Gear Up Here to Get Out There
Your guide to finding the best gear to tackle all of your outdoor adventures
There’s one really important step between living in Montana’s Basecamp for Art and Adventure and living that adventure. That step is gearing up.
Whether you’ll be climbing rocks, hitting slopes, running trails or any of the other you’ll enjoy here, having the right gear is paramount to success on the water, the slopes or the mountains. Adventurers and city slickers alike will want the best outdoor clothing to keep warm in the Montana winter or protected in the summer sun. No matter what you’re looking for, Great Falls is home to (and !) some of the best Montana outdoor sports stores in the state.
Sports Gear
When it comes to gear, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re looking to beat a PR in [insert your extreme sport here] or just want to discover the majestic Montana outdoors with your whole family, take a trip to any of the stores below to gear up and get out there.
- North 40 Outfitters: Headquartered right here in Great Falls, North 40 Outfitters is your resource for everything farm, ranch and outdoors. From targets and fishing rods to backpacks and sleeping bags (and much, much more), North 40 is your answer to any and all outdoor needs . The one thing they don’t sell? Grit. You’ll have to bring enough of that on your own.
- Scheels: Whatever your sport or passion, if you’re looking for top-quality gear look no further than Scheels. Into athletics? You’ll find football, baseball, basketball, volleyball and more galore. Outdoor recreation? They supply skis and snowboards and all the warmest and toughest gear for your snowmobiling and ice fishing adventures. All this isn’t even to mention their water sports collection…
- Bighorn Outdoor Specialists: In 2020, Bighorn Outdoor Specialists celebrated 40 years of providing award-winning products combined with local knowledge and exceptional service to become the hub of Central Montana’s outdoor community. Everything in their Downtown Great Falls shop has been hand-selected and tested to offer the best performance at a fair price.
Clothing
When we say Great Falls is Montana’s Basecamp for Art and Adventure, you probably didn’t think the art of layering was included, when in reality, layering might be the art form we are the most fluent in. The temperature in Central Montana changes often and changes quickly. In fact, the greatest 12-hour temperature change ever recorded in the United States occurred 40 minutes outside of Great Falls in Fairfield on December 14, 1924. The temperature that day dropped from 64°F to -21°F at night – that’s an 84-degree change!
Dressing for the weather is a learned skill necessary for one’s success in Montana. And if one doesn’t learn this skill, one might end up sweating in a wool turtleneck on a 75°F day because they left the house that morning at 7:00AM when it was 30°F. Or wearing sandals through the snow. Trust us: we’ve all done it, and neither are enjoyable.
But, alas, no worries. Great Falls has a wide variety of gear stores and clothing shops that supply base layers all the way up to heavy snow gear. The previously mentioned North 40 Outfitters, Scheels and Bighorn Outdoor Specialists all offer extended selections of apparel and footwear for all weather. Many downtown shops offer stylish clothes that will keep you warm or cool, whatever that day’s adventures call for.
Geared Up? Now Get Out There!
You’ve got your thermal wear, hardshell jacket and ski goggles (or sunscreen, sun hat and hiking books) - now get out there! There’s always somewhere new to explore in or around the Basecamp.
Explore the Basecamp