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Mountain West
Category: Shopping Sporting Goods Outdoor Gear Outdoor Gear [Edit]
290 Division StSte 101
(between 10th St & Brannan St)
San Francisco, CA 94103
Neighborhood: SOMA
(415) 552-7055
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 10 am - 7 pm
Sat 10 am - 6 pm
Sun 11 am - 5 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
58 reviews for Mountain West
Review Highlights
"Arturo at MountainWest was super helpful."
(in 24 reviews)
"They are a ski and snowboard shop only - that is all they..."
(in 6 reviews)
"...had me compare four different boots by four different..."
(in 4 reviews)
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58 reviews in English
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Review from Talia G.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
Tiny little store tucked in a very odd location, but if you're looking for someone to help you find the perfect ski or snowboard boot, they're the guys. I spent weeks frequenting the stores around SF that I knew sold ski boots... Sports Basement, Lombardi, REI. Tried on countless boots, but nothing seemed to fit quite right. Then I came to Mountain West and I finally found the perfect boots!
I'd been wearing 24.5 boots for the last several years, but the employee who helped me (it's killing me that I forgot his name...it wasn't Arturo), fitted me and told me that the boot size was actually too big. After he put numerous boots on my feet, I ended up standing in the store wearing the 2012 WOMENS TECNICA VIVA PHOENIX MAX 8 ski boots for an hour or more until I was fully convinced that they were comfortable. I also ended up buying Superfeet since I believe everything is better with Superfeet. Since the snow has sucked this year, I have only been up once in the boots, but they were great that one time :-)
As for apparel goes: it's a small selection and quite pricy. I would stick to the larger stores for apparel and come to Mountain West for boots and skis/boards. -
Review from Trevor F.
San Francisco, CA
11/14/2011
I took my snowboard here for a preseason tuneup. I kinda knew going in what needed to be done and the poor shape the board was in, but I wanted to get their opinion. Arturo and I walked through the issues and potential fixes (very informed guy), and I settled on the Full Tune.
I left my board there for a week and upon pickup, I was impressed with the work and the attention to detail. Arturo even took the time to talk me through a strategy to fine tune it over the course of the season.
Great shop. Recommend their tuning services. Also demo great gear and carry made in USA products. -
Review from Ian E.
San Francisco, CA
8/17/2011
Come here if you want people who know what they are talking about. They are a ski and snowboard shop only - that is all they do. They pick and choose what they have available in the store based on many years of experience in the industry and by trying everything before they stock it. They know how to properly fit ski/snowboard boots to your funny shaped feet. They are also nice people.
So, you can go to REI, Lombardi's or Sports Basement or some other general outdoors shop... but they don't come anywhere close to having the depth of knowledge that you'll find at Mountain West. -
Review from Karen A.
San Francisco, CA
12/15/2011
Mountain West is a great place to buy ski gear, especially if you are not an expert in what you might need and want to learn about what you are buying.
Previously I was sold ski boots that ended up being 2 sizes too big (not from here), obviously these boots were not wearable. I went to Mountain West and Arturo took over 2 hours to CORRECTLY fit me into ski boots to fit my narrow foot. In he made sure that I knew about their season guarantee, where they will continue to mold and fix your boots for the whole ski season if there are hot spots or any problems. Finally they did a great job tuning up my skis and re-mounting my bindings to the newly sized boot.
Arturo and staff really know what they are talking about and are willing to teach you and help you find the best equipment to suit your needs. -
Review from Kristin L.
Nashville, TN
Updated - 5/31/2011
EDITED TO ADD:
Arturo just sent me this message in response to my note below:
"You are clearly not from SF. For you info I am born and raised here and very educated! I run my own business which you seem to have no clue about. We only treat customers like you this way. People like you that support big chain stores and think they are getting service, think again. This industry is build on small pro shops like ours. Also we are doing just fine thanks. We are not dying a slow death, with back to back record seasons and a loyal client base. Groupon was a clear mistake. Not our customer at all."
If you think you're getting kind service at Mountain West, I hope you'll take this interaction--as well as Arturo's response to Katie M. and the reviews by Aram Y and Brian C.--to heart before supporting this company.
*****
Amazing how you treat your customers. You are showing quite a level of maturity here and is probably indicative of your education and upbringing more than your business sense as you, Arturo, look pretty stupid responding to your customers in this way on a public forum.
I'm sure you have a loyal following. That's the way San Francisco works. However, your business is clearly dying a slow death from better quality elsewhere and friendlier large chain stores. Good luck in the future. You'll need it with this attitude.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/14/2011
Terrible service, terrible inventory. I bought the Groupon here during the winter, tried to rent… Read more »
Comment from Arturo B. of Mountain West 5/31/2011
We sold those Groupons back in December, it is not our… More » -
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Review from Bryan O.
San Francisco, CA
5/13/2011
If you want to buy ski or snowboard gear in San Francisco, and you're not a lifelong expert skier who knows exactly what they need, this is the only place to go.
I bought a pair of ski boots at Sports Basement in January, and they did an amazingly sloppy job of fitting them. Alas for me, I didn't know that at the time, because I'd just started skiing. Come season's end, I decided maybe this skiing gig was a keeper, and I paid a visit to Mountain West to buy some skis.
Paying an end-of-season visit was a smart move (even if it was only half intentional on my part). Arturo and Brian, the guys there, weren't very busy, and they had plenty of closeout gear priced to fly out of the shop. They were very chatty and helpful about picking skis, and were thoughtful enough to caution me that the skis I went in wanting were going to take some getting used to. Not only that, but they immediately pointed out the ex-demo skis they had for sale at a steep discount to the new ones, with no attempt to upsell.
I brought my sad Sports Basement boots in later that afternoon to fit to the skis. They took one glance, then immediately told me that they were sized way too large for me. They weren't talking smack, either; they took measurements of my feet and the boots to prove that the fit was as bad as they said, and they were right.
So then, of course, Arturo sized me for boots. He was very careful to find just the right pair; I felt somewhere between Goldilocks and the Princess and the Pea. We spent an hour just on two pairs of boots, changing the insoles, shaping the liners, you name it, all with him assuring me that if they weren't perfect, I shouldn't buy.
I absolutely admire Arturo's sales skills. I ended up buying an excellent pair of boots that I mightn't have sprung for if I wasn't sure that he was doing a really thorough job. My confidence was bolstered by the fact that he was happy to sell me slightly used skis for a good price without trying to upsell me, and spent ages ensuring that the boot fit was just right. Overall, it was about the best retail experience of any sort that I've had, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Mountain West.
(The Sports Basement boot saga ended well, too: they immediately gave me a full refund without any fuss, even though I'd skied on their boots for months and beaten them up a little. Props to Sports Basament for making good on their mistake!) -
Review from Arianna P.
Solana Beach, CA
7/6/2011
Hell yes this place rocks! At first I was a little hesitant to go in because A. I had a Groupon and it seemed like some folks had bad Groupon experiences
B. I'm not a pro or anything, (I just got back into skiing after a 6 year break) and it seemed like a pretty specific pro-oriented shop
ANYWAYS, I had a great experience. I know this place only stocks top-shelf gear and they're not in the business of selling to the masses like REI or Sports Basement. They're a boutique for crying out loud! But I hoped to use the groupon to find some gear because I didn't think I could actually afford my own skis from this place. Boy was I wrong!
I got there at the end of the day on the last day of the Groupon and I walked around and waiting for Arturo to free up as he had a few other customers to work with. I didn't find any clothing or accessories I wanted as they were pretty cleared out end of season and most of the clothes were way more $$ than I wanted to spend (since I'm not a Pro and all) BUT I found they were selling their past season demo skis and boots for 300 bucks!! Arturo came over once he'd finished with the other folks and I explained my situation, how much I'd loved skiing but didn't need anything top of the line. I told him exactly what kind of skier I was. Used to ski as a kid, took a 6-year break, and then this year bought a season pass to try and ski as much as possible. I didn't want to buy skis until after the season to make sure I still loved skiing as much as I'd remembered. And I did!
He closed the store but stayed open for me and worked with me to really fit me in the boots and make sure they were perfect for me. He didn't try and rush me even though they were closed and he picked out the best skis from the stack they had left. They even threw in a comp. ski tune up and I walked out of there with skis and boots for $258.50 out the door!
I'd go back for SURE if I ever needed gear or help with fitting. Arturo is really awesome and super nice, I was surprised by some of the reviews I'd read here. When I went back to pick up my skis and boots he'd remembered me and told me to send my friends back to get the good deal!
Done and DONE! -
Review from Alan W.
Santa Clara, CA
1/10/2011
I don't like to give bad reviews. If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all, right?
Like most of the reviews it was the Groupon offer that lured me to Mountain West. I looked through the reviews and people seemed to really like the place: small shop, great guys, excellent service, etc. Sadly, I didn't really find any of that.
I went yesterday to look for my first pair of snowboard boots. No one came up to ask if I needed any help. No one really acknowledged that I walked in! Some guy who doesn't even work there was helping me out. To make things worse, he didn't even really give me good advice on selecting the right size boots. The 7 day return policy with 15% restocking fee was the nail in the coffin. After that lackluster experience I hopped on down to REI instead. (Super helpful, excellent advice, lots of attention. They actually helped me find the right boot.)
I went back again today to buy the same exact boot I saw at REI. (It killed me. I would have rather just bought it at REI instead, if not for this Groupon deal). Same experience. No one was shopping in the store, but both guys kind of ignored me. No one came up to see what I was looking for or what I needed help with. Meh.
Skip it. Head to REI down the street instead. I know I will. -
Review from Mike C.
San Francisco, CA
9/30/2011
There are only 2 non-chain snowboard shops in SF, with SFO being the other one. Arturo runs this shop and he's been riding a long time and he knows his stuff. It reminds me of Cool Runnings, a shop outside of Philly where a an-ex Powell Peralta skater, Jami Godfrey skater got me into snowboarding back in 1992. If you want personalized service, and an explanation of all the latest technology (there are a ton now), this is the store to check out. I got hooked up with a 2011 Burton Feelgood for my wife, and Arturo threw in a free wax. Check it out, he won't steer you wrong.
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Review from Romy I.
Oakland, CA
12/31/2010
Great guys that work here, very friendly and quick to talk tech or talk in detail about who's who in the snowboarding videos playing. They were extra sweet because I haven't bought anything here yet, but they did answer tons of questions and were pretty patient, although I swear I was on great behavior.
For snowboarding people, It's actually great that it's a ski shop too because they are extra big on fittings and have insole knowledge. I like talking to the random ski people that drift through. Although skiing isn't my sport, those sexy ski ladies are really cool.Comment from Arturo B. of Mountain West 3/5/2011
Super cool girl and alway friendly to talk to. Come on back… More » -
Review from Joseph L.
San Francisco, CA
1/9/2011
Most of the time when I go in there I get really helpful service... Although today was a slightly different story. I brought my snowboard in for some work and was slightly put off by the sales associate who told me (with attitude) my board had a lot of damage and it may be unfixable. Well, it was in need of 2 P-tex fixes but hardly unfixable.... that is why I brought it in today....
Then after telling him the small ski area I went to, he was more interested in telling me how small that ski area was, like I wasn't just there. I guess he didn't get the memo that this ski are just received 3 feet of ultra dry powder, but he was too concerned with being a 'cool guy'.
At least the ski tech was helpful... A little expensive though, i think I will learn to do these fixes myself. -
Review from Hyung L.
1/10/2011
For sports gear you really have to understand what you're looking for and go to the appropriate place for it. This isn't a discount outlet. They typically will have the newest equipment and also have a decent variety and items you might not be able to find at a sportsbasement or sports authority.
That being said we've gotten my girlfriend a helmet and snowboard boots here. Both happened to be because quite frankly no one else had it locally. Our option would have been to order it online. And since it was a recently release item it wasn't like we would get a huge discount if we did get online.
The other thing is the guys here really know what they're talking about. I love some of the other places in the city but there are a lot of times you may or may not get someone that really knows what they're talking about.
This past weekend we went in for the boots and the person helping us out was honest and really helpful. He didn't make any huge revelations that shook the earth but answered all of our questions, made some good suggestions based on what he's experienced and also admitted what he hasn't experienced. Truth and honestly goes a long way.
Got my girlfriend her boots and also left with a totally different perspective on some of the gear I'm using as well. Dispelled a lot of bad info that I'd been given when I was buying my board.
P.S the things he told I actually did go and check on the internet and turned out he was on point. -
Review from Trip H.
San Francisco, CA
3/5/2011
Headed up for more epic snow this weekend, stopped into Mouintian West for the 1st time. The Staff waws helpful and knowledgeable, I checked out 6 pairs of googles before I bought. The gus were on it.
Small shop, but nice selection of gear and soft goods, and the guys obviously love what they do. Will definately bring my board in for a tune for spring. -
Review from Marisa R.
11/18/2010
Love love love this place!
Arturo is amazing. He's knowledgeable, personal, patient and not pushy.
Ryan W. and I came here to buy our first pair of ski boots. We ended up staying there for 2 hours because Arturo wanted to make sure that they fit perfectly and that we were satisfied.
And we are.
He offered to heat up our boots for free before we went up to the mountains, which was really cool.
He also gave me some good ski advice (I only started skiing last season) and gave us options about renting at his store or up at the mountain. He's definitely not in it just for the sell and this is what makes this shop so great.
Great customer service! I will go here for all my snow needs. -
Review from patrick S.
Richmond, CA
6/2/2011
Arturo at Mountain West is knowledgeable, technical, helpful, personable and super friendly. Arturo really knows what he is talking about,he is skilled at helping you find what will work best for you.. Before visiting the store friends suggested I try Mountain West and ask for Arturo who is a well known expert and is respected by many in the Ski industry around Northern California..Contrary to a few comments I see posted here my experience was quality and will recommended all my friends to his shop..
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Review from Bobbak S.
San Francisco, CA
12/19/2010
So I first heard about this place through the Groupon deal they just had (if you missed it, it was a good one. $35 for a $70 store credit). I've been meaning to buy myself a new pair of ski boots, and I wanted to go to a smaller shop that could spend time with me to find the right boot.
I went in and told them I was looking to buy a boot within the $400 - $450 price range. Arturo helped me out, and he had me try on all the boots around the $400-$450 range, and two boots at the $500 range. All of this was over the span of 2 hours. I really appreciated that because he was taking his time and letting me see exactly what all the different boots felt like, since everyone's feet is different, and to show me the difference in how the next level of boots felt. I ended up getting a pair of Nordica Hot Rod's with a 95 flex, which fit like a glove, especially after he heated them up and molded them to my feet. They were $500, so a bit higher than the budget I had set, but none of the boots at the lower prices fit me as well as the Hot Rod's so I had no problem paying a little extra for a great boot.
They also have a guarantee which lets you take your boot back to them after you ski on it a few times and get it adjusted, in case you develop any pressure points or have discomfort. While I was there, some guy who had bought boots a few weeks before came in and one of the guys spent a good amount of time with him adjusting his boots to help make them feel better.
Cliffs: If you're looking for boots, or just any ski/board advice, go see Arturo and his guys. Their prices are comparable to any big retailer, but they offer way better service. -
Review from Brandon B.
El Cerrito, CA
1/6/2009
Great little ski shop and a smaller, quicker alternative to the bigger spots like Sports Basement, REI and Lombardi's with a great service/rental department and solid selection of skis and boards.
I rented some skis from them for the New Year's weekend, and not only were they accommodating, but the skis offered in their rental fleet are definitely better than what you can get at the resorts. And count on saving $20+ on your rentals from on-mountain prices.
Definitely not the cheapest place to buy and they don't have a giant selection of clothing and gear, but if you want more personal service and a pro feel, these guys are the place to go. r -
Review from Myle S.
12/28/2010
Hubby took me here and got me my awesome new snowboard and gear. Made it super simple, this place is like one-stop shopping for both of us. I found the most comfortable snowboarding boots I've ever tried. He also got these cool new Smith goggles where you can change out the lenses based on the weather conditions. The owner really knows his gear. The hubster is also super psyched with his new Never Summer board.
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Review from a v.
San Francisco, CA
3/7/2007
I didn't expect to find a legit ski/snowboard shop in the city. But San Francisco, in its infinite glory, has exceeded my expectations yet again.
I dropped in hoping to get a last-minute board tune-up in time for a shotgun ride up to Tahoe. The guys in Mountainwest fired on a great sharpen and wax while I waited, and stayed past opening hours to finish it up. Outstanding.
All of the folks in there know their stuff. While the board was getting tuned, I talked shop with the other guys and had a look around the place. Top shelf gear at good prices, rentals, and great recommendations from the staff. Perfect boutique board shop. This is definitely my go-to shop for snow sports. Do yourself a favor and check it out. -
Review from Love Muffin ..
Kensington, CA
1/4/2007
After deciding I wanted to buy some skis, but also wanting to demo skis before buying, the staff at REI suggested I come here as they no longer rent skis (the Bay Area REIs, at least). Arturo at MountainWest was super helpful. While I wasn't able to demo any skis (they weren't sending out their demos yet), he still helped me figure out what type of skis I should be thinking about and also gave me the lowdown on what companies were currently making the best skis and boots.
There isn't much in the way of staff (it is a very small shop), so try to visit during off hours or else you'll end up waiting and waiting for help. Or maybe being shooed out like Nicole S. was. -
Review from Gusty S.
San Francisco, CA
3/22/2007
Great service, great prices, excellent quality equipment in stock. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and they also take the time to remember you and your setup details. That's a nice touch you don't find often in the city. It's not a very large store, but since they are so specialized, you can usually find a better piece of equipment here than in one of the larger sporting goods stores.
They did an excellent job tuning my snowboard, I'll definitely be back. -
Review from Ryan O.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2007
Arturo is the real deal. If you love the snow, then you'll love this place. Customer service is what this small ski/board shop is all about.
I met Arturo about 3 years ago after taking a 10 year hiatus from the mountain. After answering a few questions about ability and preferences, he sold me an entire set up. To this day, he continues to tweak my original boots free of charge.
It's rare to find this kind of customer service from any retailer these days. Great job guys! -
Review from Ben K.
12/23/2009
These guys are great.
We rented some equipment here last year and despite their being incredibly busy, took very good care of us. This year I decided to kill the pain in my feet and get a new pair of boots. They took great care finding and fitting a boot - Arturo and the rest of staff are very knowledgeable and don't feel the need to just move you in and out. You can tell they love what they do.
I stopped at a few other places, no one had any better prices, none had service anywhere close - and considering the small size of the shop - have better selection than many much larger stores.
I'll be back later in the season to rent some demos, and for all my skiing needs. -
Review from Yan M.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2007
We were greeted by friendly staff members upon walking in. Bf were checking out the Spyder collection however it wasn't as extensive as we had expected...Other skiwear brands are available like Lange and Burton alongside all the skis, boards, accesories.
There is adjacent parking spaces but pretty tight spaces but beats parking on the busy street on Division. -
Review from Katie M.
Berkeley, CA
Updated - 3/6/2011
Yikes... there are about 100 different ways this transaction could have been better handled. Customer service is clearly not a priority. Best of luck to you.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/4/2011
Oh big fail.
The top sheet on my Nordica's had a bit of peeling and chipping going on from 35 days… Read more »
Comment from Arturo B. of Mountain West 3/5/2011
First of all it was our fault for not doing this on time and… More » -
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Review from Evan G.
6/2/2008
Mountainwest Sports is the name of the business - it's primarily, but not just/only, a ski shop.
If you don't look like you "fit" the part, they're a little hesitant to be relaxed with you, but this is a great place to do rentals (just wish they'd let you pick them up early). The guys are pretty friendly and love talkin' the talk about conditions up in Tahoe.
Plus, they give good deals at the end of season on used rental equipment. -
Review from sammi c.
San Francisco, CA
4/21/2008
Very comfy shop. I received great service for a board tune up. This place really has a "neighborhoody" feel to it. They remembered me when I came back to pick up my board. The cost is about the same as other places, but I really did receive a good tune up/adjustment. No cut corners here.
Got along great with the staff. We were chatting while I waited for some last minute tweaks. I'm new to SF so the staff was telling me about the best places in Tahoe. We got along so famously, they even invited me out for drinks and a trip up to Kirkwood! I know what you're thinking... "it's because you are super hot!". While this cannot be denied, it was totally cool of them.
Good times, good times. Will definitely return for all my snowboarding needs. -
Review from Larry H.
Daly City, CA
12/26/2010
I actually passed by this place several times while heading over to the BestBuy on Harrison. What lured me to this place were several factors, the GroupOn deal (similar to some other users), it's snowboarding season, and Christmas. I got my sister a pair of boots as a gift.
As most boarders or anyone knows, the only way to get your size is to try it on. So I purchased the closest size I think she would fit. The Sales Person Brian helped me out and I told him that if it doesn't fit her right can she just come in and exchange it. He assured me yes.
My total experience was a 4-star. Small shop, attentive associates, decent selections, and overall great products.
However, you can see that I gave this a 2-star. And this is because of a conversation I had with my sister. She wanted a little more room in her boots and was going to exchange it for a larger size. I gave her the receipt* (dated 12/20/10) and she went there today. I called her later on to see if she got a new pair of boots or just exchanged the size. She ended up getting a size larger, but after having to deal with some bull.
She told me that one of the workers (had to be someone of a higher power since they were yelling at one of the employees as they walked in) there gave her a hard time while she was trying to exchange the boots for the same model just in a larger size. He said he was going to 'investigate' the receipt and 'get to the bottom of it.' What kind of store are they trying to run here? After hearing that, I don't think I will be ever visiting this store again.
*"REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES WITHIN 7 DAYS OF PURCHASE WITH RECEIPT. ALL SALES FINAL ON CLEARANCE AND SALE ITEMS." -
Review from Philippe N.
San Francisco, CA
10/7/2008
Hm... Drove by here today, after work. 10 hours in the heat will leave one somewhat distracted from the details of quality that might define a service shop, but all the same, Arturo made a grand impression on us with his friendly and endlessly knowledgeable advice. We were board shopping, btw. Skis aren't of interest to my crew. Anyway, back to Arturo, who first directed me around the building in my quest for a beverage, which, sadly, turned up nothing. He did offer up a beer - either sincerely, or perhaps with the intent of poisoning me - but I was feeling a little more legitimately thirsty, and I'm off drinking for a few months, so alas, I had to forgo that kindly offering.
All told, they've got a good selection of Burton and Libtech boards, and a pretty sick selection of Never Summer. Nice Boot rack, too. Didn't catch too much in the way of bindings. Either way, they'll find a way to get you into something that suits your skill and experience, as the staff seems to be really focused on delivering advice that matters.
They also demo out their equipment!
I'm thirsty again. -
Review from Drew L.
San Francisco, CA
12/18/2008
The main staff guy (I think his name was travis) was extremely, and I mean EXTREMELY knowledgeable about snowboards and skis all around. He walked a friend and I through the whole process of getting a 2009 Burton Custom ICS board + Cartel bindings for me as well as a nice 2008 board and bindings for my friend. He cut us a slight deal of 10% off everything plus free tune up (waxing, etc), which isn't that big but decent nonetheless on brand new equipment.
Overall he was just very intent on helping us out because I've had the same el cheapo used Burton board for 6 years now and needed an upgrade. Would come back again for sure. -
Review from Rebecca A.
San Francisco, CA
2/8/2009
Mountain West is one of those rare finds - a shop that caters to experts and treats novices (like me) with great respect. I went to Mountain West yesterday to buy ski boots- and I spent 2 solid hours there with the sales-guy who VERY patiently answered my questions and put up with me spending way to much time deciding between 2 boots. He even didn't laugh when I commented that one of the things that made it so hard to decide was the fact that one of the pair of boots was significantly more attractive than the other pair.
Plus, after purchasing the boots they spent another 30 minutes fitting them to me and said if I ever had a problem with the fit I could come back and they would help me out.
Mountain West is a great shop for everyone- I highly recommend it. -
Review from Conrad C.
San Francisco, CA
4/28/2009
Thumbs up to Arturo!
I was trying to look for some closeout 2009 gear(bindings and boots) and found this place online. The prices were kind of expensive but I saw they had a store in SF so I decided to go so I can at least try stuff on. When I got there, they had a decent amount of ski and snowboard gear; as well as clothes. And the prices were waaay below what was on the site!
Anyway, Arturo was very helpful and really catered to my needs despite me being a newbie. And no, I didn't let him know I was buying. He was really trying to help me out. I was so suprised how helpful he was that I decided to buy my stuff there(plus the prices were good at the store). I will be returning there for sure for more stuff.
Oh yeah, he offered to slap on my bindings on my snowboard which I thought was thoughtful! -
Review from Carter F.
San Francisco, CA
2/11/2009
I purchased my first set of skis and bindings here about 4 years ago just after I moved to the city but I'm only getting around to writing a review now. Whoops! I'm not sure if they've changed over the years but, judging from the reviews, they have not....and that's a good thing.
They spent a lot of time with me to understand my ability and my style of skiing. I learned a lot. The personalized attention is great. They make sure that you are happy and that your gear fits properly.
Their selection is more limited than the bigger stores (eg. Sports Basement) and it's also more expensive, but you get better service for that money so I think it's worth it. If you can catch them when things are on sale then it's a no-brainer to go here. -
Review from Aram Y.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2011
This is my first negative review on yelp, as I'm typically easy to please.
Between Mountain West and SFO Snowboarding (my friend even recommended that I go to SFO), I decided to support my neighborhood shop and stick with Mountain West.
Big mistake...
I came in for a small repair on my snowboard bindings, and the two guys working there were so clueless on how to fix it. With their initial estimate of 3 days to fix the part, I asked them for a spare part they had in the back that was universal to every pair of bindings, and a phillips screw driver. I replaced the part on my own in 10 minutes, and one of the guys named Arturo commented "It took you that long to fix that?". I was thinking....wow, you're the one to talk... you had a customer fix his own snowboard and now you're charging him for it.
Funny thing was that the guy who gave me the initial estimate of 3 days fix times ended up charging me $10 for a part that would've been tossed anyway! It's a measly $10, but it was so not worth waiting 20 minutes in line for.
My recommendation: Stick with SFO Snowboarding in Haight/Ashbury -
Review from James P.
San Francisco, CA
12/17/2010
This is the best ski store in the city, maybe any where.
Arturo is great, unbelievably helpful and friendly. He personally fitted great ski boots many times for my girlfriend. Many times, refitting, re-heat molding, trying different insoles, he even made her custom inserts. Now she loves her boots and I thank him. On top of it all he and his guys know their s**t. Go there to get your gear. -
Review from Robert B.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2009
Each time I go to MountainWest, they earn more of my trust. It's a small shop, and they do top notch repairs and tuning. I haven't bought gear from them yet, but I'll definitely consider them when I need new equipment, they seem to have a good higher-end/pro selection on hand.
Previously I've had them do a full tune on two boards that had long seasons on them, and they did a great job. This week I had them do some pretty major base repairs on my LibTech BTX board and my girl's board after we literally shredded them at Whistler/Blackcomb in early season riding. My board had some deep gouges that went to the core, the edges were case hardened in spots, I had actually seen sparks coming off my board as I was clipping exposed boulders off-piste; we're talking Freddy Kruger kind of gouging...
I got both boards back today, and I could hardly believe what I saw. My BTX board looks brand new! I had to search hard before I could even locate where any of the repairs were, and they are seamless. My girl's board was $50 for a full tune/repair, and mine was $60, which considering how bad the base was damaged, and the quality of the repairs, I'm very happy. The repairs on my girl's board are a little more visible, but only because the double sintered base material is very porous relative to the repair p-tex.
Keep up the good work guys, you'll see me again. -
Review from Sarah M.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2011
I have to admit, I first went elsewhere to buy boots. Two other places, despite the fact that I live down the street from Mountain West. I knew I was going to be a tough case (woman w/ absurdly large calves), and I kinda figured this shop would be too small to help me out.
I was wrong. After nightmare experiences (one "highly rated" shop left me in tears), Arturo hooked me up. It took a couple of hours and a lot of patience on his behalf, but we succeeded.
I skied today for the first time in years. In boots I could buckle up without cutting off all my circulation! And no, they didn't cost me $1k. That's what the other shop told me was my only option.
I was fitted at the same time as another woman who had massive foot issues, and had also been disappointed by other bootfitters. She, too, found boots thanks to Arturo and some insoles.
All I can say is this: Mountain West understands that we are not all the same, and is willing to go the extra mile to set you up - with a helpful and positive attitude (no "wow, those ARE big calves" comments :) -
Review from Ben P.
San Francisco, CA
11/17/2009
Once upon a time, I skied. I skied groomers and trees and chutes and bowls and off-piste and in the fall line. And at night, after 7 solid hours of sliding, the soles of my feet would tingle with the remembered sensation of constant motion. The world would feel fluid and the pedestrian act of walking would seem shamefully abrupt and clumsy compared to gliding.
And then it all ended. I extended my stay in the Midwest, and there was school, and grad school, and my job, and.....things got in the way. Things always get in the way. And I tried sliding down riverside valleys, which is what passes in the Midwest for mountains, and it just wasn't the same. A kid raised on Colorado steeps can't hack it in the world of fake snow and 400-foot verticals. So my inner skier slept and dreamed of the West. And then I actually moved to the West. Farther West than before, even. Into the land of the Sierras and 400-inch bases and real terrain and the skier within was happy. But still: work. Things. They got in the way. They always get in the way.
This Christmas, I kept at long-last a promise I made myself: skiing. The once and future sport. One of the very few things I'm willing to say I do better than you without even having met you. But there was a problem. I have these feet. Big feet. And not just big, although that would be problem enough, there was more: one foot is 3/4ers of a size bigger than the other foot. And thought that, too, would be problem enough, that difference crosses a magical line for ski boots: the line between size 29 (really big, but manageable) and size 30 (freakish and probably not in stock). My latter-day skiing career was marked by the agony of da feet: seldom would my left foot make it past 11:00 a.m. without falling totally asleep. Not that this was a bad thing, because at least once it fell asleep, it would stop hurting. Each evening, removing my boots was a fresh hell of reawakened pain. A dream deferred may be a dream denied, but pain deferred breeds more pain. And it's angry.
Enter Mountain West. Known throughout the City for their skill in fitting boots. I brought them a challenge. They smiled, and spent the better part of 90 minutes finding me a boot. Two boots, in fact, but that's how they come. In pairs. Arturo, the boot magician, had me compare four different boots by four different makers, until I found one that actually fit. For the first time since junior high, I had a boot that allowed me to wiggle the toes on my left foot. It was like the simultaneous occurrence of many different holidays, all wrapped up into one glorious Haunakwanzistmasivust.
Did I pay more than I would have had I gone to REI, or Sports Basement, or the like? No.
Did I get service like I would never expect at such stores? Yes.
Would I go back to Mountain West for further skiing-related purchases? Certainly.
Will all future reviews follow this pedantic question-and-answer style? Find out. -
Review from Deanna S.
Atlanta, GA
2/28/2008
Mountain West focuses specifically on Winter sports - selling and renting snowboards and skis - there isn't a yelp category for that. The kids here were very helpful. You can't beat the prices. It was so easy and much cheaper to rent here than renting up at the resorts. It's a must-stop on your way up to the snow.
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Review from Jude M.
San Francisco, CA
3/7/2008
Friendly, knowledgeable peeps. Way better at board tuning than the shop at REI.
