Gear West

Shoppers at Gear West in Long Lake, Minnesota, don’t rush through the checkout lines with plastic bags full of code-swiped outdoor sports merchandise.

Rather, customers engage with Gear West staff in partnerships to ensure their ski boots fit perfectly, their new bike is adjusted to their riding style, or their Nordic skis are ground and waxed for maximum glide and grip.

Isaac Townsend, who purchased Gear West from founders Jan and Brian Knutson in November 2024, is no prouder of the success of the business than he is of the company’s staff—a team of experts committed to finding the right product for a customer and making sure it is fine-tuned to fit an individual’s needs.

“They’re very special,” Isaac says. “Time and again, I hear our customers say how impressed they are with our staff’s knowledge and the high levels of service they receive.”

His accolades are verified by customer comments on the company’s website, www.gearwest.com. “It was by far the best ski-buying experience I’ve ever had,” wrote one. “I am very impressed by your knowledge of skis and your approach to selecting them.”

Wrote another: “I just wanted to reach out and say thank you for taking the time to help my son and me get geared up for snowboarding.”

And another…Thanks SO much for your excellent customer service! I had never ordered from you before but right from the start, the employee who helped me on the phone was very helpful and kind. Shipping was super-fast, and I got the shoes in time for my outing as I had requested.”

The company has a staff of 50, including many who have been active in outdoor sports for years. “Our Nordic staff includes some lifelong cross-country skiers,” says Isaac. “They go to Europe every year to pick out skis. They will select ones that exactly fit what our customers are looking for.”

Gear West’s Dave Chamberlain is considered a skiing icon for his knowledge of grinding and waxing, and for what it takes to make skis flat and fast. Plus, he’s at the controls of the company’s state-of-the-art Tazaro ski grinding machine from Italy.

“Service is a big part of our identity at Gear West,” says Chamberlain. “In the Nordic department, we have an experienced staff that has seen action at events all over the world--from the local marathon circuit, to elite national level races, all the way to the World Cup. We use that experience every day in our service room to bring the very best service to our customers. It helps to have one of the best stone grinding machines in the world, but we also back that up with an experienced staff that can get the very best out of the skis we service.”

The company’s Alpine team has former members of the U.S. ski team, some with 20-plus years of experience fitting and moulding ski boots. Scott Ree, master boot-fitter, explains, “Gear West’s master boot-fitters offer a combined 80-plus years of experience. Paired with world-class tools in our cobbler shop, this enables us to customize boots for everyone from kids to FIS racers. In fact, we offer a fit guarantee, ensuring peace of mind that no customer will suffer through hot spots or blisters.”

Additional services for customers include ski rentals, a trade-in program, and an annual ski swap at Gear West’s headquarters. Customers can ship their skis to Gear West, where the company will grind and wax them.

The company’s bike service group is just as savvy, with some members having triathlon experience. You’ll often find the Gear West bike crew at the start of cycling events, setting up bikes or making free adjustments before the racers pedal off.

In addition, Gear West can provide sports-trained physical therapists to work with customers to determine and develop optimal body mechanics and equipment fit for various sporting activities. It might be fitting a bike to match a rider’s physical characteristics or selecting the right shoe for a runner.

Wendy Morin, who holds an associate’s degree in PT, is considered the company’s “shoe whisperer,” working with customers to analyse their gait and biomechanics. For those with challenging injuries, aches and pains, or muscle tightness, she helps customers determine which shoe fits best. and how they might improve their performance through individualized biomechanical work.

Gear West takes the same customized approach to its lines of outdoor products and apparel. The store offers a mix of casual and ski clothing from warm base layers to boots, hats, hoods and headbands, sweaters and vests, pants and tops from manufacturers like Helly Hansen, Patagonia, and Maloja outerwear. For runners, the store stocks over 120 models of running, walking, trail, and track shoes.

While service is a hallmark at Gear West, so is community involvement. The company participates actively in the market it serves and sells to. “We care and engage with our local sporting community,” says Isaac. “We have a long history of partnering with local triathlons and other races.”

The company works with organizations such as the Scouts, encouraging helmet use and other bike safety measures. On the company’s website, young skiers can learn cross-country fundamentals through instructional videos. They can also participate in Gear West’s trade-in program for kids as they outgrow their equipment.

And the company sponsors several of its own events. The Gear Western Half Marathon and 5K race is a popular autumn event, drawing 300 participants to the course running through the Long Lake area. Each fall, Gear West conducts the Women’s Nordic Kickoff, as well as Tuesday Night Trail Runs, the Women’s Cross Country Weekends, and more.

Gear West is also sponsoring two cross-country skiers at the World Cup in Europe this winter. Alayna Sonnesyn, a native of Plymouth, Minnesota and Wayzata High School, skied at the University of Vermont and has won the American Birkebeiner ski race four times since 2019. Zak Ketterson is from Bloomington, Minnesota, and skied at Northern Michigan University. “They are elite skiers,” says Isaac. “We are providing service, support and guidance on grinds. We hope they can make the Olympics.”

That’s an admirable goal, but Gear West maintains its focus on athletes of all levels. “Jan and Brian dedicated their lives to this business,” says Isaac. “They started in a 400-foot building just west of the Ridgedale Mall in the western Twin Cities area. “Today, it’s 25,000 square feet in two separate buildings. There’s no other shop with the selection and service on a single campus. We are here to meet the needs of the novice as well as the most competitive.”