Outfitters/Sporting Goods Retailers

In this article I will give an overview of sporting goods retailers and outfitters in the Asheville area.  All the retailers highlighted, except Diamond Brand Outdoors/Frugal Backpacker, have stores within Asheville city limits.  Diamond Brand/Frugal Backpacker are actually just south of Asheville, in Arden.  I included them since they are easily accessible and since the Frugal Backpacker, Diamond's outlet store, is the the only outlet outfitter I am aware of in our area.  I do not intend to recommend one of these stores over the other.   I will share what I know of them, including personal experience, when applicable, in order to make you, the reader, aware of the main local players in this category of retail.  With this information, you should be able to determine which best suits your individual needs.

As I have already touched upon it, let me start with Diamond Brand Outdoors/Frugal Backpacker.  Diamond Brand Outdoors is located at 2623 Hendersonville Road, in Arden, about 10 miles south of downtown Asheville.  The Company's outlet store, Frugal Backpacker, is located next door at 2621 Hendersonville Road.   I do believe this Company is local, the website seems to support this understanding.  The one time I shopped at Diamond Brand I was looking for waders and I found the selection rather limited - I had to visit another retailer to find what I needed.  As for the outlet store, a friend recommended it to me.  However, when I visited I was not very impressed.  I found some attractive pricing but I also found the selection limited - when you can't find what you need, there is no bargain, right?  Anyway, as this outlet offers the potential for a great bargain, it's covered in this article.


Another local retailer is Black Dome, which is in its third decade of doing business in Asheville.  The store's name is derived from the Native American name for what we now know as Mt. Mitchell, a local peak that is the highest east of the Mississippi River. This store is located at 140 Tunnel Road, a short distance from downtown and easily accessible from I-240.  I have shopped this store several times and have found it carries a pretty impressive range of products, especially for a relatively small store.  In addition to retails sales, the store also provides some repair services - they replaced the bungee cord in some old tent poles, quickly and at a reasonable price.


Curtis Wright Outfitters has three small stores in the local area.  I have shopped the one in Biltmore Village and there are also stores in Weaverville and Saluda.  I found a pair of Chota felt-bottomed boots at this store and was impressed at the salesperson's willingness to keep the store open after hours so I could obtain the boots he had had transported by a Company employee returning from the Saluda store.  This effort got me out of a bind and I have not forgotten the exceptional service.  The store is located at 5 All Souls Crescent, in Biltmore Village.


REI recently arrived in Asheville and the store is located in south Asheville at 31 Schenck Parkway.  The new store is actually one of the "anchor" stores at the new Biltmore Park Town Square, a planned community to the south of downtown.  As this store is a new location of a well-known, national retailer, there's no need to dwell on it in this article.  The germane point, relative to this article, is that Asheville shoppers now have REI as a choice when looking to purchase sports and outdoor equipment.


Another national chain with representation in Asheville is Dick's Sporting Goods.  The local store is located at 107 A River Hills Road, in the River Hills Shopping Center.  This is probably the largest store on this list and it does provide a good range of products and brands.  Regardless of where I finally make a purchase, I think it's prudent to check prices and product availability here as part of a smart, local shopping methodology.


The last retailer I'll cover in this article is a regional player, Mast General Store, located downtown at 15 Biltmore Avenue.  This is an interesting store - it has "general store" feel and sells a wide range of products -  souvenirs, candy, clothing, and many products you would expect to find at an outfitter.  The store is regional, with most of the locations in Western North Carolina.  According to the Company website, the stores outside of North Carolina are in Greenvillle, SC, and Knoxville, TN.

I hope this article was helpful.  Asheville has many choices when it comes to purchasing equipment for outdoor activities.  With an abundance of local hiking trails, biking trails, lakes, and rivers, it is no wonder.    Locals may feel it's necessary, at times, to drive to another city to find a product offered at a Crate and Barrel, a Pottery Barn, or an Apple Store, etc.  However, when Living in Asheville, North Carolina, no such effort is required to meet your sporting and outdoor equipment needs!