor excursion with the boy scouts. Since it is winter here in Oregon, I didn’t know how cold it could get. Having just a few days here, my feet froze really quickly.
My big brother and I meandered around the store’s outdoor shoe department trying to find a shoe that can endure the cold, wind and wet weather here. I ended up with getting cold weather boots with an insulation line.
I give props to the one staff member who was helping us out and the 6 other patrons who also bombarded her with frequent questions.
This store is really chill and huge compared to the ones located in California. I seemed to have found many items in which aren’t found in some other locations.

Super friendly, helpful staff. If you go during a sale, be prepared that they’re out of your size.

The sales associates are always so friendly and willing to help. If you’re a member there’s used gear sales with outdoor gear up to 90% off! Found some awesome deals before on tents sleeping bags bivys and climbing shoes. Check it out if your into the outside! The Company is an amazing company, they stand behind everything they sell. Yes, this stuff is expensive, its good quality gear made to last. Don’t like the prices then go buy a $ 20 jacket that isn’t water proof or warm from Walmart… They have such a variety of brands and gear and I love that they don’t mind if you try stuff out in the store. Everyone is very educated and extremely helpful.

I always make a point to look for an REI store wherever I go.
This REI has one of the most helpful staff! It sits in a very busy mall. When we walked in there were tons of items on sale still. This was past the black Friday madness sale.
I wanted something in an XS size and it wasn’t on the rack. This one guy staff made a huge effort in going thru hell almost to find my size. I wish I got his name. Mea culpa! :(
I already love REI but staff like this guy and their awesome return policy keeps me coming back for more!

People love to shit on REI. It’s expensive. It’s for yuppies. It’s… blah blah.
It’s a company that stands behind its products. It’s a company that was started in this region. It’s still a co-​op (and I’m a member since… a long ass time ago). It stocks great products, hires solid staff, and offers a ton of great community classes and education. It’s where I go when I need equipment that won’t quit.
I’ve been a member of REI since the early 90’s. From my backpacking, rock-​climbing and backcountry skiing days I’ve been outfitting myself at REI (as well as via other local stores) with shoes, sleeping-​bags, tents, long-​range backpacks, river sandals, ropes, harnesses, topo-​maps and various and sundry survival gear. I’ve paid a premium to purchase my gear at REI but here and there where it has failed, I’ve been able to bring it in and have them replace it or refund my money. No questions asked.
This REI is fairly suburban but stocks the usual quality equipment. I’ve walked away from this location with plenty of gear including jackets, clothing, bags and the like. Every time I’ve had staff assist me they’ve been knowledgable and friendly. I outfitted myself for camping, a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos, biking, hiking and most recently, business travel from this particular location.
Unless things change I’ll probably continue to visit REI for my outdoor and travel needs secure in the knowledge that if I have any problem with the products I buy, I’ll be able to have them make it right for me without much in the way of fuss. That’s worth the premium I pay to shop here. Plus I get a dividend (which I used today to cut down the price of a bag I purchased.
I can’t say that about most of the other places I shop.

Went for the used gear sale… it is a crazy sight. People actually camped out for this sale.
I rolled in about 30 minutes before the sale and was ale to get a great deal on a tent!
Staff is always super friendly and helpful

Friendly and helpful service. Its obvious people love to work here!
This REI is located at the mall, though not connected to its interior.
I drove FOREVER out of my way to get here, but it was an easy exchange and they even let me swap for a watch that hadn’t even been released, yet! YAY! I can’t wait to get it!

I needed a new pair of hiking boots because my current pair just wasn’t giving me the support & comfort I needed. I brought back the old boots & spoke to Joseph about my issues with them. He showed me a few boots on display & explained the differences in which each would provide. Joseph was knowledgeable & he worked hard to find a pair of boots that worked perfectly.
I climbed Mt. Thielsen last weekend in them & have no complaints! The boots were very supportive around the ankles & fit comfortably.
I will definitely be returning to this store; customer service here is great!

Cotton is death.
So say the folks at REI where I recently attended a free walking clinic [1] and seminar on dressing for cold weather. And basically I was the poster child for what not to wear. I’m a total disaster. This also explains why most of the races I’ve done don’t end particularly well.
For someone who is a planner by nature, my athletic competitions are shockingly spontaneous. Why not do a marathon with zero training? Run a ½ marathon or bike the Bridge Pedal even though I haven’t been on a bike in a year? I think I need some sort of sports intervention.
One of the REI employees, Rusty, led the seminar and gave a great overview of what to wear and why without a big sales pitch. He was also funny as hell.
I’ve been going to REI forever (it is worshipped like a church by some of my relatives) and am always impressed by the sales staff. It is also cool that your $ 20 lifetime membership is donated to local charities selected by the staff. In addition to free classes on a variety of topics, did you know you can get discount lift tickets at Timberline and Ski Bowl [2] with your membership card? Sweet deal!
[1] The clinic is part of the Wonders of Walking program (
)
[2]

We’d been talking about snowshoes for a while now.
ME: I know, I know, we could go to REI but aren’t they always like a million dollars more than everyone else?
ROOMMATE: Possibly.
ME: Screw that. Let’s go to Sports Authority. Or the Big 5. Or (the store formerly known as G.I.) Joe’s. Ooh! How ’bout all three?
… days pass… places visited… What a waste of time! Limited, hard-​to-​find, or absolutely no selection to be found…
ME: Grr.
ROOMMATE: Maybe we could just see what they have at REI?
What a fantastic idea! We walked right up to the snowshoe aisle and there were a whole bunch of types and sizes at prices that had the other guys beat hands down.
Aaaaaand! Not a single one of the other places had THE most helpful and knowledgeable lady ever who told us:
[A] what we would (and, importantly, would not) need to buy
[B] what the differences between bindings and shapes and sizes meant
[C] what type of shoe would work best for our needs
[D] pretty much everything we ever wanted to know about snowshoes but were too afraid to ask
ROOMMATE: You know people will make fun of us for buying the exact same snowshoes.
ME: Why didn’t we come here before?

You know you don’t belong in REI when you climb the stairs to the top floor and your partner says, «Hey, are you winded? I am!»
We went seeking shoes and I was a little disappointed in the selection. It’s pretty minimal. The saleslady was helpful and nice, and it is a pleasant shopping experience. Still, if you are looking for shoes, you may be disappointed coming here. You may want to call first and see if they have what you are looking for.
The store is open and airy, and seems to have lots of good stuff for people who get outside frequently. I don’t, so to me it all appeared to be brightly colored instruments of torture.
Easy parking if you go to the lot behind it and take the escalator down, rather than try to park in front by the Macaroni Grill.