When it comes to buying things, whether products or experiences, most people like to do so with individuals and businesses who are passionate about what they do and what they sell. It’s that passion that makes Take a Hike Outfitters, a North Carolina outdoor store, so popular among both locals and visitors to the greater Asheville area.
You’ll find Take a Hike Outfitters within the historic downtown of Black Mountain, North Carolina. Black Mountains is a mountain community just east of Asheville. This outdoors-oriented store lies within a brick and wooden building with cute green awnings over all of its exterior windows.
Take a Hike Outfitters is owned and operated by John McFerrin, a true outdoorsman. McFerrin moved to this small North Carolina community back in 1986 and opened the doors to the business in 1999. McFerrin has told news outfits that he had always loved hiking and camping. So much so that it transformed from a minor hobby to a huge passion that he wanted to share by opening a related business in it.
This outdoor store is known throughout the area as a go-to shop for all of your adventuring needs. They have tents, sleeping bags, day packs, specialty socks, hammocks, water bottles, dehydrated foods, and everything else you could think of needing on an adventure out into the woods. That’s true whether you’re looking for supplies for a day trip up Black Mountain, or an overnight backpacking adventure along one of the extended backwoods trails.
Hiking and camping gear is the cornerstone of what is sold at Take a Hike Outfitters, but they also have a nice array of smaller items. For example, many shoppers cite this as an excellent place to purchase stickers, especially stickers related to the area and including heavy vinyl stickers that can be put on a vehicle or large water bottle, as well as buttons, branded caps, and other more collectible souvenirs.
Of course, this is the greater Asheville area, and you are going to find plenty of other outdoor stores. What makes this place a worthy stop is its well-laid-out interior and fantastic dedication to quality service. The interior of this store is warmly lit with polished wooden flooring and nice wood paneling atop soft green wall paint. Items are neatly laid out throughout the store and there are several central display racks and shelving. One part of the wall is dedicated to discount merchandise (on any given day they’ll have a full clothing rack that’s offered at 20% off the listed price), and one of the corners is dedicated to shoes. There are a lot of specialty shoes here, as owner McFerrin has stated that providing consumers with a good choice of quality footwear and footgear is an area he is particularly passionate about.
You’ll be greeted with a hardy hello the moment you enter Take a Hike Outfitters and sales personnel seem to always be on hand, ready to help you find just the perfect item for your outdoor adventure in the greater Asheville area. Note that, as with other stores in this more tourist-oriented part of town, prices are going to be higher than what you’d probably expect at a similar-style business not located within a historic mountain town.
Insider Tips:
-There is an entire display rack and pull-out shelving dedicated to updated trail maps and guides. Even if you aren’t planning on buying any gear, we recommend stopping here to peruse some of their detailed topography maps and snatch one or two of the smaller map brochures.
-Take a Hike Outdoors is great for a lot of things, but one thing it doesn’t do well is returns. We recommend fully ensuring objects are the right fit or otherwise well suit your needs before purchasing them.