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September 2023 by Douglas Petcher
I had a very good experience buying my first kayak at Rutabaga recently. I started off with a phone call with Brandon, a staff member, about what type of kayak would meet my needs. After scheduling an appointment, I made the 2-hour drive from Chicago to try out 3 kayaks that he had set aside for me. In addition to seeing them in the showroom, I was able to try them out in the pond in back of the shop. After I made my selection, we moved on to the pros and cons of various roof racks. About 4 hours after I arrived, I drove off with my new kayak, strapped to a newly installed roof rack. Brandon was not only a helpful salesperson, but also a good teacher. He willingly answered all of my many questions, and I learned a lot about kayaks and kayaking from him during the experience. I would definitely recommend Rutabaga to anyone interested in purchasing their own kayak.
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September 2023 by Kevin Sink
Wonderful customer service here, with very knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff. I’ll go here for all my paddling products & supplies. The pond out back is great for trying out boats & paddles! That really helps narrow down the choices to the perfect selection.
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September 2023 by Mike Thornton
I visited the store for the first time a few days ago and what can I say. This place is pretty cool. The staff are all very friendly and when I couldn't find something they were quick to find it for me. The store is well organized and clean. Truly looks professional! It's a shame I can't visit the store everyday since I live out of state or else I would!
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August 2023 by Connie Kronberg Beggin
Love the products offered at Rutabaga and the very helpful staff. We bought our first canoe there, and many accessories. We also love going to Canoecopiain Madison every year which is an event that they sponsor.
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August 2023 by Amanda P
I had the best experience at Rutabaga buying a kayak. I had a general idea of what I was looking for (in stock, fishing, camping, open water, able to lift and carry). The staff was friendly, knowledgeable, honest and helpful. No pressure to take the watercraft that day, only a deposit. On pick up, another staff member helped me choose my accessories (pfd, paddle) and helped me figure out a system to safely load and unload by myself. I left feeling confident and ready for adventures. Great people who share a passion for the outdoors! Highly recommend, Rutabaga!
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July 2023 by Maria Goodrich
Rutabaga has been my family's go-to paddle shop for forever. The selection and service here is unsurpassed.More than 30 years ago my dad purchased the fiberglass/Kevlar Sawyer tandem canoe and set of bent-shaft Bending Branches bent-shaft paddles that comprised our first real tripping setup (and in which we went on to log countless hours on lakes and rivers in northern Wisconsin, the UP, and Canada).In 2019 my husband and I purchased our first solo canoe - a Bell Merlin II - when we stopped in on our way back to SE Michigan from a back-country trip in Sylvania (having rented and enjoyed having a solo to augment our tandem for family tripping). We called ahead and they had a great selection of canoes ready for us to test-paddle - we fell in love with this one, but it was admittedly a better fit for me than for my husband. I think I spent a good chunk of the pandemic in that canoe.Cut to June 2023 and a stop at Rutabaga on the way back from Wisconsin. Darren helped us pick out a PFD for our daughter and was chatting with my husband about what he was looking for in his ideal solo canoe, then steered him to an excellent model that wasn't even on his radar. Less than a week later we were back to test-paddle a couple different canoes, and Gregg went home with exactly the gorgeous red Swift Prospector 14 that Darren has recommended.Thank you so much to all the staff who assisted our family!
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July 2023 by Kyle
Went to rutabaga for the first time today and I can honestly say I will definitely be back. They have yakattack in stock and no more having to wait for delivery from other retailers online. I didn’t catch the guys name I talked with today but he did a great job answering questions while helping another customer. Awesome selection on fishing kayaks also. I definitely see a purchase in the future when I upgrade to a new one.
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July 2023 by Fred Varin
Absolutely the best place to buy a quality Kayak, the advice we got was excellent! The breath of choice is very good! We ended up testing 5 Kayaks on the pond located behind the store! We took 2 Kayaks home. They also have a lot of accessories!
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June 2023 by David Marsh
They worked with me to get what I wanted and needed at a fair price and helped me learn a little bit about my sport in the process. Very nice store and people- especially Dean and Ian who went out of his way to find the right gear for my application
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June 2023 by Daniel Kane
We are very happy with our recent purchase of a new Trac Rack to haul our canoes. The entire staff is helpful and goes out of their way to provide great service! Please patronize this wonderful community business!!
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June 2023 by Michelle Gabor
The Rutabaga team is phenomenal! I was able to arrange and schedule a roof rack system that was installed while I test-paddled and found a new kayak that I absolutely love. Richard was patient and detail-oriented while explaining to me how to load and secure my kayak. Brandon was wonderfully supportive and informative with my test paddle and in helping me select related gear. I felt respected, encouraged, and had lots of fun conversations during my visit! Thanks all!
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May 2023 by Bob A.
Truly couldn't be more pleased with the service from Rutabaga. Wife and I purchased kayaks + gear from them and all of the employees were informative, helpful and receptive to our concerns and questions.We came intending to spend a fair amount of money, but never felt pressured by upselling or any sales tactics. We got honest opinions from people who have a clear love of paddling and even got assistance with setting up my roof rack to best carry the new yaks.They are a world class outfit. Quality brands, large inventory and an beautiful, airy new building. I wont shop in-person anywhere else for my paddling or camp gear - and I live an hour away. Enough said.Thank you, Rutabaga!
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May 2023 by go go gamer
Super great staff! Today was my first time tying up kayaks on roof rack they were extremely helpful and took the time to make sure I knew how to tie them up correctly!
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April 2023 by Partly Cloudy
Wow, what a great new place in the west side! Friendly, knowledgable, interested staff. That only care about giving you the options to fulfill what you want. Soon they will have a dock so you can give a boat a try before you buy. This is a super place, even if you just want ideas, or to shop so you can buy in the future. They make you feel like you're a friend that just wants to know more. There was zero pressure to buy, and I asked 101 questions. I highly recommend this place.
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April 2023 by Vicky snow Atkinson
After reading the reviews I was expecting excellent service well if it wasn't for the nice nice kid who greeted me when I walked in an the wonderful lady who gave Molly some loving when I was checking out they would of gotten 2 stars. My KAYAK is exactly what I was looking for, yes i could of purchased it anywhere, i chose it at Canoeacopia lots more to story maybe they will try to resolve the issue. The guy loading could of been a little kinder(rude because i would not strap kayak his way), I did just fine by my self thank you. But could of use a helping hand it was a little chilly out , we made it home safe an no issues to us or kayak. Now to get my OldTown t-shirt an sticker! Dang the sales rep thought they would have them in the store lol can't wait to start training my girl this is a long time goal