You know how Shep’s package pricing works from winter: when you buy more than one piece of the whole, you earn a deeper discount. We offer these same package prices on wake boards in the summer. Buy more to save more! We’ve gone ahead and set up some awesome combinations for you to get you up and loving it!
Check out the previews below & stop in to talk to one of our water sports experts. They’ll help you choose the gear that’s best for you.
As the lakes and rivers in our area continue to warm up with the great summer weather we’ve been having, you might find yourself dusting off your summer watersports gear for another fun season. Today, I thought I’d share a few quick tips for prepping your equipment to ensure a great, hassle-free summer on the water. Also, since we have so much amazing new gear here in our store, I figured I would give you all the details should you find yourself with skis or tubes or ropes that have seen one too many summers.
Before using waterskis, wakeboards, ropes, tubes, or any other watersport equipment, it’s important to clean and inspect them. Bindings and boots should be checked to make sure the screws and bolts holding them to the ski or board are fastened securely, and the boards themselves should have no damage or cracks. When checking the boots, also make sure the rubber, velcro, and lacing systems are in proper working order. As boots age, they become more susceptible to rips and tears. And remember: what was in good working order when you stored them the pervious season might not always fare well through the dry winter storage months, so taking the few minutes to double check your equipment always a safe bet. Lastly, ropes, when either at the end of their life, or not stored properly, can become brittle and break under the high loads placed on them when towing skiers, boarders, or tubes. A visual inspection of your rope is usually enough to reveal any fraying or dry rot that could result in a quick end to a day on the boat.
Hopefully your watersports gear is still in great working order and you can get out on the water soon! If it has seen better days though, or it’s time for an upgrade, Shep’s is the place to come. We stock a full range of waterskis, wakeboards, wakeskates, wakesurfs, tubes, and kneeboards from HO Sports and Hyperlite, as well as all the accessories you could ever need (from life jackets to ropes to repair parts). And thanks to our great HO / Hyperlite rep Rick Skinner, our already experienced, highly-trained staff just received a special two hour training covering all the new gear and latest technologies on all things watersports. Can we help with any questions you might have? You bet we can!
Wake board packages from Hyperlite starting as low as $299.00!
Ski combos from HO priced to move at $179.99!
With sizes in stock able to fit infants to the Incredible Hulk (almost), we’ve got the life jacket you need to look cool and stay safe. Prices start at $39.99. 
With specific ropes for waterskiing, wakeboarding, and tubing in stock, and prices as low as $15.99, it’s time to stop using that same old rope for everything. You’ll get better performance and be safer in the process!
Need a tube? We’ve got ’em! From our $79.99 HO Sports Hornet to the four person Extreme XL, we’ve got loads of great choices to fit your budget and family size!
One last thing: now that you have that great new gear, you need to care for it. Our post from earlier this year will tell you everything you need to know!
Did you come here for inspiration? A small gift or a big one? You know we’ve got Wausau’s largest selection of ski and snowboard gear, bikes, tennis, camping and waterspouts. But we’ve got other great gifts that wrap up in small packages and require only small budgets too:
Man-Cans Ahhh, the scent of Bacon. Or Grandpa’s Pipe, a Leather Mitt, Fresh Cut Grass, Sawdust, Fresh Brewed Coffee, Campfire, Gunpowder or Hot Chocolate (to name a few.) There’s nothing girly about scents that do more than just smell good.
Man-Cans are made inside a real soup can. The can is donated to a soup kitchen and when it’s been cleaned and returned, the label is removed and the can is filled with manly scented natural wax. When you buy a Man-Can you’re helping feed people who need a little extra help. All thanks to a 13-year-old with a unique idea. And dad likes good smells as much as mom. $11.50
Does dad like to hang out on the patio, do a little camping, hide in his man cave? Help him spruce up his favorite place with kitch-y cool knick-knacks from Outside Inside. Seriously neat bird feeders, games, and other fun stuff. $20-35 range.
Kuhl Clothes Does Dad like to look cool? Or is it Hot? Or even sick? Whatever, he will look and feel good in duds from Kühl®, where the passion remains to get outdoors and have fun. Kühl® is what it means to be comfortable and relaxed in the challenging environment of life and sport. For Kühl®, this dedication to original thinking translates into excellence in design and exceptional construction because they use not only innovative style and features, but exclusive fabrics with unique weaves and vintage washes that create authentic character. Articulated, gusseted, precise designs as well as the utmost craftsmanship provide a fit that is pure comfort. Wearing Kühl® not only represents the freedom of movement but also free will. Dad will love their long and short-sleeved shirts, fleece and wool sweaters and great outerwear in addition to their well known pants. Every man looks good in Kuhl. Starting at $45.
Does dad have a lot to juggle? How about a great day pack, with a lifetime warranty to boot. Dozens by The North Face, Patagonia, Dakine and Burton are in stock. Starting at $45
How about a round of Disc Golf? This is a sport everyone can love. There are usually no greens fees, you can dress down, and most courses have no pro shop, no marshal, no tee times, and feel much more like what they are: a public park where people can come, go, and do as they please. Of course ‘golf etiquette’ is practiced just like ball golf, which makes for a pleasant outing for everyone involved. Pick up a disc and give it a spin and you’re on your way. Shepherd & Schaller stocks hundred’s of Innova and Discraft golf discs each spring. Starting at $8.99
Sock it to him. Smartwool socks are a gift he’ll really love. At the heart of these great socks is the highest quality merino yarn available from sheep raised in the most amazing places on earth. Skillfully woven in the American Southeast, the world’s best performance socks are Made in the USA. Dad will like that too. Read more here and fall in love with Smartwool even more. Starting at $14.95. (By 3 Get 1 Free June 1-15, 2014)
Got a little healthier budget?Recreational Kayaking. If you have access to a local lake, stream or river and can sit and move your arms, you can kayak. Sport kayaking is a relaxing way to spend a day outside. The crew at Shep’s can help you decide what kind of boat is right for your goals and the water you expect to be on, and can recommend a PFD (personal flotation device otherwise known as a life jacket) that is specifically designed for paddling. Don’t forget the paddle – or dad will be up a creek in no time! Recreational boats from Perception are incredibly stable, so rolling is not usually an issue. Many models are designed for fishing, so dad wins again. Boats begin at $399. And be a sport. Get him some Sun Bum Pro sunscreen too. Starting at $3.99
Visit us in Downtown Wausau, Wisconsin or online at www.shepssports.com to shop for Bike, Camping, Tennis, Water Ski and Snow Sports departments too, along with a great selection of clothes from Patagonia, The North Face, Kavu, Smartwool and lots more. Dad’s worth it.
Mosquito season is upon us, and this year, they’re really making themselves known. According to the Wausau Daily Herald, West Nile virus has been confirmed in our area.
This doesn’t mean you need to lock up the house and stay inside until October. You may be one who works outside, one who loves to hang at the beach, a hiker, a mountain biker, a kayaker or even a soccer league spectator or gardener. Thankfully, protecting ourselves against mosquitos & their illnesses is not that difficult.
We just restocked our shelves with some of the very best insect repellent around. Repel Sportsman & Sportsman Max boasts 20%-40% deet, which should keep us recreational outdoors-people plenty safe from mosquitos, ticks, gnats, biting flies, chiggers & fleas. If you’re swarmed constantly, spending time in the deep woods or swampy areas, you might want to consider Ben’s 100, which contains 98.11% deet. Spray it on & you’ll be protected for up to 10 hours. A third insect repellent option that might interest you contains Permethrin and is for your clothing & gear, not your skin. One application to your clothing, shoes, packs, etc., will keep you protected for two weeks. (Plus, it’s unscented!)
Preparing for the outdoors can be quick and easy. Take a few minutes, be wise, and protect yourself from the risks (think sunscreen & bug spray) so you can get out and stay out! Happy summer!
A big Thank You to the readers of the Wausau Daily Herald who voted us Wausau’s favorite Outdoor Shop.
We’ve worked hard to earn your trust since 1949, and we remain committed to making our founders proud of our community involvement, customer service, product selection, and shopping environment in downtown Wausau, Wisconsin and online.
Some call us a “Ski Shop”, others a “Bike Shop”, and there are a few who still say “Sporting Goods.” We’re all that and a whole lot more. And it’s a blast changing our product mix to suit our region’s ever changing tastes along with the demand for our expert product selection and service online. So stay tuned!
“We would like to thank our mothers, our fathers, the big guy upstairs and all of those who didn’t believe that a little shop in northern Wisconsin could hold it’s own next to the big shops in the big cities for so long. It made us try harder to believe in ourselves. We’re going to Disney World!” – The Sheps Crew
