I stopped in for sun sleeves before hiking San Jacinto Peak. But mostly, I stopped in for the lowdown on the trails, given it was my first time hiking it. The advice they gave me was invaluable and helped me see where my hiking plans needed improvement. Thanks to them, my hike was a great success. If you come to Idyllwild to hike the many trails, stop in and see the great team at Nomad Ventures. You'll be glad you did. read more

This is the kind of outdoor gear store that every town should have, but is unfortunate all too rare--Idyllwild is very lucky to have Nomad Ventures to keep them supplied. They have an excellent selection of shoes, packs, and all other gear to serve PCT thru-hikers, climbers, and everyone else enjoying the outdoors in their own way. The prices are super reasonable, and the hours are convenient. Ben was extremely helpful in recommending some trail running shoes, getting me outfitted, and giving tips about local trails. It was a busy time when I was shopping and he was super friendly with everyone, making sure they got what they needed whatever their activity. You can also buy your Adventure Pass here to park at trailheads. Make this your first stop when you are scoping out adventures in Idyllwild. read more

Talk about Comprehensive! Wow! Nomad Ventures has been around for 40 years now serving outdoor enthusiasts and hikers. They have 4 locations: Idyllwild, Joshua Tree, Escondido and Temecula. I'm just now getting into the hiking thing and I have a long way to go to understand everything I need to know before setting out on a 5 or 6 hrs long hike. Since I'm doing most of this hiking by myself.. its a bit daunting to learn all of this...but the people in this store ( I believe the owners ? )... were extremely helpful and knowledgeable. read more

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Very friendly staff, adorable dog, and good quality gear. We rented snowshoes and they worked perfectly and we had a great time. Reasonable pricing too! Definitely stop by if you're in need of any clothing, gear, or rentals :) read more

Nomad Ventures - The very chill resident doggo - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Idyllwild, California

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Good store for hikers and campers. Nice high end products and the usual outfitting supplies. Great staff.

The nicest staff and a great selection of gear all for a reasonable price :) They truly care about their customers and are very knowledgeable about all the gear... definitely give them a visit if you are in the area ! read more

We unexpectedly needed snowshoe rental in Idyllwild (March 2023), and Nomad Ventures set us up with great gear! The staff was very helpful regarding trail advice. They even provided helpful information about driving on the snowy mountain roads. read more

Nomad Ventures - Nomad Ventures Idyllwild, March 2023 - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Idyllwild, California

For the hikers passing through, stop in!! Friendly greetings, great place to restock and or find what you need to make any repairs on your gear. read more

Can't say enough good things about this place! They have a great selection, but the service was even more impressive. I showed up with all kinds of issues and they devoted a lot of time and attention to take care of me. So nice. Thanks guys! read more

I went into the Idyllwild store looking to browse and hopefully learn a bit about what to look for and what was available in the world of hiking shoes. After a friendly greeting I was given the most knowledgeable, gracious, comprehensive and pressure-free service I could possibly have imagined and learned everything I ever wanted to know about the latest in hiking shoes, the store's selection, and even about shoes they didn't carry! The salesman (I should have gotten his name) was so great that after sleeping on it we returned the next day and bought a pair of Topos from him. The service was outstanding and we were both pleased that we could give the store our business after the excellent experience we had there. read more

This is the Real Deal. When you're ready to buy real gear for really being outdoors, just head here. Aside from the outstanding, above and well beyond service I got from Dan, I was simply stoked to find this great store in a cool town. Thanks Dan for all your help! read more

Great service here! Ben helped me with getting a snug pair of microspikes that fit my shoes very well. Stoked to get back on the trail

Stopped off at Nomad Ventures a few times on my PCT hike whilst resting up an injury. Brilliant selection of gear at good prices and the guys running the shop were all super friendly and knowledgeable. Shout out to Danny and Cole in particular who got me set up with some gear and rigged me up a great little DIY belt. Couldn't recommend more read more

Super friendly local store with all your camping and hiking needs. We checked them out in 2020 for a tarp to put over our truck bed during a down pour. The owner (Im assuming!) was extremely nice and suggested a camping footprint would be overpriced and likely too small for our needs. She directed us to a local hardware instead. We really appreciated her honesty and willingness to help. Fast forward a year - we were so happy to be able to purchase a puffer jacket from them Thanksgiving weekend when I left mine at home. They also had good hiking suggestions for the area. Thanks again! read more

Nomad Ventures is a fantastic mountain shop. They carry a wide range of gear for the climber testing their mettle on the iconic routes of Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks, and they have hiking and backpacking equipment for people exploring the San Jacinto wilderness and PCT. (They carry Dirty Girl Gaiters!) Julie was knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful and made us feel right at home. read more

Their business seems to be a combo of rock climbing gear and hiking stuff. For climbers, they have the Falcon guidebook as well as a selection of trad gear that's pretty good considering the small size of the shop. Employees' knowledge of climbing is hit or miss. Some clearly don't climb at all, others do. read more

To hike in ice/snow around Idyllwild (CA), I found a perfect snow/ice MICROspikes footwear tractions. The store is small but very well equipped for all-season gears. The staff is extremely friendly, knowledgeable and efficient to help me to find the best product I needed. I highly recommend it. read more

Nomad Ventures - Snow/ice MICROspike footware tractions - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Idyllwild, California

I love this quaint store- they carry the best of the best equipment. Also, Dan was very welcoming and professional. I appreciate his knowledge of the local trails. He recommended a great hike. I'll be back soon. read more

A small but very well stocked outdoor gear shop. Friendly, knowledgeable, helpful staff. Definitely worth stopping in, whether you need to pick up some gear or to grab a souvenir. read more

Saturday July 26 2008: Were at Idyllwild hiking and headed to this store after our hiking trip to purchase some sourveniors. The prices of some of the stuffs here can be pretty steep. I felt what I purchased and the price the place charged us, was a little ripped off. During the weekends, this place in Idyllwild can be packed with tourist alike or most Californian would flock to. read more

The first of the four Nomads started here. There is one in Joshua Tree, Temecula and Escondido as well. I think the Joshua Tree one is the most famous of the Nomads. I was in Nashville climbing at Climb Nashville and one of their members was proudly sporting a beat up Nomad Tee like it was a badge of honor. Nomad's is cool. The staff here is incredibly friendly and helpful. I popped in for a guidebook of the Riverside Rock Quarry after a morning of mt biking at Hurkey Creek. I had previously checked Rei and Sport Chalet and they didn't have the book. Nomad's will have more comprehensive climbing gear and guidebooks just sucks that they are located in the boonies. Their selection of gear is wide and varied and you actually have a choice of colors(because color coordinating our gear is super important as rock climbers haha) and the staff are actually climbers so they can help you out with technical questions. I had questions about emergency procedures and "Oh Shit" situations. Ryan the friendly clerk that was helping me recommended a book and i love it. He also showed me how to tie a prussic knot and recommended that I carry two extra little pieces of rope with me to help me problem solve on the rare occasion that i might need em. Better safe than sorry. He did a great job with the add on sales actually recommending stuff that I would like and need and things that weren't out of my budget. I had so many questions he was nice enough to even offer to take me out on the hills and be my guide for the day going over all the what if situations. Highly recommend Nomad Ventures. read more

Excellent! Bought shoes 4 my fog to protect his feet from hot cement & hiking trails. They went above & beyond putting them on my dog! I highly recommend! read more

Nomad Ventures - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Idyllwild, California

My husband and I are gearing up for the John Muir Trail so we were on the hunt for an ultra lite backpack for me. At first we called the Escondido Nomad Ventures and they were helpful but it seemed that their main stock of ultra lite backpacks was located at the Idyllwild Nomad Ventures (they did offer to have the backpacks shipped to their store if I wanted to try them on). I then called the Idyllwild store and spoke to Daniel to see what he could ship to the Escondido store. Daniel was extremely knowledgeable so we decided to drive from San Diego and Idyllwild (2 hours) to try the backpacks on when Daniel was working. We were not disappointed. I tried on the ULA Ohm, the Six Moon with vest for shoulder harness, and the Hyperlite 2400 Southwest. All were well made and Daniel certainly did know the pros and cons of each backpack. We purchased the Hyperlite and are now ready for our adventures. Thanks Daniel and thanks Nomad Ventures! read more

Amazing customer service when the product I purchased ended up being damaged. Great selection of camping gear and clothing. I would shop from this store again! read more

My girlfriend and I went to Idyllwild, and we really liked this store and the manager, Julie. Julie was supper kind, inviting, wholesome, and knowledgable. She gave us so much information about the local hiking trails in Idyllwild as well as the current climate forecast. Also, her dog was soooo sweet and cute. As for the store, it has a nice selection of outdoors, hiking, and mountain climbing equipment. There is also a nice selection of clothing. The prices are extremely reasonable. We highly recommend checking out this store on your next visit to Idyllwild. read more

Prices steep? No, they are the normal going rate for this type of gear. This is the go to spot for your outdoor apparel if you are in town and need some extra supplies or if you just need some advise to where would be a good place to climb, hike, mountain bike, ect.....Bruce the manager is nice and knowledgeable about the trade or can refer you to someone who can help if needed. So if you forgot socks, need a water bottle, sleeping bag, cams, backpack, snowshoes, boots, what ever you need they likely have it stuffed in there someplace just ask. Support a local shop! read more

The prices are average but I enjoy the staff and the friendly/helpful advice. I have gotten tips on hiking, snoe shoeing and climbing =)

This is a really top notch climbing gear shop that has really friendly and helpful staff.

For it's size (it's small) the store has an amazing selection of quality serious outdoor equipment. Ben (store manager?) was very knowledgeable, helpful and courteous. It does not get any better! Too bad he is leaving soon. Did not think prices were high considering the quality of merchandise and the isolated location of this store. read more

Ben could not have been nicer or more knowledgeable about local conditions.I had to bail from the PCT due to snow,and he helped rescue the rest of my otherwise doomed hike.(I had flown out from the east coast).Also got much needed capilene long johns at a good price.Recommended without reservation.Well stocked,cozy little store in a hiker friendly town. Robin Wood, Sidney,Maine read more

Wow! We've been coming to Nomad Ventures in Idyllwild since the mid-'80s. In the past year the place has undergone a major transformation and it looks fantastic. Brighter, better organized, roomier, yet with the same great selection of outdoor gear. Robert, the manager, was very helpful and incredibly knowledgeable. The day we visited it was snowing and there was a fire in the fireplace. It felt like we were welcomed into someone's mountain cabin. If you're looking for quality equipment and want the advice of someone who has a wealth of information, Nomad Ventures is the real deal. read more