I used to work at the Redmond REI, so it's a bit o...

I used to work at the Redmond REI, so it's a bit of an addiction. They have a huge selection of stuff, from Arc'Teryx to Columbia, and the store is incredibly well set up.

If you're looking for a deal and have some time, check out the garage sales. This is when returned gear is resold at steep discount, with tags explaining why each piece was returned. The Seattle REI just keeps everything in a sale area in an area underneath the cycling gear (go to cycling, it's to the right of the gear counter) but most stores have garage sale events. Choose wisely, but I've left with $10 trekking poles with no wear.

If you shop there more than once in your lifetime, just shell out for the membership. It's $20 as a one-time fee, and you'll make that back the first time you buy ski gear or a tent. (And members get to climb the Redmond Pinnacle for free on the weekends.)

It is not a cheap store, but the staff rock and know their stuff, and the return policy is stellar. Follow the sales, shop wisely, and try the Pinnacle at least once.