Tis’ the season for gift shopping for the outdoor lovers you know. Maybe you know someone who is just getting into backpacking and needs to get geared up. Maybe you have someone on your list that is looking for lighter weight gear or the latest GPS unit. Maybe you want to treat yourself to a new fleece jacket or you are looking for a bargain price on an MSR stove. What ever the case may be, not everyone has access to a specialty hiking and backpacking store near their home so I want to give everyone out there a list of some of the best online retailers I know of for quality hiking and backpacking equipment and clothing.
I stress the terms hiking and backpacking to differentiate these retailers from stores such as Cabela’s and LL Bean that sell more products related to campground camping as opposed to backpacking. In other words, if you pack everything on your back and take it into the wilderness with you, the following list of retailers is for you.
- REI.com ( Recreation Equipment Inc) : They are probably the largest seller of outdoor gear I know. They carry a large line of products and they also sell cycling, kayaking and climbing gear. They also sell there own REI line of equipment (tents, sleeping bags, clothing, etc) that is low priced and reliable.
- Moosejaw.com: This company has one of the best selections I have seen as well as great sense of humor. One time while waiting on hold on the phone with Moosejaw, I was treated to a Winston Churchill speech instead of the usual boring hold music. Check out the “Madness” section of their web site.
- Backcountry.com: Also a large selection of true backpacking equipment with a good selection of sale items. They also have a blog entitled The Goat that has a multitude of interesting outdoor related posts. I found myself spending time reading through their blog when I should have been finishing this entry. (Look, there’s something shiny!)
- Campmor.com: This is retailer out of New Jersey that I used to frequent when I lived back east. They are known for sending out catalogs about 6 times a year but now you can access more items on their website. I recently found that they had a section devoted to Ultralight gear. ( Yeah, less weight!)
- EMS.com ( Eastern Mountain Sports): EMS is a retail chain out of the Northeast. They are directly competing with REI in that they sell similar gear and also have developed their own line of reasonably price good quality equipment. They are worth a look if you are comparison shopping.
- Sierra Trading Post: Even though this company doesn’t particularly specialize in backpacking, I suggest looking here for a bargain. All items are 35 to 70% off and I find that you can get score deals on North Face and Columbia Clothing or Vasque boots.
Thanks to the internet, even local retailers, such as Summit Hut in Tucson Arizona, can compete with these large suppliers. It is also possible to shop for gear through Yahoo and Amazon but I have found that you have to know exactly what brand and model you are searching for in order to avoid the getting many irrelevant search results.
I’m sure there are some sites I’ve missed or maybe you’ve found another site out there in the maze of outdoor retailers online. In spite of that, with the short list mentioned here, you should be able to find all of the essential gear that you need to spend time in the great outdoors.
Tags: Backpacking equipment, backpacking gear, hiking gear, hiking gear shopping
