Backcountry Experience

Name

Backcountry Experience

Legal name

Backcountry Experience

Website

https://bcexp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Backcountry Experience is a privately held, single-location specialty outdoor retailer in Durango, Colorado, serving Four Corners residents and adventure tourists with premium brand gear, custom boot and pack fitting, ski services, and online gear rentals via the Gearo platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Outdoor Retail

NAICS

Recreational Goods Rental (532284)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Repair Services (7600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRAMAJAD

Ski Touring / Backcountry & Avalanche Safety Retail (AT Gear, Skins, Beacons, Probes, Shovels, Airbags)

Consumer Products & Retail/Sporting Goods & Outdoor Retail/Winter Sports (Ski/Snowboard) Retail

SECONDARYCRAMAJAE

Ski & Snowboard Rental & Demo Shops

Consumer Products & Retail/Sporting Goods & Outdoor Retail/Winter Sports (Ski/Snowboard) Retail

Keywords

• Outdoor gear retail
• Custom boot fitting
• Gear rental services
• Ski repair shop
• Pack fitting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Durango

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Retail sale of outdoor gear including footwear, backpacks, apparel, climbing equipment, ski equipment, tents, and sleeping bags from partner brands.
2. Gear Rentals: Rental of demo equipment including backpacking gear, camping equipment, skis, splitboards, climbing gear, avalanche safety equipment, and snowshoes through Gearo platform.
3. Services: Custom boot fitting, custom insoles, pack fitting, boot stretching, ski and binding repair, ski mounting, waxing, grinding, buffing, gear restoration services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Backcountry Experience is a single-location specialty outdoor retail store in Durango, Colorado that sells premium brand-name gear (packs, apparel, footwear, climbing and ski equipment, tents, sleeping bags) alongside a seasonal gear demo/rental program and in-house expert services including Masterfit custom boot fitting, custom pack fitting, and a full-service ski and gear repair department. The store also carries avalanche safety equipment through Backcountry Access and links customers to local trail, snow, and ice conditions resources for the Four Corners region.

Product overview

Backcountry Experience is a full-service outdoor specialty retailer in Durango, Colorado, offering both retail gear sales and rental/demonstration services. The business operates as a single-location outdoor store with a diverse portfolio of brand partnerships (Osprey, Outdoor Research, Black Diamond, Obōz, MSR, Mountain Equipment, Mountain Hardwear, La Sportiva) covering packs, apparel, footwear, climbing gear, skiing equipment, and camping essentials. Beyond product sales, Backcountry Experience provides specialized services including custom boot fitting with four Masterfit-certified fitters, expert pack fitting with hip belt customization, ski shop services (binding mounting, waxing, grinding, skin cutting), gear repair, and a seasonal gear demo/rental program. The company positions itself as experts in boot fit, pack fit, and camping kit selection, with 30 years of industry experience serving the outdoor community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Boot Fitting Services Expert custom boot fitting service provided by four Masterfit-certified boot fitters on staff, including custom insoles, boot stretching, and conditioning for hiking boots and footwear, designed for individual outdoor enthusiasts seeking properly fitted footwear.
• Pack Fitting Services Specialized pack fitting service including custom hip belt adjustments, niche-specific pack selection, and purpose matching for backpacking, travel, and commuting packs, aimed at outdoor enthusiasts seeking properly fitted load-carrying equipment.
• Ski and Gear Repair Services Full-service ski shop offering skin building and cutting, binding mounting, waxing, grinding, and buffing, plus repair services for boots, poles, tents, water filters, and stoves, serving skiers and outdoor enthusiasts needing equipment maintenance and restoration.
• Gear Demo and Rental Program Seasonal rental program offering backcountry and outdoor equipment including backpacking gear, camping equipment, skis, splitboards, boots, climbing gear, avalanche safety equipment, and snowshoes, with online reservation and availability checking through the Gearo platform for adventure tourists and local customers wanting to demo gear before purchase.
• Avalanche Safety Equipment (Backcountry Access) Retail offering of avalanche safety equipment through the Backcountry Access brand partnership, provided for backcountry users in the Colorado mountain region along with avalanche education information and forecast links.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Osprey PacksflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBackcountry Experience is the first official Osprey Pro Shop and one of the largest independent Osprey Packs dealers in the U.S. They have every pack, every model, in every color in their showroom. The partnership is strengthened by geographic proximity, with Osprey's headquarters just over the hill from Durango.
• Outdoor ResearchcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBackcountry Experience is an Outdoor Research Adventure Dealer, acting as a local flagship store for the Seattle-based brand. They work closely with OR to serve customers with performance and lifestyle wear suited to the Four Corners region.
• Black Diamond EquipmentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBlack Diamond is a fabled brand providing gear for rock and ice, mountaineering, skiing, and trail activities. Backcountry Experience partners with Black Diamond to offer their full line of equipment and apparel.
• Obōz FootwearcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBackcountry Experience began carrying Obōz before they became one of the best-selling footwear brands in the outdoor industry. Obōz shares Backcountry's commitment to customer service and plants a tree for every pair sold (2 million trees and counting).
• MSR (Mountain Safety Research)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMSR produces water filters, purification systems, tents, cookware, stoves, and snowshoes that push the limits of consumer outdoor equipment. Staff and customers trust and use MSR products in the field.
• Mountain EquipmentcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBackcountry Experience is one of the first Mountain Equipment distributors in the U.S., offering this progressive brand's technical outerwear with cutting-edge design, fabrics, and function.
• Mountain HardwearcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBackcountry Experience has carried Mountain Hardwear since the beginning of the brand (established 1993), sharing their commitment to quality, innovation, and meeting the needs of outdoor athletes.
• La SportivacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLa Sportiva, born nearly 100 years ago in the Dolomite mountains of Italy, produces legendary footwear requested by the world's top climbers and mountaineers. Backcountry Experience offers their hiking, backpacking, and trail running footwear.
• Backcountry AccesscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBackcountry Access provides avalanche safety equipment which Backcountry Experience proudly offers. This partnership addresses critical safety needs for backcountry users in the Colorado mountain region.
• GearocoreTechnology or IntegrationGearo is the online rental platform integrated with Backcountry Experience's demo gear inventory. The platform allows customers to browse all rental equipment and check dates and availability online at outdoorgearo.com/store/bc-exp/.
• Durango TrailsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal trail conditions reporting partnership. Backcountry Experience links to the Durango Trails local conditions report, supporting trail stewardship through their 'trail angels' program.
• Purgatory Ski ResortminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal mountain partner 25 miles north of the store. Backcountry Experience references Purgatory as 'one of the best ski areas in the southwest' and provides snow report links.
• Ouray Ice ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld's best ice park located 75 miles from the store. Backcountry Experience promotes ice climbing experiences at Ouray and offers ice climbing gear rentals.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Neptune Mountaineering: Long-established independent specialty outdoor retailer in Boulder, Colorado carrying climbing, skiing, and backcountry gear with deep staff expertise. Closely comparable as a single-location, expertise-driven independent outdoor specialty store.
• Evo: Specialty ski, snowboard, and outdoor retailer combining physical storefronts (Seattle, Portland, Park City) with a strong e-commerce and rental platform. Comparable in ski/snowboard specialty assortment and rental/demo program, though at meaningfully larger scale.
• Mountain Gear: Independently owned specialty outdoor retailer in Spokane, Washington with deep climbing, backpacking, and ski assortment and strong staff expertise. Closely comparable as an independent, expertise-driven specialty store.
• Bent Gate Mountaineering: Golden, Colorado independent outdoor specialty store with a comparable mix of climbing, backpacking, ski, and camping gear plus in-house boot fitting. Similar independent-store model serving a Colorado outdoor community.
• Bootdoctors: Telluride, Colorado specialty outdoor and ski retailer known for elite boot fitting and custom insoles, with a similar small-team, expertise-led model anchored in a mountain town. Closest functional analog given the overlap in boot fitting, ski services, and destination-outdoor positioning.
• Skinny Skis: Telluride, Colorado specialty outdoor and ski shop with boot fitting, ski services, and rental in a mountain-town setting. Highly comparable footprint and service mix in a similar Colorado resort community.

Regional players

• Christy Sports: Multi-store Colorado and mountain-west ski and outdoor retailer offering sales, rental, and boot fitting. Comparable retail/rental/service mix though operating as a regional chain rather than a single flagship independent.

Broad incumbents

• REI: National consumer cooperative operating large-format outdoor retail stores plus a substantial e-commerce platform across all of Backcountry Experience's core categories. Serves as the dominant incumbent benchmark for assortment, pricing, and brand breadth.
• Moosejaw Mountaineering: Online and multi-store outdoor specialty retailer with a comparable mix of climbing, hiking, camping, and ski gear. Operates as a broader, multi-channel incumbent competing for the same brand-conscious outdoor consumer.
• Backcountry.com: Large online-first specialty outdoor retailer (owned by Backcountry Group) carrying premium outdoor brands across the same categories Backcountry Experience stocks. Represents the principal e-commerce competitive threat for national-brand specialty sales.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/backcountryexperience
• Instagraminstagram.com/backcountryexperience
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/backcountry-experience

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Backcountry Experience