The Backpacker reached out about the shipment that was sent incomplete, damaged, and either used or a former floor model. We are getting a full refund and a discount. We appreciate a personal reach-out after my husband emailed customer service. We will order again from this company. read more

I'm in Baton Rouge from the Houston area on business for a couple of days. It's raining and I'm between meetings with time on my hands. I've been looking for a roof rack loader for my Pescador Perception so, since Thule and Yakima accessories are pretty much interchangeable, I Google search Thule and Yakima dealers in the area. Two popped up and The Backpacker was one of them. It's a dreary rainy day and lunch time. I managed to find the shop in spite of the lunch traffic on Jefferson Hwy. I parked and walked inside. I was immediately received with a friendly greeting by several of the staff with offers to help me. I told them I was "just looking around" and they left me to myself with me knowing if I needed any help they'd be there. I like that. I wandered around for about 30 minutes and I managed to find a few things. Some I needed and some I didn't know I needed. So, I carried my bounty to the register and was checking out. I asked the young man if they had a THule or Yakima kayak loader. He replied, " We don't have any T-hule loaders or Yakima loaders in stock." I always find it amusing when the folks in the outfitting shops do that. I'm not "Sveedish" so I'll continue to say "THule" LOL. In all seriousness, the shop is very comfortable and friendly. The staff are extremely helpful and not overbearing/pushy. I travel to BR often on business and I'll continue to stop by "The Backpacker" to find things I didn't know I needed. I'm convinced that if they don't have it, you don't really need it. Kudos to The Backpacker and the wonderful staff. - Rain Man "And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul." - John Muir read more

This is the best camping store I've ever been to. Maybe it wouldn't've been as great if I hadn't been in as good a mood or planning a particular type of trip or as willing to listen to advice but I can only speak from the experience I did have -- and I have never met more attentive, interested, detail-oriented, educating staff as I have here. I learned so much about so much! I also got great things. I was encouraged, listened to, explained to, felt valued, etc. R.E.I. was my favourite store until I went here! I was mainly looking at stoves, also knives, plus got a very cool pair of socks! :-) They have (transliterated) Hebrew on them (well, it's 'sababa,' which nowadays is Hebrew but was once only Arabic as far as I know but then again French was a distortion of Latin once ... sorry for the thought-detour!), and that made me very happy! Yay! :-D The graphics associated with the store are also very happy-making! I love the bag I got and sticker and such and I guess it's that same logo that pulled me into the store in the first place ... catchy! read more

This store is awesome. Very big and a lot of assortment of all kinds of shoes, hiking, camping and anything you need really. It's where I get my on clouds at. Very friendly staff too read more

This is a GREAT store! I stopped in today for a last minute gift for someone very hard to buy for. OUTSTANDING customer service, and all the great lines that I normally buy online- ON Shoes, Vuori, Tasc and lots more. I will definitely be back. FANTASTIC addition to shopping in Mandeville. read more

I bought a Spyder jacket on Dec 23rd that was on sale. I asked before I bought it if I could return it since I wasn't sure if it was the right size. The girl told me I definitely could if I took it back the next day which was Christmas Eve. I went around noon or so and some kid at another register said he could help me. I gave him the jacket and told him I wanted to return it and he weirdly walked the jacket to the sale section then came back and said since it smelled like weed I couldn't return it. This was a jacket for a 15 year old boy and it wasn't even taken out of the bag. He said yo just go air it out and come back before 4 :00 and I could return it. I didn't wanna lose my temper and beat up a minor so I agreed but when I got back at 3:25 the store was closed and no matter how hard I banged on the door nobody came to open it plus it said open till 4:00 on the door. So I had to go through all the trouble of disputing it on my credit card and all that. I definitely do not recommend buying anything from here. read more

Great selection and great staff! Very knowledgeable and kind, willing to help you find the right gear for your needs. This is definitely the only place in Baton Rouge you need to visit to prep for a camping, trekking, climbing, or travel backpacking trip. read more

The Mecca for outdoor products! Definitely surpasses anything offered in the BR area in terms of selection and experience in outdoor sports. Having frequented many outdoor specialty stores in my life and once a regular at Massey's in New Orelans, I can honestly say this is my favorite outdoor specialty store. The sales staff is young, but they pretty much know their stuff as they still have the mental energy and interest in outdoor activities know the products they sell. John helped me decide on a Kershaw knife upstairs after handling a few different products they had to offer and offered some his own experience with other brands to help me make a decision. The variety of products and friendly staff, and their knowledge of the products the sell makes this an excellent destination for outdoor gear. p.s. they also schedule ski trips too! read more

High-end activewear and outdoor supplies/essentials! Make this your one-stop-shop for all things sports and activity needs. The store is highly organized and gives off the natural, outdoorsy, homey all-in-one feeling. It's easily accessible from Jefferson & Old Hammond. If you are going camping, hiking, skiing, rock climbing, etc. they have items you will need here. The staff here is very knowledgeable about equipment you may need and I am all about supporting local businesses. I love the high-quality jackets, activity wear and accessories here. If you are looking for the perfect gift, you may be able to find here and the recipient of the gift will be extra excited to receive something from here. The store is a lot bigger than it looks; it is 2 stories and goes fairly deep into the back area. I love coming here during the holidays/winter months because they usually have the fireplace on. read more

What a great store! I stumbled upon this shop and thought they might have the Ugg boots my daughter was looking for. They did and so much more. A very cute, clean well stocked store with nice, helpful staff. I asked for some gift ideas for my 15 year old, almost Eagle Scout son, and I was shown a few great and inexpensive items that will make great stocking stuffers. There was no push to sell me anything I didn't need and the staff was just lovely. I went back the next day to but my daughter a North Face jacket and it was on sale for 20% off. A great store and worth going out of your way for. read more

I love the backpacker. I feel they go over and above with service, they always point me in the right direction for my outdoor travels. It's worth the trip, enjoy the ride! read more

The only reason to go here is to find your size or preview an item you can get online or at REI/Masseys. Prices are jacked up then discounted to make you think you are getting a deal. read more

Always a great selection no matter what season it is! Super friendly and knowledgeable staff!!! Would highly recommend shopping there!!!

I've waited awhile to give this store a review. If I had reviewed it a couple years ago, it wouldn't be getting four stars. The employees used to be so unfriendly that it was unbelievable. My more recent experiences have been quite pleasant. Everyone has been very nice and incredibly helpful. Their selection of inventory has gotten much better throughout the years as well. They are doing free gift wrapping right now. I also love the sale they do on the ski gear. It's a great deal! read more

Backpacker is a great store for all your adventures! I really enjoy the winter selection of coats. Their a bit pricey.. But you pay for quality and good service. read more

I've been going to this store since they opened approximately 35 years ago. I've bought a wide array of paddling, camping, and backpacking gear, as well as lots of apparel. For a few years, which happened to coincide with when I was not as active, their service seemed to lag. Not now! I've shopped at outdoor outfitters all over the country. I'd place "Backpacker 2014" on a par with any of them in terms of selection for this market and especially the friendliness of the staff. They also price match. You have to be reasonable if you ask for that because they do factor in shipping, but today I saved $50 on components for a Yakima roof rack upgrade. They were also quite cheery about it. I believe in supporting local businesses. I'm into cycling, paddling, and backpacking. Sometimes I have to order online, but today I'm glad I was able to find what I wanted locally--keeping the money in my hometown and not having to wait! I feel 30 again! read more