MEC North York

I went in to get a backpack for an upcoming hiking trip. I grabbed a couple I thought would do to compare. I asked the staff member there to answer a couple of questions. He took time to talk about my needs, adjusted two packs for fit, and made sure I was leaving with the right one. Fantastic and thorough service!

I brought my new skis in to get the phantom glide applied and to have the bindings mounted and set up. Steven is super knowledgeable and helpful and did a great job on the skis. I had a very good experience for the prompt and excellent service.

Went for a crash pad for bouldering, within a minute of looking we were immediately asked if we needed any help by Josh, even though it looked like this particular area was plenty busy, he and a colleague made sure everyone was attended to. He grabbed a crash pad for us to see from the back and then even grabbed a ladder and took one off the wall for us to try. He was very friendly and helpful.
The prices here were better than Sail and other places for what we were looking for. Sail had an Evolve crash pad for sale for $400 and the same one at MEC was $320. We went with a different Evolve crash pad that we hadn't seen elsewhere and got it for an absolute steal of $225 for a really great quality and lightweight one.

It was busy and on a Saturday so not a lot of people to help. People who were available were nice and helpful.

Every time when I visit MEC, I would find something new, surprise and excited. It is really a joy to do shopping there. Especially recently I met Oscar who can speak fluent mandarin chinese, he can understand our customer need and recommend the best produt to us. With his suggestion, I bought YETI cup which looks like art product when you hold it in hand. And I actually use it every day, also during night, it put full of hot water in it and it is still warm water during night whenever i wake up and thirsty. It perfectly fit my need. Thank Oscar very much. Hopefully I spell his name right. And I today, with his suggestion, I bought another Mircrolite 720 with handly hook. I plan to carry hot water when do short hiking in Winder.

This is a great store with great staff. I had a major issue on my bike and needed MEC's help since it was a Ridley. Steven and Stewart in the bike service shop were excellent to work with. They knew exactly how to fix my problem and provided the confidence that the issue would not result in significant carbon fiber repairs to fix. Their expertise was incredibly valuable since I had been top another shop in the city and was told that the repair would have been high risk and likely costly, if even possible.
Between the time they spent to problem solve, source parts, and talk to me on the phone and in person, the repair ended up being super reasonable, especially by comparison to the alternatives.
I will be going back to this MEC for my regular bike servicing with how well my experience went. Keep up the good work and thanks for keeping me on the road.

Pretty disappointed with our experience tonight. Came in with the intention of buying two new pairs of climbing shoes and at first was shown a couple options for our size by the employee in the are. After a while we were left alone with the original employee nowhere in sight while another couple was being helped by a new employee. After about 15 minutes with no help we just decided to leave.

Outstanding level of customer service from when my family and I stepped in through the front doors! Special shout-out to Steven, Stuart and Richard who knew their "stuff" inside and out and did a fantastic job by sharing their expertise to educate us per the workings of my bike. Great job on the repair at a very reasonable price.
Many thanks!

Unfortunately, every time I go to this location I am disappointed. On "Black Friday" I purchased a pair of boots to be shipped to me. I used a gift card I had and paid the difference with my credit card. When the boots arrived, they were too small. I looked online for a bigger size and saw that North York had the size I wanted to try. Since I could not put anything on hold, I purchased them with my credit card for curb-side pick-up, and I needed to return the first pair anyway. When I arrived, I tried to explain my situation but the employee shut me down before I was able to fully explain the situation. Basically, I needed to return both and re-purchase the bigger size if they fit ok - also because I wanted to use up my gift card. Luckily, another worker came by to listen to my situation. First we returned the the smaller pair, but they put the whole amount on a gift card as opposed to the amount that was on it when I made my initial purchase and the rest on my credit card. When the worker was about to ring through the bigger pair, I asked if I could first try them on. They seemed surprised. Well, of course I would like to try on the new pair to see if they fit as the first pair didn't work and I would not have purchased the new pair if they didn't work and I would have been left with a gift card with even more money on it. The place where they recommended that I try them on was terribly inconvenient for trying on shoes and there weren't mirrors in the area so I was trying to find one. Meanwhile, I wasn't asked how things were going - I felt like I was being pressured to hurry and purchase.
Other times, they have a very poor quantity for inventory. One time I went to get a toggle for a MEC back-pack and they broke my entire zipper and I had to take it to the Queen Street location to get it sorted.
North York location is the most convenient for me but every time, I am disappointed in their service.

Special thanks to the staff for their excellence in helping me purchase the most suitable items for my relative. They are Bruce, Steven and Dennis who have shared their knowledge and experiences about the cycling clothing and accessories.

Very friendly and knowledgeable staff working here, I felt comfortable purchasing my outdoor outfit/equipments here.

After being a member for about four decades, I can still be shocked and awed by individual staff members going far, far above and beyond.
Here's a shout-out to the Cycling area's Garry for his kindness and generosity in all he does, with insights and extensive first-hand activity experience, detailed and varied product knowledge, and an amazing dedication to recycling gear: he brought in some of his own now-disused items that integrated with and replaced my recently broken lights, and now I'm well-lit for darker commuting on my bike. I'm exceptionally impressed! And very grateful.
And not only that, but going back a few years, my elderly, but active disabled father had only one leg (cancer). In his late '90s decided to use the wheelchair more for exercise outdoors, which had less of a fall-risk than his 50+ years of daily distance-walking on crutches did. Garry paid great attention to his explanation, analyzed his situation and equipment, and steered him in the right direction to protect his hands from repetitive wear and strain pushing the wheels with full-coverage, palm-gripping cycling gloves. He used them every day afterwards. Although he's gone now, I still use the gloves, and am always reminded of the careful, compassionate attention and dedication to exceptional customer service that Garry provided every time I put them on. It's a great testament to the store to have such employees.
Thanks, Garry!
Timothy Hudson

Looking for bike work, look no further. The bike techs here will have you taken care of in a snap!

Just a very convenient great place to shop with lots of knowledgable people it’s my go to MEC now

3 stars because most staff are really nice and friendly there. Although there was one new staff at backpacks who didn’t know much so we ended up having to ask someone else in another department and they were helpful.

But anyway, I had to take away 2 stars because I returned an unlostify kawartha map today sept 24 at 7: 30 pm and the staff (Playton) rudely told me. “we don’t usually take these, it’s final sale, I mean I can’t sell this back out”.

- first of all, i returned the map because it was made wrong. Several routes were marked incorrectly and a campsite was missing. If that staff member knows anything about these new Unlostify maps is that there’s a lot of mistakes in them (there have been complaints about Kilinary Unlostify Maps as well all over the internet.

- secondly, maps is not listed as final sale on their website

- thirdly, even after I explained the problem of the map to the employee, he rudely told me “there isn’t a problem with it”. … basically not listening to the customer at all and giving his own opinion.

- fourth of all, why would you put maps with wrong info back on the shelf?

Is it my fault that I trusted in products that MEC carry and they let me down? Why doesn’t MEC double check their products before selling it? I’ve been a MEC member for 15 years and never have I met someone so RUDE.

Steven at the bike shop was super helpful! He explained the service options patiently and handled by bike with speed and skill. I’ll certainly return for any future bike maintenance needs.

Customer service is lacking. I needed to return something and there was a long wait. Usually, people would say "sorry for the wait" or "thanks for waiting", something along those lines. I thanked the employee when I was done and they did not say anything. I would have appreciated a better attitude.

Good customer service! Best quality and prices. Lots of benefits to buy here. Amazing return policy! I really enjoy this place.

Not great, they are short staffed and 70% of the merchandise have no price tags, very annoying
Not going back to this location again

I love MEC, and been a member since 2002. However with COVID, they are currently experiencing a lack of inventory and supply chain issues on many basic items associated with outdoor activities. I will update this rating once their supply logistics are resolved. Just some examples of regularly available items currently not: 700x23C tires, fuel canisters for backpacking, camping equipment options are just atrocious, freeze dried food needs to be ordered online only.
Staff in general are very friendly and helpful. So this is not a knock on them.

Update: Inventory is slowly improving. Still was forced to go to other stores such as SAIL, or order online through online retailers for items that are out of supply at MEC. And yes the inventory issue is not just at this store but throughout MEC generally. Example was I wanted to get a lighter pack: Gregory Optic 58. Would have loved to buy it from MEC but had to resort to online retail. The purpose of this rating is to help drive improvement and provide consumer awareness. Overall this place is still worth checking out if you're looking to get started due to the great staff. Just as you start knowing what you're looking for, the specific product availabilities can be a hit or miss.

Update 2020-10-30: Went there and most things are now back in stock. Mostly niche out of season stuff like fuel canisters and bicycle tires are the only items still out of stock.

Update: 2021-08-26: Tried and tested niche products still hard to find. Don't expect the new corporate to cater to this market. Examples would be Rocky gore tex socks, true bicycle multitools like the topeak alien x

Been a MSC member when they were located by the Toronto reference library. Outdoor gear stores were almost non existent back then. Now there are a lot of options. MSC needs to up their game to stay viable.

The staff are super helpful and nice here. I got some climbing gear and the person helping me brought me so many options to try and gave suggestions based on issues with my feet. They have a super small climbing wall that you can test the shoes on and a rope to attach your harness when trying them. Very thorough help here:)

First time in this MEC. Like all the other stores, consistently patient, knowledgeable and competent staff, good selection of products in their specific market, although with things opening up after COVID, there were some shortages of the more common sizes, with pent-up demand suddenly being released.

I’ve always known MEC to have really good quality products and be very realistic with returns and helpful to solve any issues. I wish a MEC store was closer to where I live!

Love the warranty program. If there's every a problem they fully stand behind the products they sell and will get you a replacement.

No price tags, had to go through the store to find employee who can check the price. Few customers in the store but spent long wait time in line to cash out. Very expensive.

Ive been 2 times
half of store, no price tag
You have to ask the price every time
But short staffed, very hard to have someone
Everything is very expensive
The staffs are not kind, cold, arrogant
Maybe I was not lucky

Steven
the Senior Tech from MEC North York Location, worked on my bike. He is very responsive, friendly, and takes the time to educate you on things you are not familiar with. I brought in my orbea mtb to do a full Shimano Deore XT m8100 11 speed conversion. The bike runs great. Thank you again Steven for your help! I wouldn’t have been able to bike early this season and to COMPLETE THIS CONVERSION if it wasn’t for YOU!

Received amazing service and advice from Steven when I went in to get my gravel bike gears reindexed (along with a couple other things). I'm extremely impressed as this was the same if not greater level of service I get from actual cycling specialized shops.
I'd say don't hesitate in having your bike serviced here, they know their stuff and they care for their clients!

Had an amazing experience with Steven and Nate - thank you for helping me out and it was so very kind of you! They went above and beyond their duties so if managers are looking - they deserve a raise/promotion!

Always have an awesome in store experience at this MEC location but the staff here just put the icing on the cake for me.

Absolutely love this store! You won't find a better choice for all your camping needs anywhere else. Every time I go there for some little thing I end up buying like ten other items.

We brought our bikes for a tune-up as the spring is approaching and they were stored for winter. Steven was very communicative from the beginning and explained everything we needed to know. He did a quick assessment of our bikes and right away he took care of the few minor issues our bikes had. He wanted to ensure that if possible we would be able to take our bikes with us that same day and not leave them there if it was not absolutely necessary. We appreciate how honest and communicative he was with us. Even though they are very busy he took the time to answer all our question and explained everything he did to our bikes. Our experience exceeded all expectations in a very positive manner.

Large, open layout makes social distancing easy. Good cleaning protocols give confidence in a safe shopping experience.

There is a reason why I shop almost exclusively at MEC in North York for all my outdoor needs: the exceptional customer service. Take Steven for example in bikes. I bought an Intense mountain bike this summer (amazing bikes by the way) and I needed to service/repair the rear shock. Steven and his amazing colleagues (Alex, Stuart) personally took care of the follow-up with Fox to ensure that I would get the best and fastest possible service and they patiently listened and informed me when I was calling them every two days for an update (not once did they make me feel bad or annoying). Tell me where else you would get this? Yes, Only at MEC!

Went to purchase my first hiking shoes Carlington was super nice and extremely knowledgeable. Fixed me up with all I needed for my hike. Will definitely go back! Thanks again for a great experience

Amazing place for sport and camping equipments and clothing. I buy most of my bike parts from here. The mec brand is good quality for reasonable price.

What a waste of time, the system that organizes their memberships is faulty and they will lose your information and make you pay again for a new membership while keeping you on the phone for over 30 minutes.

I love this store. Clean. Best service I've ever had anywhere. And free parking. What's not to like.

Really knowledgable staff! The downtown location has much more, however this place doesn't disappoint either. Conveniently located. Just be careful parking underground. The area is quite tight! The guys at the climbing section knew exactly what they were talking about!

Have purchased gym shoes, finger toe shoes, spring jackets and sports bras over past few years. Service is consistently on the high end along with demonstration of high expertise and diligence in finding my size if not in-store and getting it to me soon after.

Very impressed with ALL staff and ease of connection and willingness to fit you into the right shoes etc. Will continue to shop here. Love their professionalism and ease of shopping with knowledgeable people who care about outfitting you correctly with such ease and zero sales pressure. Great quality products and service. Love this place and my purchases, have both added to a higher quality of life and fully support my active lifestyle. My feet feel great and well taken care of in their shoes. Thank you MEC North York!

Great tips from Alec, one of the nicest staff, plus affordable and very practical items available in the store. I'm grateful that MEC opened a branch in North York.

I came hear with a friend that needed a couple of things for his hiking trip. The staff answered was knowledgeable and took the time to answer all questions, and trust me my buddy asks a lot of questions before buying anything. The sales staff spent at least 20-30 minutes with him. There are a lot of cool stuff if you're looking to go hiking or camping, with great prices but not the biggest selection.

Have grabbed travel and outdoor gear here. High quality items! Friendly and helpful staff. Good parking lot.

As usual, excellent service by knowledgeable and friendly staff that really make it feel like a member run "club". Great selection in a clean and effective layout.

Called, got immediately put on hold for 15 minutes. FIVE staff members picked up over the course of 15 minutes hold time. All of them instantly put me back on hold. I was calling to ask about climbing inventory. Took my $680 purchase to the Queen Street location. Better luck next time North York.

Love this store. Quality products as usual and close to home. Just got more camping gear for this season. Glad they opened one here.

Just wanted to let everyone know, the guys at the bike shop of this store truly ROCK! I ride year around and my bike was totally hammered. I brought it for tuning and new parts. Steven had completely cleaned it up, put in all new pieces plus so many other things. I really enjoyed riding it!

Just wanted to say a huge thank you to the wonderful people at the bike department for professionally packing our bikes for the flight! Superb job!

I really loved the store, could not try a few things because of paucity of time but will be back soon

My experience was quite disappointing at this location and not because of the options or locations but due to poor customer service from one of the sales staff (Perry)
We went to thi MEC for two pairs of hiking boots and unfortunately, Perry was quite inattentive, dismissing, and appalling. After answering my first question and realizing that I was not a member (which funnily enough costs only$5) he started ignoring me, and keeping busy with his only other customer. After waiting for 15 minutes and receiving no attention and one short and indifferent responses, I had to go to the ladies' section to ask for the help of Amy who went through the trouble of explaining the benefits, recommending options, and bringing me a number of items to try.

Although the other staff members from Peyman and Amy to Jeff R were quite responsive and attentive, I must admit that my visit to this location was quite spoiled thanks to Perry's unprofessional and demeaning attitude.

15minutes turned into two hours at store here is how - Matias (I apologies if I misspelled his name) was expert in Hiking shoes who took time to explain how to pick a right pair for hiking shoes. He was attentive and honest about his opinions on which shoes to buy. He made me walk around and personally made sure I got perfect hiking pair of shoes – which I did. Alex in backpack section was polite and took time to understand my needs before suggesting any options. He gave me some hiking tips and went online to show some video on how to pack your backpack for hiking (beyond his call of duty) Sean (Manager at the store) was in good spirits and kept atmosphere enjoyable for his employees. All he did was making customers laugh (I think that’s his job) Dan B.at the counter was this young fella who was polite and explained me little bit story about MEC. I particularly do not like spending time on shopping but I spent 2 hours. You can tell staff there hold pride in what they do. Best part was they were genuinely interested to find what I was looking for and I did not feel any push of sale. I do not recall when was the last time I said this but “I will be back again! ”
On a side note, store was clean, well-organized. Thanks! Tushar Dongre