Portland, OR gear store help?

[von Pepper]

Hi all. I'm going to be a 2006 thru-hiker (leaving April 3 YEAH!), but without many good outfitters around here. Most of my gear has been purchased on the web. Luckily, one of the last things I have to do for my current job is in Portland, so I'm getting flown there next week.

I'm sure there are some great gear stores there I can check out. I've got enough stores around here with a bunch of 20 year old part-time clerks trying to sell me a North Face jacket. What I'd really like to find is some good, experienced, expert help, especially regarding fitting a pair of boots to my feet for my upcoming hike.

Can anyone who is familiar with Portland point me to a good place?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

[calearn]

I'm sure there are more experienced Portland gear store experts than me but my favorites in Portland are:

Next Adventure (www.nextadventure.net/ (http://www.nextadventure.net/))
OMC (www.e-omc.com/ (http://www.e-omc.com/) )
REI (www.rei.com (http://www.rei.com))

Much seems to depend on which person helps you.

[RedneckRye]

It isn't a gear shop, but Powell's Bookstore is one of the most amazing places on the planet if you are a book person. New, used, rare, out of print, everything. Be prepared to spend an afternoon. Be sure to grab a map when you walk in as the store pretty much covers an entire city block.