REI

Incredible store, it had been years since I had been here almost 20, since I was a kid with my dad. Went there recently and within spending under a grand roughly bought a great headlamp, lightest season sleeping bag, a tent, Camelbak backpack, an Eno hammock, Atlas chrome straps, a collapsible folding chair, camping sleeping mat, & the accessories etc. I also received great assistance from an older gentleman who worked there, which ultimately saved and prevented me from buying something I ultimately would have had to return. Thanks REI! You always have my return service, gratitude, and sales!

REI has always been known as a reputable company that stands behind their products and provides outstanding customer service. I’ve been a member for years and when I was looking for new skis I decided to purchase them from REI. While I was happy with the price, the satisfaction stops there.
After receiving the new skis I contacted the Boston, MA store to find out when I could have the bindings mounted and set. I was told that the ski tuning equipment had been put away for the season and they advised me to bring them in the following season.
The following October I brought my skis to the Boston, MA store to have the bindings mounted. REI completed the work and I picked up my skis and started skiing for the season. What I didn’t know would soon cause me major problems and long term injuries.
When skiing a trail with some friends I took a fall along with 2 of the friends I was skiing with due to some ice on the trail. Normally this wouldn’t have been a big deal; however, my boots didnt release from the bindings as they should have which caused me to tear the ACL ligaments I’m my knees. My friends came to my rescue and asked why my skis didn’t release like there skis had. At the time I had know idea; however, I would soon find out why.
Later that day I looked at the bindings and noticed that the DIN settings were set at an 8 which is way to high for my height, weight, boot type, skiing ability, and age. As I’m not a professional I brought the skis to another ski shop and I was informed that the DIN settings were not only set too high but the bindings weren’t even mounted properly on the skis. The ski shop corrected these issues and provuded paperwork thay documented everything.
Seeing that REI is supposed to be a reputable company, I contacted them about the situation as it resulted in my having to go through ACL reconstruction surgery on my knees. I wasn’t looking to make money off of them I simply wanted my Copayments and medical expenses covered as this was due to the neglegece of their staff.
Unfortunately, I was given the runaround and told that REI mounts skis differently than other companies and that they did nothing wrong.
To be sure that I was correct, I saught the opinion of another ski shop and they agreed that the DIN settings on my skis should never have been set as high as they were.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend that you look elsewhere when in the market for skis. While I understand that mistakes can hapoen, the fact that REI refused to do the right thing and own up to their mistakes makes me question their integrity as a company. Lastly, if REI has serviced your skis, I highly recommend that you have the bindings checked by a professional to ensure your safety on the slopes. On top of this, you should know what the correct DIN settings are for you as everyone is dfferent. This will allow you to check to ensure that your bindings are set correctly. I’m an advanced skier and I learned this valuable lesson the hard way.

This review is strictly for the garage sale which I attended today and was a ridiculous zoo. The staff said they never seen anything like it, but you would think they could’ve anticipated that many people might be showing up for bargains and that maybe they would want to move the gear outside as opposed to shoving it all in a 25′ x 25′ room. Customers had no room to move or breathe let alone shop. This was l not too far off from the YouTube videos you see from Walmart on Black Friday. Please REI: come up with a better way to display your used gear — put it outside in the parking lot or get a bigger room.

After having a less than stellar customer service moment I spoke to a manager. He asked me all the right questions and determined that I wasn’t making the best purchase possible. He listened to my previous boot issues and really took his time helping me try on and find the right one.
I don’t live in MA but he made sure to let me know if they didn’t meet my expectations that I could contact him to make it right. Thank you for the above and beyond service.

Went in recently to buy some new hiking boots. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Didn’t have my size, but they got me a similar boot to try on. Wrote out the shoe info and I ordered them at the register — arriving later this week! Only negative — they need larger men’s clothes sizes.

Typical REI store with all the outdoor goods however we were really disappointed with their very small children’s shoe dept. Other REI locations in other states have much larger departments but not here. also very frustrating waiting for a salesperson to make themselves available. Won’t be returning anytime soon.

Their bike shop is great, really friendly competent guys.

I’ve always had extremely good experiences at this store (helpful and knowledgeable staff) but this week was above and beyond.
I had done some research on winter hiking boots and decided that I wanted Keen Revel II. According to the Keen website they run small. They recommend a half larger than your usual size, which for me is an 8 ½ or 9. So would I want a 9 or a 9 ½?
The Framingham store had a 9 but it was tight. They didn’t have the 9 ½ but hingham did. The sales guy offered to have them shipped to my house, no charge, so I could try them at home, walk around for hours to be sure they’re good. He took down my info and I went back to work, looking forward to receiving them soon. They arrived the next day. And fit perfectly, as the sales guy predicted based on the fit of the 9s. I wish I’d thought to ask his name. The boots are terrific and I very much appreciate all the great service.

Great place to get all the camping gear you need. I do a lot of out door activities and hiking up in the White Mountains. This place has all the right gear you need. Once or twice a year they will have a major blow out where they sell all of last years merchandise and all returned goods for a fraction of the price, so if you don’t mind buying last years models that might have a few scratches on it for a super low price, I highly recommend coming here and checking out what they have. You can check their website to see when they have the backyard blow out.

I was shopping for back to school with my two grandsons. Had to climb two flights of stairs to get to the clothing. In 45 minutes, I didn’t see a single salesperson. I needed help with sizes, colors, styles but had to rifle through racks of clothing unaided. With a big stack of clothing, I had to take the elevator down, then wait in line for a single cashier. What a frustrating experience.

Great store with a nice selection and a friendly staff. I found everything’s I was looking for and more. Being a larger person I never feel out of place and I am always treated respectfully.

The only time I really see this place crowded is when there is a big sale. Other times, it is sporadic. On this visit, first for this location, there was a big sale and the place was especially crowded. Two floor of outdoor stuff comparable to an Eastern Mountain Sports of which I prefer but the downtown location near Fenway is usually pretty good although smaller. This location is usually out of every size and has no idea when they will get it in. The staff is also exceptionally rude and act like they had better things to do than to cater to the masses flocking to this particular sale. The two shoe department guys need to learn some new customer service skills since these two played off each others rudeness. Heres a little advice, you’re working a sales job at an outdoor retail store, I would expect a bit more friendly attitude toward your job. Since this in incident I think I will take my business elsewhere, return to EMS or better yet LL Bean. At least they both know how to treat a customer.

Contrary to many reviews that I read, I found all of the employees to be willing to go above and beyond expectations, and I never felt pushed at all. Multiple employees approached me and helped me to find exactly what I needed. Great experience at REI to match their great quality products.

Most of the people are super nice when I go in there once a year. I went to check out and the guy (skinny guy with glasses) asked me if I was a REI member and if I wanted to join. I said no and he asked y. I said cuz its costs money. He hasseled me telling me that if I was the type to save money I would do it. DUDE am only in there once a year spending about $ 20 (the cost of this dumb membership) Anyway I left feeling cheap when I am far far from it!

I was in the market for a roof rack system and went there because they were having a sale. I know nothing about how these systems work, what I needed to purchase etc. I am so glad I did! Kyle was super helpful, knowledgable and above all, patient! Kudos to REI for hiring him, now he should get a raise! I walked out $ 1000 lighter but feeling like my money had been spent wisely. Great store, great staff, great products.

Great store. I like the folks working here, very knowledgeable yet not pushy.
Unfortunately, selection is not so great compare to other REI (though keep in mind REI in east coast tend to be smaller scale)
It is located near Natick, home of Army soldier center, so I had high hope that REI stocks some cool gadgets but it was so-​so.
Don’t miss out on the 20% discount for members.

I’ve made the Framingham REI my «home REI» in Massachusetts. In comparison to other REI’s I’ve been to, the store is a bit small, but easy to navigate and they stock great stuff. The staff is friendly and helpful. There is plenty of parking.
Also – and totally unrelated – they play great music. One time, they played Muse, Soundgarden, Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, and Marcy Playground all within the same hour! I was shocked.

If there was a star above 5 I’d click it in a second. REI is my favorite store in the world! I occasionally just go in and look at all the cool new gear they have.
If you’re an adventure sport enthusiast, this place couldn’t be more recommended.
The prices here are a bit high, however if you get the membership, you get 10% back on any new gear (Note: Does not include the REI Outlet online, or the garage sales they do four times a year).
The staff are amazingly helpful, they know everything about everything, and if they don’t, then they will find someone else who works there that does. I’ve never been let down, and have spent thousands of dollars here.

I LOVE REI! What else is there to say? Need a kayak, mountain bike, tent? This is the place to come. And if you are a member you get a refund check every year on all that awesome gear you bought?! It can be a little expensive, but you pay for the excellent selection.

REI is one of those stores that you’re either going to live in or never step foot in. Focusing on all sorts of outdoor actives (biking, cannoning, camping, climbing, etc) it’s one of the new places around to pick up everything you’ll need for whatever you’ll be doing outside.
The Framingham location is actually one of the nicer ones I’ve been to. It’s quite large and updated with all the latest amenities and décor. They have a nice little rock climbing wall that they use from time to time, and the store is typically pretty well staffed. The downstairs is mainly for your equipment /​accessories, while the upstairs is primarily shoes and apparel.
Parking is plentiful, although the lot can be a bit of a hassle to get to if you’re coming the wrong way or there’s traffic. Prices aren’t anything to write home about, but you’re not going to get taken advantage of. I signed up for their membership program, free to join, and saves me a few percent on items.