Over all the years I've visited Ames, I've rarely travelled over to the West Side where Lincoln Way…read moresoon merges US 30. There's a now shuttered restaurant where my Sister had her rehearsal dinner and I sometimes passed Ames Surplus, which as it turns out has been folded into the 2-building complex that is called Jax Outdoor gear. The military surplus part of this store is not much more than a couple short aisles. Past that, Jax has loads of outdoor gear, fishing and hunting inventory, clothing, footwear, and even a corner for Boy and Girl scout supplies. It's all very high quality merchandise and a good value. I came in looking for some Carhartt pants, which they don't currently stock. I left very impressed and with a cool and nicely priced little Gerber knife. I found store staff to be friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. I'll be back in Ames in a few months (or so), and I'm be sure to stop in again. I'm sure there will be new stuff to admire or goods that I missed during the last visit. And there's no need to drive all the way to Des Moines.

This place is a joke! I ordered online 5 different pair of mens pants. Called their customer…read moreservice line to find out why the freight was so ridiculously high. I was told the customer pays to have them shipped to one location then pays to have them shipped to the final destination. I decided to go ahead with the purchase they were all name brand and still less than I could find online. Here is what I received later that day to my inbox. JAXOutdoorGearFarmandRanch Your order has been canceled Order was canceled because we did not have enough stock to fulfill your order and your payment has been refunded. Really, all of them! What a waste of time! Maybe Learn how online sales and inventory control works before trying to sell products online!

This place is great. They allow you to bring your dog inside…read moreand they have treats. The gun selection is excellent. Their selection of clothes, shoes, etc is so much larger than you think it could be until you get inside.

I might be the only person that feels this way...However I don't like hearing from the 3 older guys…read morebehind the gun counter that they all handled my firearm talking about it like a toy. My unique, high dollar purchase doesn't give you the right to touch it. Check the serial number and put it back. If it's not yours then hands off. I don't know what they've touched and I doubt they wash up. I wasn't even rude during this transaction. I said thank you and have a great day and this old guy replies "no". Unprofessional! Buy elsewhere.

Beautiful retro styled and outdoorsy clothing boutique for the guys. High end quality with prices…read moreto match. Greeted on entry and note: there is a fridge on the right of the entry with complimentary beverages--including good beer. And bourbon pours in the back (self serve).

All fine and polite service....until you need to return. Read the fine print - not many stores…read morewon't accept returns anymore. You can get store credit, but many of their items are quite expensive and if you don't want anything else you may be out a good bit of money.

Best place in Iowa to gear your Scout up at... They always have up to date stock and the staff is…read morealways helpful from the minute you walk in the door to check out. They have a tailor available for any altering or sewing that needs to be done...if you don't want to do it yourself. Sometimes you have to leave your uniform for a day or two, but it's worth the wait. The shop is located just inside the doors of the Mid-Iowa Fred Maytag II Scout Center so if you've never been here before make sure you check out the grounds and the facilities.

Wow, I loved this store, a phenomenal collection of the best brands in active and casual wear…read more Literally, a dream stop for me! Liked the layout and customer service. Plenty ty of parking. Staff gave me space. Multiple dressing rooms. Locally owned. Among the brand names: Vuori, Hola, Smartwool, Setup, Toad and Co, Keen, Tilley, Sorely, Patagonia, and Kohl. Liked their sunglasses display too! An immediate must visit every season.

It is a good feeling when sales associates look up from their desk task, and each greet you with a…read morefriendly smile at best saying "May I Help You" or "Hello There." A kind gentle helped me find a colorful fanny pack and another associate assisted with name brand jogging suits. The fabric, and the trendy look were of reasonable value with an awareness of our global warming utilizing vendors that are planet conscious who use recycled materials to make impressive joggers. I am waiting for more pinks, royal blues, or lively mint greens to jazz up my exercise wardrobe.

We want to say thank you to two super Heroes at your Des Moines REI store. Ben and Sam in the…read more bicycle section . My wife is currently doing Ragbri which is the largest ride across Iowa or any other state I think. She was riding in Stage 3 or a 6 stage all week ride and she had a major de-railer on her bike break. She has a bike from REI she purchased years ago and loves it but she was able to get a hold of the REI in Des moines and they said bring it in. So I drove here 1 1/2 hours from the road ride she was in and Ben and Sam at the store rocked it!!!! They fixed her bike and got her back up going in an hour and she is now back on the road in Stage 4 today. We cannot thank you enough, REI and especially two heroes Ben and Sam. What service and kindness cannot say enough. Hope this gets to them, their store manager and the CEO of REI so you all know how great you folks are!! God Bless and Ride on!!!!! Pat and Sue McClaughry members since I think 1978

Always amazing service and wonderful selection of sporting gear for every endeavor. The…read morehigh-quality equipment does not come cheap however. Check options at the clearance racks and you can find some deals. Interesting points program that you can utilize to save as well. This is definitely a location to find sporting equipment that you will not find in other retail settings.

Great place to shop and shoot at! The owner is a very courteous and knowledgeable man! I will be…read moregoing back and i highly recommend this business!

From the owner: Daryl's Gun Shop offers gun repairs, sales, shooting ranges for residents of State Center and the…read moresurrounding areas. While we carry a wide range of guns, knives, and ammo to fit your needs, we also offer other great products, including scopes, archery supplies, and more that you won't find at just any gun shop in Iowa. We carry most major brands for our products. Our facility includes an indoor range, outdoor range, and trap range as well, where we put a sharp focus on education and safety. Check out our website for more information!

I Had A Great experience in the footwear department yesterday. the gentleman by the name of quil…read morehelped me find the right shoes ,even though he was extremely busy assisting others he was professional attentive, and genuinely helpful. I really appreciated the excellent customer service and for those reasons I'll be back

Don't do it. My foreign exchange daughter bought a pair of wrestling shoes in October of 2025. She…read morehas worn them to practice and meets. THe soles on both shoes are falling off. Of course we don't have the receipt anymore because she's worn them and intended to keep them. We tried to return them to Dick's. They won't take back worn shoes, that's their policy. I get that policy, but these are clearly damaged, we're not just trying to return them, we need defect free shoes. So we were told to call adida to have the warrant taken care of. I called Adidas and they need a receipt to return them. I had to communicate with her parents across the pond, to get a copy of the bank statement for date, time and dollar amount. All that is in Spanish format, so I had to calculate euros to dollars, and figure out the time difference. I called the store back to find out I had to call corporate. I finally got a copy of the receipt. Then have to call Adidas back to file a claim. What a cluster F***. Do better Dick's. I won't be shopping there again. Scheels it is.

Went to Fleet Feet today. I VERY highly recommend them. They scanned my feet and analyzed my…read moregate. After going through these steps, Grant brought out shoes that he felt would address the issues I've been having. He was patient and thorough. After my purchase me encouraged me to come back if the shoes don't alleviate my problems. I don't think I'll ever buy shoes anywhere else!!! Nicely done Fleet Feet!!

Pros: service was unbeatable. From the beginning they greeted me and helped me find my fit. The…read moreemployees were so friendly and attentive But the biggest con is the selection - it was lackluster. There wasn't a huge variety of colors. While they had the brands I wanted they didn't have anything that made me excited to wear them. Just the basic black and neutrals. The one fun color theyin my size was a plum purple and navy blue combo but wasn't something that really sparked my interest. Maybe smaller sizes have a better chance at having some cooler options. I'm Size 10 in women's for reference. They are comparable in cost to the prices online. The fitting is free which is awesome as well.