My husband, who has Alzheimer's needs new shoes. So I took him to the DR. We have both purchased shoes there over the past 10 years we've lived in the area. The new location is really nice--quite the upgrade from their previous location. In past experiences, there was superb help in selecting & trying on shoes, which is why we went there. My husband had no idea what his shoe size is. Nor did I know because he always bought his own stuff. This having to do EVERYTHING for my man is a new experience. So I was shocked & dismayed that there wasn't a shoe guy to help. WTF? No more customer service in that shop. When I asked about the shoes, the guy said, "we just got these. I don't know anything about them ". What?? They used to be able to give the stats about everything on the shelf. So, I bit the bullet & became the shoe salesman. Pisses me off. Paid almost $200 for a pair of shoes that I had to sell to my man. Not impressed. I would have gone elsewhere but I couldn't handle another episode like that. This is a nice store, but the help went south. Where is that older guy who was so knowledgeable & helpful? These guys were nice but totally stressed me out. read more

(Review overdue.!) So far everyone here has been Great! A huge Thank You to All the staff that was working on this Tuesday the 6th of September ! I originally went in wanting to exchange or return for store credit, a pair of flip flops that had too short a shelf life. After talking to the extreme experts on outdoor footwear I was sold on my 1st pair of Chaka's. I was even debating on color & these guys, these most impressive experts even steered me in the right direction on that too! Since I purchased these Chaka Z1 Classics, I've taken them to 5 states, worn them in the ocean, the indoor & outdoor showers. I've pretty much only taken them off to sleep! Haha THANKS BUNCHES Jeremy, Doug, Dave, Thomas, & Ky! Chaka's for life ! Puppy Friendly! (9/6/22) read more

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Sydney was awesome! We actually were in the store twice, once before going to Zion National Park and once after. Sydney was knowledgeable, fun to talk to, and very helpful both times. We peppered her with questions and she didn't steer us wrong. The store itself is well stocked with everything you need and their prices are comparable to slightly better to the bigger stores. Support local businesses! read more

Great selection, I went for hiking shoes and was elated that they had wide toe box hiking shoes

Stopped by here during a road trip. The staff was very friendly and they had a wide array of camping, outdoors, and rock climbing gear. There was a decent selection of clothing, hydration packs, freeze dried meals, backpacks, climbing gear, and just about any other outdoor equipment you could think of. If I lived in the St George area, I would look no further than The Desert Rat for my outdoor gear needs. read more

Needed a dry bag for Narrows hike. Took the time to explain how the bags work and how much space could be used. Always, buy local.

WARNING: heed the information that the knowledgeable folks that work here give you. Many moons ago my friend and I stopped here for new places to explore in the region. A kind man referred us to Whitney Pocket and Little Finland. He warned us to take a vehicle with 4-wheel drive to Little Finland. Some time subsequent to this encounter my friend and I attempted to reach the place-- in a 15 passenger van. Suffice it to say that it was a harrowing adventure. You would be very well-advised to listen to the very nice people who work here. 10/10 Would go back to the Desert Rat again read more

NOT COVID SAFE. Fine climbing stuff - was in the store for a total of 5 minutes to see 4 people without masks including an employee. Another employee with her nose sticking out the whole time. read more

Went in to buy some cold water items for my 5 year old daughter as we are set to hike Kanarraville Canyon tomorrow and the staff was extremely helpful and kind - we had a thin 30 year old guy help us and did not get his name but he was awesome! Did not have neoprene booties to fit my daughter so he sent us to the nearby scuba shop where we found what we needed! We returned and bought Chacos and day packs.... great store SHOP LOCAL! read more

Great outdoor shop with locals who really know their stuff. Best selection. We drove around St George looking for camping gear and no one comes close to their inventory. read more

Pros: good little store with a good selection and the owners know what they are doing Con: the college students they hire to work there tend to not know the merchandise or really care what they're selling, they're just playing on their phones and drawing a paycheck Upshot: call first to make sure that one of the owners is going to be there so you can get decent service unless you know exactly what you want - the kids are useless. I like buying from these guys because they seem like genuinely decent people who care about the merchandise but I always have to remind myself to check that the owners will be there first so I can get some sort of intelligent advice on what I'm buying (if necessary) read more

The Desert Rat is an awesome outfitter that know their stuff and the adventures around the area. We just happened upon this store and ended up picking up a lot of clothing because their selection is amazing. For example, I could not believe the selection of sizes they had of Parna pants which is my favorite pant/short to wear. If you are into backpacking, climbing, hiking or many other outdoor activities, then the Desert Rat is the place for you to get your gear. read more

Great place. They have a large selection of camping, hiking, and climbing gear. The people working there were very friendly and they gladly helped give us some inside information to area hikes. Highly suggested read more

This is a great little outfitter. I've stopped in a few times over the years and they haven't ever disappointed. This time through I needed some new trail running shoes. We were in town for a few days and my old shoes were giving me grief. The staff was helpful and friendly. While trying on the shoes I observed other staff members helping customers with great product knowledge and experience. If you are in town or just passing through this is a great shot to help you get set up for your next adventure. read more

Very cool store if you're looking to stock up before going exploring in Utah! Reasonable prices as well!

Great store with amazing customer service. I literally melted my hiking boots in the August heatwave (PSA--don't go hiking in the desert when its 115F!). The very nice clerk found me two pairs of great boots to choose from. The ones I got were from a small Montana company. Best boots I've ever hiked in. Life saver! I was delighted to support a small local business! read more

If you want to go to a store that can get your gear you need and answer any questions you may have about the area or about the gear you're buying this is the place!! Don't go anywhere else in SG! they have always helped and been super knowledgeable about any questions I've had and I've never felt pressured to buy anything extra or unnecessary. read more

Found this place by accident. Went in and they had a great selection of gear. When I'm in town I will make it a point to stop by. Just across the parking lot from Irmita's Mexican Restaurant. How very convenient! read more

The folks at Desert rat were wonderful. We called a minute before closing time and they were so nice to keep the store open past closing time till we got there and let us shop. Forget the name of the young guy that was there but he gave us really great recommendations for gear and shoes for trip to the narrows at Zion. Our guide at the narrows also had great things to say about Desert Rat. Looks like it's a local favorite. read more

In town for a couple of days and looking for trail map of the area. Arrived about 15 minutes before they opened, but didn't realize it. Walked to the front door and pulled on it and realized they were not yet open. Walked away and was called back to the door. They actually opened 15 minutes early to help me out with trail maps. Can beat that for customer service. They're great. read more

The desert rat is one of those places where you know the people that work there really love to be outside and do adventurous things. I stopped in for some camp fuel but I could see dropping a dime or two the next time I'm in town on their highly curated stock. The staff made a great recommendation about activities and were helpful and friendly. It's now on my shirt list of places that I trust to hit up while I'm headed out into the back country. Thanks! read more

This is a very well stocked outdoor store that carries high quality brand items. No throw away China stuff. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable about all sort of Utah outdoor sports. Probably the best in Southern Utah. Prices seem to be fair and of good quality. If you need any outdoor gear before you hit the great outdoors, this is the place. read more