This is a sponsored post

Every outdoor enthusiast’s addiction is, of course, the gear. One brand that has long been helping people with their addiction is Merrell. Merrell Shoes are probably their most well-known product, but they carry a diverse line of apparel and bags as well. They started making active footwear over 20 years ago, and have one of the best reputations for quality in the industry, best known for the Vibram outsoles and the unpopable air cushions in their shoes.

MERRELL is dedicated to the outdoor journey of discovery -the search for self-knowledge, meaning, friendship, and fulfillment that links the world’s people who enjoy the outdoors. Whether born on the mountain or raised in the city, enjoyment of the outdoor is independent of age, income, occupation or culture. The outdoors re-energizes, restores, illuminates…and clarifies what is important to us all.

Since our beginning 20 years ago, we have maintained our passion for innovative designs and fine craftsmanship. Our core values set the standard for every boot, shoe or sandal we make. Merrell is designed for all men, women, and children who recognize “outdoor” as a progressive mindset – spanning the natural to urban landscapes.

Merrell is a company that seems to have good corporate social responsibility. They also sponsor the local Seek the Peak Relay in partnership with Grouse Mountain, an event that benefits Rethink Breast Cancer.

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Categories: Products & Gear
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A while back I did a post on all the outdoor clubs around the Lower Mainland, and it seemed to be useful for quite a few people. Recently the Island Adventurer did a nice list of outdoor stores in Nanaimo, so I’ve decided to take a stab at making a list for Vancouver.

This list is compiled from my own knowledge, from Googling, and piecing together and updating some existing lists I found, so I’m sure I’ve missed some (or a lot of) stores. I know there are more than a few bike shops missing from this list especially. Please let me know if I have missed a store (by email, or in the comment section below) and I’ll add them in. I’ve also broken the list out geographically so some stores that have multiple locations will be listed more than once:

North Shore

1. The Boardroom
2. Coast Mountain Sports
3. Cove Sports
4. Deakin
5. Deep Cove Kayak
6. Different Bikes
7. The Destination
8. Edge Diving Centre
9. John Henry the Bicycle Man
10. Middleton’s Specialty Boats
11. Mountain Equipment Co-op
12. North Shore Bike Shop
13. North Shore Ski & Board
14. Obsession Bikes
15. On Top Bike Shop
16. Sea to Sky Kayak
17. Steed Cycles
18. Swiss Sports Haus
19. Yuho Sports

Vancouver

1. A.J. Brooks
2. BC Dive and Kayak
3. The Bike Doctor
4. Bikes on the Drive
5. The Boardroom
6. Cambie Cycles
7. Coast Mountain Sports
8. Deakin
9. Denman Bike Shop
10. Different Bikes
11. Dunbar Cycles
12. The Diving Locker
13. Europe Bound
14. Eco Outdoor Sports
15. Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Centre
16. International Diving Centre
17. Mountain Equipment Co-op
18. Reckless
19. Rowand’s Reef Scuba Shop
20. Simon’s Bike Shop
21. SnowCover’s
22. Taiga Works
23. Valhalla Pure
24. Vancouver Ski & Board Services
25. Westbeach
26. West Coast Sports
27. 3 Vets

New West/ Burnaby

1. Cap’s Bicycle Shop
2. Coast Mountain Sports
3. Dive & Sea Sports
4. Diving Adventures
5. Different Bikes
6. Ocean Quest Dive Centre

Richmond

1. Cap’s Krusty’s Cycle Richmond
2. Coast Mountain Sports

Surrey/ Delta

1. Cap’s South Shore Cycle
2. Great Pacific Diving Company
3. Rocky Cycle
4. Skyview Outdoors

PoCo / Coquitlam / Port Moody

1. Cap’s Westwood Cycle
2. Coast Mountain Sports

Langley / Abbotsford /  Chilliwack

1. Cap’s Bicycles Langley
2. Coast Mountain Sports
3. Langley Diving Inc
4. Pedal Sport
5. Velocity Cycles
6. Valhalla Pure
7. Western Canoeing & Kayaking

Maple Ridge / Pitt Meadows

1. Local Ride Bike Shop

Squamish

1. Climb On
2. Corsa Cycles
3. Tantalus Bike Shop
4. Valhalla Pure
5. Vertical Reality Sports Store
6. Whistler Blackcomb Outlet Store

Whistler

I’m leaving Whistler for now, but may update in the near future

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• Outdoor Clubs Around Vancouver
• 2009 NSMBA Vancouver Bike Swap

Tags: Outdoor retailers
Categories: Products & Gear
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Arc’teryx, one of my favorite outdoor clothing manufacturers, is having one of their factory sales next week. It seems like they just had one of these, but hey I’m not complaining! Hours are:

Shop Early:
Thur Oct 15 10am – 7pm

Public Sale:
Fri Oct 16th 10am – 7pm
Sat Oct 17th 10am – 5pm
Sun Oct 18th 10am – 5pm

There will be a large selection of gear from 30% – 90% off. Their location is 100-2155 Dollarton Hwy, North Vancouver. Click here for a map

You can have a look at some of the sale items here

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Tags: Arc'teryx
Categories: Deals, Products & Gear
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This is a sponsored post

Webtogs has released a new product review video, this time about Waterproof jackets. With a quick shift in gears from summer to fall here in Vancouver, and the onslaught of rain we will receive for the next foreseeable months, this is a very timely and helpful review.

As waterproof jackets can range in price from $100 to over $300, it is important to make sure you find a jacket that best fits your needs. The video below breaks out nicely what you should be looking for, starting with the fabric:

Fabric: When looking at fabrics, the key is to have something that is breathable, so as not to trap any sweat inside. There are basically two types of fabric waterproof jackets that you will want to look at; coated and membrane. With membranes, you have your Gore-Tex and eVent, and with coated fabric, each manufacturer will have its own name. Membrane jackets tend to do a better job of letting water vapor (sweat) out of its micro porous layer, while still keeping water from seeping in. In terms of longevity, coated jackets will lose their coating over time, while membranes are permanent. Membranes also tend to have 2 or 3 layers compared to 1 with coated jackets, and are therefore more durable as well.

Price: So if membrane jackets are obviously better than coated, why do coated jackets exist on the market? The answer is price, and coated jackets are much more affordable by construction.

Features: What you need to look at here is what activities you will be doing in the jacket. Hoods are more effective with volume adjusters to keep the hood snug, and stiffened peaks or wires to keep rain away from the face. The ability to zip a fleece into waterproof jacket is something you may also want to look into. Lastly, zippers are not all created equal, and some do a better job of keeping water out than others.

For more details and features of the North Face waterproof jackets, check out the Webtogs site.

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Categories: Products & Gear
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Get your sleeping bags ready.

This Sunday, October 4 from 10:30am – 1:30pm, MEC Vancouver is having one of their semi-annual Gear Swaps. The swap takes place on the roof-top parking lot and is always a great place to score some cheap gear. As such, it is always super busy, and the hard-core will camp out overnight to get in line.

The address is:

130 West Broadway
Vancouver, British Columbia
604.872.7858

If you have some gear you’d like to sell bring it to the store Saturday or Sunday or contact vangearswap@mec.ca

If you can’t make it, there is always MEC’s online gear swap.

Happy hunting!

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• MEC Gear Swap
• Mountain Equipment Coop Spring Gear Swap
• 2009 NSMBA Vancouver Bike Swap

Tags: Gear Swap,MEC
Categories: Deals, Products & Gear
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