Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC)

Whether you call it “Ehm-Ee-See”, “Mehk” or “Mountain Equipment Co-op” if you are an adventurer, hiker, biker, camper or outdoor enthusiast you have spent hours in one. MEC is more than just an outdoor retailer, it is a co-operative which means that they charge a one-time $5 co-op membership fee which is good for life. After paying the small fee you are then considered a part owner of the company and able to shop and become a part of the lifestyle that is MEC.

New MEC logo

 What do I mean by lifestyle? Well every time I go into MEC I have to dedicate at least an hour to browse and try the newest products out. The staff are more than just sales people, they are experts in their given departments and they won’t pressure you to get the more expensive version if it doesn’t make sense for your application. While items are typically more expensive than those found at other retailers, the quality cannot be beat. Should you ever run into a problem MEC’s ‘Rock Solid Guarantee’ will likely have you covered. They stand behind their products (minus neglect or misuse) and will gladly replace, repair or credit anything.

MEC stands firmly behind their mission and values by being environmentally friendly, curating adventure, high quality products, remaining a co-operative and building community. There are MEC stores in most major cities across Canada and if you find yourself here on an adventure make sure to pop in and see what they are all about.

Old MEC logo
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 Side Story: MEC has their own branded gear and the logo has become an identifier to other travellers and adventures across the globe on who is Canadian. Pretty cool that MEC’s logo is just as powerful as a Canadian flag patch!

What is 150 of our favourite Canadian things? Read about it here