REI

pat byrne

2024-04

Very crowded! Store needs more floor space! Some items out of stock. Went per web site said they had shoes I was looking for. Wanted to try different shoes I want to compare and decide which shoe fit best and buy at least 1 pair for this spring and maybe another pair. Will look else were. Seems Berkley, Concord stores very busy! Weekend not a good day to go to a REI store. I like to try on shoe first and if it fits buy it and reorder replacement online when needed. Many brands have change shoe design and they are not lasting as long, example; Soles are glued on and soles do not last and shoe repair is very expensive! I USED TO BUY 1 PAIR FIRST YEAR THEN BUY ANOTHER SHOE APROX. 1 YEAR LATER AND WEAR THE 2 SHOES FOR 3-5 YEARS - BECAUSE NOT WEAR SAME SHOE EVERY DAY. A I HAVE BOUGHT RED WINGS FOR WORK AND PLEASURE AND GET RESOLED AND THE 2 PAIRS WOULD LAST 4-10 YEARS. I HAVE 2 PAIRS THAT I HAVE BEEN WEARING FOR OVER 40 YEARS!!! AND I HAVE LL BEAN DUCK SHOES FOR OVER 25 YEARS(ALL YEAR CAMPING, YARD WORK, SNOW, RAIN, AND MUD AND MAYBE I GET THEM RESOLED ONCE - I have 2 pairs)

Willis Wah

2024-05

Folks there are generally very helpful! Asked a few questions while there and employees were quick to answer. No complaints although the selection on a few things are less than other REI's.

Cindy Kupka

2024-01

Love REI but feel if they are going to sell dog items they need to let dogs come into the store. They want to profit from the sales but wont let them in. It is a very old school to not let your family members (dogs) go shopping with you. I am annoyed every time I walk in and see that no dogs sign on the front door. Most other stores let you shop with your dogs. Will stay away until this changes.

Julian Lemoine

2024-03

2 clerks wouldnt accept my shoes I wanted to return, I bought them last october, not 100% satisfied, want to return. They said I could speak to the manager but they would probably say the same thing. Looking up the return policy, it says: "We stand behind everything we sell. If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you can return it for a replacement or refund"

Mike Rothman

2023-07

If you are searching for the best in outdoor recreational gear, be that bikes, snow, hiking, camping, or what have you, this is the place to go. Join the coop to get discounts and cash back. I went for Merrell hiking boots and hiking pants and found just what I wanted with help from friendly sales people. Recommended.

StonedWheat

2024-01

The company has gone Corporate. They care more about making money, and selling memberships over taking care of customers. Wish i could give zero stars. There is a reason this store, and others thathave followed, unionized. The management at this corporation is awful, by design. They hire externally and have fired most long tenured employee's. There is no more outdoor culture, and inspiration from knowledgable staff. The advantage they had over other retailers was great customer service...that's it. But after eliminating their Sales lead position whuch was the part of the management team that essentially ran the sales floor and wrre their best experts, the company is just another Walmart. Don't be fooled by the 'Co-op', there are better places to shop that give you that 10% back instantly with membership like Sports Basement. One of REI's goals is to sell Credit Cards!! Not just membership. Shop local, shop Sports Basement.

Paul-Elie Nauleau

2023-07

Great REI in the heart of Berkeley! It’s quite a busy store and has free parking in the lot infront. No pets or dogs allowed, only service animals!

Hanne Mohr Sachs

2018-05

My go to place for hiking/camping and travel related gear. You can try things for a year and if they don't work out, you can return them. If you buy online from their website and have it sent to one of the stores you can see, while you are there if it fits/meets your expectations. If it doesn't, return or exchange is super easy right there. People who work there are generally friendly and helpful and the store is orderly and clean.

Alex Vinogradov

2021-05

Rei is a good place to shop. It offers products from some of the best brands in the world. The prices are high i should admit. But, they are exactly where they should be. It is not a Walmart kind store. Original companies and others charge just about the same. For example: Merrell Moab2 man's waterproof hiking shoes costs in Rei $125,00. Now, Merrell.com sells it for $125,00 as well, and Zappos.com sells it for $124.95. Also, a women's Patagonia black Snowbelle Jacket in Rei is $329,00, but in Patagonia store it was $399,00 when i checked. By the way it is wonderful jacket. It is water and wind proof and good for snow boarding or downhill skiing. Some of the best places to go for skiing with this jacket are the following. In California ski resorts like Kirkwood and Squaw Valley that are near Lake Tahoe in California. Others are: Breckenridge ski resort in Colorado, Jackson Hole near Grand Teton Village in Wyoming, Killington in Vermont, Big Sky in Montana, and Park City in Utah. Some of the resourts could be very crowded if opened. Finally, i would like to say that it is a luck for everyone to have this store nearby where everything you need is in one place and staff members are ready to help.

Murti Nauth

2023-12

I forget how much I dislike going to this store, until I go in again. The employees aren’t knowledgeable, they are often condescending, and the company just doesn’t sell quality gear. 2 stars because they consistently have outdoor gear that works on short notice, which I appreciate.

Kenneth Sime

2023-05

I have to say that my experience at the Berkeley REI Bike Shop over the past few visits has been spectacular.I recently purchased a direct-to-consumer gravel bike and built it up myself. Well, I’m decent with my hands, but am by no means a bike mechanic, and I quickly got in over my head.My first trip in, the staff walked me through the basics of what I had missed with my bike, and I dropped it off so they could address them. At the same time, I had them install new tubeless tires, new compressionless brake lines, new bar tape, and a derailleur adjustment. They did a fantastic job on all counts, and the cost was extremely reasonable - about $100.A few weeks later, after maybe 100 miles of East Bay gravel, fire roads, and single-track (and after laying the bike down quite a few times), I had some new problems. My derailleur was a bit out of whack, and I had a few difficult-to-diagnose creaks coming from the bottom end. I walked in expecting to drop the bike off for a few days, but man was I surprised when Art immediately through my bike on the stand.Art not only diagnosed the issues in a few short minutes, but addressed them on the spot. If that weren’t enough, he pointed out a few other things I had missed, and then went on to adjust the fit of my bike, including adjusting the saddle + levers. All the while, he explained what he was doing, and man did I learn a heck of a lot.If your bike could use some love, please don’t hesitate to take it into the Berkeley REI Bike Shop for a tune-up. I am thoroughly impressed by their staff’s knowledge, care, and attention to detail. As a bonus, Coop Members get 20% off all services. They’re my local bike shop from here on out, hands-down.

Tristan Rocheleau

2024-04

If you're going to have the backpacks locked up now, you must have enough staff to make it quick and easy to unlock and try out.

Shiva Srinivasan

2023-12

It is good place. They have certain discounts. If you live in the US for a longer time, taking their membership works out to some good deals.

Vicky Wang

2023-12

Best place to buy climbing shoes 👟. They have excellent staff to measure your feet and give recommendations based on your climbing experience level. They never try to sell you the most expensive pair, only focusing on which ones fit best.

Shum Fong

2024-02

Great store for enjoying quality products for outdoor activities. I got a good deal on a sale priced HOKA shoes.

Daniel Guerrero

2024-04

If the employees in the shoe department are even slightest overwhelmed and you have an alternative look or don’t look like their regular customers base be prepared to feel like a 2nd class citizen

Brenda Ton

2023-08

If there was a playbook for how to run a sporting goods store, this REI should definitely write it! My two friends and I were absolutely blown away by Ben, who's pretty much the Yoda of hiking backpacks. He knows his stuff and then some, explaining the ins and outs of each bag, how to adjust it just right, and even shared some tips on how to handle heavy loads without turning our backs into pretzels. He also had a bunch of great advice on how to train for our hiking trip. Hats off to Ben - he really went the extra mile! Someone give this guy all the gold stars and a raise!And then there's Scott, the store manager. When I realized I'd left a few items behind the day after I left, I called the store and Scott just said, "No problem, come on back and pick them up". How's that for top-notch service?In short, this REI store is a gem. Five stars all the way.

Sue Wagner

2020-05

A great camping and outdoor store with everything any outdoor enthusiast could wish for. Store is well laid out. I am a tourist from Africa and make a point of visiting REI whenever I come to the States. The range of goods on sale is incredible and the staff knowledgeable and friendly. Was happy to find the exact Yeti flask I was looking for!

Chris A

2023-11

Really bad customer service ... a customer associate named Steve was absolutely clueless and totally unhelpful, unsure if he was stoned or just didnt like working. Kept asking him about a sale that was happening, he had no clue. Asked where the shoe sale associates were, he said he didn't think there were any (there are usually at least two).Basically shrugged off any attempt at assisting customers, and muttered "i don't know" when we asked why he couldn't point us in the direction of someone lucid/coherent

frances chau

2018-05

All the staff are friendly, knowledge and willing to answer any questions or concerns you might have, no matter how inexperienced you are with outdoors stuff.

Andrea Broaddus

2023-08

I tried the REI bike shop for the first time after finding several bike shops booked up. It was a great experience - the bike staff is friendly and knowledgeable, reasonable prices, and smallish but we'll curated seletion of quality gear. I was helped by Fred who went above and beyond to take great care of my bikes. Thanks again, Fred!

Seth Close

2024-05

Nice browsing experience. High quality. Too expensive.

Benjamin Waddington

2024-03

It's a great REI!Also, for those of you that are certifiably insane, they have a selection of Stanley cups.

phpppft rnbw

2023-08

Bike Shop is my gateway to the store. Scott and the shop Crew were incredibly efficient, kind, helpful, intelligent and expert at repairs. Came in with an older bike needing a lot of work . They got it sorted and fixed way ahead of anticipated completion day, including special order tire. Bike was in perfect condition when i picked it up for delivery. Thank you again - six stars!

Brianne Murphy

2024-03

This store consistently hires employees who misgender me and treat me like I’m a second-class person.

Sarita Upadhyay

2023-12

I don’t like that I can’t bring my dog with me. Sports basement has a similar selection and is dog friendly, so I go there instead.

Chad Avellar

2023-12

Great customer service. Got new roof box today, very confidently with help from worker

Edith Joachimpillai

2023-05

This was my first time in an REI and I was blown away. The staff is extremely helpful and knowledgeable. I particularly want to thank Fry! He was ever patient with us as we asked ALL the questions. A wise, witty, and fun sales associate. Can’t wait to ask for him by name in my next trip out to the Berkeley REI!

Shan Wolff

2024-02

Staff here are the best! (SF is horrible). The store is huge, always orderly and well stocked. Lots of parking, but be smart as this is one of the highest auto burglary spots in Berkeley. Get outside!

Sally Mahmoud-Werthmann

2023-07

I’ve been to REI plenty of times over the years and have never, ever had a bad experience unfortunately until today. I had an uncomfortable experience with the salesman (Zachary?) working at the Bike Shop register where I felt a bit chastised. Another extremely professional and kind salesman who was working with him at the Bike Shop helped me find the perfect bike for my child, was so attentive, thorough and kind. He had my son jump on the bike several times and adjusted the seat for him. He did let me know that one of the bikes had been returned/very minor scratches but could give us a tiny discount for it. I went ahead and picked that bike, and when I got to the register it actually ended up being a new person at the Bike Shop checking us out. When I told the new salesman (a thin, tall male, I think it is Zachary based on our receipt) what I was told about the minor discount, he aggressively confronted his co-salesman after thoroughly chastising me with questions like, “Where are the scratches? This is a brand new bike, can you show me what scuffs you’re talking about??” He then went and picked up the bike in the air and had his cosalesman examine it even though he was checking out another customer. I purchased the bike at full price and didn’t want to go down the route of searching for scratches with this rude employee but nevertheless hopefully ?Zachary can get the feedback, as this doesn’t align with the usual experiences I’ve had at REI. Even if this bike was brand new, he could’ve handled the situation in a much more professional manner.