Passing thru from Virginia to Harbor Spring with bikes on back of Porsche. Inadequate Thule bike rack would not keep bikes secure at highway speeds. Henry & Alan went above and beyond to help get the right rack that could tolerate multiple bikes for long distances. These two gents are the best of Backcountry and Northern Michigan!! read more

Backcountry North - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

If you're an outdoors person, then this store which is located right downtown TC is your paradise. They have everything and I mean everything from Black Diamond carabiners to Arcade belts. Shoot, you'll even find camping chopsticks. The staff is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and outgoing. The other backcountry may have other stuff, but there's just something about downtown that makes you want to buy stuff. Check them out for all your outdoor needs. read more

Backcountry North - Told you they have chopsticks for camping. - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

See all

Super helpful staff. Helped us pick out some camping pads that we desperately needed after a poor night'a sleep on our first night camping. Had a great selection of quality gear. read more

Great guys, great service. Love all the gear I get from here. Nice selection of the latest stuff across the board.

I enjoyed browsing (and buying!) here so much. The staff was polite and engaging. Helpful and knowledgeable. We found the nicest pullovers and slide wallets! I enjoyed the cleanliness and organized layout. It was not overstuffed lending to a disorganized flow. I don't enjoy shopping in chaos. read more

Great selection of footwear and kayaks! Also excellent friendly service. Great resource for outdoor gear in TC.

NEW CUSTOMER! My visit on 2/12/2022 was my first. I bought a used kayak from a local lady and headed to Backcountry North. With Abby's help, I got outfitted for a paddle, life jacket, water shoes, and accessories. Abby was amazingly well versed in the broad topic of outdoor activities. My friend and I were very well taken care of. Although we don't live near Traverse City, I consider myself a customer. Thank you! I can't wait for Spring! read more

Nice friendly staff and really nice selection. Located right in downtown TC they are super nice and have great stuff.

Great people! Super helpful and kind. Very nice selection. Found everything I needed and more.

Words won't ever do this place justice. The experience is next level. Love supporting my local gear shop and chatting with the most friendly, knowledgeable and caring people in the outdoor industry. Helping our most wonderful hometown stay safe, educated, save money and have more fun outside doing the things we love most. Stop buying online and put your hard earned money back into the community that means so much to all of us. Welcoming you with open arms, you can learn more, get the right gear the first time around, understand prioritization regarding your next adventure so you can save money and walk out with a smile on your face actually knowing how to use your new purchase. Thank you thank you thank you. Stop in often and be thankful we have this store in our backyard. Backcountry North is the real deal. read more

had exactly what I wanted. perfect! The staff was also very helpful and attentive. I appreciate it

Great selection of products at Backcountry North! Henry was super helpful in picking out an Arcteryx shell for me, deciding on the right size and then special ordering it in the color I wanted. Looking around, they have everything you'd need for any outdoor adventure. I'll definitely be back! read more

Great customer service and selection! People were patient and super friendly. I would highly recommend!

Sam and Paige spent almost 3 hours educating my daughter and I as she prepares for a semester at High Mountain Institute. Their expertise was was invaluable! My brain couldn't handle anymore and Amical was calling, but we will be back for more. Thank you SO much Backcountry North for being such a gem in our sweet little town. Cool note: Paige came here from the town in Colorado where my girl is headed! Nice coincidence! read more

Backcountry North - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

Amazing store with friendly, knowledgeable staff. Excellent covid precautions in place.

I didn't even buy anything. BUT BEFORE YOU MOVE ON, their generosity, honest charisma, and selection of goods make them a must-come for campers, backpackers, and hikers. Without me spending a cent, they helped me solve a gear issue while they took a hit on their product, seemingly for the sheer enjoyment of just being helpful. Will be back on our next adventure. read more

Excellent service! These guys helped us out with the exact shoes we were searching for, ideal for hiking in the vail valley mountains where we live in Colorado. Truly good educators, didn't push products on us, just informed us of the specific details we needed for our purchases. Thanks! read more

Very friendly staff and always good for conversation on all your outdoor needs. I've been buying here for years and never had an issue. Like any retailer prices can be high but that's just part of the game! Overall a great store for whatever you may need. read more

This is my favorite downtown store in TC, they always have a great selection of all my favorite brands and the staff is always super friendly and helpful. read more

Really great experience, incredibly friendly and informed staff. I was unsure about which waterproof backpack to get for biking but I left fully confidant in my purchase :) Now I am ready for school to start! read more

Backcountry North - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

The people working here are really helpful. A little expensive but I'm used to consignment/exchange gear stores.

Great store Friendly staff and lots of cool stuff, good selection of best brands. They could offer more in the way of deals and discounts. Could also stock more, limited sizes and colors in several cases. Would shop there more if pricing was better. read more

This is hands down the best outdoor/adventure store in TC. So knowledgeable and the best staff.

I'd love a very detail explanation on how a whistle helps you communicate with the coast guard from Cory Smith! A whistle, although good to have, isn't always effective. Such as if no one is around and unless they have some tech whistle I'm not aware is made, the coast guard doesn't respond like Superman to cries for help. If you want to have a real method to get the coast guard / help on the water you need a VHF radio or a Delorme Explorer device. The Delorme is a better option than the VHF radio though due to lack of range from a kayak with them. Also the paddle float doesn't get you back in your boat if you fall over. It helps stabilize your boat from tipping to one side when getting back in and YOU BETTER PRACTICE WITH IT! Its not a piece of safety equipment you just put under the bungies of your kayak and forget about it. Be 100% confident you can use it in slightly worse water than you expect to ever be in. Practice getting in your boat and practice some more and then once you think you have it keep doing it on a regular basis. This quote from the article below makes me think that the reason for some deaths in the area is this store's bad advice on kayaking safety! When being quoted for an article that so many people would see you could have said something more honest and helpful / a good take away such as "practice getting in your boat in conditions similar to what you'd expect is very important along with dressing for immersion in current water temperatures and wearing a lifejacket at all times. And avoid paddling in off shore winds, check the weather and wind forecast right before going out. Paddling in more than 10 mph winds can be challenging." ""We try to make sure that every PFD, or PFD and kayak leaves with a whistle," says Cory Smith, general manager at Backcountry North. "That's something that if you're out in the water you have the means to communicate to the coast guard or a passing by vessel. The paddle float is a piece of safety equipment. It's what allows you to get back in the kayak should you fall overboard. Get out there, have fun, but a little bit of common sense goes a long ways towards preventing incidents and towards keeping everybody safe."" http://www.9and10news.com/story/32457905/uscg-air-station-traverse-city-sees-spike-in-kayak-paddleboard-cases read more

I love BackCountry! When I have choices on where to spend my outdoor bucks (and I do), this is my only stop. These people know their stuff because they live, breathe, hike, camp, and paddle in the same stuff they sell to you. I don't have the money to spend at other places only to have it fall apart, or not fit right, or I'm dissatisfied. Backcountry intimately knows the gear they sell - they only sell high quality so that you're a happy camper (walked into that one) - downtown is my fave, but check out their flagship store out on 31 too! read more

Nothing but top quality gear hear- no cheap fashion clothing. This is where you go in TC to get serious camping, climbing, and kayaking gear. read more

A lot of interesting stuff herein. I second the previous reviewer's comment about prices, but c'est la vie. Some family members of mine are headed to Alaska in a month or two and are scouting jackets and shoes so we had a look at some of the inventory here. Decent selection. read more

Awesome place with friendly and helpful staff. Always a place to stop in for advice and good gear.

My sister and I went downtown to enjoy a day of shopping ...walked into Backcountry North and the two employees which were talking amongst themselves never acknowledged either one of us ...never even a hello ... we walked all through the store just browsing and as we walked out...nothing. I love giving people the benefit of the doubt, so looking for a nice jacket I decided to go back the other day ...once again ...no greeting at all from the clerk . I wont be back . read more

Love coming here they have the best advice for hiking and backpacking and the best gear! Highly recommend taking the trip over to see what they have and speak to the knowledgeable employees! read more

Love this place! Allen and Sam were super helpful and helped us get all we needed for a hike in the area.

The customer service is 5 Star! A wide variety of items meets every need an outdoors person could need- and look stylish. They took all the time needed to fit the right hiking boot and find solutions for my hard to fit feet. I'm sold! read more

The selection of products at backcountry is incredible. Staff is so knowledgeable , and really can help prepare you for your next adventure. The time they spend helping you make the right selections is invaluable, you can't get that at a big box store or online. Whether you live in Traverse City or are just visiting, a stop at Backcountry North is a must! read more

As always, they do a great job at helping their customers. Wendy at the downtown location was very helpful and great to work with, thank you very much for your help Wendy. read more

We stopped here during a visit to Traverse City. The staff was incredibly knowledgable, especially Will. Highly recommend if you're looking for knowledgable recommendations and advice. read more

Great brands and great selection of items, friendly service. Would definitely recommend.

I have been customer for 25 years. This company is only continued to get better with customer service inventory assortment, brands and quality. The staff is always friendly and helpful. Even more so they are extremely informative on a technical level. After living in a big city where their are corporate stores it was really great to return the Traverse City and backcountry Outfitters where there's a personal touch local pride and care. read more

I came in having some previous knowledge of backpacking, but was a first-time buyer looking for an Osprey. Will was more than helpful and patient in teaching me proper adjustments, tips, and other useful things that I would need to know when backpacking. He is funny, kind, and got me setup with an awesome Volt 75! read more

Stopped in while in Traverse City, and they helped me with questions on the area, kayaking, and knives. The staff is not only friendly but knowledgeable about the area and the equipment that they sell. read more

My spouse bought some new Northface shorts. We left on vacation the next day. After the first washing the shorts pilled badly. We returned from vacation 3 weeks later and returned the shorts. Backcountry said they had a 15 day return policy and that was that.`Now these short were not $19.95 they were $50.00. We got the total run around and they never addressed the poor product. We will not be back...ever. read more