Best Outdoor/ Adventure Store
Summit Hut
5045 E. Speedway Blvd.
330 S. Toole Ave.
READERS' PICK: Once again, Summit Hut crests our
readers' poll when it comes to gearing up for even the most extreme
(or orchestrated) outdoor adventures. (They also won the readers'
pick for Best Equipment Rentals, under the Outdoors section.)
If you're in need of the basics--sturdy yet lightweight tents
and frame backpacks; rock-climbing ropes and harnesses; water-resistant
gear bags and sub-temperature sleeping bags--the Hut carries some
of the best, at competitive prices. The place really excels in
its selection of outdoor gadgetry (you discern between the novel
and the truly useful), and their ample stock of hiking boots and
that quintessential Arizona footwear innovation, the Teva sandal.
Summit Hut's second location is a scaled-down version of the original
Speedway store (which celebrates its 30th year in business under
the ownership of outdoor enthusiast Dave Baker), inside the Rocks
'N' Ropes indoor climbing gym on South Toole Avenue. Anything
you need for climbing, they've got--from stylish sportswear to
an entire wall of caribiners, and everything in between.
READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: Okay, so it's a lot like K-Mart,
it's corporate, and it figured in no small way to the demise of
Bob's Bargain Barn. But now that our old pal Bob's has gone belly
up, we find ourselves often at Popular Outdoor Outfitters for
Less (three locations: 6315 E. Broadway Blvd.; 2820 N Campbell
Ave.; and 6314 N. Oracle Road). Popular is all business: It stocks
what people need (or at least want) and keeps it cheap. For better
or worse, it's just another example of survival of the fittest.
