Gifts for Outdoors & More

Shep’s is all about fun outdoors. You can count on discounts and sale prices for Black Friday and beyond. So here’s a little inspiration for gift giving you may not have expected from us. Happy Thanksgiving friends!

Photo: Fjallraven. Shep’s has a large stock of Kanken packs in several colors and sizes.

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You be you. That’s what we love about the outdoors:no judgement, no comparison. Just encouragement and appreciation. So we’re excited that the performance gear we love is being embraced in fresh ways. Our brands demonstrate an unmatched commitment to the environment and positivity all around.

We see you VSCO girl!

Come see us in downtown Wausau, WI for Hydroflask, Fjallraven Kanken, Kavu Rope Bags, Patagonia, and so much more. This must-have gear and clothing will be your favorites for years to come, regardless of trends.

Tag us in your social posts! We’re Wisconsin’s favorite outdoor store @shepssports.

Of course you can shop us online too.

Patagonia Gift Ideas from Shepherd & Schaller

 

The popularity of Patagonia clothing and gear keeps rising.  Lucky Wausau area shoppers can wrap up some awesome gifts this holiday after shopping at Shepherd & Schaller in Downtown Wausau, WI.

What do we have in stock from Patagonia for Holiday 2018?  Just these few styles:

  • Black Hole Duffels and Travel Cubes
  • Black Hole Day Packs
  • Classic Day Packs
  • Truck Hats, Beanies, Wool Caps (by the dozens!)
  • Better Sweaters for men, women, children
  • Re-Tool Fleece
  • Snap-T Fleece
  • Synchilla Fleece
  • Retro Fleece
  • Down Sweater Jackets & Vests
  • Nano Puff Jackets & Vests
  • Tees, Cardigans, Dresses
  • Baby Fleece
  • Capilene Base Layers
  • Torretshell Rain Jackets and Pants
  • and SO MUCH MORE!

Special orders of out-of-stock items are welcome.  Shop Wisconsin’s Patagonia headquarters.

School Backpacks: Why it’s time to purchase a quality pack for your children.

This past week, my niece and nephew excitedly showed me their backpacks full of school items in preparation for the upcoming school year.  Upon looking at their bags full of supplies, I was shocked: the fully loaded bags weighted a ton.  Even though both are still in grade school, the bags easily tipped the scale at over 15 pounds.  That’s a lot of weight to be put on the backs of our children.  According to a study conducted by Consumer Reports, the average American sixth grade student’s backpack weighs 18.4 pounds.  That’s a big factor to consider when purchasing a new backpack for this upcoming school year.

There are plenty of reasons to purchase high quality packs over cheap bags, but to save time, I’ll cover the top three reasons:

1.  Comfort.  By far, this is the number one reason to spend a few more dollars on a well designed, quality backpack.  As mentioned earlier, our children are carrying heavy loads, often for extended periods of time if they commute to school on foot.  With anatomically designed straps, high density foam padding, dedicated lumbar support zones, and moisture wicking fabrics, bags from brands such as The North Face and Patagonia do a much better job at carrying heavy loads.

A Patagonia pack versus a lesser quality bag.  Notice the lack of padding and anatomical straps.   Photo: Michael W
A Patagonia pack versus a lesser quality bag. Notice the lack of padding and anatomical straps.
Photo: Michael W

2. Quality.  The old adage of “you pay for what you get” is never truer than when buying a backpack.  High quality packs use nothing but the most robust materials: Cordura ripstop nylon, ballistic nylon, heavy duty zippers, etc.  In comparison, cheap bags are almost always constructed of polyester, a material that is both thin and prone to premature wear.  Seams that should be sewn with heavy duty threads are instead sewn with flimsy thread, and are often the first things to go with very little use.  Other features nice packs have that poor quality bags don’t?  A warranty!  Most of our backpacks from The North Face and Patagonia have lifetime warranties.  Further, most offer light rain protection, reflective safety features, and are produced by companies that promote fair labor with safe working conditions (for an example of this, click here –> http://www.patagonia.com/us/footprint)

3. Value.  Value you say?  How can a $80 backpack be a better value than one you can get from a big box store for $20.  Simple.  Spend $80 on that good quality bag and it’ll likely be the last bag you’ll need to buy for multiple school years.  I recently sold an old North Face bag to my wife’s brother I purchased in the 1990’s and it’s still going strong.  Alternatively, you can spend a minimum of $20 each school year, and hope you don’t have to buy a second midway though the year.  You’ll be money ahead by purchasing the nicer bag, and you won’t have to spend extra on Ibuprofen nursing sore backs either.

We currently have a great selection of back to school bags to prepare your child for a happy and comfortable return to school this fall.  Swing down and check them out today!

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Our Staff’s Favorite Summer Gear! Sep’s Picks.

Each week, we’ll be highlighting a few staff picks of our favorite gear around the store. After all, we don’t just sell great clothing and equipment here at Shep’s; we also buy our great clothing & gear and use it for our own outdoor adventures! This week, Sep wanted to share a few items he just can’t live without.

1. Patagonia Arbor Pack – This 26L is one of my favorite backpacks of all time. It’s cool retro styling combined with easy entry and a bulletproof build make it perfect for a day of hiking or a place to stash your books. Plus, because it doesn’t have any built in padding along the back, it’s easily packable and hugs my body like a glove when I’m out exploring the outdoors.

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2. Chinook Superlight Mummy 45 Bag – I have the older version of this bag, and it’s been a champ for years. This one have been upgraded with Insufil 1 making it lighter and warmer than it’s predecessor, costs a mere $49, and is one of the best 45° lightweight bags I’ve ever used for any money. These are a true bargain in the camping / hiking world for sure!

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3. Patagonia Wavefarer Engineered Board Shorts – I’m kind of a Patagonia junkie, and for good reason. As a company, they continue to push for environmental causes to keep our world clean and renewable. They haven’t lost sight of the fact that people buy their clothing to be used outdoors, in tough conditions, with the highest demand for performance. Their fit and quality is amazing, and pretty much everything they design looks great! I picked these board shorts up before a recent trip I took to Oregon with my wife, and I never wanted to take them off. These shorts are super comfortable and built to last for years.

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You can swing by our Downtown Wausau location to check out our full line of backpacks, sleeping bags, and swimwear for all your outdoor needs!