Vital Outdoors — Local services in Golden

Just stopped in to the store durring a walk around town to check out a pair of hiking shoes/boots as I'm new to Colorado, and looking to start indulging in the great outdoors! As I spent several minutes staring at different options lying to myself that I knew what I was looking for, I was consulted by Chris as he was just finishing up with another customer. I told Chris I'm from New York and totally new to any serious outdoor sporting, so I'm looking to at least start with a great shoe that can get me going for a while but at a reasonable price for a rookie like me. I WAS BLOWN AWAY!! I don't think I've ever been so educated on a product I thought was generally simple. He explained everything from the differences in quality, build, and fabric from one option to the next, to breaking down particular scenarios where one minor alteration will give me a major advantage. Long story short... We ultimately came down to the right shoe at a price I was willing to reason with. I honestly don't feel there's any reason to vist another store considering my experience here. They're very attentive, extremely knowledgeable, but make you feel very comfortable with your decision. I will...

I stopped by Vital after visiting a large retailer. In contrast to my experience at the other place, the staff at Vital made great recommendations and explained why the hiking shoes I thought I wanted might not be the right choice. The sales person took her time and gave me several options to try before I settled on the ones she recommended in the first place. I went on long hikes the next two days in the shoes I bought, and found them to be super comfortable with good grip. This is a small business that cares about providing knowledgeable, helpful...

Jo in the shoe section is an absolute gem. She may be young, but don’t be fooled, she has a lot of detailed info and recs for “difficult” feet (and in my case, knee issues as well). I’ve been to two REI’s and literally tried everything they had for my wide toe box, wideish midfoot, and super narrow heel w no luck. Jo is the first person to introduce me to the world of shoe inserts to help with heel cup issues, lack of cushioning etc. Total game changer. She had multiple creative suggestions and really knew her stuff!...