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As outdoor sports evolve, so does MEC’s assortment. Stand-up paddleboards are as popular with paddlers as canoes and kayaks. Hiking gear keeps getting lighter with things like carbon fibre trekking poles, LED headlamps and light trail shoes, plus there’s the added peace you get with GPS technology, satellite communicators and bear spray as part of your hiking kit. Far from “roughing it,” camp life has levelled up as well, with solar panels, deluxe camp furniture, plush sleeping pads and portable coffee-makers you might start using at home.

Outdoor brands we love

Some of our best-selling clothing and footwear brands have been popular with MEC members for decades. Patagonia, Salomon and Arc’teryx are top-rated for hiking, getting active outside and are sharp enough to wear to the office. MEC-label kids’ wear keeps hitting it out of the park with indestructible rainwear and the legendary insulated Toaster line.

Bikes and cycling gear

Back when road bikes were called 10-speeds and mountain bikes were always hardtail, we were outfitting bike riders with lights, panniers, stretchy shorts and high-viz cycling wear. We introduced MEC-designed bikes in 2010 to offer tremendous value to commuters and weekend riders. Now the bike lineup includes MEC kids’ bikes, road and off-road rides as well as leading brands like Cannondale and Salsa. E-bikes are the most recent addition and are powering riders up hills and along bike lanes at a breezy top speed of 32km an hour.

Backpacks, daypacks and travel packs

Most new members’ first purchase is a backpack. Kids who had MEC packs for school, visit a MEC store when they want to upgrade to a bigger pack for hiking or for their first international trip. Trail runners seek out ultralight running packs and vests. Hydration packs are a big hit with mountain bikers and hikers. And anyone who commutes on foot, by bike or public transport needs a sleek, sturdy urban pack to get through the 9 to 5.

Climbing, bouldering and mountaineering

Climbing is where it all started for MEC. The granite bluffs in Squamish and the mountains of the Tantalus and Coast Ranges led us to start an outdoor equipment company that offered products at super-reasonable prices so more people could get outside. We’ve outfitted major mountain expeditions, equipped trad and sport climbers, padded sketchy landings in boulder fields and supplied climbing holds and T-nuts to build countless home training walls. Ropes, climbing shoes, ice axes, pitons – we’re still ridiculously stoked about climbing and bringing the best assortment of climbing gear to rock climbers across Canada.