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Portland Gear Shops?


Alpine_Junky

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I'm may be in Portland tomorrow and I'd like to hit the best shops. Is there anything like Second Ascent there? I'm a Northerner that's been transplanted to Bend, can't say all that many postive things about the shops here. I'm looking for ice gear, expedition quality down gear, and 4 season tents.

 

Thanks for the help,

 

-Scotty

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Most people on this webpage have more rock/ice gear in their garage than OMC has in stock. OMC has some nice employees and rents great ski stuff but as far as rock/ice climbing gear they serious lack... even REI has more in stock than they do. And they are the most stingy shop I have ever encountered with the discount... you practically have to beg for 5% on your purchase.

 

Climb Max and US Outdoor have excellent excellent selections of gear. Yes they might be out of something from time to time but you can't realistically expect a shop to carry a huge backstock if their selection is that good.

 

US Outdoor is one of the only Kayland dealers in the US :tup:

 

Don't expect an expert opinion on ice tools in either of these shops... ice climbers in PDX are rare as the ice. Do your homework before you shop.

 

As far as quality down stuff I would recommend getting online (or driving to) Feathered Friends or nunatak

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After the Climb Max/Mountain Shop split, Mountain Shop brought in Alpine and Ice Gear. I do work there. We don't have every ice tool/ice boot on the market out there, but do have a solid selection of the main items. Quarks, Cobras, etc. Omegas, Kolflachs, etc. Also have Bibler tents, Feathered Friends sleeping bags. I will concede that we don't have everything, but we are at least getting back into it. Come visit us, let us know that there's a solid market for this in Portland and we'll expand on it. See you soon.

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My experience has been really positive with the Mountain Shop. I get no-hype info and usually some first hand anecdotal data.

 

As per a previous post, shops don't have the have the widest selection, just good selections of stuff that makes sense for this area.

 

-r

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I have to admit I had a really bad experience with the mountain shop....sorry kioti...this was about a year+ ago.

 

They sold my friend a 60m beal rope that wasn't even 50m, it was cut some weird length.....when she tried to bring it back (upon realizing it was short) they refused to take it back. They refused to contact the manager because he was probaly "eating dinner". They (and by they I mean one guy) proceeded to YELL that climbing is an inherently dangerous sport and to deal with it. They said she should have measured the rope after buying it. She was a newbe when she made the purchase and assumed when you by a rope marked 60m that it will be just that.

 

Needless to say it was the wort customer experience I have ever heard of....and by the way I was the one who ended up finding out that the rope was short during a rappel....

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I haven't heard of this instance Knottygirl. It, to me at least, sounds like your friend wasn't taken care of. Did she ever come on back and get things resolved? Have her come on in if she still has the rope and we'll do our best to help her out. Again, I appologize to you, and can assure you that your friend's experience was an anomoly. The mountain shop hasn't been around in Portland forever (1937) because we treat people poorly.

 

-Alan

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  • 2 weeks later...

Richard and the gang at Oregon Mountain Community rock. They are definately the kindest specialty store around and they have treated me very well over the past 15 years that I have shopped there.

 

Not too sure what John was griping about them being stingy. When I buy stuff at other stores I don't expect them to give me a discount just b/c I am climber...

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