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May 2024 by Kristy Ammons
I am from another state and called the place to ask about rentals. The employees here are very knowledgeable and kind. When it got closer to time to pick up the rentals, I realized weather was not permitting. I called the store to let them know I would not be picking up the rentals due to the weather. We got a full refund back. Even though I did not technically use this store, I highly recommend!
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April 2024 by Maxim P.
We were passing Bellingham on our way to mt Baker and wow such a grate store, I was amused with the selection of equipment, competitive prices, great clothing options on the second floor, and of course the staff was absolutely cool and easygoing. A fridge with beer was the cherry on top! I wish I had the same store in my city.
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April 2024 by jayme rios
Never posted a Goggle review before, but want to let everyone know what an incredible boot fitter Megan at Backcountry Essentials is. The whole staff have always been so great, knowledgeable, and welcoming. But the boot fitting experience was next level! I had two appointments with Megan to get me in the right boot and she was fantastic. From all of the measurements she took of my feet, to her extensive knowledge of the boots themselves, to the time she took to ask questions about each boot I tried on, it was all fantastic. There was zero pressure to purchase and so much information shared. And now I'm in a fantastic pair of boots. I will be recommending Backcountry and Megan to everyone from here on out.
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April 2024 by Ray Dailey
Amazing people and great service
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April 2024 by Wade Wright
Love the upstairs section. Lots of great deals. Picked up a few things and the guy working the counter was pretty chill. Nice place to shop.
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April 2024 by Dexter Andrews III
Love this place. Super helpful staff!
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March 2024 by Casey Ruff
Just wanted to put a shout out to Backcountry Essentials for their knowledgeable and friendly staff and excellent customer service. I've both rented and purchased ski equipment from the shop over the years and have had nothing but an awesome experience. Keegan and Luke (and other BCE staff) recently helped me navigate a ski/binding failure over the last month including navigating the ski warranty process with Salomon, diagnosing the cause of the ski/binding failure, and providing me awesome loaner skis while I wait for my ski/binding situation to be resolved. Between the knowledgeable and friendly staff, wizard ski techs and the boot fitting prowess of Megan, Frank, and Pete, BCE is the North Sound shop to purchase gear from (although I know people that live in Seattle that make the commute for boot fitting services alone). Another plus, there is usually a sweet dog in the shop to pet while you shop.
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March 2024 by Tor Weiland
I bought some used touring boots that really didn't fit my feet right and Pete made them super comfy and was very patient with my stupid questions. Thank you!
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March 2024 by grace chua
As a new-ish skier, I finally decided to invest in a proper alpine set-up and I’m so glad I got it done at Backcountry Essentials. Everyone here has been so helpful and welcoming. I never felt dumb or out of place. Last weekend I skied in my new set up and had the best time!I would also recommend Megan for boot fitting. I had one ‘boot fit’ else where before and it was a total waste of time and money. Megan really put in the effort to help me understand what’s going on with my feet and legs, and did such a great job with making my boots fit. I feel like I have so much more control, now. The only ‘downside’ is that I no longer get that feeling of euphoric relief from taking off my boots at the end of the day, but that’s obviously not a bad thing! I never thought I’d be able to spend five hours straight in my boots — never even had to undo the buckles! Thanks so much, Megan. This was a game changer for sure!
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February 2024 by William Rowe
Top notch rental place! I was very well taken care of when I went in to rent ski gear (you do have to make an appointment) and they were very patient and helpful given I am a beginning skier. The workers were very nice and understanding, and they were very patient in trying to get me the perfect sized gear. Additionally, I only planned to rent them for a day, but on the day I planned to ski, the mountain was closed due to harsh weather, so we planned to go the day after instead. I called them and explained the circumstances and they were again VERY polite and understanding and they easily let me keep them an extra day with no additional charge. I am so thankful for their accommodation and understanding!I rarely do google reviews, but I had to make an exception for this Backcountry Essentials:)
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February 2024 by Nathan
I had a boot fitting done with Megan. The time was well spend measuring my feet, assessing my boot requirements, and making adjustments to the boot I ended up selecting. In the end the boots fit great. It was through and confidence inspiring. Scheduling was quick and easy. I will definitively be back in the future.
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January 2024 by Biology Biology
Not quite friendly.
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December 2023 by Matthew R.
I have skied several times and have finally made the decision to buy my own boots, skis, etc. I had 3 friends who all recommend Backcountry Essentials for boot fitments and 1 who specifically recommended Megan. I scheduled my appointment online with no issues. I arrived early as Megan finished a fitting with another customer, and browsed the store. The selection left me knowing I'd be back. I was greeted kindly by multiple staff members. Megan greeted me right on time and it was immediately apparent she knew customer service, skis, and her job very well. I have a 12 year running background, I thought I knew anatomy. Megan's knowledge of anatomy blow me away. She listened intently to my personal preferences and guided me through the boot fitting process over the next hour and a half or so. Taking exceptional care to ensure I was comfortable and my boots were as perfect as possible for my specific skill level and anatomy. I did not feel pressured to buy at any point nor was I up-sold on products. I finished with a DESIRE to buy and support Megan and this local business. I will adamantly recommend her to anyone I talk to who's looking for boot fittings, because the experience and final product is of the highest quality. I will be back to purchase skis from backcountry essentials because of the professional and knowledgeable staff. The wait time online may be a couple weeks to get an appointment with Megan, however, it was worth the wait!
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October 2023 by Mary R.
I have never purchased a brand new pair of ski boots. I wanted to shop local and all I can say is that the folks at Backcountry Essentials are fantastic. I made a boot fitting appointment and had nearly 2 hours with Pete who was incredibly patient, precise, and listened to every concern I had with my feet (2 surgeries and lots of hardware). He did not try to sell or upsell-just was genuinely interested in making sure I could ski in comfort. I walked out with a great pair of boots, custom fitted, and even found some ski bibs in the extensive used gear section upstairs. to all the staff at Backcountry-thanks for a great experience . You have a customer for life.
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September 2023 by Steve Wade - Real Estate
It’s so great to have a quality outdoor gear shop right in downtown Bellingham. I found a great mix of top-quality brands for skiing, climbing, backpacking, and even a beer cooler which is the first I’ve seen at an outdoor store. They also have a full-service ski shop, boot fitting, rentals, an awesome map rack, and an entire floor of great deals on samples and used equipment and clothing. Plus, the staff was super friendly. Highly recommend a visit.
