Summit & Trail Outfitters

Feet swell over a long day, so try boots on in the afternoon and wear the socks you will hike in.

The thumb test

Unlaced, slide your foot forward until your toes touch. You should fit one finger behind your heel. Laced, your heel should not lift more than a few millimetres on stairs.

Test downhill

Toes hitting the front on a descent means the boot is too short or the lacing too loose across the instep. We have a ramp in the shop for exactly this — see the size guide or drop in for a free fitting.

A two-person tent is a $300 decision, and the only way to know if you like one is to sleep in it. So we rent the same models we sell.

Reserve online on the Rentals page: choose the gear, a Friday pickup and a weekend or a week, and you will see live availability before you commit. No payment until pickup.

If you buy the item within 30 days, the rental fee comes off the price. Roughly a third of our tent sales start as rentals.

Our two repair technicians see the same five problems over and over, and almost all of them are cheaper to fix than you would expect.

The usual suspects

Broken zips on packs and jackets (from $28), snapped buckles (from $12), cracked tent pole sections (from $18), torn down baffles (from $22), and worn-out boot soles (from $85).

Book online on the repairs page and drop it off on the date you pick — we will email you when it is ready.

Aspens on the Front Range usually peak in the last two weeks of September, a little later below 9,000 feet. Go midweek, start early, and these five trails will give you gold without the parking-lot fights.

1. Lost Lake via Hessie Trailhead

Four miles round trip, steady climb, and an aspen tunnel for most of the first mile. The lot fills by 8am on weekends — take the Eldora shuttle.

2. Kenosha Pass to Baker Lake

The classic. Walk the Colorado Trail west from the pass for as long as you like — the best stands are in the first three miles.

3. Brainard Lake loop

Flat, easy, and spectacular when the Indian Peaks get their first dusting of snow.

Whatever you pick, pack a warm layer: afternoon temperatures drop fast once the sun goes behind the ridge. Our merino crew is the one we reach for.

Down loses loft when body oils and dirt clump the clusters together. A proper wash once a season brings it back — and it is easier than you think.

What you need

A front-loading washer (top-loaders with agitators can tear baffles), a down-specific wash, and three clean tennis balls.

The method

Zip everything, turn the jacket inside out, and run a gentle cycle with warm water and an extra rinse. Tumble dry on low with the tennis balls for 2–3 hours, checking every half hour and breaking up clumps by hand.

Torn a baffle? Bring it to our repair bench — a patch is $22 and usually done in five days.

Your first night out does not need to be far or fancy. Pick a site two or three miles from the car, check the forecast, and pack these.

The essentials

Shelter, a sleeping bag rated 10°F below the forecast low, a sleeping pad, 2 litres of water plus a way to treat more, a headlamp, a map you can read without signal, and one more warm layer than you think you need.

Do not buy it all yet

Our complete backpacking kit rents for $110 a weekend, and if you buy any of it within 30 days the rental fee comes off.