A few years back, I was finally able to buy a good quality ski set up, and purchased some not…read moreinexpensive boots from a retailer in Nashua. A teenager helped me, and I didn't really know what I needed, so I got some boots. I thought they were fine, but eventually I was getting numb spots, and cramping. At the end of last season, I went to Skinners, and they measured me and checked out my boots, and they were too big. It was the end of the year, so I'd hoped to get a good price on boots that would work. I wish I remembered his name, but the man helping me spent HOURS working through boots and patiently working the process. In the end, we found a boot that seemed to be great, and I picked them up. After 4-5 days of break-in, I was skiing them every weekend, and now, halfway through the season, I realized I've had no cramps, no sore spots, no random numbness in the boots. They're perfect. I'm worried that as we move forward, shops like this, with real honest-to-god earned expertise, and taking the time to do it right, will not be around much. It's already hard to find in New Hampshire. Get to Skinner's. Support them. You will get the right equipment for your need and that makes everything better.

I cannot say enough great things about Skinners. Family owned business, we get our rentals for us…read moreand our kids every season here. They are incredibly friendly, service is great, and their motivations are really about everyone having a great time. They are a staple of the Mount Sunapee Experience!

I am super happy with Pelletier's Sporting Goods and the bow that I purchased from them in 2024. I…read moream extremely impressed with Pelletier's expert staff, including Jessie, Matt and the rest of the team. They are expert archers and archery technicians who provide great advice with regard to product selection and purchase as well as fantastic ongoing service and support after the sale. I don't live close to their location. But every visit is worth the ride because of the knowledge and customer care they deliver to me. Bud Duckett

Bought a lift xd shop helped setup very knowledgeable and helpful. Needed a long draw they had it…read morein stock and let me test out a few bows before settling on the lift.

Clothing and gear for hikers, swimmers, bikers, runners, and general outdoor wear. There were also…read moresome sales going on, with a mix of well known name brands and other accessories like discs and goggles. Upstairs there's a small, unexpected antique section that felt really unique, along with a kids section. Overall, a solid selection if you're looking for nice quality new outdoor gear.

I was completely geared up from head to toe to train for the Boston Marathon in 2017. We stopped by…read morein November of 2016 and Peter completely took care of me. I wore the clothes he selected every Sunday for all my long distance runs. The clothes gave me all the confidence I needed to run the marathon in 2017. I will always be grateful.

I will never shop anywhere else for ski equipment…read more The experience I had at Piche's today was outstanding. I called the store yesterday, and despite the fact they were VERY busy on a Saturday, they took the time to listen and give me feedback, and we agreed I'd come in today (a Sunday) when they were less busy and could devote sufficient time to helping me. Backstory: I got back into skiing last year and went the cheap route when I picked up my boots at a ski sale. Nothing wrong with buying boots at a ski sale IF YOU KNOW YOUR FIT and KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. I did not, so I bought the wrong size, and my ski runs were punctuated with "wait, let me adjust this," and "hang on, let me adjust that," which is not what I want to be doing all the way down the slope. A few weeks back, I stumbled into a ski shop in a different town. Though the shop was nearly empty, they would not help me until I made a fitting appointment, which was weeks out. This was a red flag, but I ignored it and made an appointment. When my appointment arrived, it wasn't a great experience - I traveled all the way back to this other town, and after measuring my foot, they put me in a Nordica boot they selected. Just one. They said they were sure this was the boot for me, but it wasn't comfortable, it wasn't even in the neighborhood of comfortable. There was no suggestion of any other boot. I asked to try on second pair for comparison, and they grudgingly chose another for me to try, but the second pair was no better. So, they steered me back to the initial boot they suggested. At least they did read the room right when they said "maybe you shouldn't buy these, you don't seem thrilled with them." They need not have worried, I would have given up skiing altogether before buying their suggested boot. I could not believe that the only solution to my somewhat painful experience last season was just more pain in a different size this season. That's when I called Piche's, and I'm so glad I did. I went in first thing this morning, and Nate was amazing. He spent over 2 hours with me (apparently, I have a difficult foot to fit because of super high arches). He didn't just help me try on boot after boot, he educated me along the way: he described the differences between boot brands, the variances in boot and liner qualities, and the advantages and disadvantages of different boot styles. He clearly explained how the right boot should feel, and how that feel would change with heat molding and with regular use. He pointed out things to consider in choosing a boot and also identified and excluded other things from consideration, knowing my ski goals & abilities (I'm intermediate at best, and I want to live in intermediate-ville, I do not want to race or ski aggressively, I just want to be comfortable and be outside in the snow and enjoy myself). After 2 hours, we narrowed it down to 2 boots of the same brand (K2), and then he had me try on each pair another time or two. He was absolutely diligent in methodically working through all the options with me, and that made my final decision easy, intuitive, and evidence-based. Many, many thanks to Nate and everyone else I encountered at Piche's (the gentleman who spoke to me by phone on Saturday, I'm so sorry I didn't catch your name; the owner, Pat) - they are all incredibly professional, friendly, and patient, and I highly recommend them for all your winter sports needs, and especially fittings! PS: huge store, great selection good prices, same-day heat molding, and they also have equipment for summer sports like biking & kayaking!

Love this hometown sports show. We were visiting Family in…read moreWolfeboro and looking for a bike for my wife and myself. Buy local !! These folks have been around Guilford for a long time. The owner Pat, was a great guy to work with and his team was wonderful including Lucas the bike tech who after fixing up my wife's new bike... then repaired it after a bit of an accident with no charge. These guys are great I would buy them again anytime

I spent several months shopping for a bike and kept coming back to Burrows. the staff there were…read morepatient and friendly and helped me get the right bike for my needs at a very fair price.

I have cycled cross-country, and I have used the services of bicycle shops in probably a dozen…read morestates. This is one of the best repair shops I have ever visited. I visited this shop early on a Saturday morning. I had gotten a tune-up at a bicycle shop in the Greater Boston area in preparation of cycling Vermont Route 100, and picked up my bike on Friday night (the night before I planned to leave). When I brought it home (and after the shop had closed) I found that my bike's chain was making noise in certain gears. I tinkered around with the derailleur to try to fix the problem, but to no avail. I feared that my Vermont trip would have to be cancelled. I decided to try to find a shop in Brattleboro, my planned starting point, and selected this one because it opened the earliest. I visited there early on Saturday, explained the issue, and immediately was introduced to a mechanic (I asked for his name but have since forgotten it, unfortunately). He kindly and patiently explained what he was doing as he went through his evaluation to diagnose the issue, and invited me to stand alongside him to watch and learn. Within minutes, he deduced that the height of the derailleur was incorrectly adjusted by the previous mechanic, causing the chain to rub in high gear. He made the correct adjustment and it worked perfectly. Amazingly, he didn't even want to charge me more than $10, although I insisted on giving him that and then some for his help (and for basically saving my trip). I love cycling, but I know that visiting bicycle shops can be a frustrating process. Many bicycle mechanics seem to delight in making the customer feel ignorant. Here, the mechanic was not only skilled and instructive, but he was completely without pretension. It is a shame that I live more than two hours away from this shop, or it would be my default for repairs. As it turned out, the mechanic's adjustment on a Saturday morning ended up saving my cycling trip, and the bicycle has functioned perfectly since.

These folks could simply not be nicer. They are so friendly and a great source of local fishing…read moreknowledge. They sell bait for ice fishing. It's available 24 hours a day. They have shiners, worms, spikes... everything you need. It's self service. If they are not around its the honor system for payment. You grab what you need, write it in the notebook, and leave your payment (cash only) in the box. Shop local.

Upper Valley Outfitters is the only dedicated fly fishing store you're likely to find anywhere in…read morethe Upper Valley, an area where the waters are big and plentiful but the fishing shops seem suspiciously scarce. Apparently most people in the Upper Valley are making their hooks out of old straight pins. Staff at UVO are extremely knowledgeable and helpful, and their fly selection is awesome. Hand tied flies here are affordable compared to other fly shops I'm used to, and they conveniently keep a bunch of proven local patterns that are in season right near the register so you can run in, get what you need for that afternoon, and run out. UVO staff will help you find local waters to fish in and help you figure out times of day to fish them. Be careful of the Connecticut and White Rivers rising on hot summer afternoons when they have to generate more hydroelectric power, as the pool you waded into might suddenly become too deep to wade out of! Also, when you get to the area and find out the felt-soled wading boots you brought from home are illegal here, this is where you'll need to go to remedy the situation. There is an excellent supply of fly tying materials available at UVO, and they deal in Hardy, St. Croix, and a number of other top-name rods and reels. If I lived in the Upper Valley, I'd probably hang out in this place once a week or so. The only thing I don't like about UVO is that they don't sell Vermont fishing licenses even though they're so close to the VT border. The way the state makes them available to vendors is apparently more trouble than it's worth, which is why it's so hard to find anywhere to get a license on the Vermont side of the Upper Valley. None of this, of course, is UVO's fault. So, if you're planning a fishing getaway in the Upper Valley, make sure to know where this place is and how to get here beforehand, because this resource is invaluable and necessary. I even caught fish on the flies they sold me here, which means they're not just selling pretty trinkets that only people like. Happy fishing!