Hiking Gear Stores in Alabama

[buck]

My wife and I are just getting into hiking and are wondering where the best places are to shop for all gear related to hiking and camping. We live about 60 miles east of Birmingham in Oxford. I found online stores, but much prefer to put my hands on these type things before purchasing.

[McDowra]

First welcome to the forum!!!

My bride and i really like   http://www.alabamaoutdoors.com/

[mich4076]

I have gotten some good gear from Academy Sports and I know those are everywhere... some of the better gear shops are in Bham.

[JC785]

Welcome!
Alabama Outdoors, Southern Trails in Montgomery and Auburn

[Cuffs]

I have gotten some good gear from Academy Sports and I know those are everywhere... some of the better gear shops are in Bham.

Academy has filed for bankruptcy...

[Lesley]

Dicks occasionally has some gear. Alabama Outdoors, Mountain High, And REI are great stores. There's not a whole lot in Oxford that I'm familiar with. I do know that Werners in cullman has some stuff. There's a Choccolocco's canoe shop in Oxford that may have some things. Good luck and welcome.

[Firedog]

Hey Buck,,, neighbor. I live here too. Like the others that were suggested, Dick's here, has a very limited inventory. Mountain High Outfitters, just north of The Summit on 280, Southern Trails, just west of the eastern bypass on the Atlanta Hwy. in Montgomery are excellent stores with a large inventory and a very knowlegable and experienced staff. I have frequented both. Most of the time they are within 10% of what you find on the internet after you figure in the shipping. But visiting these stores you can gain a lot of advice from experienced users.  If you get over to Atlanta there are 2 REI stores that are great also. You can look their location online at REI.com

[auwesman]

4 REI's in Atlanta now.  Trust me, I visit them regularly.  SMALL addiction 

[Cuffs]

isnt one in Kennesaw and one in Buford?  then the one that ITP and one is OTP.  so yea, 2 in ATL.  the other 2 are not ATL.. (at least not by Atlantian standards)  Living in ATL for 12 days a month, Atlantians are weird about what IS ATL and what ISNT ATL...  Me?  I could care less.. but they are OCD about it! 

[Cuffs]

My wife and I are just getting into hiking and are wondering where the best places are to shop for all gear related to hiking and camping. We live about 60 miles east of Birmingham in Oxford. I found online stores, but much prefer to put my hands on these type things before purchasing.

If you can come to Birmingham, call Alabama Outdoors 205-870-1919  and make an appt to see Wendi (thats me) We can go over what you have, what you need, what the luxuries are...  Theres also a backpacking clinic on march 7th that may be of interest to you. 

Also, theres a weekly hike on Coldwater Mtn in Oxford.  Call me for more info on that too!

[mich4076]

Academy has filed for bankruptcy...

I knew they had closed the store in homewood but I didnt know they were that bad off!

[auwesman]

isnt one in Kennesaw and one in Buford?  then the one that ITP and one is OTP.  so yea, 2 in ATL.  the other 2 are not ATL.. (at least not by Atlantian standards)  Living in ATL for 12 days a month, Atlantians are weird about what IS ATL and what ISNT ATL...  Me?  I could care less.. but they are OCD about it! 

Greater Atlanta....my bad.  Cuffs do you have an article about Academy Sports filing bankruptcy?  I also knew they closed the Lakeshore Drive store, but hadn't heard abou bankruptcy.  Thanks.

A few more stores you might check out.  The new Bass Pro Shop in Leeds wouldn't be too far off for you.  While they don't exactly have the GREATEST stuff in the world, occassionally they'll have some good stuff!  Also, Rogers Trading post on 280.  I don't visit there much since they got rid of gear, but they do have some good name brand clothing and occasionally I've found some hits in their clearence area (Arcteryx. wool shirt for $15!).

By far I visit AO the most, but there are some good options here in Bham and around.

[Rob]

Alabama outdoors by far has my vote on local B'ham stores! They are very knowlegeable about their products. Are attentive to your needs without being pushy, and will give you a referral when they can't help you with a product. I have tried to shop at Mtn. High by Whole Foods but the Little Kids that work there are too pre occupied with eachother to be of much assistance to those of us interested in buying a very expensive Liquid logic Kyak. Rodgers is a good place for outdoor apparel. They have a good selection and will order special sizes if needed. Wish they still sold gear.

[Graceless]

Yeah from round there to and I just find any reason I can to run up to Bham usually to check stuff out:) I do think we should start posting our old stuff on Craig's list tho:P

That Outdoor hunting store (name left me) behind lowe's?  they have some backpacks that are pretty neat and really comfy as well as frog toggs.
I think they have decent stuff at Dick's for dodads and whatnots but I would shop around for bags,pads,tents(def tents no good ones at that one) anyway general stuff you get the idea:)


I am heading out this next week for my anual grain/granualted honey buying trip and then the horrible IKEA trek after that:) I am going to go try on hiking shoes:} REI:},hmm maybe I should do that before IKEA it might be nessecary.

[Firedog]

T & L Outdoors. Mostly hunting & fishing stuff. Was in there this week.

[Graceless]

didja see if they had those backpacks on clearance yet? they are buried over in the front right corner on the bottom .. I keep forgetting to go and check:)

[Firedog]

I didn't notice, I was looking for a lightweight shovel and some stuff sacks, sorry.

[lawnmowwer]

 I live less than 10 miles from Bass Pro the gear is OK, some is good stuff some junk, but the prices are high. I say Ala. Outdoors or Mountain High I deal with both. Their experience is worth a few extra dollars, and the gear is good. I personally have 2 TNF sleeping bags perchased around 1984 from Alabama Outdoors. I have noticed the staff changes at Mountain High, but I am an old Urban Outpot customer and I am having withdrawal.

 By the way Mountain High dose not deal boats that is Alabama Small Boats and they almost never have more than one person working. I think they do a good job. Order canoe parts from them last summer.

[buck]

I appreciate all the suggestions and advice. We are avid hunters and lack little in this area in the way of equipment. Our camping has been limited to drive and camp type outtings. However, kids are getting older and more mobile and ready for the next step - backpacking into the woods to hunt, hike, etc. We're looking forward to it, but buying hunting equipment all these years has taught me the importance of putting your hands on the the things you see in a picture or read about on the internet.

Birmingham and Atlanta are not too far away for us - Oxford sits about center of both and we travel to both throughout the year.

The gear I'm concentrating on right now is a tent. There are four of us and finding a tent that I can pack and hike with and then shelter all of us is proving not so easy. Anyone had and solved this problem before? I am even considering two light weight 2 or 3 man tents instead of one of the heavier 4 man tents. My wife could pack one, me the other. Not sure this is an effective solution, but I am sure some of you can advise.

Thank you again for the replies. I look forward to learning even more from this site.

[Graceless]

yeah we had the same issues with packing multiple tents multiple bags pads etc etc , I found one that was a good find for larger families that was essentially what we needed  http://www.spadout.com/p/mountain-hardwear-casa-6/   now spendy yes but for all of us and DH counts as 1.5 people because he flails. So that put DH and I splitting the dif which was 6.5 pounds( not including pads and bags. way to much IMO. But the website (Spadout )will help you can look at tent weights and areas and such and see essentially whats out there:) there are also a few stores you can buy from with a  free shipping return type deal but you won't get your shipping back.
   

     I decided to buy DH a tent and myself a hammock. So, Dh took my hammock away from me on the last car camping trip and will not give it back and the kids have thier own now too DD1 (8) has her own pack and has her hammock her own siylon tarp and is petitioning for her own stove ( uh yeah right*)She carries less than 8 lbs including all this her dinnerware and clothes. DDs 2 and 3 carry their hammocks fleece bags and hammock sleeves they hang beside dh or I or above . their pk weight is 5lbs atm this summer it will increase since I have water systems for everyone.

[lawnmowwer]

 A suggestion is to get a sheet and some c-board boxes.
Look at the measurements on the tent.
Form the sheet to the basic size and shape of the tent floor.
Then put the boxes around the sheet paremeter. Preferably thin boxes that will fall over if touched.

And If it is not obvious. Have everyone climb in and get in their sleeping bags without knocking over the boxes. Make it a game and see how small they can get it. 

It makes a fun game. After doing this at a Scout Meeting I was informed by a first year scout that they could get everyone in a Eureka Timberline. So I showed up with mine the next week. Amazingly They did get five kids in sleeping bags in the tent laying in their sides. I don't think they could sleep, but they would be warm and maybe dry.

[Rob]

Hmmmmmmmmm, Wonder what all those kayaks are doing at the Mtn. High located next to Whole Foods on 280 (Cahaba Village)? The $1,000 dollar + price tag had Mountain Highs name on it. Is Alabama Small Boats just partnering at that Location? Maybe why I couldn't get help. Not trying to be arguementive, just getting my facts straight.
I will say that the "help" problem does seem to be specific to this particular location, no matter what the intended purchase. I also have visited the Urban Outpost location with good results before and after the transition to Mountain High.

[mich4076]

From what I know Alabama Small Boats just sells kayaks and canoes there... I have looked at them a few times and there was a guy that helped me but from what I've heard they never have more than 1 person there.

[Rob]

Ohhhh, OK that clears that up! I stand corrected. Guess they just don't do enough buisness to staff it better. Maybe during peak paddling season they will step it up. Thanks for the feed back..........

[dogwood]

Cuff,
    In an earlier post, you said that there were weekly hikes on Coldwater Mtn.  I live about 3 miles from there in Oxford/Eastaboga.  Can you let me know more information?  I knew that it was designated as forever wild, but haven't heard anything else from it...

[Cuffs]

http://www.hikealabama.org/coldwater.html

that link will have the person to contact in it.  Its a great little mountain right in the heart of Oxford, hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

[Tim Rich]

isnt one in Kennesaw and one in Buford?  then the one that ITP and one is OTP.  so yea, 2 in ATL.  the other 2 are not ATL.. (at least not by Atlantian standards)  Living in ATL for 12 days a month, Atlantians are weird about what IS ATL and what ISNT ATL...  Me?  I could care less.. but they are OCD about it! 

The REI in Kennesaw is the most recent one to have opened.  It's nice, took one-half of an old big box store (Media Play) and a mega beer/wine/liquor store (Total Wine) took the other half.  It's only about ten minutes from me.  As to in ATL or not IN ATL, those of us who live outside Atlanta proper are more likely to point out that WE don't live in ATL as opposed to a condo owner pointing it out to us.  My best view of ATL is in my rear view mirror.   

Take Care,

Tim