MEC Vancouver

Had an amazing experience at MEC Vancouver, especially thanks to Johnny from the shoes department. From the moment we started talking, he asked all the right questions—what the shoes were for, the type of hikes we usually do, our experience level, the terrains and weather we’d be facing. It felt like he really wanted to understand our needs instead of just selling us something. Johnny was incredibly knowledgeable and patient, walking us through different options and explaining why certain features would work better for us. He even encouraged us to try the shoes on their in-store “fake rock” demo area, so we could feel what it’s like to hike on uneven terrain before making a decision. That extra step really helped us choose the perfect pair with confidence. Thanks to Johnny, we left feeling happy with our purchase and excited for our next hike. MEC, you’ve got a gem of an employee!

Excellent e-bike service from Mark in the bike shop. This was an overdue full service job with several major parts needing replacement. He kept in touch during the process and went above and beyond. My bike has 10,000k on it and runs like new again. I trust Mark’s advice and will be back to him for my next service. Thank you!

I had a very happy experience today in MEC north Vancouver. Nat looked after me and went over and above! She is a credit to MEC and is the reason why I prefer shopping in a store rather than on line. Thank you Nat.

I recently visited the MEC store in Vancouver’s Olympic Village and had an amazing experience 😄🎉. I went in to purchase some ski gear and left with everything I needed and more 🙌. The store has an incredible selection of products 🤩. I specifically bought new ski poles, a helmet, and goggles, and I was blown away by the variety of options available for each item. From the moment I walked in, I felt like a kid in a candy store for outdoor enthusiasts 😍🎿. The staff at this MEC are fantastic 👍. Everyone I spoke with was super friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely excited to help 😃. One staff member helped me find the right length for my ski poles and made sure I got a helmet that fits perfectly with my goggles 🥽😊. They took the time to answer all my questions about different products without any pressure, which made the shopping process really enjoyable. It’s clear that the team here is passionate about what they do, and it made my experience even better 👏. Overall, my shopping experience at this MEC was fantastic and one of the best I’ve had in a long time 😊. The Olympic Village location is spacious, bright, and well-organized, which made it easy to find what I needed without any hassle 🛍️✨. Even though the store was busy, checkout was quick and efficient. I left the store feeling super happy with my purchases and ready for my ski trip 🏔️😁. I’ll definitely be coming back here for any future gear needs, and I highly recommend it to anyone in Vancouver looking for quality outdoor gear 🙌. Truly a 5-star experience all around! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have purchased a lot of things over the years to face the rainy 🌧️ weather in Vancouver. However, I have never purchased instant meals for my travels. So, I purchased a few freeze dried meals, just in case I need them. I must say that I was quite impressed 🥳by the quality and taste of the food🍛. My favorite was chicken and rice🍚🍗, spaghetti with meatballs🍝, beef stew🥩🥕🥔🫛, in that particular order. I also tried the beef chilli, but I didn’t like it, it seemed that it didn’t hydrate very well, but the water didn’t seem hot enough, that was out of my control. The kettle perhaps wasn’t working good enough. So, I will give it another try at some point again. Average prices for each meal was about 15/16 Canadian dollars, (plus gst?) I have to confirm on that. I will definitely get some of these meals again and keep them for emergencies, since they are good for 29 years, if not more😲! Note that some meals are less than 100 grams and some are a little more than that. So, for a hungry person, you might need two meals to fully satisfy your hunger. Of course, the staff 🧍🏼‍♂️🧍🏼🧍🏽‍♀️are always so helpful in directing me to the right areas to find what I need. They are friendly and very eager to help. The store is super organized and clean, it makes it easier to find what you need and the experience quite pleasant. 🫶🏾❤️💚😍

I highly recommend Manpreet for anyone looking for ski gear at MEC. Her knowledge of the product is top-tier, and she was able to find me ski gear for my daughter that fit my specific budget and timeline. She is responsive, transparent, and a true professional. A 5-star experience from start to finish. She had to make multiple trips to the back to get the right color. Thank you so much, Manpreet.

I had a fantastic experience at this store, thanks to Alec Lapierre. I was incredibly impressed by his work ethic; he was extremely responsible, attentive, and patient while helping me resolve a complex issue with an order I had placed but hadn't received. It’s rare to find such dedicated service these days. Thank you, Alec!

Walking into MEC Vancouver was like stepping into a gear playground. I came in looking for hiking boots and left feeling like I had explored every aisle of outdoor stuff. They have tents, backpacks, camping gear, bikes, and shoes for almost every kind of adventure you can think of. The helpers at the store really know what they’re talking about and gave me good suggestions based on what kind of trip I was planning. I could try things on and test them out, which made choosing gear fun instead of confusing. When I left the store with my new boots I felt excited for my next hike. I would definitely go back when I need more outdoor supplies and tell friends who love adventures to check it out too.

Since it moved here, this is my first visit. Lots of natural light and very comfortable space for spending browsing (and trying) They have very pricey item like Patagucci but some sale item were easily 40% off. It's worth to visit and try new colour.

The newest location of MEC on E. 2nd Ave in False Creek is now known as Mountain Equipment Company since Mountain Equipment Co-op isn't a co-op since it was sold to an American company. They also brought back the Mountain Logo which made more sense than the green square logo. Many people said the service would go downhill because of the new ownership, so I had to find out. Inside, it has two floors of outdoor apparel and gear. I came here for a bike pump because my bike pump broke after 14 years of use. The staff were amazing because they were helping me right away with my search for a bike pump and I ended buying a better, but more expensive bike pump. When I was browsing, staff came up to me and asked if I needed help which was great! Interestingly, you can now shop at this store without a membership because this isn't a Co-op. However, at the cashier, I was asked for my MEC Co-op membership number. I didn't carry my MEC membership card, so I gave the cashier my phone number which was fine. I assume refunds and returns would be easier if my membership number was added to the transaction.

The experts on all things outdoor! If you are in need of finding supplies for any outdoor things ie camping, ski, snowboard, water sports, cycling you can find it here. Not only that, they have the experts there that can help you even if you are a beginner. I never feel like they are trying to upsell me at all which is a relief. I love how organized the new store is and how well stocked they are now. Last time I was here it was a little empty but it may have just been during a transition period. Only down side is that things are quite pricey so it's best to wait for sales otherwise you'll be spending lots of money. I usually will only come here if I want something specific to MEC and I can't find it in my local stores. Today, even though there were staff around, no one offered to help or approached me which was odd. Usually, even in non-commisioned stores, staff will at least say hi and ask if you need help. The cashier was very friendly though and quick to process my transaction.

Creepy guy who must be undercover security or a manager rudely stared at me the whole time i was shopping for socks i wanted to say what the f are u looking at the third time i looked directly at him staring at me then he took off and just stood upstairs staring at people downstairs for the rest of the time i shopped which was probably half an hour then after i paid as i geared up to leave i looked up at him staring down on me staring at customers does not equal a pleasant shopping experience piss off waiting to get service for shoes here also always takes forever they should expand the section and add another staff member i have left the line up here several times cause the wait was so long they lose sales when people leave today i bought a pair of sorel runners that said waterproof impenetrable but 5 minutes after leaving the store in them my feet were wet what a joke it wasn't even very wet out i left the box at the store and was too tired to go back and try to return them

Very disappointed with this store. The staff is very disengaged and rude. The prices are high and their assortment is very limited. On top of that you need to pay for parking. Not worth going there.

If you don't have the "proper bike" to thier standards they will let you know everyhing that's wrong with it. Even if you don't ask.. Well at least one of the guys in the bike shop I will leave unnamed.. I Walked away thinking my bike is trash and all I asked about is if somthing would fit my bike. As helpful as he thinks he was being he was more sidetracked on getting me to buy another bike... Rude use of opinions that weren't asked for. Constantly assuming I'm a beginner and don't know anything. he kept on saying "as a beginner" without even knowing my experience. Would rather learn myself on YouTube then deal with mec..

I live in US and was hoping to deliver an e-gift card for my brothers birthday. Unfortunately not only it has taken them more than 4 days to deliver simply an online gift card but also I had to wait on customer service line for 21 minutes to be able to talk with someone and follow up on the issue. Instead of delivering on the same date, I was told that it will take another few days for them to process an online gift card. No wonder as a customer, I would not recommend this retailer to anyone if they are buying any thing online. Please be aware of their customer service if you are choosing them for an online shopping.

Coming from the States I'm used to REI, but I knew Canada had their own version called MEC. And even though MEC doesn't quite stack-up to the expansive inventory options of REI, MEC has enough gear options to get the job done. I still love visiting MEC and knowing I have great resource options in Canada. We paid MEC Vancouver a quick visit to pick-up some winter gear and provisions since a heavy snow storm was rolling through -- we found what we needed and had a great visit. My only recommendation to the merchandisers of the store is to make their floor sets a little more organized and clear to navigate. I couldn't really tell if the clothing section was organized by gear/adventure type or by brand -- I was searching for Arcteryx & Patagonia sweaters & jackets and I found them in different locations in the men's section, included blended in with women's gear. Snow gear was scattered among regular clothes as was the individual brands, which didn't quite make organizational sense. The women's section was a little more organized, so I was able to navigate that section a little easier. But despite the men's section being a little confusing and leaving not knowing if I had thoroughly searched the store for everything I was looking for, my overall visit was great -- the organization issue was a little more of a personal preference and not a huge negative. Thanks for having a great store overall, MEC Vancouver!

No dia 30 de março, eu fui na loja da MEC para comprar minha bicicleta. Eu Fui atendida pelo o vendendor Sam, que foi super atencioso, eu nao entendo muito de Bicicleta,foi a primeira que comprei. O Sam me ajudou muito a entender qual era a bicicleta ideal para mim, com toda a paciencia me mostrou varios modelos tamanhos. Com Certeza eu so comprei a minha bicileta por que me senti confortavel, com a explicacao dele, o atendimento foi impecavel, e muito atencioso. O Sam fez toda a diferenca, para eu seguir com a compra da minha primeira bike estou muito feliz. Obrigada Sam por todo o conhecimento e cuidado que teve, Obrigada MEC por ter funcionarios assim como o Sam trabalhando com vocês.

My first interaction with a staff was very good. She helped me find two options for hiking footwear for an upcoming trip to Hawaii. My next interaction was with a staff in the camping section and that's when everything started to go downhill. I asked him where I could find drybags and he directed me to the ski section and said staff would have to get it from the back as it was off season. Fair enough. I get to the ski section where only one staff was working, and he was helping a customer fill out paperwork to get their skis and snowboard waxed. This transaction took close to 15 mins, where I was just standing waiting, with no other staff around to offer help. Finally, it was my turn and when I told the ski staff what I was looking for, I was told "nope that's wrong we don't have it here, everything's packed up because we are moving. The guy in camping section is wrong." No apologies or resolution for me. I repeated, "so there's absolutely no way anyone can get me a drybag right now??" And he said yep. At this point I had wasted enough time and I stormed to the checkout. The poor cashier asked how my night was going and I just ranted about my experience and he actually apologized for my experience and said they should be in the camping section actually, but I was running late and just didn't have time to go back and look. So if you're reading this, camping section guy, thanks a lot!!! I would have given my experience here 2 stars but the footwear section staff and cashier were polite and empathetic so they helped this review gain one more star. Hopefully once they move to their new location and get organized, this kind of experience won't happen to anyone else!

Customer service is arrogant and rude, nothing like MEC I used to know. Service went down the drain. Not worth my money anymore. Used to shop there for all my outdoor activities. Now, I avoid MEC like a plague.

Love this place. They have everything for camping, travelling and today I went there for biking! Mark C helped me out with my bike. I had some very specific height and price point requirements and he made it work including looking for stock on a clearance bike, a quick fitting on a bike, a safety check before my test ride, a 2nd safety check before purchase 5 hours later, getting a fender quickly installed and making sure I had all accessories before I left. It was awesome! I went to 6 different bike vendors that day and by far Mark and several others on the MEC team took care of me the most and made sure I was well-informed. Their rock-solid guarantee and tune ups in the first year sealed the deal for me. Great work guys! Will be back!

I can't say enough about the service at the bike shop at MEC in Vancouver. Every time I've gone the awesome bike techs have helped me right away. They're efficient, friendly, and knowledgeable and they make you feel important as a customer. I literally will never take my bike anywhere else. I'd give them 10 stars if I could!

I ordered a down jacket (MEC APEX St Elias Expedition) at clearance price from MEC online, but they didn't fulfill the order even though the jacket was available in many stores when I did my order. My brother bought the last large clearance jacket in the Vancouver store. There were 2 jackets available in the North Vancouver store but the staff told me to just order online to save me from driving to North Vancouver. I waited 10 days and the order wasn't processing so I phoned and they said still trying to fulfill the order. I waited 15 days and decided I will try to locate a jacket myself. I found one jacket in the Quebec store. I phoned the MEC BC warehouse and told them I located a jacket. They said great we will now send the jacket from Quebec, WHICH I HAD TO FIND MYSELF. However, they still have not processed the order, no confirmation email, no money taken from my account, nothing. It has been 19 days and waiting. Horrible customer service. I do not know what their problem was, I was very polite on myside at all times, I was never rude. MEC just isn't concerned about fulfilling my order, again terrible customer service.

Canceled my order- SCAM company I've paid for my order , 5 days later they sent me email that said this item it's not available ,sorry for that . This spam fake company deserve bad real feedback Order Number:12483856-000 Received: 21/08/25 My feedback is for their web side located Lower Mainland

I used to recommend MEC to anyone who would listen. Not anymore. Decades-long customer sad to report MEC has gone way downhill. Rock Solid Guarantee used to mean something, that they stood behind their product being of highest quality, any shortcomings would be fixed. Today, it just means broken things are ok and are "good enough." Here's a gem of a direct quote from their customer service about a broken zipper on a $400 jacket: "the zipper is still functional as it's only missing one tooth. You can get zipper lube ... and with some gentle use the zipper should work for a while longer still". MEC used to mean top quality that could withstand real life and outdoor conditions. Today it means it will break, and then rather than fix their own weak product, you can just find a way yourself to make it work for a while by using it gently. What an embarrassment to a brand I used to proudly talk to everyone about. I can't in good conscience do that anymore, not with service like this. So sad for MEC.

Terrible service. They have cashiers standing around doing nothing while we waited 20 minutes to do a return in a separate area.. Does not make sense.

My partner and I were shopping for snowgear yesterday at the Vancouver location. As a member for 30 years, this trip was the worst. Not only could we not find the gear we needed, we couldn't find any salespeople to help. We also had the uneasy experience as we were constantly being followed by your security staff. Thus we left the store with nothing. As a ex-sales person with experience with 20 plus years in customer service including theft protection, I could say that this approach is not attracting customers by making them feel uneasy.

This review is not about the store. It's about the customer service when you call customer service at 604 876 6221. I bought a kids bike online and they were too lazy to ship it from their Surrey warehouse to my address in Vancouver. After 3 business days the bike was still in their warehouse waiting to be shipped. This was confirmed by customer service as well. I asked to talk to the customer service supervisor and Lina the supervisor just kept telling me they can't guarantee shipping it today or tomorrow. That making it more than a week. She was rude and was pushing to cancel the order and telling me to buy it at their Vancouver store. MEC train your customer service people or you will lose more customers!

Came here and bought a female and male clip and a 1.25 meter strap so i can sew and make my belt for my climbing chalk bag. Pretty cheap worked out to be like $3 instead of paying $15 for a new belt. As well picked up a refillable chalk bag for $4.60. I am not a member here but if you come with a member you can purchase things here. Nice layout. And at times its hard to find climbing stuff in Canada or Vancouver. So this is the place to go. Friendly staff who are very helpful.

Good selection of products, knowledgeable staff (hiking shoes). It's great that they hire people who actually participate in the activities they sell for. However, this being hipsterville Vancouver, they'd do well to invest in training their staff on the ins & outs of customer service. I had my order sent to the store thinking it'd be quicker than home delivery only to find out it's sent via the same Canada Post mail. It took 13 days & items come in partial shipments, hence multiple trips to the store. That in itself was interesting. The folks at the pick up / return counter seem lost & generally would rather be elsewhere. It took the manager (?) over 20 minutes to locate an online package. He initially just said "it's not here". I had to show him my email & ask him to check again. When he emerged 10 minutes later (the room is the size of a closet) he handed my package over saying "it was randomly on some shelf ", looked at me, seeming to be wait for me to say "thanks"? No "thanks for waiting, sorry about that..." hmm..

Went to do a return and it was easy peasy. Hand sanitizer at the entrance. A "masks required" sign outside. Everyone I saw was wearing a mask. Significantly more bike parking than the previous Broadway location. There were over 15 people in line at checkout and returns/online orders. They immediately called for more employees to that location. Extremely quick to act when seeing the line grow and quick customer service. Tip: for easy returns, please have your order # ready. I'd like to complain about one thing: entitlement regarding returns. I actually think they need to get rid of the "Rock Solid Guarantee" because there's obviously too many people taking advantage of it. It's practically like the Costco returns in the store now - it's unreal the type of BS you overhear. Nothing lasts forever and you should expect to have a backpack or jacket and it won't last you your entire adult life. If it did, it should cost $2000 or more. So when I see someone in the store demanding a new backpack after using hers for over 10 years and the zipper broke and everything is frayed, you shouldn't be demanding a new backpack of the similar model for free. You should be buying a new backpack because that's life. Same goes with electronics. No electronics last forever. Imagine of cars had a lifetime warranty - just kidding, that would never happen. The guy in front of me today had a jacket he had been wearing for over a year and he just "didn't like it" (his words). He said he would have preferred stainless steel zippers and not plastic zippers. Unbelievable. I do wonder if their financial woes (aside from the mistake of having an HQ without retail below it a stone's throw from the VCC skytrain, and instead doubling down on the current retail location) has to do with their rock solid guarantee. It should be within reason and maybe they wouldn't get so many absurd returns and demands for refunds or replacement items.

Terrible customer service. Store manager (Sylvie??) she refused to confirm her name but regardless she was rude and downright discriminatory. I can't believe they hire people like this. NEVER shopping from here again. North Vancouver location is much better if you need to go into the store.

A good place for outdoor gear. It does what it says on the tin. I don't know why I have to write anything else I said all I need to say

I've shopping all over town looking at wetsuits and trying them on at various stores specializing in aquatic wear. Arrived at Mec today, and forgot my mask - yeeks - I was sent to the garage on the corner to buy some by the security person on the door who wasn't wearing a mask at the time, himself. Arrived inside the store (after spending $16 on disposable masks), found some suits to try and was told I can buy but not try on in the store. Left without buying anything. Went to Costco right after - they were giving masks away at the door! Wise up MEC - no wonder you're losing money!!!

Have been a member of MEC for the past 20 years and have always been impressed with their products and service. Stopped by on the Sunday of the Easter wkd to pick up some cycling gear. Not sure when they renovated the cycling area but it is very impressive with a great selection of products at very reasonable prices...way more products than I recall in years past. We had a few questions and Fergus came to our assistance. He was very knowledgable about cycling and the gear and was able to answer all our questions...nicely done. And pleasantly surprisingly there were no line ups at the check outs...very unusual for a wkd. A very positive experience and can definitely recommend MEC.

It is a high end store selling pricey equipments. Nothing wrong with that. But being cheap and not even provide a shopping bag is pathetic. Went here to buy some hiking socks after work (in dress pants and shirt; in case you think i dressed inapproirately). Hiking socks $35 for one pair.(not cheap) But guess what..when i check out at the cashier. After paying i asked nicely for a small bag. And the cashier just told me to go to the dirty recycling bin behind the cash register to grab a bag myself from there. It is disgusting. If you want to be green then give out paper bags. Dont be cheap. Even dollar shop can afford a paper bag and you cant?

The floor staff at MEC are at best unhelpful. I've been to this location 5-6 times now; each time I leave frustrated. The sales staff are like rats that scurry when they see humans approaching. When you're finally able to flag one down, more like sneak up behind them and say, 'excuse me..." and they can't run, they usually can't offer much help either, "sorry it's not my department, have you tried someone in that department?", "computer says it's in stock but I don't see it, maybe it's a return?", "I'm not sure, did you want me to order one?" Today I went in to pick up a product their website says they have in stock. I looked in the proper section and couldn't find the product. After 10 minutes of walking around trying to get help I finally find someone. She doesn't know where the product is and no one is returning her call. So she takes me to the proper department. I wait another 2-3 minutes for the 'proper' staff to get off the phone. He doesn't know anything either but tells me they can order me one. It seems to me MEC is understaffed and their staff are somewhat indifferent. I won't be back unless I absolutely need something from there.

I have historically spent a ton of money here. I like their merchandise and I like shopping at a member owned co-op, but I hate, hate going to the store. The staff are the worst. When you can find them and get their attention they know a lot, but they are impossible to find, and when you do find them, they're generally doing something much more important than helping customers, which typically means talking to each other about their latest kayaking trip. Dealing with them on the phone is just as bad, if they can be bothered to pick up the phone, which is by no means a sure thing. In fact I'm waiting on hold as I type this (having been twice transferred to the wrong department.)

Don't get me wrong, I love the products and location of Mountain Equipment Co-op, however after ordering a girls mountain bike for my friend's child I've been more than a little disappointed with the time its taking to get the bike. After getting a confirmation upon payment, it was noted that the bike was one of three left in the country and coming from Ottawa. Expected arrival at the store 5 business days. MEC appears to present itself as a high-tech store, but now 7 working days and a young lady waiting patiently, they are able to give me any further details regarding its location in transit or arrival time

Have been a member since the '70s, the last 30 years in Vancouver. I was looking forward to my first trip to the new store! Looking for binos, Chacos, a simple camp knife, and maybe some 'yakking' shorts. TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT. Display cases look like Mother Hubbard is in charge. The store is a discombobulated mess. Lots and lots of boxes under the stairs. I assume these are mail orders waiting to be shipped out. I asked about the Chacos, advertised at 25% off, and got a half-hearted response from a seemingly unmotivated sales person. An employee who I know has been with MEC for many years. I sensed that he also was not thrilled with the new product/store. MEC should have learned from Coca Cola when they tried a new formula. Don't try to fix what ain't broke. They should have kept the old store open until the logistics had been worked out. I understand there will be growing pains. However, from now on I will only shop online. Maybe this is MEC's new business strategy to discourage store visits.

Spring's here and if you're itching for an affordable and lightweight bike helmet, then look no further than their line of MET products (not to be confused with MEC's own helmets). This Italian company did some durability testing and they claim their helmets are good for at least 8 years from the time of manufacture. And best of all, one can be had for as little as $28 at the time of this writing. On the other hand, men's clearance clothing is now tucked into a tiny corner of the store, where there's only enough room for one person to browse at a time. But what a great idea it is from them, trying to discourage you from buying discounted goodies. Genius!

Managers here are useless. They put the product under clearance sign and it was diff. Number. It turns up the same older model. If they only put one product under the clearance I think customer put it on the wrong spot. But if all the products are under the clearance sale its the stores fault. Good products but people working here are not very helpfull

I get that COVID puts a spin on things, stores reopening takes time. But I already ordered and paid online to pick up at the store, and the inefficiency for the lineup to pick up is atrocious!! I am waiting in line to pick for over 30 min and the line didn't even move. The email tells you to call the store when we arrive but no one picks up. How hard is it for customer service to get a clipboard, go down the line to write down what orders are waiting, and then go and get them?! Wasting customer's time will not bring you return customers. In fact, I will not be shopping at MEC any time soon. Management needs to step up.

Great Store! My go to for any outdoorsy things. I love hiking and running this place is great for shoes, gels, clothing and so much more. I always feel like I should get into other sports when Im here like climbling or canoeing. I also love their selection of backpacks. The service, everyone is really helpful and knowledgeable of their products. Yes you need to get a membership its $5, its worth it the exchange or refund policy is amazing.

Super rude customer service at the cash register tonight. Then asks me to become a member in order to purchase after being super rude. Would not go back. I'll stick to REI

They stole $225 from me! I purchased a pair of boots with a Mastercard gift card. MEC processed my transaction and everything was perfect except they did not have my boots in stock in store - they told me the boots would be delivered the following week from another store. After I left the store I discarded my Mastercard gift card as I used all of the credit on it. (Who keeps a gift card after you have used it?) The following week I received a call from MEC saying that my gift card was declined. Apparently they voided the original transaction then tried to complete the transaction again. The gift card did not work the second time(as it was already used up). They phoned me and told me I needed to pay the full amount again. I told them I used a gift card. They said that this was not their problem - the problem was with the gift card. They told me to phone the gift card company. I told them I had no idea what the Mastercard gift card company was. (The gift card was a present from one of my clients). They told me they would give me the card number and I could try to figure it out. In the end, I lost $225 on my gift card, I didn't get my boots, and I am extremely angry from the service from MEC.

For 20 years this has been my go to store for all things "outdoorsy." No where else will you find staff this knowledgeable about their product. These employees are passionate about what they are selling. I can't believe some of the complaints I've read on here. Griping about a membership fee, really? It's $5 for LIFE! It's a co-op for goodness sakes. Yes, it can be pricey for somethings (the clothes), but this is one of the few places where you can buy ethically made clothing. I will continue to support a store that obviously cares about the environment and the community.

Came here looking for a windproof and waterproof jacket for winter in Vancouver. After spending some time browsing through the shelves and looking at specials that were on offer, I found a jacket that I liked but it was not available in the colour and size that I wanted. I approached one of the staff members who quickly looked up the jacket for me on their database and found a jacket for me in their distribution center. He proceeded to call the distribution centre and arranged for delivery to the store and for easy payment. This store's prices are very reasonable and they have an enormous variety of stock on hand. The staff are also very friendly and helpful and actually make informed and intuitive recommendations when you tell them what you're looking for. I will certainly be back to support their store again in future.

I love this store and the products they carry, but a recent visit left a sour taste in my mouth. I have a service dog (fully certified by assistance dogs international and I carry the identification to prove that) and I was quickly stopped by a staff member who told me they didn't allow pets. I informed her that my dog was a medical alert dog, hence the jacket, and that we visited often. The woman was very curt and rude and told me she would need to check with her manager as they weren't a dog friendly store. At that point, I just decided to leave. I need my dog for medical reasons, but I'm fortunate enough to have no obvious impairments and to be able to stand up for myself. However for someone who was unable to see, hear, or otherwise function in that setting, it would have been very difficult and traumatic. MEC, you guys make a great product, but your staff clearly need some sensitivity training. I hope this feedback helps prevent another situation like this in the future.

You have lost my business today as I returned a pair of berkinstocks that were too small and ill fitted by your customer service. I wanted to exchange and buy the correct size (which my friend advised me to do, not a MEC employee), but there was absolutely NO ONE available to help me in the shoe department. It was VERY busy and only one staff member available who was not even assigned to this department. Therefore I returned the ill fitted shoes that were sold to me, only to wait in line for over 30 minutes to return. I surmise that MEC does not care about customer service, but more importantly, about their staff who have to work under these terrible conditions.

I am really disappointed with MEC lately. To begin with their stocks always seem to be out of gear, and that ranges from small items (darn tough socks, carabineers, etc.) to large ticket items. Secondly, they are so far behind the trends that I can't rely on MEC for the latest items on the market. A perfect example of this is Quilts. MEC still only carries sleeping bags and does not have a single quit. Also look at the AT and PCT trails -the most common water filter system used by hikers on both these trails are the Sawyer squeeze and mini -both of which MEC does not carry. So of course I bought my quilt and Sawyer squeeze (x2) elsewhere, in addition to so much other gear (tent, back pack, air mattress etc, etc.) I have purchased as I gear up for a major 6 month adventure. And good luck finding a sales person that actually wants to help you find the items you need. I once spent 40 minutes in the store in the air mattress section (looking for an item) and NO ONE asked if they can assist me. AND throw in the fact that they are not dog friendly and it's no wonder I shop elsewhere.

Being a co-op is what makes MEC so wonderful. There's no swindling since every one in here is for the love of their sport. For everything outdoors related at great prices with a huge selection and very knowledgeable staff, I can never find a better place. Without fail, ALL the staff know their stuff about their particular sport. It's exactly what is needed when embarking on a new adventure.

I have been a member since 2000 and it's one of my favorite place to shop for sporting clothes and items. I find they have great selection, reasonable prices, good quality items and helpful staff. Items that I have bought there varies from hiking clothes, bike gear, yoga sports wear, travel items like travel mug or flashlight, snorkel gear, to rock climbing gear and waterproof jackets. I really appreciate their staffs' knowledge and they have helped me from buying a sleeping bag to hiking trail shoes. The store does get alot more busy on weekends so may be better to shop there on weeknights if you need to pick a staff brain on some sports gear. Overall, I have never been disappointed with any purchases and if something really doesn't work out, I think the store has a good refund policy.

All outdoorsy types should be (or quickly become) familiar with MEC. It's a MEC-ca (yes, admittedly lame pun) for climbers, hikers, campers, winter sports enthusiasts, backpackers and other people in need of quality gear. I've personally been backpacking with a MEC rig since 2001. It's in need of a thorough wash, but he bag has held up through years of flights, hostels, trains, busses, ferries and other adventures. There's always staff around who are in-the-know about what you need to safely do any given activity. They have ideas for you about the gear and how and where to use it. Since it's a cooperative, shoppers are "members" and as such must purchase a membership card in order to make a purchase. When I got mine it cost $5 and was totally worth the quality goods and advice I've been able to acquire there.

I was here a long time ago to buy camping stuff. They still have that, but a good portion of the store is dedicated to bikes. I don't remember that from before. My husband and his biking buddy say this store has much more selection AND better prices on bike parts/related equipment. I was with them today, and was surprised to find lots of clothing. I mean Normal Looking clothing you could wear on the street, besides their selection of obviously sporting wear. They even had casual summer dresses ( http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/shop/womens?k=1E ). They even had infant wear! (onesies, buntings, pants) I didn't check if they are extra earth-friendly or what (I mean... baby clothes at MEC?), but the whales and camping-like colours attracted me. I'll keep this in mind next time there's a baby shower for outdoor-loving parents.

Easily a place to spend an hour shopping and still end up with either something or nothing LOL. Love their outdoor gadgets, camping stuff on ground level, far left. Great key hooks, water bottles, etc but wished carried more lanyards. Service always stellar here. love their lifetime membership. Easy parking. Iconic location.

A great place to go to. No hassle returns for when I went there. They have everything. The prices seem higher then last time I went there but then again, they sell some really nice products.

This was the first MEC location in vancouver and hence it is also the biggest and the most busy. Even though you do pay for a premium price the goods and the customer service expertise at this location is excellent. I have had no problems if I need to return a product, the company is very sustainable the most important the staff is knowledgeable. I am a hard-core outdoorsman and hiker. This is my go to location when I need to get any equipment which is most of the time. I am continually amazed at the inventory at the store. However in recent years there has been a change in focus to provide more options for bicycles. This is however not a surprise when you consider the growing trends in the city.