Looking for Some Passionate Outdoor Enthusiasts!

It's that time of year again when we need some more hands on deck. If you or anyone you know enjoys the outdoors or outdoor fashion we could use your help this holiday season! Come join us for an adventure this holiday season! Visit our website for an application.

Charley Harper SmartWool has arrived!

Charley Harper fall 2015 SmartWool products have arrived and they are beautiful! We've been so excited to see them in person since ordering them last fall. If you're not familiar with the Artist Charley Harper google him. Amazing work especially in our opinion with his animal artwork. SmartWool has partnered to make gorgeous socks, sweaters, hats and Christmas stockings using his artwork. Come check them out before they're gone! Limited quantities!

Tyrol Basin Ski & Snowboard Resale this Sunday!

Join us at Tyrol Basin's Ski and Snowboard Resale this Sunday, Oct. 25th. 15% of proceeds support the Tyrol Basin Ski Patrol. We'll see you at the hill!

Vote to donate $25k to the Ice Age Trail!

The Ice Age Trail Alliance needs your vote! In partnership with the American Hiking Society, Michelob ULTRA is donating $25,000 grants to two deserving trails. Let's support WI and our Ice Age Trail system! Click here to cast your vote!

Fall Ladies Night next Wednesday!

Get excited for Fontana Sports Fall Ladies Night which is already coming up next week on Wednesday, October 21st from 5 - 7 pm! Enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded outdoor friends, brand representatives and Fontana Sports staff while enjoying free wine, cheese and great deals on the best apparel and gear. Learn how to get involved with local organizations as well as upcoming events and lessons from Fontana Sports. Event is being held at our Westside Location - 231 Junction Rd., Madison, WI.

Event Highlights:
- The North Face Thermoball Fashion Show & Try On Event
- Birkenstock Trunk Show
- Patagonia Enviro Talk by Tech Rep Sara Nelson
- Meet & Greet with local organizations (Ice Age Trail Alliance, River Alliance of WI, Friends of the Henry Vilas Zoo)
- Door prize drawings every 15 minutes including one lucky lady winning a (ski) wax job!
- Gift for each lady in attendance (SmartWool socks for the first 50 ladies!)
Kristin from Humble Yoga will be there as well instructing a 10 minute yoga demo. One lucky participant will win a prAna Eco Yoga Mat valued at $60.00! All you have to do for a chance to win is participate!

Whether you've only got 10 minutes or all the time in the world, yoga can help you slow down and appreciate your journey. By lengthening your inhalation and exhalation you bring yourself into the present moment. Establishing a regular yoga practice will help reduce stress, lubricate joints, lengthen muscles, and so much more. So whether you're brand new to yoga or and old yogi, join me in taking 10 minutes to explore what your mind and body have to offer.

We hope you'll join us and if you'd like to learn more about our Fall Ladies Night please click here.

Reel Rock 10 Tour coming to Madison!

Reel Rock 10 Tour
Wednesday, November 4^th at 7:00 PM
Marquee at Union South, 1308 West Dayton, Madison WI 53715

Fontana Sports is sponsoring a FREE showing of the Reel Rock 10 Tour. Founded in 2006, the REEL ROCK Film Tour brings the best climbing and adventure films of the year to live audiences throughout the world. The film tour is the definitive annual event for climbing communities globally. REEL ROCK shows are high energy, community events that go beyond mere film screenings to include prize giveaways, athlete and filmmaker appearances, non-profit fundraising, and a party atmosphere.  In its landmark 10th year, from big walls to big moves, REEL ROCK 10 features athletes Tommy Caldwell, Kevin Jorgeson, Alex Honnold, Jimmy Webb, Daniel Woods and a special tribute to the late Dean Potter. Music: It's On by Teen Girl Scientist Monthly. This year's tour boasts an eclectic program that will get you psyched! Click here to view the trailer!

It's almost here - SKI & SNOWBOARD SEASON!

We had a great group of our finest Ski and Snowboard Brand Representatives stop by today to clinic our staff. It's a long day for everybody as they sit through about 6 hours of classes. Well worth it though so we are as up to date as possible for our customers! Lows in the 30's this week in Wisconsin... we don't want to jinx it, but could snow be just around the corner?! We hope so! We're already looking forward to getting out on the slopes again this year!

We've got a new Downhill Ski lease program this year. For more info click here. 
We also have a full service Ski and Snowboard Shop located at our westside. Lots of information can be found here about services offered. Come visit us before the snow flies so you're ready to make the most of the season!

Support the IATA at the Wisconsin Fall Colors Run October 24th!

Who else loves the fall in Wisconsin? We think it's one of the most beautiful times of the year. Join us  on the Ice Age Trail on the Gibraltar Segment in Lodi on Saturday, October 24th. Enjoy the fall colors seen along the bluffs on this run! $10 from each registration will go directly to the Ice Age Trail Alliance.

Enjoy the natural beauty of Wisconsin Fall Colors on the scenic Ice Age Trail!

No, we will not be throwing any color powder on you...this is just a good old fashioned trail run on a beautiful (but challenging) segment of the Ice Age Trail. You will enjoy amazing views of Lake Wisconsin and Devils Lake from the top of the bluffs and finish in the valley right next to the Merrimac Ferry Landing. Three distances available so no matter your age or ability we've got an event for you: 2 Mile Family Fun Run/Walk (not timed), 4 Mile Run/Walk, or 8 Mile Run.

 

The event fee goes up in five days so now is the time to get signed up! This will be the second year of the event and we're excited for all the new things we've added! Please click here for more information and to get signed up. We look forward to seeing you!

Another Beyond PSIA L3 course in the books!

 Thanks to Bill Davis for teaching another informative PSIA course last night! Thanks to all in attendance as well. Bill is a great teacher and has a wealth of knowledge to share. We are already so excited to get some snow and get out on our skis this winter!

Earn your Girl Scout Brownie Hiking Badge with Fontana Sports!

  

We had such a great afternoon yesterday teaching a group of Girl Scouts about hiking. The program took place at Indian Lake County Park in Waunakee. We had a beautiful day and a great group of Brownies. If you know a Girl Scout interested in earning her Hiking Badge we have two more courses coming up this fall.  Click here for more info!

Fly Fishing Provides Great Health Benefits

Have you thought about the ways fly fishing provides great health benefits? We found a great article that helps us to realize why we enjoy fly fishing so much and all the different ways we should appreciate what it provides for us.

"It provides us with one of the funnest ways to exercise, and it has the ability to completely wash away the stress of everyday life, from its therapeutic entertainment. We really should be thankful that this passion of ours provides us with so much more than just the reward of catching fish. Each and everyday we fly fish, we should take a minute to sit back and reflect on this fact. What other exercise activity can you think of that allows you to burn tons of calories during the day, and not have the faintest clue your even working out?" Posted on July 8, 2015 / by Louis Cahill 

To read more of this article please click here. Thank you fly fishing for being an awesome way to get outdoors and enjoy the beautiful places we live.

Keen Live Monumental RV is stopping in Madison, WI!

 

Keen is road-tripping across the USA with a 30' Live Monumental RV to celebrate the places we play & to advocate for new national monument designations. They are stopping in Madison at our downtown location on September 8th from 4-8 pm! Please join us as we celebrate the outdoors! They'll be freebies as well as some hula hooping competition going on & you'll have the chance to sign the new national monument designation petition.

30 Seconds Now, 3 Million Acres Forever! Sign the Live Monumental petition to help protect five spectacular places, for you & for our future generations. Two of the five places have already been protected! Let's help get the last three protected as well. Please join us!

You should be able to find us - just look for the 30' yellow RV! :)
216 N. Henry Street,
Madison, WI 53703
608-257-5043
Please visit here for more info! 

Your Chance to Win a Dream Bike!

A great opportunity to support a good cause has come up folks! As you know we work with CXC for our Nordic Superfit program every fall. They do great work with their adaptive program for children with physical disabilities and visual impairments and now is your chance to support them. Kent Eriksen Cycles is partnering with Central Cross Country Ski Association to support CXC's Adaptive Program by giving away a dream bike! The total manufacturer's suggested retail price of the bike and included components is $8,500.00!! There's great other prizes too!

How Do I Win?

Tickets are on sale now until they are sold out. The winner will be selected on October 3rd. Delivery of complete bike by April 1, 2016. Need NOT be present to win. Click here to learn more and for your chance to win!

Dean Karnazes will be back August 4th!

We are pleased to announce that the Ultramarathon Man himself, Dean Karnazes will be joining us at to our downtown location for a 5K Fun Run followed by an autograph signing on Tuesday, August 4th at 6:30 pm. How often do you get to run with a world renowned runner?! Pretty awesome! It will be a fun kickoff to the Endurance Challenge - Wisconsin race occurring October 3-4 at Kettle Moraine State Park which is put on by The North Face. For more info on the Dean's visit to Madison please click here.

Don't Miss Maxwell St Days Next Weekend!

$50 Gift Card with Linus Bicycle Purchase!

We've always carried bike accessories and apparel, but new this year we are now carrying Linus bicycles & accessories. They are beautiful! Even if you already own a great bike these babies will make you salivate. Last night we had a Bike Maintenance 101 clinic at our westside location. We got a great crowd in and our employee Jen did a wonderful job teaching the course. Thanks to all who attended! Right now we are offering a $50 gift card with any Linus Bicycle purchase! The gift card can be used on whatever you'd like in the store! Check out what we carry and stop in and see us soon!

Fontana Sports Customer Swimming Madison Lakes for Cancer Awareness!

Mary Gooze is a local Madison woman fighting 4th stage metastatic breast cancer. She's working to raise awareness of her cancer by swimming across every lake in Madison. Mary is swimming the five lakes in Madison in order from smallest to biggest. She started with Lake Wingra. She'll also swim across lakes in other states as part of her effort. The efforts are called "One Woman, Many Lakes." 

We're proud of Mary for going out of her way to make a difference and raise awareness to the fact that metastatic breast cancer doesn't get enough funding for cancer research.

"There's plenty of money that goes into the initial breast cancer funding, but for metastatic breast cancer it's two percent is only given," said Gooze.

Thank you for being an inspiration, Mary. We'll be cheering you on and working right along side you to help raise awareness.

Click here to visit her One Woman Many Lakes website & to learn how you can help.

Click here to visit Mary's very inspiring personal blog. 

Click here to see more about Mary's story and progress from channel NBC 15. 

Join us at the Summer Trails Festival!

Kick off your summer along the beautiful Capital City Trail at Summer Trails Festival! We'll be there as a sponsor of this great event along with many other cool local businesses and nonprofits. This event celebrates National Trails Day (a fee-free day for all Dane County trails) and is a great way to start your summer outdoor adventures! Come and go as you please - and enjoy all that Summer Trails Fest has to offer! Your $5 entry donation directly benefits Madison Audubon Society and Friends of Capital Springs Recreation Area. For more info please visit here.  

 
Location: Across from the Lussier Family Heritage Center at Lake Farm County Park (along the Capital City Bike Trail)
Address: 3101 Lake Farm Road, Madison, WI 53711
Led by: Madison Audubon Society, Friends of Capital Springs Recreation Area & Dane County Parks
Cost: $5 per person, $15 per family; Kids 3 and under = FREE!

How about a Hike-a-thon?!

So excited for this event coming up in 2 weeks! Please join us in honor of National Trails Day on Saturday, June 6th, 2015 for some hiking on the Ice Age Trail here in Dane County. All funds raised support the Ice Age Trail Alliance. Some of our employees had the opportunity to do the 21 mile hike last year and had only great things to say about the experience. The first 80 participants to sign up will receive a Columbia Sportswear wicking t-shirt as one of our contributions to the event. They are sweet! For more information please click here. We hope to see you!

Memorial Day Sidewalk Sale!

Don't miss our Memorial Day Sidewalk Sale that kicked off today at both locations! Save up to 50% off all kinds of great stuff - Footwear, Apparel, Camping, Socks, Accessories & MORE! Each location will have a bit of a different selection so if you get a chance stop at both. :) It's looking like we're going to have great weather for it! Wahoo! Hope everyone gets a chance to get outside and enjoy the weekend!