Where to gear up for outdoor adventures in Wisconsin
It’s time to get outside and explore the great lakes, routes, and trails that Wisconsin has to offer. But first, you need the right gear for your outdoor adventures—here’s where to go to find rentals, equipment, and more across the state.
Northern Wisconsin
Ashland and Bayfield in the northwest corner of the state offer great options for recreation—including the Apostle Islands and Lake Superior—so it’s no surprise that they’re home to great places to rent and buy gear for your outdoor adventure. Solstice Outdoors in Ashland is a locally owned outdoor store that sells supplies for camping, hiking, and more and also offers bike, paddleboard, and kayak rentals. Howl Adventure Center in Bayfield has a wide selection of bikes (including rentals) and outdoor gear.
In Oneida County and Vilas County in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, hikers and bikers will find plenty of places that encourage outdoor adventure—and plenty more places that will get them properly outfitted, too. Coontail Adventures in Boulder Junction in Vilas County is a full-service bike sales, rentals, and repair shop that also rents kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. There’s another Coontail retail store in Arbor Vitae near Minocqua in Oneida County, and Mel’s Trading Post in Rhinelander has tons of outdoor gear to choose from as well as bike and paddlesports rentals.
Central Wisconsin
The Sports Den in Marshfield is one of central Wisconsin’s go-to stops for bikes and e-bikes and boasts an impressive array of outdoor clothing and equipment for skateboarding, swimming, and other warmer-weather pursuits (they’ve also got a great selection of cross-country and downhill skis and snowshoes for winter recreation).
In Stevens Point, the Hostel Shoppe is a well-known destination for bicycle shopping (including recumbent bikes) and Fall Line Outfitters specializes in fly-fishing gear but also has a wide range of other products, from outdoor clothing to camping equipment.
Southern Wisconsin
Explore Sauk County’s largest bicycle retailer at Wildside Action Sports in Baraboo (they also offer rentals) or gear up for your climbing or hiking trip at nearby Devil’s Lake.
Fontana Sports is a resident of downtown Madison’s State Street retail district, where shoppers will find a great selection of outdoor apparel, footwear, and equipment for hiking, camping, climbing, and other activities. Located on the west side of the city, Rutabaga Paddlesports is a longtime Madison staple and Wisconsin’s largest canoe, kayak, and stand-up paddleboard dealer. They offer not only top-of-the-line equipment and accessories, but also rentals at Olbrich Park on Lake Monona in the summer.
In the Milwaukee suburb of Whitefish Bay, Yellow Wood sells high-quality outdoor gear for hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities. Johnson Outdoors—which makes everything from fishing boat motors to canoes to tents and camping equipment—has a retail store at its headquarters in downtown Racine.
