REI

Reviews

• MC

  Michael Chernin

  Jan 28, 2026
  5.0
  My fiancée and I took a winter camping class (REI Store Experience) with Payal. We absolutely loved it! She was patient, very clear in her explanations, and we feel much better prepared for our adventures!
• JR

  Jacob Rechichar

  Jan 19, 2026
  1.0
  Unhelpful staff. Wasted about 20 minutes waiting to try on boots. Staff ignored me. Go somewhere else if you need assistance from the workers.
• MM

  Mir

  Jan 19, 2026
  4.0
  This store carries a lot. The camping gear and gadgets are so cool, but many items are also pretty expensive.
• SB

  Sue Baker

  Jan 14, 2026
  5.0
  Incredible personal service. I couldn't believe it. I was in the market for a good rain jacket and they really knew all their products. I ended up buying a northface jacket that has been great.
• ZV

  Zolfa Valiani-Merchant

  Jan 11, 2026
  5.0
  I’ve had a few staff go above a beyond what I would expect for a retail situation at this REI. One time it was helping my autistic son find a pack that would work for Philmont after his orthopedist cleared him as he was recovering from a shoulder injury. The two staff members spent 15/20 min each trying to trouble shoot and were both very patient. The second time was around a year ago when I met Payal in the camping/sleep system area and our casual conversation evolved into a conversation about scouting and her interest in contributing to a troop like ours. Our troop has benefitted in many ways from her experiences & relevant knowledge when it comes to planning, preparing, and executing any kind of outdoor adventure from local caving excursions, to scuba, backpacking, wilderness first aid, kayaking, foraging, etc. Her expertise extends to canyoneering, climbing, altitude physiology, extreme cold weather camping, and more. Her passion for nature, outdoor adventures and especially for sharing these experiences with young people, while modeling and teaching best practices for safety, personal responsibility, and stewardship of these spaces shines. Scouts respond to her in ways they won’t for their parental units or the parents of others, and she is able to earn their respect while building rapport with all youth (she is notably exceptional with scouts who are or seem to be neurodivergent). Her service to our troop and to scouts bsa has opened up incredible opportunities for our new scouts BSA girl troop and our existing boy troop in Bethesda. Based on our exchange at REI a year ago, Payal ended up registering with our troop, becoming a fully trained leader, and providing key adult leadership for our troop at Goshen and later for another young woman seeking a “high adventure” backpacking trip at Lenhoksin (Goshen’s high adventure program). Payal is a fantastic role model who modestly shares a tremendous amount of knowledge to further the growth, interest, and application of LNT principles with youth through scouting, etc. and keeping families engaged for life in a love for the outdoors. Last, her encyclopedic knowledge about appropriate gear, being prepared and seeking new adventures while obtaining high quality, value-added gear that is durable, functional and proven is tremendous. In short, Payal is awesome and well loved in our country troop.

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