7 Best Outdoor Gear Stores in Burlington Vermont

In Vermont, there are plenty of ways to take advantage of the great outdoors. Residents of the Burlington can enjoy Lake Champlain, the Aidirondaks and the Green Mountains. Skiing, hiking, swimming and cycling are only some of the activities to enjoy.

In this article we’ll look at the best stores to get your outdoor gear in Burlington, Vermont. There are many shops to choose from, each with its unique blend of gear and brands. Some specialize by season and others by types of outdoor adventures. These stores can be found in the heart of Burlington which makes them great choices for locals and tourists alike.

Outdoor Gear Exchange

Outdoor Gear Exchange is a great one stop shop for winter gear options, especially for dabblers to the outdoors. They offer a wide array of brands from Arc'teryx to The North Face and many other companies in between. This array allows them to sell such a vast range of gear options, which makes them great for beginners.

Outdoor Gear Exchange is also a fine shop for winter clothing and offers a strong backlog to support this. This backlog includes a second floor for past items, which is great for beginners with a budget in mind. However, this focus into winter gear and clothing does mean that their summer season options are nonexistent. With that said, this shop is still a great option for winter tourists and college locals.

Burton

Burton is another local company that specializes in delivering the best snowboarding experience as possible from their side. Like others, they sell general clothing which makes them great for newcomers to snowboarding. Their snowboard sections are also grouped by experience levels from beginner to expert, which makes Burton products easy to access.

Burton also matches well with the local pulse of Burlington, being akin to Skirack and North Star Sports. Burton also has objectives in staying sustainable and supporting Burlington at its roots, which help the company pay it forward. Alongside this, many of their products are designed to emanate the Burlington spirit much like their late founder did during his lifetime.

Skirack

Skirack is a local company that started in Burlington doing what their name would suggest: selling skis. These days, they have expanded to sell snowboards, running shoes, and traditional and electric bikes while still selling skis. While they do specialize in alpine and cross country skis, Skirack does this through a large group of different brands.

Like many of the other places on this list, Skirack also has regular apparel options alongside their sporty mainstays. These apparel groups include jackets, shirts, and swimwear which leads to a catalog that stays strong year round. They also have plenty of hats, socks, and other assorted accessories that help to further diversify their product backlog.

Skirack also has an atmosphere that tries its best to pay back to Burlington and Vermont as a whole. Their commitment to making positive impacts on the community, along with their dedications to customers, helps to highlight Skirack. However, Skirack does have a winter season focus, which may not be the best for some tourists.

L.L. Bean

L.L. Bean offers several types of clothing year round, which makes them a prime starting point. The store has gear options for every season, ranging from snowshoes to fishing rods even to canoes. Also, gear and clothing can be personalized through sewn-in signatures, which is great when traveling in groups. Overall, L.L. Bean’s options help to highlight just how grand their product warehouses are.

Aside from their gear options, L.L. Bean is a retail shop as well. This does make them a great choice for local college students who enjoy L.L. Bean’s gear offerings. Sadly, L.L. Bean does lack a true local flair, since the company is based in Maine. Regardless, their gear catalog tries its best to make up for this in spades.

Fjällräven

Fjällräven is another great shop for winter gear but leans more towards serving seasoned individuals. With that said, their catalog trends into a sense of utility for their customers rather than being an ultimatum shop. However, what they have in utility is strong through a diversified list of different bags and clothing.

Fjällräven is in a similar spot as L.L. Bean though, being a nonnative company to Burlington. However, Fjällräven has a focus on sustainability that aligns the company which helps to align the essence of Burlington. Finally, because of their utility, their products are a fine choice for locals and tourists alike- especially for backpacking tourists.

Patagonia

Patagonia has a product backlog that creates a happy medium between L.L. Bean and Fjällräven. While they offer strong utility through clothing and bags, they also have outdoor gear for any season. Aside from this, Patagonia’s inventory is designed to appeal to newcomers and veterans alike. They also sell laptop bags and totes which may have a better affinity to local college students or business owners.

Patagonia, like the two companies that form its happy medium self, is not a local company either. However, like Fjällräven, they hold eco-friendly tenets that make them fit more with Burlington’s overall aura. With that being said, Patagonia is a fine shop for gear, be it for the office or for the hills.

North Star Sports

North Star Sports is a bike shop designed for an all season approach for its customers. While they are mainly a bike shop, they have winter selections in skis and ice skates. This does help during the winters and the snowy days in spring when riding a regular bike is near impossible.

They do have plenty of bike options- and the apparel backlog for riding one to boot. They sell road, electric, and mountain bikes with pumps, helmets, and gloves which makes for a great catalog for veterans. Aside from this, their clothing options offer a little bit of everything for customers including jackets, cycling tops, and cycling bottoms. Finally, they also have bike repair services, which makes it a great place to remember for local cyclists.

If there is a shop that you think should have made the list, be sure to send us an email at info@bestofbvt.com to let us know.

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Happy Outdoor Adventures!

Liam Werrmann
Business Administration
Champlain College