"One of the best retailers ever! I wish more retailers were like REI.

REI carries quality products, has a very knowledgeable staff, and the best guarantee in the business - nobody has a better return policy, it is totally painless. Their return policy is so good it is almost unbelievable, you can try their gear in the field (go hiking, camping, climbing, etc. with it) and if it doesn't fit right (who can tell from trying on boots in the store what they will feel like going up and down hills with a full pack?) or work the way you like, you can bring it back and exchange it or get a refund. No arguments, no questions, you are met with a smile and made to feel welcome and comfortable throughout the whole process. You don't really appreciate how outstanding this is unless you go through the agony of dealing with their competitors whose guarantee may sound the same but they simply won't stand behind it and you have to fight them every step of the way and still wind up disappointed. Just save yourself the aggravation, pass the competition by, and go to the best - REI.

Another thing that makes REI stand above their competitors is the staff, at REI you have a better chance than almost anywhere else of finding a salesperson that really knows the product or better yet has actually used most of the products in every day life, very refreshing. This makes them a very good source of information and increases the chance that you will be happy with your purchase and that it will serve you well. The employees also provide feedback and influences what products are carried, the result is that they only carry high quality porducts. This may be the reason other reviewers that have commented on limited selection, they only carry the good stuff. In my view this is a good thing, I would rather have fewer selections available to avoid having to weed out the good and bad myself.

Many REI stores also offer repairs. Sometimes you become attached to an old pack or jacket and don't like having to discard it if say a zipper fails, with repairs available from REI you don't have to say goodbye to that old friend that you took on all those trips.

This is one of the things that initially attracted me to REI. About 15 years ago I bought one of the first synthetic fleece jackets and a very nice backpack from a company that later went out of business. I liked and used them both very much, but managed to tear the jacket and wear out its zipper, the pack was also tattered with some tears & frays and worn out straps. I took them with me to REI and asked a salesman to help me find something similar. The salesman suggested that they repair the jacket and said that they had similar size packs but nothing that was as good quality and suggested new straps and repairs for it as well. I ended up buying a new zipper & straps and paid for the repairs to the jacket, they also repaired the pack but would not accept payment for it it was done at no charge. The repairs were absolutely first class and served me well for many years after. Throughout the whole process the sales and repair staff made me feel like I was the most important person in the store. I had gone in expecting to buy both a jacket and pack but left with two old friends ready for more adventures. When I got home and told my wife what happened, at first we thought it didn't make much sense for REI to turn down potential sales, but on later reflection we realized that they did what every store should do, that is put you first do what is best for the customer. In the long run, it did pay off for REI, it made me a happy customer for life.

REI has keep up the good work my most recent purchases were Christmas gifts, high quality ski clothes, water bottles, slippers, & blankets for the children, North Face fleece jacket, sweater, and Yaktraks for the wife, and parka liner for myself. Right before Christmas REI had all items in stock with a good selection of sizes and colors, while their competitiors were out of stock or only had one size. They were the only ones im my area that had the Yaktraks in stock.

What can I say, I think REI is the best.

"

"These guys were great. I bought some panniers and a rack for my bike. I had no idea what I acutally needed so I called in to place my order. My salesperson and I talked on the phone for about an hour and half. She checked with her product specialists to make sure everything I ordered would work.

She even told me items that were on sale and recommended better products for me! It was awesome and I'm so satisfied I would recommend this to everyone.

I'm even at an APO address, in Germany, and the item arrived on the Tuesday, one week after placing the order!

I seriously don't know what beef the past people have had with them, because the service I had with them was EXCEPTIONAL!"

"REI has a great selection and their REI brand gear is of excellent design and quality. They provide order and shipping confirmation with tracking for packages delivered to you. I placed my last order on a Saturday and received it at my East Coast address on Wednesday. Orders delivered to their stores are shipped for free but you lose the ability to track the package. Their website is loaded with useful information on products and activities. They also have a link to shipping information right on the top of the page. It details all the pros and cons of their shipping options. "

"This company has good products and good in-store service, but their web ordering process is poor. They don't have any on-line tracking of your order and shipping is very slow. It took just over a week to be able to pick it up at the store. And it would have taken 1.5 weeks to have it mailed to my home - and I live in the same geographic area!"

"A class merchant and longtime membership, supported outdoor gear merchant. Web site is easy to navigate, clean ordering system, good selection. Weaknesses: online selection not as broad as could be, somewhat thin product descriptions, and tends to be pricey."

"Order delivered on time. Great selection and reasonable prices."