Up here in the Keweenaw, you’re not going to last long if you don’t enjoy the outdoors. There are countless outdoor activities to do in order to pass the time, the popularity of each varying with the season. As the snow melts away, the skis are being hung up and the kayaks are coming out.
Down Wind Sports is one of Houghton’s local outdoor sporting stores and is owned by Arni Ronis. The other Down Wind Sports branch is located in Marquette. They are not your typical sporting store; inside you will not find a single basketball or football. Instead, they have sporting gear tailored for the activities that are most popular up here.
In the winter, they carry a wide variety of skiing equipment and offer waxing and ski repairs as well; however, that doesn’t just apply for skis. They can fix and wax snowboards too.
Ice climbing equipment can also be found at Down Wind Sports. They also offer advice on the best spots to visit, and for any newbies to the sports, they have a guidebook for the area.
With all the snow that the area gets, Down Wind Sports offers different sizes of snowshoes. They’re also available to rent, but if you end up liking them and want to purchase them, Down Wind will reimburse you for the rentals, so you’re only paying the purchase price.
Some activities are so well loved that no one wants to give them up when the seasons change. Biking is by far one of the most popular activities in the Keweenaw Peninsula. Down Wind Sports carries everything you need for snow biking, and, in the summer, they have a huge selection of mountain bikes for sale in the store.
Now, Down Wind Sports is starting to shift out their winter gear and bring out the summer items. They recently started carrying fly fishing equipment. From rods to flies, they have everything you need if you want to try out a new activity.
In the summer, Down Wind Sports’s most popular items are their kayaks. They also offer kayak rentals and repairs as well as paddles and life jackets. Two sea kayaking symposiums are held every year by Down Wind Sports, the “Ladies of the Lake” and “The Great Lakes Sea Kayak Symposium.”
They also carry different kinds of golf discs for playing disc golf and different kinds of rock climbing gear. Standard camping equipment can be found at Down Wind Sports such as tents and backpacks. Other various items, like outdoor clothing and water bottles, can be purchased at Down Wind Sports, too.
For anyone who enjoys being outside and likes adventure, Down Wind Sports is definitely the place to go for all your equipment needs.
