Great shopping experience. Staff were very friendly, knowledgable and unpretentious. Megan did an excellent job of steering me towards ski boots that correctly fit my foot and went above and beyond to ensure a professional fit. 10/10 would recommend!

Came in looking to browse the ski collection and was not disappointed. Great character and products that showcase the local beauty. The staff was as friendly as they could be were very helpful. You can’t ask for a better outdoor stuff.

Best experience I’ve had buying ski gear. Pete took so much time fitting my boots and was extremely knowledgeable about the subject (I appreciated his nerdy commitment to fitting boots properly.) Day one on the slopes was very pleasant with zero discomfort and the boots matched up with my skis really well. 10 out of 10 would recommend again and again!

Friendly staff made my trip(and hopefully future trips) a very fun and enjoyable experience! Thank you!

Very helpful staff and ended up renting backpacking gear!

Great shop, excellent customer service. I had a boot fitting done by Megan, no reason to go anywhere else. Shes a pro, very thorough and knowledgeable. Im amazed how well my ski boots fit my problem feet! Thanks BCE and Megan.

Extra friendly staff, pups welcomed, very good selection of new and used. Stop here before REI!

I highly recommend Megan Jackson for a custom boot fitting. She helped make my ski swap bargain boots fit perfectly. I had no idea how a ski boot is supposed to fit, but Megan does! She is super knowledgeable and super nice :). I’m making appointments for the rest of my family.Also always love the check out the upstairs bargains...unique and cool store!

I bought ski boots and insoles from here this past weekend and had a wonderful experience! I cannot recommend Megan enough! I needed quite a bit of attention to get the right fit and Megan took her time with me, making sure every piece of the boot worked. I skied in them the first time a couple of days ago and couldnt be happier. Every issue I have experienced in other boots (numbness, tightness in the calves, room in the heel) were completely addressed with these. Thanks!

If you’re getting a new pair of ski boots, I highly recommend buying here! The sales clerk was very knowledgeable on how ski boots are supposed to fit the foot. He examined my feet thoroughly, was very polite, and honestly gave me exactly what I needed.Backcountry Essentials has always been my go-to ski shop. I’ve never had a bad experience with the folks that work there. Smiles go far, thank you!

Megan is a rockstar! Went to see her about a month ago for a boot fitting and she was fantastic. So kind and patient, very knowledgable, and determined to get it just right. Highly recommend going to see her!

Staff are always friendly & super knowledgable of gear

I had custom insoles made, and some serious expansion visited upon my shells by Megan, she rocks, A+ Bootfitting. The whole staff is extremely knowledgeable and friendly. This should be your first stop for anything Skiing, Climbing, Camping or Hiking.

This is a great shop - super knowledgeable, incredibly patient, helpful, and friendly. They have a very large inventory of gear, including a whole section of repurposed (used) gear/clothing. This is my go to - and should be yours as well if you want the best.

Great used deals upstairs on premium brands as well as tons of new gear. Really helpful and friendly service.

Been going here for years, love it - staff is great and if you are a mountain lover then this is the place for you!

Probably the best ski boot fitting service Ill ever in my life!

Good Show Gang!Its late into Saturday, the day after New Years, and even with Covid Restrictions and being quite busy consequently.I still received great service!Frank & Megan being able to multitask between a boot fit in progressand helping others while I was given affordable options to the problem of my funky shaped feet.This help came in a knowledgeable, quick and concise fashion with areal passion for problem solving without the pretentiousness manyoutdoor shops tend to pack in.I scored on some quality pre-owned kiddo gear weeks ago too.Yeah Bud.Its Dumping up there...

I’ve had horrible pain in my snowboard boots for 13 years and just dealt with it. Went in for a boot consultation and completely changed my riding experience!!! Thanks to Megan (the boot fitter) I now have zero pain when riding. Thanks a million!!!

New to B Ham ( we moved to Anacortes) and Baker, loved both big time. My son dropped a pair of mid phats on me and I was needing to swap out bindings on a super phat ski I seldom ski ( Alaska helicopter type ski) and I could have done it myself , as I have been around skis and a drill since Eisenhower was president, but choose to have these guys do the deed for me , ( my eyes are not what they used to be). I dropped them off, did the paper work and the next day they were ready for pickup. They did a great job and even had the time to talk snow pack and loved the vide of the young man who held the drill. Didn’t even make fun of my old boots ( Denali Scarpa, love the boot, ) I tipped him a six pack of IPA and was out the door. Great shop. He understood I still ski in no fall zone, ( just now it very low on the mountain next to the parking lot. Better to be in the mountains thinking of god, than to be in church thinking of the mountains.Big Bill

Would highly recommend their boot fitting sessions. Megan did a great job hooking me up with something that fits and they know what theyre talking about!

I needed some bindings mounted on skis before heading up to the mountain for the weekend and they had them done in under 24 hours. Super nice staff as well!

Ive always heard great things about this shop, but today was the first time I had a reason to visit. All the great things youve heard are true! Super knowledgeable and friendly staff. We ended up buying new skis and bindings for touring, and they had them mounted for us in less than an hour. Shop local! Or even not-so-local, we visited from central Washington.

Megan helped me with a very tricky boot fit and new foot-beds -- cant say enough good things about the experience. Cheers,

I love these people. Shop local. Its worth it for so many reasons. Above all, local businesses are doing a service to our communities. They cant do it without our support. Theyre not making the big bucks, just bringing their knowledge, nice goods & trustworthy service. Please dont forget this. Shop local.

I started going here after I got into back-country skiing. They were incredibly helpful and suffered through lots of questions from me. Their boot-fitter is amazing and the most knowledgeable person I have met when it comes to skis. Their staff is super friendly and always willing to help. The upstairs has a lot of amazing deals as well.

Limited, but well-curated selection of stuff with great prices. Will be returning every time Im in town to check out the fresh inventory.

So happy to have a shop like this in my town. Definitely stop in if you need gear or advice, local or visiting. Great staff and always the right stuff.

Super helpful staff and a great selection of gear. The consignment gear and clothing section is a hidden gem of deals.

Great local store, got my ski boots fitted here. I didnt know anything at all about ski boots, and it was really daunting to try to figure out myself. All the choices were explained and budget etc was asked for consideration of options, lots of factors were considered before making the final choice. They will listen to you well. A lot of time extended to go above and beyond to try for the best possible fit and boot. Never knew ski boots could be comfortable. Learned a lot about boots and skiing. Support local!

Knowledgeable staff helped me find the outer-layer shell that works for my needs. there is used gear and new gear. this is a terrific place to go for a mountaineer on a budget. kayakers, snowboarders and skiers will find similar deals. check it out before you buy gear online, you may find some really good stuff.

Although this store appears to be a specialty ski and mountaineering shop, which they are, they cater to everyone and are extremely kind and helpful. If you need expert ski services or advice on where to go for a hike the helpful and polite staff are more than willing to make your trip safe and enjoyable. They offer ski tuning services, custom heat molds for liners, boot fitting, and so much more! Great locally owned shop with expert staff that go all out to make everyone feel welcome and encouraged to go out and have their own adventure!

What a great selection of new and used gear!!

They buy and sell used camping gear.Also sell new gear too. A little pricey but great quality. Friandly helpful staff. Family run and owned.

I really like this store. They have a good selection of new items but also buy and sell used items. Id they dont have what you want, they can order it. They are super helpful. The prices are about what you would expect, maybe better. Its a pretty neat place.

Frank, the boot fitter at BCE, is the MAN. He got me in really quickly between other clients when I failed to make an appointment (didnt know it was necessary...whoops) and punched out a problem area in my boots in minutes flat.

Great they buy used gear when you r in a crunch or are cleaning out your closet

Small but dedicated purveyor of outdoor gear. Staff is refreshingly real, showing themselves instead of wearing masks of stiff professionalism. Every time Ive been in here the employees are smiling and sharing laughs with customers and each other. Im much more likely to take into account their opinion about gear because of this.I love the upstairs. My favorite brands, at used or discounted prices. Ill be back, probably more frequently than I should.

Great service experience - excellent boot fitting, great ski service, all at very reasonable rates. Everyone Ive dealt with has had great advice and has been super friendly. None of the obnoxious attitude or high pressure sales BS you get in some stores. Highly recommended - glad we have you guys in our community!

Backcountry Essentials has all of my Backcountry essentials. With a focus on ski equipment, the highly knowledgeable staff are friendly and ready to help. FYI Frank is bar none the best boot fitter in the region - a gem for our community. His services are reasonably priced. We tipped him and you should too.

This is the store for local climbers and skiers. The employees range from older seasoned climbers to young ski-bums, which is a great thing because they are helpful in picking out gear. Theres a used gear section upstairs worth checking out. The stairs host a good selection of maps, guide books, and a beer fridge. Occasionally events are hosted upstairs with local conservation/climbing groups.

Easy, no pressure sales staff with a ton of experience. Nice selection of new and used gear for all backpacking adventures. These guys are my first stop for my gear needs.Only criticism is the shoe sizes stop at size 12 for men. So any of us with clown feet need to look else where (personally wouldnt buy without trying on first).

Backcountry is a well-run, conscientious outdoor clothing and equipment store. The staff is knowledgeable about the products, often from personal experience. There isnt a huge selection due to space limitations, however there is a steady turnover in previously owned items. The staff is esecially helpful and friendly, and I believe it is locally owned.

Super helpful and knowledgeable staff. They even stayed open 15 minutes later so I could get a map I needed for Mt Baker. The best part is that all the staff love talking about the outdoors and the next adventure.

Old school outdoor store. Awesome boot fitting and friendly atmosphere (dont trip over a dog sleeping). I love this place!

Great place.⛷️

Pretty awesome selection of used outdoor gear upstairs. If you are just dipping your toes into the backpacking world, the upstairs isnt a bad place to start.

I buy as much of my gear as I can here. The big difference is the staff is very knowledgeable and they want to get me on the best gear possible whatever my budget is. They always have a nice selection of used gear too. Theyre local and focused on getting you out and making adventures happen, not selling you into debt so youre stuck at your job forever.

Best hub for mountain sports in bellingham. Great gear, better folks!

Such a great place to get top of the line gear and awesome prices. Plus they have great customer service and knowledgeable staff.If you need gear for the Pacific Northwest - check here before going to a box store.

Loved it and very friendly staff

Needed help to extend the bales on my ski boots so they could fit my fat calves. Frank couldnt have been more helpful - spent quite some time with me - and charges (though I was holding my breath) were extremely reasonable. Had a great, comfortable weekend on the slopes as a result. Thanks, Frank!

Didnt buy anything, just exploring the town. Huge selection off used gear upstairs. Great place to start if youre on a budget.

Very knowledgeable staff and never pushy. BBE is among the best!

Excellent customer service! On the second floor they have a nice area with second-hand gear for sale!!

Great staff, great gear, and a local business. Give them your money.

Frank fitted my ski boots for me and totally nailed it. Backcountry’s staff is knowledgeable, patient and very helpful for everything from climbing to ski gear. They also have an awesome selection of used gear upstairs.

Another liberal owned high priced rip off store in bellingham!

Awesome stuff especially if you like camping

Lets detail the Carnage..... although this accounting has taken place over the last several years..... my primary ski jacket, two sets of skins, 3 packs, hats, used Backcountry ski package, several knives, countless straps.... you get the idea. Thanks for OPENING back up guys!

They’re on top of things! They got me ready to hit the slopes fast!

Great customer service very knowledgeable staff and make sure to check out the used gear section upstairs for some great deals!

Always a go to for back country things in Bham. Pick d up snow board boots, never used, used... If they dont have it then REI and Yeagers will.

Very helpful staff. Great variety of outdoor essentials. Upstairs has used equipment. Fairly priced.

Knowledgeable staff with great products and competitive pricing. Recommend for rentals!

AMAZING Customer service, good prices, friendly staff. Highly recommend!

Knowledge able friendly staff. Good selection.

Best store to find unique local outdoor activities clothing and new and used essentials as the name says.

Tryna prep for an apocalypse? Perfect place to do it m8

I like the store, decent selection for its size. The pricing on the used gear upstairs seemed REALLY high.

Made a quick trip through looking for a coat, was disappointed with the selection and thus didnt buy, but I was impressed with the pricing on the items they did have. Also had a friendly staff that was ready and willing to help.

Nice outdoors store with climbing, hiking, skiing, backcountry, clothing and backpacking gear.

A nice local outfitter with a great selection of guide books for this region, friendly staff, and deals on used apparel.

Great choices and friendly staff!

Great service!

Proper gear shop: local, intimate, knowledgeable, right any wrongs. Let’s keep them going!

Great spot for new and used gear. Staff is friendly and helpful

Great local store with friendly staff and a great used gear section upstairs.

Cool local outfitters.

Knowledgeable and local. Great staff always willing to discuss gear.

Great boot fitting. These guys know what they are doing.

Awesome customer service!! You guys rock

Super helpful staff, great products, and fair prices.

Knowledgeable staff, solid gear and good prices.

Great service and knowledge!

Cool store, great staff, more ski stuff every year!

Always a very knowledgable and friendly staff.

Boot fitter was really helpful and had great prices

Super helpful employees and great selection of gear!

Very knowledgeable and friendly staff!

Good place for used and new gear

Very nice staff. Will work on prices for used equipment.

They took care of me! Im a needsy Sasquatch that likes to ski.

Great deals with great people

Worthless place to shop, way over priced, and wont do business with you, REI is still the best place and gives best deals in outdoor gear.

Best outdoor store in Bellingham!

Full service shop. Second hand gear. New gear specializing in technical Backcountry brands.

Great used gear in Bellingham

Rad place...... overpriced

Not cheap.