• Eastern Mountain Sports
  Urban-woodsman mainstay.
  530 Broadway, at Spring St.; 212-966-8730
  VS
  REI
  Much-hyped Seattle newcomer.
  303 Lafayette St., at Houston St.; 212-680-1938
  
  

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  Company Backstory
  Eastern Mountain Sports: Founded in 1967 by two Massachusetts rock climbers
  REI: Founded in 1938 as a co-op by 23 rock climbers

  Size
  Eastern Mountain Sports: 14,000 square feet; two floors
  REI: 39,000 square feet; three floors

  Typical Clerk
  Eastern Mountain Sports: Bearded flannel-wearer who spends weekends in the wilderness
  REI: Eager-to-help student in khakis who bike-commutes to work

  "Does this harness support two people ... at home?"
  Eastern Mountain Sports: “I wouldn’t recommend it”
  REI: “It’s always a good idea to have a spotter”

  Favored customers
  Eastern Mountain Sports: Rock climbers
  REI: Cyclists

  Number of adult shoppers wearing backpacks on a recent visit
  Eastern Mountain Sports: Three
  REI: Six

  Number toting yoga mats
  Eastern Mountain Sports: One
  REI: Three

  Navigability
  Eastern Mountain Sports: An Ikea-like maze. Hit a dead end, until someone cheerfully pops up to ask if you need help
  REI: Spacious and orderly, with helpful one-page tear sheets posted throughout (e.g., “How to Choose a Camp Stove”)

  Soundtrack
  Eastern Mountain Sports: Ambiguous chick rock
  REI: Up-tempo world music

  In-store events
  Eastern Mountain Sports: Occasionally
  REI: Fourteen free presentations this month such as “Backpacking Yosemite”

  Bike tuneup price
  Eastern Mountain Sports: $75
  REI: $85

  Perks for cyclists
  Eastern Mountain Sports: Retül digital bike-fitting
  REI: Street-level concierge for drop-off service; open bike shop

  Inventory weakness
  Eastern Mountain Sports: No snowboards
  REI: No snowboards

  Winner
  Both stores are exhaustively stocked with similar brands and merchandise, but REI wins out for its easy-to-navigate layout and packed schedule of free events.

From the 2012 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine