Outdoor Gear & Outfitters in Maine
Maine’s mountains, rivers and Great North Woods are a place of fun and devotion for many. So it’s probably no surprise that a number of Maine companies make and sell products to help people enjoy the outdoors even more.
Maine companies make tasty outdoor foods, rugged boots, ultralight packs, custom snowboards, specialty clothing and other items to keep you prepared for your next outdoor adventure. All were created with the Maine outdoors as an inspiration (and just a few steps away).
Here are a few of Maine’s outdoor gear makers. For a more complete list, check out Maine Outdoor Brands.
Brant & Cochran
When Maine was the logging capitol of the world, it was also an ax-making capitol, too. Hundreds of hardworking makers were turning out axes for lumbermen across the North Woods. Today, Brant & Cochran of South Portland makes the only Maine wedge-pattern camp axe around. The Allagash Cruiser, forged from 1050 carbon steel in the company’s shop, is as much a tool as it is a work of art.
Good To-Go
Good To-Go makes yummy, hand-made, Maine-made dehydrated meals for outdoorsy folks. Its lineup features stove-free and microwaveable meals, as well as meal kits, with flavors as varied as Herbed Mushroom Risotto (vegan), spicy Thai Curry and New Orleans-style Chicken Gumbo. Cooked up in Kittery, they’re available throughout Maine and across the country. Check the website for places to pick some up locally!
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
Hyperlite designs and makes ridiculously light, amazingly strong packs of Dyneema® fabric, usually in its tell-tale white color. This Maine company makes everything from hiking backpacks to durable tents, all sewn in a converted mill in downtown Biddeford. Interested? Call for an appointment to get fitted and check out products at Hyperlite’s showroom next to the factory.
L.L.Bean
The grandparent of Maine’s many outdoor brands, L.L.Bean began in 1911 when its namesake, Leon Leonwood Bean, invented the first version of the Maine Hunting Shoe. That rugged rubber-and-leather boot, now known as the iconic Bean Boot, is just one of thousands of items made and sold at its flagship store in downtown Freeport.
Old Town Canoe
Founded at the end of the 19th century in Old Town, America’s biggest canoe company still builds boats in north-central Maine. And while they’re paddled all over the world, Old Town Canoe remains especially beloved on the glistening lakes and rivers of its home state.
Shaw & Tenney
The second-oldest manufacturer of marine products in the United States, Shaw & Tenney has been handcrafting wooden oars and paddles since 1858. It’s easy to see why – their wares are a joy to look at, balanced in the hand and built to glide easily through the water. Stop by the shop in Orono!
Winterstick Snowboards
This pioneering snowboard maker is now co-owned by Olympic snowboarding gold medalist Seth Wescott. Winterstick Snowboards‘ products are handcrafted and made at the base of West Mountain, part of the Sugarloaf Mountain ski area in Maine’s western mountains. Find everything from swallowtail splitboards to vibrant snowboards.
Maine also has plenty of outdoor retailers offering everything from wool socks to carbon-fiber mountain bikes. Here are a few:
Allspeed Cyclery & Snow, Portland and Carrabassett Valley
Cadillac Mountain Sports, Bar Harbor and Ellsworth
Eastern Mountain Sports, Portland and South Portland
Gorham Bike and Ski, Portland, Brunswick, Saco, Kennebunk