Category: | Surf Shop |
Address: | 26 Kingstown Rd, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA |
Phone: | +1 401-789-9040 |
Site: | warmwinds.com |
Rating: | 3.8 |
Working: | 10AM–6PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–8PM 10AM–6PM |
N
N ward
In the interest of full disclosure, the guys at WW did me a real solid thing recently by donating to a charity benefit for a local surfer who has ALS and Im really grateful for that. Nevertheless, I will try to be objective in the interest of those looking for a good surf shop in RI. First, let me say there arent many left in this state. Not real ones that actually sell surfboards as their primary product. Warmwinds and Sids Waterbrothers in Newport seem to be about it for the Newport and Narragannset areas. (there may be others down South I dont know about) Ive been surfing my whole life and in RI for about 14 years and since moving here Ive settled on Warmwinds as the place to buy boards, suits, etc. Their inventory is way, way, way beyond anyone else in RI and they seem to have every size, shape, and company represented in their board room. What this means is that you can find exactly the board you want/need, not just something close. It also means you can do hands-on side-by-side comparisons of lots of boards youre considering. Not possible on line. Most of us only buy boards a couple times a decade and you dont want to have regrets. Ive seen too many people come out of other shops that only have small number of boards after being talked into something thats not really right for them. As for other products like wetsuits, shorts, rashguards,... I find their prices pretty much the same as the web, but you get to hold it before you buy it. I see that other reviewers have had some negative retail experiences and Ill just say that in the last 5 years or so, Ive gone there quite a bit and only had positive experiences. I must have spent an hour in there once trying on multiple wetsuits and they were nothing but nice and helpful. I bought my last board there from Mike - a really nice local surfer who knows his products well- and it was a really great experience. Finally, lets not forget that for many years they have had a free 24hr webcam at town beach - pre- Surfline! Who else does that around here? Like I said, there may be other surf shops in RI I have not visited and they may be great (local loyalty is big in the surfing community). I can only say that WW pretty much has all you need for surfing or surf related stuff and they seem good about supporting the RI surfing community in all kinds of ways.
MR
MrBranBe
I am only writing this review due to the many (in my opinion) undeserving bad reviews I have read. From the late-80s all through the 90s to the early 00s, I was an avid customer of Warm Winds. I knew Tom from the store and the line-up and he knew me by my first name at that time as well. I had purchased several boards from them during that time as well as thousands of dollars in clothes over the years. I never on one occasion had even the most remotely bad experience in the store, quite the opposite. Tom and crew were always helpful. Fast forward to the present day, I have moved from the area and do not know the current business arrangement of the store; I stop in every couple of years and still see Tom there (I dont think he remembers me now). It appears as if someone else is running things but just as it was back in the day, the staff is always polite, stoked, helpful and respectful to me and these new schoolers dont know me at all as opposed to when I was a local. The product is well stocked and I consider this shop to be everything that a surf shop should be. If people have a bad experience there, I would guess that that reflects more on their behavior than anyone on the shop.
EL
Ellen Melton
My husband and three daughters took up surfing a couple of years ago and until recently, we have almost exclusively used Warm Winds for all of our needs. We have purchased several surf boards from them, tons of gear, and taken countless lessons from them at the beach in Narraganset. One of the surfboards was damaged by an airline during a trip to Florida, and we brought the surfboard back to Warm Winds for repair. The airline was happy to pay for the repair, and needed a receipt fro reimbursement, When my husband went to submit it, he realized that he had misplaced it. He asked Warm Winds for a replacement receipt, and they said no. He spoke to Mike, who I believe may be one of the managers, and he simply refused to provide it. I have always found the staff there, managers included, to be pretty unpleasant and patronizing, but until this happened, my family didnt share my opinion. After so much history, not to mention business with them, were all disappointed that they were completely unwilling to help.
A
A Private User
Lets get to it. Im 40 and have surfed since I was 9. Grew up with all types of surf shops in nj and nc. I went in with my two little kids in order to drop about a grand on wetsuits and board. The board selection is the most impressive Ive ever seen and the suit selection is good. But the owner was so super unkind to my 6 year old because he touched a hat. Literally yelled at him. The whole staff seemed, for lack of a better term, mean. I turned around and walked out. Even though the store is convenient, I bought my board online (it was in stock at the store that day), and my new suits a buddys jersey shop. If you want to patronize a fully stocked shop owned by someone that seems to have completely lost stoke, its available in gansett.
CR
Craig N
I have gone to Warm Winds for years. Prices are reasonable with a huge selection of boards and wetsuits. I am sure you can save a few dollars online or elsewhere but to me the selection more than makes up for that. I have bought 4 boards here and probably a dozen wetsuits over the years. The staff and the owner have always been helpful and polite. I have been up and down the east coast from RI down to NC and out to CA. I havent seen better service when buying a board than I get here. Each time I have bought a board the staff has spent time with me discussing the options along with the pros/cons of each design. If you are serious about surfing this is the place to buy gear.
TJ
TJ Carr
Warm Winds is a wonderful resource for all things surf and sand. Ive found the staff to be very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. They have quality gear and plenty of inventory to choose from. Ive made both big and small purchases here and have always been happy with the transaction. The prices are fair...I dont feel like Ive overpaid for anything; surfboards, wetsuits or clothing. My wife doesnt surf and she even enjoys the store. Last season I took a few lessons and had a real good time with the instructor. He was very helpful. Im dumbfounded at the (few) marginal reviews. Warm Winds has always been a great experience! Theyve earned the 5 stars.