REI

This is the worst REI location I have been to. There is always a long line at check out, to the point I have put back items because it was not worth waiting in line. But my biggest compliant is the returns department. I tried to return an item that was supposed to be waterproof. A month into ownership it was starting to wear more quickly than expected but I figured it wasn't bad enough to return. 7 months after purchase I finally decided to return them as it was no longer waterproof and useless to me. REI declined the return saying it was too worn out. I rarely used this item and wanted to return it because it was wearing out much faster than expected and not worth the $200 I paid. Not accepting a return after 7 months devalues everything in the store. I wouldn't have paid $200 if I knew I could return it if it broke within the year return policy. If anything this is a manufacture defect since it is no longer waterproof and should be able to be returned at anytime. I am strongly reconsidering all REI purchases after this encounter. REI - if you read this please explain why a leaking waterproof item 7 months after new is non-returnable for REI members. Thank you.

No idea who is running this company but every year the shopping is experience gets worse, and every year I spend less money. Not long ago you could walk into any store, find multiple options, and friendly helpful passionate people available to make you feel good about spending money. Not any more. Far less brand options, but worse is less made in USA stocked than ever before. Products you expect to be in stock frequently out of stock. Saddest of all is how stores no longer have the employees to help you. I was happy to pay more for the in-store shopping experience with experts who have used the gear and experts who have passion. The employees no longer care. I just expressed my concerns respectfully in the store and the clerk told me to tell someone else who cares. REI you are sad and pathetic now.

Went to the sleeping bag section and asked to try some out and the employee helping me could not have sounded more annoyed to have to do his job & pull them down (as if he was doing anything else besides sitting on his phone). I asked what the lightest of the 0 degree bags were and he said “haha a lightweight 0 degree bag doesn’t exist”….ok, not what I asked. Then he said “do you REALLY need a 0 degree? Most people just think they’ll get really cold so they go for the 0 degree bag and regret it”. So I explained how I’m going to be climbing Mount rainier in May (this was back in March) and need something to keep me warm in unpredictable weather. This idiot tried to sell me a 30 degree summer bag. I’m really glad I didn’t listen to him and settled on a 15 degree bag. Base camp at 10,000 feet was sitting right at 10 degrees at night and I was just warm enough, the summit was 8 during the day. Just goes to show that REI will hire any arrogant idiot in Boulder who claims they know about outdoor gear. Do not listen to these people or ask them questions, they don’t know anything and will get super upset if they have to do their job & help people. PS anybody wanting to get ski/bike work done come to rebel sports in frisco we will never make you wait in long lines or over charge you & we do an excellent job every time and will fix it no cost if not.

Shoe department service was really abysmal. I explained in detail what I wanted, and store personnel had absolutely no information about the differences between shoe brands or models. It was like I was dealing with an employee who started yesterday with no training. Shoes are a specialty and I would think that a supposedly premium dealer, like REI, would have more knowledgeable people on staff.

I've enjoyed shopping in the Boulder REI store many a time over the years. I always seem to find what I need, or stuff that I don't really need, but want to buy regardless. I haven't needed expert help, so I can't really speak to that aspect of the shopping experience. I would say that I was a bit surprised that the bike section didn't have a larger selection of bike relate stuff. This is Boulder, Colorado after all, one the the cycling Meccas of the U.S. I also was a bit surprised that the climbing department didn't have a bit more equipment selection on hand.....as rock climbing is the other thing that Boulder is known for.