Climbing Stores in Central California

Other than REI in Sacramento and Fresno, there’s close to zero options for climbers to buy / try on climbing equipment in the central California region. With the abundant amount of quality bouldering, sport and trad climbing throughout the “Gold Country” area north of Yosemite, this is surprising. Online shopping doesn’t cut it when dealing with shoes or anything you need physical feedback from before purchasing.

Does anyone else residing in the central region of California experience the same frustrations? REI seems to have a pretty basic in-store inventory that would leave an experienced trad / aid climber bummed after a 2 hour drive to the nearest location.

Who else would enjoy a good technical climbing store in the Gold Country?  Let me know what you think. This may be on the horizon. 

Hayden Loyd wrote: Who else would enjoy a good technical climbing store in the Gold Country?  Let me know what you think. This may be on the horizon. 

Here is the thought flow of a savvy climber

There is a piece of gear X
I must try out X
WTF! - REI/Wallmart/Whatever does not carry X
We as community need local climbing stores that specialize in X
...
<afer somehow trying out X>
X is so awesome, can't live without it! Glad  I tried it out - X was the wrong size/color/option, I need X.1
This is outrage! I can find X.1 cheaper online in Europe!

...

Every time I need to see a DR. my provider says I have to go to Fresno because it's only 50 miles from my house, so buck up baby & come on over to Eastside sports. It's only 50 miles from Fresno not even one hour's drive.

amarius wrote:

Here is the thought flow of a savvy climber

There is a piece of gear X
I must try out X
WTF! - REI/Wallmart/Whatever does not carry X
We as community need local climbing stores that specialize in X

Yes, this is exactly the dilemma!
Especially in a time where the sport is growing and in a State bursting with quality rock. Thanks for the feedback

caughtinside wrote:  I just order like 4 pairs and return the ones that don’t work, which is some times all of them.

Seems like a hole in the system! Or at least not an ideal system. I see you’re in Oakland, where does the local Bay Area climber go to shop gear? Is REI your only option in the bay?

Sonora is home to Serria Nevada Adventure Company (S.N.A.C) & they have a small climbing shop. My family have shopped there for caving and climbing gear as long as I can remember & would love to see them get more business.   

Whatever Bent Gate Mountaineering in Golden, CO does, do that if you are looking for the "true" climbing shop model... online purchases, but extra in-store-only discounts that incentivizes you to go there, even if for the basic stuff you MAY be able to find at REI...

I think you have to build the brand image that you have the GOOD stuff, not the department store junk. Even as a poor grad student I always would shop there over REI, mainly cause they had the stuff you couldn't get anywhere, even europe. Just my 2 cents, and support of some type of shop like this in Sac (now live there)!  

Golden Chain Climbing Gear in Jamestown, which is near Sonora and Columbia, CA

https://www.goldenchainclimbinggear.com/contact

18204 Main St, Jamestown, CA 95327

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Alpenglow+Gear+Co./@37.3385273,-119.6469741,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x80942786e614d1b3:0xa076e4959077f3b6!8m2!3d37.3385273!4d-119.6447854

Alpenglow Gear Co. in Oakhurst

https://www.facebook.com/alpenglowgearco/

40680 CA-41 Unit A, Oakhurst, CA 93644

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Alpenglow+Gear+Co./@37.3385273,-119.6469741,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x80942786e614d1b3:0xa076e4959077f3b6!8m2!3d37.3385273!4d-119.6447854

Alpenglow Gear Co., California 41, Oakhurst, CA

Both places are great and have really friendly people who own the shop / work at the at the shop.

re-igniting this older thread but we swung into the Strawberry Station General store off HWY 50 this past weekend and they actually had a better assortment of equipment than Roseville REI etc.  Just a heads up.