Independent concept by CofeeUI, not the shop's official site. Official website (opens in a new tab) ↗
Family-owned outdoor gear · Historic downtown Flagstaff, Arizona
Every trail starts at the counter.
Babbitt's Backcountry Outfitters fits boots and packs, rents trail gear by the day and gives honest advice, from a red sandstone shop on Aspen Avenue.
- What
- Outdoor gear, boot and pack fitting, day rentals
- Where
- 12 E Aspen Ave, at San Francisco St
- Hours
- Not published online. Call before you travel.
01 What the counter does
Gear, fitted. Rentals, by the day.
In the shop's own words: a knowledgeable staff "to help get you set for your next adventure, no matter how big or small."
-
Boot and pack fitting
"Properly fitted boots and packs", plus technical outerwear and the questions that come with it.
-
Gear rentals
Packs, tents, pads, poles, stoves, snowshoes and crash pads, priced per day on the shop's rental list.
-
Freeze-dried food
The shop lists ordering freeze-dried food among the ways it helps you get set away from home.
-
Fuel exchange and recycling
"Exchanging fuel, recycling, etc." Ask at the counter what they can take back.
-
Books and maps
"Pick up a book to learn more about the area", along with trail and backpacking gear.
-
Clothing, footwear, souvenirs
Outdoor clothing, boots and shoes, water bottles, hats and T-shirts. The shop says it tries to carry local companies' products.
Not sure where to start? Ask the counter: (928) 774-4775
02 The fitting
A pack should ride on your hips, not hang off your shoulders.
The shop fits boots and packs in person. Here is what a pack fitting generally checks, step by step.
- Measure the torso. From the bony bump at the base of the neck down to the top of the hip bones. This sets the pack size, not your height.
- Seat the hip belt. Centered on the top of the hip bones, snug, so the load drops onto your hips.
- Snug the shoulder straps. Wrap the shoulders without gaps, but don't carry the weight there.
- Set the load lifters. Pull the pack's top in toward you, often to around 45°.
- Clip the sternum strap. Across the chest, so the shoulder straps don't slide out.
General steps for illustration. In the shop, the staff's own fitting may differ, and boots get the same attention.
03 Load the pack
Price a rental from the shop's own list.
Pick a trip or tick items. The tally uses the per-day prices published on the shop's rental page. Nothing is reserved or sent.
Babbitt's · rental estimateOvernight
- 2-person tent$9
- Sleeping pad$5
- Pocket stove$5
- Cup / small pot$2
Per day$21
× 2 days≈ $42
No pack picked: bring your own, or ask about a fitted rental. Gas not included.
Without JavaScript the tally shows the Overnight example; the full price list is in the form.
04 Out the door
Flagstaff is surrounded by great places to visit.
- Grand Canyon 79 miles from downtown Flagstaff
- Sedona about a 45-minute drive from the shop
- Mogollon Rim and beyond: where the shop's feed goes exploring
Distances as the shop describes them. Check roads and conditions before you go.
05 Dig down
Laid down since 1886.
Newest first, like the rock it stands on. The counter you'll stand at sits inside a mercantile built in 1888 from locally quarried red Moenkopi sandstone.
-
Today
Family-owned, downtown
"A family-owned, local outdoor gear shop located in the heart of historic downtown Flagstaff," with the original tin ceiling and sales counter inside and original brickwork outside.
-
2011
Keith Harris takes the counter
The longtime owner told Flagstaff Business News: "I purchased it from Jim in 2011."
-
1986 →
From The Edge to Aspen Avenue
Babbitt's bought The Edge, a sporting goods store next to Monte Vista, in 1986. Jim Babbitt later moved it downtown and renamed it Babbitt's Backcountry Outfitters.
-
Over the years
Courthouse, store, apartments
Parts of the building have been used for the Coconino County Courthouse, a department store, apartments and retail, and it has remained within the Babbitt family.
-
1888
A long mercantile in red sandstone
David Babbitt turned his lumberyard into a general store on Aspen Ave. The building at Aspen and San Francisco is the same structure, "just a bit smaller."
-
1886
The Babbitt brothers arrive
Five brothers from Cincinnati, Ohio, set up the C.O. Bar cattle ranch on land between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon.
"…honest advice from people who are passionate about being outside and know the gear they are talking about."
06 Visit
Corner of Aspen and San Francisco.
12 E Aspen Ave
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
- Hours
- Not published online. Call before you travel.
- Write
- No email address is published on its website; the shop uses a contact form (opens in a new tab) ↗.
- Rentals
- Ask about availability before you drive in.
07 Back at the counter
Bring your list. Leave with a plan.
Your list: Overnight · 4 rentals · $21 a day as listed · 2 days ≈ $42. Bring your own pack, or ask about a fitted rental.