Pros
REI is a great place to work if you like people, if you like the outdoors, and if you appreciate a work environment where everyone is respected and given a chance. We go above and beyond consistently to offer great customer service which makes customers happy and which makes our job enjoyable. Employees are friends not just at work but outside of work as well. It's a great place to be! Work at REI and you'll have a fun job with opportunities for advancement and you'll meet a lot of great people who are active and who enjoy what they do.
Cons
Some of the downsides are that headquarters are based in Seattle and if you want to advance with the Co-op outside of the traditional management track, you have to live in Seattle. Otherwise retail management is your primary advancement option. As with any job, the quality of your experience with REI depends on your attitude and how much initiative you are willing to take. In my experience, taking initiative and seeking out advancement on your own is rewarded. In the end, REI is a retail company so if you don't like retail, this is probably not the job for you.