Hooray for the local guy! Kirkham's has always been one of my favorite outdoors stops, and there are some pretty compelling reasons why. First of all, they employ people who are passionate about the outdoors and who, generally speaking, know what they are talking about. There's no push for corporate outdoorsness--I've often felt like I was chatting with a buddy when talking things over with their staff. Second, I like the location. Just off of State Street near the 33rd South exit of I-15. Nice. Third, they carry some quality stuff. The lightweight, high-quality, not El Cheapo stuff is their specialty, and they do it well. Lots of it is set up or out for display so you can get a good look at what you're after. The biggest reason I'm a fan is those Springbar tents. If you're not familiar, a Springbar tent is the greatest family/Scout troop/group tent known to man. They're immortal. They're super easy to set up. They weigh about a half a ton, but they're a tent you buy and pass down to your kids. For real. A few other bonus features: they have a decent selection of climbing gear, they have a tent repair area, they have random tent material (seam sealer, no-see-um mesh, tent stakes, etc.) and a nice book and map selection. Also, I dig the dog hiking gear and the clothing sections. read more

Springbar - Exterior - Outdoor Gear Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

It's the support of the local community, and the wonderful repair department that keeps this at four stars. Online sales has to have killed them. It's also possible we no longer have the same numbers of people who actually backpack, and do backcountry activities, and want quality gear. I don't know. I've been coming here for 30+ years. I've spent many thousands of dollars. I don't go much anymore, so the dramatic decline in stock threw me off. For me, it's because I bought the kind of gear in my 20's and 30's that will last forever, and I'm in my 60's now. I have a reason not to do so much backpacking. In the day, the aisles were narrow and the place was filled to overflowing with everything. They had the regular brands, but they had nearly every one of the esoteric, specialty brands too. Today, outside of North Face, nothing in quality sleeping bags. It looks like a place heading out of business. I was there to look for shirts. In the day, they had as much nice outdoor styled clothing as you find total clothing in the big box store. There just wasn't much to choose from today. Walking around you could see the empty walls that held shoes, boots, and similar. I'm so sad. I assume there will always be a market for the car camping gear that Springbar tent owners are going to need. The Springbar tents are great. I don't own one, although I bought both my backpacking and car camping tents there. read more

****STAY AWAY FROM THESE PEOPLE ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE SHOPPING ONLINE***** I purchased the beginnings of a 16 X 20 wall tent for $1200.00 and they freight shipped it out to me wrong. They did not set it up before shipping to verify the roof and frame fit together-- watch video : http://youtu.be/fXT7DAgqJDg I called them up after setting it up on my front lawn to let them know their mistake and asked them what needs to happen to get it back to them so they can fix their mistake. Their response was to send it back freight- ($250.00-$300.00) and they would take a look at it and then ship it back to me and I would be paying freight cost coming and going. Their Internet customer service is terrible and once they have your money your no longer of any value to them.***** STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY THEY WILL SCREW YOU****** read more

Kirkham's is one of the best, if not the best outdoor gear shop in Salt Lake. They offer everything that a casual weekender adventurer or a serious mountaineer could want including: shoes and boots, jackets, pants, tents, water bottles, sleeping bags, and much, much more. Not only that but Kirkham's has their own line of Springbar tents, canvas tents that are great for big families and have been made in American for over 60 years. With a great selection of products, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and a great service and repair department, Kirkham's has it all. read more

My dad and I came her today on a mission to find a particular kind of shirt but were out of luck. We have come here for the past few years and it seems like they are starting to go downhill... not sure if it is the location or competing with REI. Either way, everything seemed a bit overpriced or a bit sparce. read more

I purchased a Highline 6 and absolutely love it. I had a leak after a pretty bad rainstorm and Kirkham's replaced the tent with no hastle. Great tents and great service. This is the best place to get tents and high quality equipment. read more

This place doesn't sell any junk, and for that reason, their prices are a little on the high side. You can hit some sales now and again that are fantastic (CampChef brand has good sales there). Like the Tardis, Kirkham's is much bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. They have hiking, camping, and general outdoorsy stuff. I thought it was neat how their chair section has all sorts of chairs sitting out for you to try. No second-guessing if it's going to work for you. They also have a small sign helping you pick the right chair for the different concert venues around (like Red Butte and Park City). The store has that nice local feel. From what I understand, they've been around for 75 (maybe 80 years?) That's a long time. They sew their Springbar canvas tents in-house, and they're nice quality. If you're looking for general things, this probably isn't your shop. If you're looking for higher-quality, useful gear for your outdoor adventures though, give this place a shot. Also, they have a wide and fantastic selection on cast iron pans and dutch ovens. The one thing they don't really have a lot of is kid's gear. You might find a thing or two around, but not much. They offer stenciling for duffle bags and tents, and if you visit in the winter you can help yourself to some hot coffee or cider when you first walk in the door. Yum! read more

Kirkham's Springbar Tents are fantastic, once you actually get one with all the bugs worked out. The Springbar tent is an unconventional design, but works great and is perhaps the best canvas, non-wall tent out there, bar none. You would never know by just looking at a Springbar, but watch the videos of the tents in snow, rain, and high winds, and you will be impressed. The issue is quality control and customer service. When you order a Springbar on line, Kirkham's will give you an estimated finish date. These finish dates never seem to have any relation to when they might actually get around to shipping you the tent you just paid $500 to $1,000 for. It could be a week, two weeks, or more beyond the finish date before the order goes out. Make sure to set up your tent including every accessory well before your trip. My first Springbar shipped with the wrong ground-tarp, and a fly that would not mount. It was ultimately straightened out, but the back and forth shipping cost me time and I had to go on my first desert trip with the tent without the fly. This means there is a quality control issue in matching up the accessories like a tarp with the tent, and making sure the accessories like the fly correctly fit the poles and zippers all function correctly. The Springbar Tent will set you back some serious money, probably 2X to 5X what you would pay for a nylon tent or similar sized canvas tent. That said, the Springbar Tent is durable, strong, will last a long time, and is a pleasure to own. Oh, and Springbar Tents are Made in the USA. Springbar Tent Quality (once you get a fully functional tent) = 5 Stars Customer Service and Quality Control = 2 Stars read more

This is a local gem. Excellent customer service and great products. The made in Utah Springbar Tent is the best tent out there. I love this company. read more

I went in to buy some merrell hiking boots and needed some help as a first time hiker. When I went to the back two employees were talking amongst themselves while I waited for them to notice me. After looking around for what seemed like 20 minutes I finally asked them for help. The girl was helpful in finding sizes but when I asked her what the return policy was in case they didn't work out she said she didn't know. I went to checkout and asked the cashier about the return policy and she said only if they were unused could I return them. What upsets me about that is if I'm spending $200 on shoes and after a day use they don't work out why can't I return them? I'd rather spend my money anywhere else knowing if I had a problem I could return it. Terrible customer service and worse store policy. read more

These guys are the most unhelpful, lazy customer service employees I have ever had the sad experience of encountering. Someone sprayed pepper spray at the front entrance of their building. The pepper spray caused me a severe reactions. The employees were not helpful at all to offer any assistance. I couldn't even get them to get off their lazy asses. Additionally, they discouraged me from filing a police report, when I said I wanted to report the incident. On the way out the door, the manager (Jeff) said, if there was anything he could do let him know. Yeah, how about offering some water to flush the burning sensation out of my eyes, mouth, and nasal passage? Needless to say I won't be back. REI will be getting my future dollars. read more

Their sale was pretty picked over but it is always a fun stop to see what they have at the moment. Have gotten some good deals there in the past and it is in the shopping rotation for sure. read more

This is not your yuppie Starbucks skinny pumpkin pie spice with a dash of Madagascar cinnamon kind of store. This is a store by and for people who go outside. The store itself is in a plain but cavernous building with room to display the big tents and still give you room to walk around. They carry high quality lines but will happily respect you budget rather than pushing you toward the sexy Italian boots, for instance. Nice folks selling good stuff. What more do you want? read more

Ok, if you're like me you research all the best manufacturers and models of whatever you want to buy. When I went to Kirkham's for the first time it was like they read my mind and did all my research for me. It is what REI wants to be when it grows up. They sold me the most amazing Adidas hiking boots -- after looking at 5 other large stores (like Cabelas, REI, etc), I find something the other stores didn't have that are amazing. read more

An absolutely topnotch outdoors outfitter store. The selection of men's and women's casual clothing is excellent. This store also features their own brand of expedition tents, an upstairs clearance area that's bound to please, shoes, travel accessories, etc. Don't miss this store if you're traveling to Utah for outdoor adventure or need high-quality casual clothing and camping or travel gear. read more

Very attentive, knowledgable staff. Got fitted for a backpacking pack for nearly an hour to get the perfect fit. Same prices as the big chains but less busy than REI and easier to get someone to help you. The salesperson basically walked me through the store giving recommendations for all sorts of things I needed for a long backpacking trip. read more

Everyone is super helpful and knowledgable about the products in the store. Being not a big outdoor person they didnt make me feel awkward asking questions and very friendly. read more

I have never been to the kirkham's store, so this is not a review of that, but rather a review of the springbar tent and the long distance buying experience. my wife and I used to camp every year in a wonderful Eureka outfitter nylon tent. probably, if we had stayed without kids, we would have continued to use it forever. but now we have two toddlers, and had not been camping in about 5 years. we decided it was finally time to introduce the kids to the outdoors, but knew for certain that our lovely green Eureka was not cut out for this job. I started looking into bigger tents, many of which are available at very cheap prices. but I am not the type to prioritize price over all else. I already knew that comfort was going to be a much bigger factor, simply by virtue of the fact that young kids were coming along. the main stat that steered me towards canvas as a material, after doing some research, was the breathability. I figured if we were traveling by car, and not backpacking, then weight was a non-issue. also, the height of canvas tents tends to be taller than the average adult American male, and taller than many of even the priciest nylon tents, and more height tends to be much more comfortable. once I was sold on canvas, I had to choose between the handful of canvas tent makers out there. ultimately, I went with Springbar / Kirkham's out of respect for their ownership of the original design. I know there is a lot of love for true American-made products, and Springbar is one of the few that offers that. but, ultimately, here is my compliment and criticism wrapped up together. since I am buying from out-of-state, I am more or less relying on information on the website. at present time, it was too vague to figure out when an American-made tent would be ready and shipped. I know that the company is moving to a new location, and in all likelihood, they will probably revamp the website and make things more streamlined. I ended up calling to get more info, and chose to buy a Highline 6, which was shipped immediately. the tent is big when packed, but most of my concerns ended up being fine. it fit into the back of a Prius. I can store it indoors in my apartment. it is most definitely heavy, and it was a real awakening setting it up (driving stakes) into rocky ground, but once it was set up, it was exactly what I'd hoped it would be: airy, roomy, rugged and very comfortable. our assessment was that it would make multi-night stays with the kids quite doable, which is really the highest mark we could expect to give a tent. it's comfortably livable, it looks good. it will probably be easier to set up the next time around. it will always take up more space. and I need to take care when I store it that it's dry. but when we're all sleeping comfortably with room for 2-3 more people without touching elbows, it's worth it. read more

If I could rate this store minus 10, I would. I have been in the store on various occasions and each time I find 2 or 3 goofy salesmen and women standing around talking to each other. The store is otherwise deserted with no customers and no one available to help with anything. After 20 minutes, when I approached the front check out counter and asked if anyone could help me, I was told they were short-handed. While there may be products on the floor (camping cots, chairs, etc.), they inevitably do not actually have the item in stock and make no effort whatsoever to get the item for you. I am not sure if this store is actually a front for some other operation, or if the tent making end of the business keeps the place afloat, but clearly no one is the least bit interested in selling anything or providing any kind of customer service. You find a shoe you like, they don't have your size. Can they get it for you? Fat chance. You return an expensive product that has fallen apart, and the customer service manager tells you she knows nothing about any product sold in the store! You ask to speak to a manager and he is equally clueless and completely uninterested in making good on a product sold by Kirkham's. Why would anyone in their right mind buy anything from Kirkham's when we have two REI's in close proximity and their sales personnel actually know something, offer to help, and the company policy is to accept returns without question. I won't be back to Kirkham's. read more

Just went into Kirkham's, shopping for a canvas tent. The sales associate, Travis, answered all the questions we threw at him, and had lots of good tips for us. He was very knowledgeable about the product, Springbar. We will be coming back again soon! The product is made well, the service is good, and I like the idea of shopping locally. read more

Had a great time in this store. Everything in that place is of really good quality and priced pretty good. You can really spend a lot of time in there. read more

Kirkham's is the valley's premier locally owned sporting goods store. I've shopped here for years and have always been impressed with the service and selection. Great topo map and guidebook area as well as a well stocked inventory of small parts for repairs of various things like watches, flashlights and gas stoves. That's important unless you want to continue to buy new all the time like some stores would have you do. read more

Well the good first. Springbar tents are awesome. My wife and I have been using a friends, off and on, for years and finally decided to buy our own. More on that in minute. Also, there are some things that Kirkham's carries that are not carried anywhere else in the area that I have found. The bad. Kirkham's prices are just silly. You would think their stuff is made of unicorn fur or something. Also, the customer service is just ridiculous. In the worst way. And the sales staff is hit or miss, with miss being predominant. I would say I have had about 1 good experience with the sales staff for every 7 or 8 visits. So, a few stories. First, a few years ago I stopped in to ask their sewing shop if they could sew a quick loop in a piece of webbing for a motorcycle trip I was leaving on the next day. I was told they would, I would just need to fill out a form and leave it there, it would be ready in 6 weeks. It was a 30 second job and I fully expected them to need me to come back, but 6 weeks?? They wouldn't tell me who else in town might be able to help me out, but one of the good salesmen overheard and caught me as I was leaving to give me a name. I went there and the guy knocked it out in about 30 seconds. Next, I went in with a question about a stove I bought there a few years ago. The stove has never worked right but I never brought it back, I just got busy and kept forgetting. I explained my situation and asked if there was any troubleshooting I could do, but all the guy could say was that it wasn't Kirkham's fault and I should have brought it back when it was under warranty. When I finally got him to stop parroting the company line and listen his advice was to call the manufacturer. Last. About that tent we bought. The salesman informed us that the way Kirkham's does it is to build Springbars by the batch. You get your name on the list and they build a set number of tents per batch. There was one tent unspoken for of the type we were interested in available in the next batch, it would be done on the15th of June, we were told. We dropped a not insignificant sum of cash and left with the paperwork in hand. The 15th came and went so I called. I was told there was a delay and a manager would get back to me. A manager emailed me to inform me that the delay was due to a sudden influx of orders and that the 15th was only an estimate, along with a couple of other points to make sure I understood that the delay was definitely NOT the fault of Kirkham's. When I responded with my questions about the email, I got no response in return. One of the questions I had was: If Kirkham's only makes a set number of tents per batch, wouldn't any influx of new customers only be added to future batches, or to a waiting list? This still makes no sense to me and leads me to believe that Kirkham's is doing what they always do, deflect responsibility for their errors. Bottom line: If you want a Springbar tent, and you can put up with a complete lack of corporate integrity, drop into Kirkham's. Just don't be in a hurry, and don't expect them to take responsibility for anything that goes wrong. I have very simple expectations, I just expect people to do what they say they will do, especially when I pay them to do so. I also understand that things happen. Kirkham's definitely did NOT meet my expectations and I will be done doing business with them after this. read more

Great place with lots of good hardware.Everything from 2" Fastex buckles to make your own bungee cords and much more. Handy to I-80. I went there looking for a waterproofing spray because the seams of my ski/boarding pants did not seem to be taped or waterproof. Staff were very helpful and friendly. I recommend this store highly. read more

If I could give these tents ten stars I would. I have two, one is about 25 years old the other about 15. I have taken care of my tents and they have taken care of me. My tents look like they are lightly used even though such is not the case. I have used them in the desert and the mountains. They are called the best made tents in America and they are. Wind, rain, snow what ever, these tents HOLD UP. Just take care of them. Sweep them out after each use, don't put away wet, and one tip, DONT WALK ON THEM WITH YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU ARE SETTING THEM UP AS SOMETIMES THE FOOTPRINTS CAN BE DIFFICTULT TO GET OUT ESPICIALLY IN DESERT RED ROCK COUNTRY. They set up differently than traditional tents but once you watch a video you understand the design and they are a piece of cake to put up. Usually takes me about 5 minutes and most of that time is putting stakes in the ground. Cared for properly and you will be able to pass them down to your grandchildren. Are they expensive? YES. Are they worth every penny? Absolutely. Keep in mind, with more traditional tents you will go through three, maybe four in the same time you have one of these tents, so over time, they most definitely pay for themselves. One other point, I just returned from a week in Yellowstone. A severe Tstorm hit with very strong winds. I bel I saw ten tens blown down, but my Kirkham's was still standing w/o a problem. read more

great selection, nice store layout, semi-friendly staff at check-out

I ordered a simple tent pole exactly 2 weeks ago. I checked on-line and it was not shipped. I called customer service today. They were pleasant but said they did not know why this item was not shipped. My expectation was that they would ship in a week or less like most everyone else, or at least communicate to me that there was a delay. read more

Thank you Kim! Thank you everyone involved in my order. (Nick/Travis? sorry about the names.) I didn't feel this way earlier this month. I ordered the Springbar Campsite 3 along with extras. I chose Kirkham's over the "other" brand because the tent is made there in Utah, Its materials are superior, and I could afford the purchase. I knew there was a wait. I planned a camping trip at the end of this month. I was told a new batch would be made Oct 5th. Then I was told there were problems with that batch. I had a choice. Buy now (get a second with a discount). or wait until next month and miss my trip. So, I of course got mad. (Unreasonably and I didn't let them finish telling what other options I had.) Well, the crew dealt with my anger and went out of their way, "above and beyond" to help me out by talking with me and problem solving. Making a new tent and in time for my trip. I just got a FED EX delivery notice. I'll have it in plenty of time to prepare for my family's trip. Incredible! What patience they have. Please accept my sincere apologies. I've read the other reviews. Online shopping with Kirkham's worked well and is further proof that good old USA products and services do work for the customers. I'm one of them. And you do get what you pay for and that's an excellent product with superior service. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Greg j. read more