Places to Go, People to See

Kayaking is one of the world's best outdoor activities, hands down. You can enjoy it with friends, see the amazing beauty of God's creation, and get great exercise in the process. But the formost issue that staves off enthusiastic beginners is the lack of knowledge of what to purchase and the cost of the gear. I have made a list of the places that are common and easy to obtain equipment from and also knowledge of the sport.

1. Dick's Sporting Goods

Dick's is a fairly common place around the US to find any type of outdoor gear. You can find anything from basketball shoes to guns to running apparel which is great if you are needing to find any type of sports apparel or equipment. But if you are looking for kayaks at a good price and with good advice it would not be the best place to start. 

2. Cabela's 

Also a very thorough outdoor themed store with more emphasis on hunting and natural recreation such as hunting than main stream sports related activities. They have a nice selection of kayaks but the advice and expertise are not very helpful. But if you are wanting a great outdoor experience and a store that caters to the outdoor enthusiast you would enjoy Cabela's. 

3. L.L. Bean

L.L. Bean is a store that is very hard to rival. Based on the idea that only best is good enough and the fact every product is backed up with a full lifetime warranty exemplifies their commitment to the customer. The selection of kayaks and gear is top notch and the advise that is given is backed with years of experience. The two downsides to L.L. Bean is that their locations are in the New England with the only exception of Chicago and the quality of their products is reflected in their pricing.

4. R.E.I. 

R.E.I. stands for Recreational Equipment Incorporated and it has been one of the foremost outfitters of high quality gear and some of the best advice from experts in the field. R.E.I. focuses mainly on hiking, running, biking, and water sports and since their niche is smaller than most of the other outdoor stores they are able to provide the best possible experience to the customer. They provide free classes on how to begin kayaking as well as help find the best kayak for you. Their sales representatives are the best in the business and are always ready to help. R.E.I. also has many retail locations across the US and there is one most likely near you. The one downside is that like L.L. Bean, the quality is reflected in the price.

Whether you are interested in kayaking or just browsing this blog out of curiosity I can assure you that if you try kayaking you will not be disappointed. When I think about the great outdoors and the fun times I have out there I am always brought back to the motto for The North Face and it drives me out again and again:

Never Stop Exploring