Deek and Bryan’s friendship is going on 50 years. Portlanders have their mothers to thank for our favorite outdoor gear store, Next Adventure.
Walking into Next Adventure, on a traffic-clogged corner of southeast Portland, presents a clear reminder of why so many people are drawn to this city — namely, the many opportunities to get the heck out of it.
Visitors and locals alike flock to Next Adventure for new, used, and rentable outdoor gear. Whether you’re climbing Mt. Saint Helen’s, hiking in the Columbia River Gorge, floating the Clackamas River, or ski touring Mt. Hood, Next Adventure will get you geared up and ready for the many activities available around our city.
Next Adventure Makes Outdoor Adventures in Oregon More Accessible
Deek and Bryan met over 50 years ago. Their mothers were best friends since the first grade, and the two families often vacationed together, introducing these two energetic young boys to all kinds of outdoor fun.
That friendship grew into adulthood, and the two kept finding ways to get outside together. Eventually, they decided to turn that passion into a business, and started Next Adventure, with the aim to bring the experiences they loved to more people in Portland.
When I first moved to Portland, I was a city girl with outdoor aspirations. I’ve always loved hiking, but I hadn’t done much of it from the confines of New York City, where I last lived. Portland’s biggest selling point was accessibility to the outdoors, but having moved here on my own, I wasn’t sure where to start.
I’d tell people I was new in town and they’d start rattling off the outdoor destinations around Portland I needed to see.
“Go to Next Adventure if you need gear!” they’d tell me. And I did.
Next Adventure made it easy to get started. I scored a pair of used snow pants for $20, two days before my first time on the slopes of Mt. Hood, and I treated myself to a new tent for my first Oregon camping trip. Last month I joined a rock gym, and a Next Adventure employee patiently helped me navigate the shoe wall. (They all looked the same to me!)
People come to Portland for views like this one, less than an hour outside of the city in the Columbia River Gorge.
Deek and Bryan made it easy to discover new ways to get outside in my new home. I’m now a city girl who leaves the city as often as possible.
Next Adventure’s offerings don’t end with gear. They also host classes, tours, and community events. It can be a little overwhelming to walk into this three-floored store, packed with everything outdoors, but Deek and Bryan have maintained a helpful and unpretentious atmosphere that is welcoming to all skill levels.
Next Adventure shares our ambition to make the outdoors more accessible, so we hope you’ll check them out if you’re looking to get outside around Portland or beyond. And when you’re looking for campsites around all those outdoor adventures, come back here.
