It has been a couple of decades since my last visit. 1 they moved 2 they are just a "snooty" helpful as my experiences from 1988-1992. Used to think it was just the "poor college kid" treatment but even as middle aged person they still give you the you should appreciate us approach. A decent selection of outdoor clothing, a much smaller selection of ski boots and ski than I recall. They also resell LL Bean items. Footwear associates were quick to offer assistance. When checking out, be prepared to pay a premium to the local shopping experience and the tacky "who assisted you?" obviously for a commission credit is uncomfortable! read more

Appalachian Outdoors is one of the best shops in the area! The staff is helpful and knowledgeable about their gear, and the store has a wide variety of equipment and apparel in stock. They have a great selection of outdoor clothes, packs, camping equipment, and shoes in lots of different styles and colors-- the Cotopaxi gear is especially eye-catching. Both times I've been in the staff has been incredibly helpful. A salesperson helped me pick out a great pair of Salomon hiking boots last year, and a pair of "On"running shoes most recently. The running shoes they carry are mostly for trail running, but an employee helped me find a pair of street running shoes that were just what I was looking for. Plus, they have a bunch of cool outdoor games for sale, like frisbees, cards and hacky sacks. Overall, I look forward to stopping in at AO whenever I need new gear! read more

This is an awesome shop in downtown State College. My first visit actually occurred during First Friday and they had nice people working and serving snacks and drinks. I always enjoy looking around outdoor shops to see what's new and cool. Lots of excellent backpack options, camping gear, clothes, shoes, books, other outdoor resources, pretty much anything you could want. The employees seem very happy to be there and happy to help you find things or answer questions. I will definitely be back for First Friday and whenever I need outdoor supplies! read more

Do you know that feeling you get when you are welcomed with open arms by strangers? That was how I felt the first time I visited here. All the employees are happy and super helpful. Anything I need or want they have. They give helpful advise on what to do or get. Even when I have dumb questions. I make it a point to stop here to get my gear because of this. They even price match. I always leave happy and glad that I stopped in. Definitely worth your time. read more

Good place, lots of helpful employees, and a large selection. Biggest fan of the sales they have though, as even for outdoor gear it can get a tad pricey. Still, really a cool store and I hope it sticks around. read more

If you're looking for anything ski/snow/cold weather related, then Appalachian is your spot. Where else can you find a plethora of North Face, Patagonia, and other awesome gear? Well you're in luck because this is the only spot downtown that actually sells snow gear. If you go further out of town, you'll find some other stores that sell similar things, but not brands like Burton, North Face, etc. This place has it all. The selection here is pretty decent considering it's in state college, and the best part is that there is no sales tax on clothing in Pennsylvania. Thus, it's better to just buy the stuff at Appalachian instead of going online and paying for shipping. The staff here is very friendly. They were more than accommodating when I returned a pair of gloves that I bought, even though the tag had already been ripped off. This is the spot. I get all of my snow jackets, gloves, and duffel bags here because it is that awesome. They always have something that you'll need, and you won't regret it. read more

Love this store. Everyone who works here is super helpful. They call you back when you ask for a special order and are ever so helpful with sizes and returns. Way better selection than the big box REI and EMS stores. read more

Selection is good to great and staff helpful but not clingy. Great choices in quality outdoor brands. However! Prices generally suck. For anything nice or popular, you pay suggested retail. They have frequent end of season sales, but then sizes are limited. Occasionally they will have a % off sale, which helps. I tend to shop here a lot buy buy infrequently..... read more

Great place. great people, great equipment. Slightly pricy, better to get it on sale. We've gotten a lot of stuff here. A few mistakes now and again. Outdoor clothing, skis, camping equipment, maps, brochures to outdoor places, are a few of the things to get here. Price range is neither moderate nor pricy, but inbetween. Parking is on street, and you can usually park within two blocks. read more

I ordered a pair of Hoka Stinson ATR 4 shoes in my size as appeared on the Appalachian Outdoors website. I even called them the next morning to make sure the order was received since I didn't get an immediate email confirmation. I was assured by the employee that everything was in order. Then, late the next day they leave me a voice mail that they're sold out of the shoes I ordered. Come to find out they'd been out of that style for over 3 weeks. In the meantime I passed up other online offers for these shoes which I find are now no longer available. Thanks a lot for leading me on, guys. My advice - DO NOT do business with appoutdoors.com - very irresponsible online company! read more

Jacob and Aiden were amazing! Helped me fInd the perfect boots for my feet and were super knowledgeable and friendly. The shop had a decent selection and prices were pretty consistent with other shops I've been to. Very well organized though with super friendly staff. read more

Over the years I have bought a bunch of things from App outdoors. I have bought a Ski Jacket, hiking boots, shell, tent, sleeping pads, Klean Kanteen water bottles, maps, shoes and other random things. I did lots of research online before purchasing things and then would go in to consult the employees. Since most of the employees are skiers, snow borders, hikers or outdoor enthusiasts they have had first hand experience with these items they are giving advice on. When I purchased the tent I asked about the assembly, they made sure all the pieces were in the box and showed me how to set up the tent in the middle of the store. They even ordered in the footprint since they didn't have it in stock. They often have local conservatory groups, free yoga, instructional series, ladies night, and expos where they have vendors from north face, patagonia, and other vendors in the area. They sometimes cost a little more than online but for the expertise it is well worth it. I bought most of my items on some sort of sale since I was on a budget, so I may not of gotten the first color choice or might have waited until it was out of season. They also have an online store in case you move away from State College read more

I really liked this store and wished that it was in State College when I was a student. They sell many brands that I buy because they are worth the price: Keen, Burton, Northface, Lole, Dansko, etc. I bought a cute bag that is perfect for the gym. In the entire store, I could barely look at an item before an associate asked if I needed assistance. Very, very eager to help. One caveat: That didn't happen in the women's clothing and accessories where I actually chased the female associates around the department for help - I never got their attention but I didn't want to bust up their chat with the boys, so I helped myself to one item on my list and saved my questions and other purchases for another day. Also, you can call me ma'am; but when you do, my policy is to call you youngster, little buddy, or champ. Lastly, maybe you could talk about 4:20 after work or away from customers. Still love you, these problems are small - I attributed it to a puppy-like enthusiasm for Arts Fest, it can be hard to think about work when you're so excited to go have fun. read more

Really, really disappointed. I have spent monies here over the years and was stoked to have an outdoor store in the area when I moved here. Today May 15th 2020, they recently were just allowed to reopen due to the PANDEMIC. I called and asked first, could I come to the store? The lady on the phone says yes with the requirement of a mask, cool. Second, did they have the purple lizard dolly sods map? Yes, we have them here she says. 10-15 minutes I am at the store looking over the maps...no dolly sods. I ask and a young lady tells me they have been pulled to fill online orders. FML, for real! The part that really makes this terrible for me was when I called them I was just about to order the map online. But thought I should support local business especially at a time like this. But it appears they don't want to support the locals. Totally wasting my time and needlessly wasting gloves/masks not to mention increased risk exposure by making the trip into town. It's cool, I'll order online...somewhere else. If you're already downtown and want to impulse buy, great place. Don't bother relying on them for info over the phone though. read more

Now, I'm not a huge outdoorsy kinda gal, but when we got to State College and I didn't have a sweater and I was cold, this place saved my frigid behind. Thank goodness for Northface fleeces. I finally broke and got one and I don't regret the purchase at all. That thing is gonna last me freakin forever. And will keep me warm for at least as long! read more

They've got everything you need if you want to explore the outdoors. Their sale rack has some pretty great finds, and they sometimes have one-item specials for really cheap. Their workers are knowledgeable and can help you out with anything you need. I used to frequent REI at least once a month (and still browse online), so Appalachian is a great substitute. read more

I love Appalachian Outdoors. The service is always exceptional and I've had great experience even years after purchasing an item. Most recently, I brought in my beat up coat and backpack that I had purchased at Appalachian Outdoors a few years ago. Sawyer helped me process my warranty request and sent them back to North Face. Throughout the whole process, he was extremely helpful and friendly, following up with North Face and advocating on my behalf. He was great at giving me updates on the status of my warranty. Both my backpack and coat were replaced and the whole process was very smooth! read more

I've purchased numerous snow boots, Chacos, Keens, Smart Wool socks and other gear and have been really pleased with their attentive customer service. Their stock changes frequently so there is always something new to see. Excellent sales too! read more

I found a great deal on a Canada Goose jacket (which seem to NEVER be on sale anywhere!) on their website. Although I'd never heard of the company before, I checked it out here on Yelp and found great reviews, so felt comfortable buying from them. The coat was shipped out really fast and with great customer service. They started a sale the day after I paid, and honored a price adjustment for me when I requested it. Every customer service person I interacted with was friendly and responded quickly by email or phone. Thanks-- I'll definitely be back to your online store again! read more

Anything for the Outdoors that is worth having you can find at Appalachian Ski & Outdoors. I have been purchasing my clothes and equipment here for about 25 years. Since they expanded the size of their store on Allen Street, they also have a great selection of Urban and Sportswear. I bought the nicest, warmest winter coat I ever owned here about 20 years ago and I still wear it during the cold weather months in Central PA. Patagonia, The North Face, Mountain Hardware, Salomon, Smart Wool and ALL major brands are in stock. Knowledgeable staff that can guide you in every aspect of Outdoor gear, and well made major brands of sportswear too. They honor mfg warranty, and send products back for repairs even if those products are almost as old as I am. I still use what I bought here over 20 years ago! They compete with Internet sites with price match, although I have no reason to shop anywhere else, read more

Today when I attempted to buy a shirt on clearance at Appalachian Outdoors, the sales clerk told me I couldn't have it for the $29.95 clearance price on the sales tag. "It cost us more than that to buy it," he said, and insisted price was $48.95, despite the clear visual evidence to the contrary. In my several decades of retail shopping, no sales clerk has ever before insisted that the customer had to pay more than what the item was marked, even if the price was a mistake. For a mere $19, he could have made me a delighted repeat customer who sang their praises. Instead will I go shopping online where I can get good customer service and avoid dramatic price increases when I am ready to check out and pay. read more

If you are looking for a place to buy your winter or ski clothes Appalachian Ski & Outdoors is the store for you. Especially this year, they had big sales due to the changing weather and early spring. I got a snowboard jacket for $90 it was on 40% on sales. The staff is very friendly and you can find any cozy and warm winter clothing you may wish to find there. I think it's the best store for winter clothing and snow sports shopping in State College. I haven't seen more variety in anywhere else in State College. Also the location is very convenient. read more

Wonderful selection, helpful staff, and fun to shop. I bought a pair of shoes and decided I needed the next larger size. I had no receipt, but they exchanged them with no problems. read more

I'm not a regular customer or outdoorsy. But, when I do come here, I have something specific in mind and I've already done my online research. My online research is no match to the knowledge of the sales staff. They are attentive, and have already tried out the gear or knows someone who has. Aside from the great service, the experience of being in AO is fun and you support a great, local business. read more

The best part about APP outdoors is the staff's knowledge. Whether it be questions about the equipment itself or where to use it the staff has been wonderful. I rented a crash pad from them and the guy behind the counter was more than happy to give me advice on where to set up and boulder. Return was easy and quick and the price very reasonable ($10/day). Their spring sale is fun and it seems like my husband or I go home with a door prize every year. read more

I've visited Appalachian Outdoors a couple different times recently to purchase some outer wear for winter and just to look around. During all my visits I found the customer service to be very good. After looking around in the jacket section for a few moments, I was quickly approached by an employee offering to help me find a suitable jacket. Upon telling the employee what kind of jacket I was looking for and a specific price range, she proceeded to show me all the jackets that suited my needs. The employee was very knowledgeable on all the jackets and their features and even told me about the AAA discount to help me cut the price. This store has great customer service, and also has a lot of cool stuff if your into backpacking, snowboarding, and other outdoor activities. read more