Brent L.
Yelp
Omg! I've heard legends about the REI locations on the west coast but I never believed 'em. After seeing one for myself, all I can say is Holy Granola Bars Batman! The shopping area at this location is two stories tall and has a HUGE amount of floor space compared to the pitiful REI in my hometown.
Add to that, a three story, 100 foot tall, indoor climbing pinnacle for training classes. But wait. It doesn't end there! They even have an outdoor mountain bike test track to test their mountain bikes BEFORE you buy them.
That's one of the things I love about REI - you can test anything out before you buy it. You can even walk around their store for an hour in a pair of hiking boots before you decide to buy them. And everything in the store includes a one year money back guarantee. If you bring your hiking boots, back pack, or mountain bike back within a year, because you decided you didn't like it, or it wore out quicker than you thought it would, they will give you your money back - NO. QUESTIONS. ASKED. PERIOD.
The staff are also superb. If you go in as a novice and have questions about hiking boots, camping gear, backpacking, etc. they can answer it all. If you are new to something, I recommend finding an REI near you for expert advice. Don't go to an Academy Sports Store, or something that - those folks don't know jack!
P.S. - pay a one time, lifetime membership fee of $20 and you get a dividend coupon for 10% of everything you purchased that year. You get other perks too, and you'll make your money back in no time. Look online for membership details.