Gear, Guns and Gore-tex

Ferris wheels. Fish tanks. These aren’t your father’s sporting goods stores. Whether you’re on the hunt for an obscure piece of recreation gear or just want to ogle at what twenty- first century merchandising hath wrought, Reno’s mega-retailers off er an entertaining day of the outdoors, inside.

Cabela’s
An homage to gear, guns and garb, Cabela’s is the proverbial camoufl age-colored candy store for hunters and sportsmen. The Verdi-based location stocks a gun library showcasing rare and hard-to-find collectibles; fishing rods plus lures, flies and tackle; antler lamps and décor; everything to eat, drink, cook or sleep outside; and, of course, boots, hats, shirts, pants, jackets and gloves.

But Cabela’s is also about activities: Children, looking for Nemo, peer into the enormous aquarium. Archers take aim in the indoor range. Couples stroll on an impromptu in- store safari tour, wandering around the wildlife displays featuring zebras, lions, an elephant and even a polar bear. And finally, after a long day of shopping, shooting and sightseeing, families can linger over their purchases while snacking on bison bratwurst and elk sandwiches.

Scheels

Reno’s most recent outdoor store arrival, Scheels opened in September at the Legends at Sparks Marina, a $1.2 billion casino and shopping center complex. Billing itself as the world’s largest sporting good store, Scheels sprawls across 295,000 square feet, blurring the line even further between Beyond the centerpiece-a 16-seat, 65-foot tall, 1930s-era
Ferris wheel-this mini-amusement park features a pair of 16,000-gallon tanks boasting tropical and freshwater fi sh and an 800 square foot wildlife mountain populated with over 300 stuff ed animals. A deli serves gourmet sandwiches and homemade fudge, and simulators provide customers golf, soccer or hockey play experience. ere’s also a service shop that tunes bikes in warm weather and waxes skis in cold.

Patagonia

You won’t fi nd any rifl es, camo or taxidermy displays at the Patagonia outlet perched along the banks of the Truckee River. The LEED gold–certifi ed outlet features skylights that track the sun, recycled carpet material and radiant-heated fl oors, and Patagonia’s theme of environmental stewardship carries through to its products. Organic cotton has been the standard since 1996, while other materials include hemp and recycled polyester (from soda bottles and old garments). In winter, the store stocks cold-weather gear like jackets, snow pants, sweaters, hats and gloves. On top of already-low outlet prices, Patagonia also off ers weekly specials and “best deals,” permanently marked-down merchandise that makes way for newer inventory.