REI

BIG store. Big selection. Shop is beautiful with New York steel pillars on all floors. The employees are friendly and helpful.

BOYCOTT THIS PLACE:IT IS NOT DISABILITY FRIENDLY I asked if I could have assistance. The line was long. They couldn’t provide a stool to sit on or give me a marker so I could sit and wait until I was next in line. TRYING TO GET IN THE PLACE WAS ROUGH! Then to top it all. I didn’t realize they were having a STRIKE outside. We can honor them which I agree but not to help a disabled person when I asked is SAD!

Store is super organized. The greeters did not say hello when I walked in and said hi and continued and a conversation amongst themselves. Walked through the travel section about 3 times looking for a specific bag size and was never approached by a staff member although there was a group of about 5 chatting in the back.

Not disabled friendly. Not enough cashiers. Staff not too helpful. There is a strike going on and I read the literature- REI has some issues that need to be resolved. I always wonder when a company treats employees not fairly what else might be FOUL.

I had a terrible experience at REI in New York. When I bought a jacket, they were incredibly eager to sell me a membership, repeatedly assuring me that if anything went wrong—like a broken zipper—they would fix it. They made it sound like the warranty was amazing and would cover any issue. Well, that turned out to be completely false. I came back with a broken jacket, only to be told that they don’t fix anything and that the membership only covers a one-year warranty. This was the exact opposite of what the salesperson promised. I feel completely misled and scammed by this program they aggressively push. I trusted REI because of their reputation, but now I feel like they just wanted to make a quick sale. If you’re considering buying a membership for the warranty, don’t fall for it. It’s not what they make it out to be. I’m extremely disappointed and won’t be shopping here again.

I went in here to wait out the rain. cosy with no easy seating. There are bathrooms though. You also might like some of their premium outdoor gear. The bottomline is this is a central spot helpful for meeting and otherwise.

I have only heard good things about this company prior to my experience. I ordered to Osprey bags that I NEED for my vacation. I got the order confirmation saying the bags would be in well in time for my vacation. In the meantime, I had to travel for work. By the time I came back, the bags were not at my house and I NEVER got an email explaining that my order was canceled. I had to track my order afterwards to learn this. Super messed up considering how much I was relying on the order details they sent me and how it now effects my trip.

love this place. prices are cheaper than competitors; public bathroom, test to try out clothing before purchasing and they have a lifetime membership that has 10% on purchases. only issue I have is that they have limited products from certain apparel companies due to space issue.

One of my favorite places to walk around to kill time in Soho. REI is 3 floors with a range of products covering all sorts of out door activities. It can get crowded because it's NYC, but honestly so much better than not having an REI around. I use their online pickup a lot, and it's super convenient. They got their system down. Staff is always very friendly. Check out their used section for deals on gear.

Located in Greenwich Village this REI offers a nice array of bikes and accessories. Helmets, bike pumps, camping gear, travel accessories, etc., you name it - they've got it! Nice to find an outdoor store in the heart of the city. Plenty of sale and clearance items. also, and the city of many potholes, a bicycle repair center. Friendly staff available to assist with any question.

Huge store that's been around since my childhood. The workers are really friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable. They don't judge you for any questions you have or what you're wearing. Really great store -- support your (local) co-ops! Shout out to Ace who helped me out in the backpack section today!

The REI SoHo Flagship store is housed in a beautiful old building on the corner of Lafayette and Houston. I didn't need assistance since it was pretty easy to find what I was looking for, but there were plenty of employees wandering around and greeters by the entrance who seemed like they could steer you in the right direction. In general, I noticed lots of bike stuff on the street level, then clothing and shoes a floor below. There was a staircase in the middle of the store for accessing the lower levels. I am not sure about an elevator; I didn't see one though I didn't inquire. I also don't know if there were any restrooms for customers. There may not be every color/size available out on the floor so ordering online is a great option, also a handy option if you need more time to decide on purchasing. If you are an REI Co-op member, you can get free shipping without an order minimum. I must say, some of the other customers were true oddballs. A woman kept talking to herself at a normal volume while trying on shoes. Another woman tried to look at herself in the mirror I was in front of while I was actively using it. Given that there are numerous mirrors on the sales floor, not sure what she was thinking in her kooky brain.

Love that this store is here and the selection but the lines are so long. Wish they would come up with a system for returns. It makes me not want to buy. Or I just really have to be sure I want it.

New York City is a concrete jungle, so it's interesting shopping in REI and in SoHo for that matter. This is a store for nature lovers! But I guess you gotta have a place to buy gear when you turn off the office work mode. Workers here are like other REI employees in other areas, very friendly and helpful but not in a weird creepy way or in a fake way. I like coming to this store because it's a flagship store, so there are so many things. I came here to get some backpacking food. Prices are the same online. But there's something I like about shopping at REI in person rather than online. This store is two levels: street level and a lower level. I do like they have the ReSupply (formerly Garage) area that doesn't feel like it's in its own world. And there are restrooms too in case you are looking for one in between your shopping in SoHo. This is always a must stop here when I am in New York City.

Love this location near broadway and Lafayette street in NYC. Great staff spacious store. And everything you need in outdoor gear under one roof. Love their selection of HOKA foot wear brand. Also make sure to check out the clerance sections lots of great deals every day.

Well, if you don't mind shopping in a store with armed security guards wearing bullet proof vests at every entrance and exit then this place is for you! REI is a warehouse of sport and camping brands. The products they sell are super top notch. They even have a bicycle repair shop on the ground floor! The clientele is predominantly local student and tourist. I was at the store the day after the NYC marathon and the place was crowded with European runners stocking up on their needs. The shopping is well organized and the amount of gear is plentiful. All sports inclined clothing brands are present though not in all colors and sizes. The prices seem a few dollars lower than most other stores including online sites. But the presence of the guards is a bit nerve racking... reminding you that the corner of Lafayette and Houston is prime for criminal intent and quick getaways down the stairs to the subway. Oh NYC what has happened to you?

We received amazing service today. We were looking for a travel backpack they meets the exacting measurements for Air France carry ons. Sean was incredibly helpful and spent time showing us the pack and discussing its features and advantages over another pack. One star removed because the workers in this store deserve a contract and the management won't negotiate one. As a coop member, I say do better corporate REI.

I really love REI for a combination of items, from hiking and camping gear, to my favorite tights "take your time"(unfortunately, they are discontinuing!). I will continue to purchase gear and outerwear for years to come. I only frequent the soho and CT stores, with soho definitely being a top choice. This store is massive, with 3 floors to get lost. Top floor has a bike repair station, adjacent the registers. Side note: today (3/12/23) there was a gas leak while I was in store, and just wanted to mention how well the store dealt with a very scary situation. They had the store cleared out in what felt like 60 seconds.

Selection is fine, but the employees in green vests who are there to help customers are not interested in helping. Every time I asked an employee (and I asked several different people) for help with something, I got one of the following vibes from what they said, facial expressions, and body language: 1) I could help you, but I really don't want to, so I am going to send you to some other part of the store and let someone else deal with you (and let me go back to staring at my phone); 2) I could help you, but I really don't want to, so I am going to discourage you and tell you that you will not find what you are looking for so you will go away and I don't have to help you; 3) I could help you, but I really don't want to, because I would rather stand around and chitchat with my fellow employees; 4) I could help you, but I really would rather not because I am overworked as it is and I don't get paid enough to do more than the bare minimum I am paid to accomplish today. This is a sign of poor management, training, and a low morale among the employees. The cashiers seem to have an easier job, so seem to be in a better mood, but others look either lazy or overworked.

I never leave reviews on Yelp but after my experience I felt like i needed to recognize a wonderful and extremely helpful employee, Cody. My family and I were scrambling store to store to find the perfect gear we need for upcoming trips. Cody was an angel. Welcoming us to store, immediately asking us if we needed help and guiding us to the appropriate section where we ended up finding the perfect gear for everyone. Cody took the time and went above and beyond to assist us. I have been in this store before a couple of years back and he remembered me! He has the best energy. My wife thought he might be the manager or supervisor because of how much knowledge and initiative he showed at the store. I'm not sure if the company looks at Yelp. This guy definitely deserves a proper position because he is wonderful and REI is blessed to have him as an employee! Thank you so much! Will be back next time!

Great to have a word class outdoor retailer in the city! Ski shop people are a bit sticklers for the legalese - so make sure to bring both boots and triple check the din settings they are making if you are mounting the bindings. Otherwise a great and quick job setting up new a pair of Pivots on the new DPS Kaizens.

I've never left a yelp review before but I was trying to buy hiking boots today and a saleswoman yelled at me twice. The first time she snapped that she couldn't hear me over the voice in her earpiece. Then the shoe she had brought me was a different color way than the display I'd asked to see, and I asked to try on the display color. She insisted angrily that the shoe only came in one color. I left crying. Later, I checked the website for the brand and it seems that the display shoe had been mislabeled, and so it was in fact a different model (and color) than the shoes they brought for me to try on. A misunderstanding is no excuse for snapping at a customer. I won't be shopping here anymore.

Love love this place. Staff is knowledgeable, kind, accommodating. Really good selection. Great sale. BUY the membership. It's for life.

Went in today (Wednesday 31 July) at about 6pm to return a $20 item. There was no separate customer service line. There were about 50 -75 people on the line and it took me nearly 40 minutes to return the item. If you can possibly avoid a visit to this location - DO IT. They just don't have enough people working in there and when I asked someone who worked there they said blame the management. So let's blame the management.

I like REI, but 35 minutes line is insane! Super slow. It should be separated: returns and buying.

I had a very negative experience here today. The website mentioned there were 36 models of ski goggles in stock; however, there were none to be found in the store. I asked 3 separate employees for help and ended up receiving different answers along the way. The final answer was that they do not display ski goggles for another 2 weeks despite them being labeled as marked in stock. There was absolutely zero accountability for the discrepancy between the website and the in store merchandise. Not a single employee I talked to even acknowledged my frustration. Instead they just blamed the website developers. To top matters off, on the way out of the store you are sure to be hounded by at least one employee protesting their current pay situation. This was a very awkward encounter, especially considering the employees in the store were not at all helpful. You can definitely find the same if not better merchandise in a store with nicer employees.

This is not the company to buy from all items prices on items are way too high their shipping is a joke do not expect to receive anything they claim to have in stock within 3 weeks and I'm talking about one item lol . Then when you finally get to speak to someone they act completely oblivious. Hope this business fails for their practices and customer support .

Reviewing for Steph, who helped me look at sunglasses at the NY store. Very helpful, pleasant and hard working, I hope she and other good employees are well treated and appropriately compensated. She made my experience in a very busy store successful and I enjoyed talking with her.

This review is regarding the ONLINE REI store. Today I had an experience with a customer service rep named Laurie, who went above and beyond! Absolutely extraordinary customer service to get me my shoe order from another location in order to get the shoes to me in time for my vacation. I was almost in tears after she made this possible. Thank you again, Laurie.

I was shocked when I walked in to see the biggest REI of my life, LOL it is 3 stories deep (maybe 4, I feel like I might have missed one on top of the main level? lol) The stories go underground, so the place looks normal from outside, but it is huge on the inside. You could probably live there for a year with all of the things they sell inside, ahaha I came in for new shoes because we were averaging ~10-miles walking per day in the city, and my Nikes were killing me. I explained this to the gentleman helping in the shoe section, and he immediately recommended another brand. I told him my plan was to keep up the same distance for the rest of the trip (we had a week left at this point) and he said with certainty that the shoes he was recommending would be perfect for me. He was completely right - I love the Hoka Bondi 7's he sold me, and recommend the brand to everyone now. I was using them for long distances in NYC, but I run with them now and they're my favorite. Stop in and see this crazy big REI, and definitely come in if you need new shoes like I did! He saved my feet!

So I'm a long time customer of REI and am a member of their "Coop". The SoHo store has everything you could ever use for anything outdoor related except apparently SNOWBOARDS. If you go on the website and select "shop the NYC store" you get 4 pages of snowboards but if you go to the store you get no snowboards and a worker who accuses you of lying about the website. Also Arbor Snowboards lists REI as its only distribution outlet in NYC and there isn't an Arbor Snowboard anywhere on the 30000 square feet of prime real estate the "Coop" inhabits. Whatever. They have everything else but if you want a snowboard and you drive 30 minutes from Brooklyn expecting snowboards then it really sucks because they don't have them. Pretty bad customer service to represent online that you have certain items "in stock" that don't exist.

Best place in NYC to buy outdoor / workout gear. There us a huge aelection and the staff know the product. Can be a little pricey sometimes depending what you get, but the quality is always top notch.

Honestly, I always have a mixed experience at this store. Selection is often poor, and many employees are disaffected. Often, no one is visible to help. Lines to buy and return are always long. Still, I am a co-op member and a frequent shopper. Prices are high.

Bike shop has good service reasonably priced. I've had them install and tuneup my rear hub. Fix brakes. Plus you get rewards if you are an REI member. As a bike commuter, I'm glad to have them close by.

REI is great but they removed the used gear section from this location which is very saddening.

A massive store in SoHo-perfect for all of your outdoor needs. I was visiting NYC during a particularly rainy week and my socks were just .. not great. So I came here and they had a wonderful selection of high quality socks. My feet were very thankful for the remainder of my trip. I was grateful to stumble upon this REI.

Massive store by Soho! You can't find all your outdoor needs here. Go see Wendy! She is a super helpful sales person. Lines do get long for the 2-3 fitting rooms they have. One of the few places with a restroom (only 2 stalls in womens) so lines can get long. Scan a code and get into line for personalized help with hiking gear downstairs. Not sure if there's an elevator to get downstairs, otherwise you'll need to take the stairs. Conveniently located by a subway and busy streets of Houston & Lafayette. They are a bit short staffed so at times it's hard to find a salesperson. You may see a flock of people trying to ask questions to the one salesperson they find.

It's very sad what happened with a once good bike shop. I don't what happened in the past year, but the new bike technician (I think his name is Collin or Reilly) is inexperienced and unhelpful. My bike has been serviced here in the past two years several times without any problems. Shaka did an amazing job, as well as another more experience technician when I first brought my e-bike in two years ago. Now there is miscommunication on the phone with the front desk, to the confrontational attitude in the bike shop, I will not be returning. Apparently, the current bike technician will work on Bosch Bikes which are a lot bulkier and heavier, but refused to work on my Rize Blade ebike which is no different in size and weight from their other Ebikes. Instead of telling me this upfront when I brought in bike, it took them 2 days to decide they were unable to work on the bike. Completely wasted my time. When I went in to pick up my bike, instead of apologizing for wasting my time, the dude has to forcibly explain to me why they couldn't work on my bike after I told him that I didn't want to talk about it. Clearly this place does not value their existing customer base and just relies on being backlogged for "a month wait time". The only redeeming quality was the woman who I spoke with on the phone with the main customer support.

This is the first sleeping bag that I've ever owned in my life and now I can't part with it! I've camped with it in several different states in the past year, including in 25 degree weather in the Talkeetna Mountains, Alaska. I got the REI Co-Op Magma 30 Degrees (for women) sleeping bag online, and then REI has an option for customers to pick-up the items purchased on-line, in-store or curbside. This is super convenient for me because in-store shopping for me is a whole recurring, ongoing human rights violation thanks to the long-standing malice of New York company Paragon Security & Locksmith, but that's a completely separate review (to come). I also purchased online and then picked-up the women's Merrell hiking boots and have been trekking through really, REALLY rough terrains with these hiking boots on. I'm talking about steep mountainous inclines with protruding ancient rock formations, as well as rocky-road trails, through babbling brooks, and across off-trail rolling terrains. If it weren't for the Spiderman-like traction on these boots, I would not have made it through NONE OF THAT! Not then, not now, not anytime in the future. These boots are the TRUTH and I am so happy that I took the chance to purchase this pair for myself. They will be put to really, really good use from now forward. As for the sleeping bag, let's just say that I can't believe that I waited so long in life to purchase myself one. I don't feel like I would be able to comfortably sleep in 30 degree weather without also using a sleeping bag liner though (the bag indicates that it can actually go down to 18 degrees, but I don't know about that, I personally don't think that's true - not a chance I would camp with this particular bag in really cold weather w/out a 2nd bag). But I am having a lot of fun with all of my camping gear from REI, and the return process is super low stress. Extremely customer friendly. I'm thankful that REI has such great variety in its products offered, both online and in the store

This is the absolute best outdoor company not only for its gear but for the values it represents. Highly recommend you get the lifetime membership for $30 which not only gets you amazing dividends but also first dibs on members only merch. REI donated $5 for every new membership to the REI Co-Op action fund which donates the amount in the new member's name to 19 non-profits across the US.

Everyone is so helpful! Hats off to Dave and the gent behind the repair counter that helped me purchase my first NYC bike!!!! Give them a raiseeeee!!! Love this store too!

I shopped yesterday during the insanity that was the annual sale, and even though it was crazy in there the employee working in the climbing section was VERY helpful and went above and beyond to help me find the right gear (I'm a total novice). I really appreciated them. Maybe their name is Jody? I saw someone else posted a review yesterday referring to the climbing section GOAT...anyway, 11/10 service.

Came here on two different days, had two appalling customer service experiences. 1. I came to return a rain jacket. The man at the counter glared at me and had a foul attitude. 2. We drove here for a curbside pickup. We both clicked a button online confirming our arrival and called the store to make sure they could drop off purchases with people in cars (lady on the line said yes). After waiting for 20 min, we called again. A man came out and brusquely ordered us to click the button again, and then he insisted that the store **doesn't allow curbside pickup for people in cars** because the website only gave us a curbside pickup in person or on a bicycle option. We questioned how that could be. He then blew up at us, saying we could just return our pickup, and he stormed away, ending the conversation and refusing to help. We called the store again immediately to let them know what happened and after another few minutes, someone came out to drop off our order, almost 30 min after we arrived. As a customer, I've never been treated so rudely to my face as the man in #2. I am disappointed that I've only been to this REI twice and had a poor experience each time. Would not recommend.

It pains me to rate REI poorly after being a member for several years. But as with any retailer, one very bad (or good) experience can have a significant impact. I was in their Soho store last week looking for camping and hiking gear ... my first time planning to go camping. The sales rep was alternating between being helpful but dismissive to being snooty. This rep--let us just call him D--rubbed me the wrong way right from when he grudgingly started talking to me. When I was pointing to the backpacks, he started off by asking "what is your budget?". This was more than an innocuous question as I soon discovered. He went on to say "let's tackle the simple things in your list". He helped pick out a spork, a bowl and a headlight. Another customer walks by and he immediately leaves me to talk to her, not even checking with me to see if that is okay. He just leaves me hanging. 5-10 minutes later, he is back. This time he sees me surveying the tents. He asks "do you know what you are looking for?". As I started asking a few questions, he interrupted me and firmly said "I don't think you know what you want. Buying a tent is like buying a car. You should do your research. Watch YouTube videos. Read. Then come back". He probably felt this was a normal thing to say, judging from his matter-of-fact tone. But I was sort-of seething, and couldn't wait to leave. The best thing he did was to hand me over to another sales rep to take me downstairs to look for rain pants. What REI should realize is that your customers know a thing or two about what they do outside of what you might think is the only activity that matters in life (camping and hiking). Never talk down to your customers. It is just bad business practice. Unless of course your business exists to serve a particular demographic ... I will steer clear of assigning labels to what obviously felt discriminatory. I since got most of my gear online. And yes, I did watch some YouTube videos.

I had a very bad experience at the Soho store. save your the aggravation and don't go.

I'm not sure what happened to this place, but the service and supply is terrible. I really wanted to buy a new pair of hiking boots for my upcoming trip and while the downstairs was definitely somewhat busy, the workers have no reason to be speaking to customers the way they did with us. After receiving one shoe (asked for two sizes, haven't bought hiking boots in some time) our salesman did not show up for another 15 minutes... of course, I asked someone else, and he very rudely told me I MUST use my original salesman. This is not some designer store, it's REI. When I waited an additional 5 or so minutes for my salesman and asked for a size and color, he walked into the back and came back about 2 seconds later, I kid you not, telling me sorry we're out of the shoe after he recently told me yes they had that color and size? Goodness... go to Paragon instead!!

Have been a member since 1988. Usually has the top brand stuff but lately the range within a brand seems very limited. The full pricing is annoying even with the member "rebate"; which merely brings the price down to what I can get it for elsewhere without having REI hold my extra cash. In this economy, REI should make it cheaper overall and offer more options online. It is convenient if a store near you has what you want and you need it NOW. Rental equipment is usually good as well and a great feature of the store.

Always my favorite place to be, I've never had any issues with the service here. They are always on top :) I stopped by two days in a row , and all the staffs always asked if I need some help which is awesome ! Cheers to the staffs on Sunday 1/17/21 & 1/18/21

So for the past three years every single cashier is pushing every customer to sign up for an REI membership, paid membership of course. this membership allows you to buy used merchandise (membership only) not for regular customers. The manager at this FLAGSHIP store decides to get rid of this membership service feature. WTF? What good is a paid membership when you can't used it at the flagship store. Dumb idiot pulled a Bud light. why would you want to by used products online without checkin it out in person. Boycott REI

We all know how stupid doing stuff outside is, but if you absolutely have to do stuff outside, REI has all the things you need. They actually have way, way more things than you need, but luckily you don't have to buy everything. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that. I was going to a place where the mosquitoes are the size of eclairs and they carry lupus, so I came in just looking for DEET bubble bath. Not only did I find all the expedition-strength mosquito repellant I wanted, but I also walked out with hundreds of dollars worth of clothing, gear, gadgets, and at least two doohickeys. Seriously, if you plan to run, bike, ski, snowboard, camp, hike, climb, sleep, eat, drink, paddle, or poop outdoors, this massive, well-laid out store has the stuff you should be wearing or using while doing so. As an added bonus, the people that work there all seem to be people that do things outside, and they are knowledgable about said things AND not angry about having to answer questions.

Customer service here is THE BEST!! I gotta give a huge shoutout to Aileen who helped me every step of the way to order a bike from their store and figure out delivery logistics. Really care about the customers. I appreciate her and her teams time and effort so much!!

Good selection but long wait in line to pay. Infuriating to watch clerks at registers avoid eye contact with customers while they slowly, passively aggressively organized hangers. Management should tell them it's more important to take in money than organize hangers.

Best place I know for outdoor gear and a step toward adventure! Ask away for advice from the professionals and they will give you exceptional service. The company is sustainable and give large portions of their profits back to employees.

A one-stop shop for planning your "roughing-it" experience. I found a good quality headlamp and non-deet mosquito repellent which both came in handy while on a trip to Myanmar. Both items served their intended purpose well.

A friend of mine bought me some gloves online, but they were for women, so my hands couldn't fit in. I went to the store to make an exchange, but unfortunately they didn't have the same exact ones. There seems to be like 50 different kinds with various sorts of features on them. They were letting a set amount of people in at the time for safety precautions which was great. But it did create a line outside for people to get in. The wait wasn't too long, about 5 minutes. You enter, they ask you what you're looking for to cut down on search time so you're in and out quickly to reduce exposure and capacity. This was the first and only place in NYC that I saw them be very strict with their safety protocols. The place is huge and spacious, you will find everything you want and need here. I was directed straight to the gloves, and I wasn't interested in browsing for other stuff. Unfortunately, the gloves I found closest to the gift ones were a bit more expensive, so I had to pay the difference. But at the end of the day, the price difference was essentially the cost of the gloves, which I would have paid anyways since I needed a pair. Service was fast and friendly. They streamlined the process from an online gift purchase to an in-store upgrade very easily. Love how they're taking the pandemic seriously. We're almost done guys! Keep it up!

Went into this store to look for snow gear today. Store looks like a thrift shop, clothes off hangers , etc. I encountered a staff of plenty but maybe 2 helpful ones. The rest just sauntering into oblivion... pretty useless. If I want scraps I'll come back.

*Specifically their bicycle repair* Last Thursday, punctured my tired and I was right by REI so I went there. A tall, asian guy with a tree tattoo on his arm spent 10 minutes explaining to me the benefits of becoming a member. Was very adamant despite telling him no not interested multiple times. Fast forward to today, less than a week later my tire goes flat. Bring it into another repair shop and he said there was some debris left on the rim from when REI changed it. Wasn't thrilled. Please focus on fixing bikes properly than trying to sell people on your membership. Why would anyone want that from someone who can't change a tire correctly?