My two boys and I went canoeing with a rental from River Runner Outdoor Center in Columbia, South Carolina. The staff was very helpful and helped load and secure the canoe to our vehicle. The price was very reasonable. When we got into Congaree National Park, the owner of the company happened to be there with another party canoeing the same stretch of river. He quickly got out of his air-conditioned vehicle and helped us unload the canoe and walk it down to the river and helped launch us. When we returned from the adventure the same man (Guy is his name) was waiting for us to help get us on the shore and carry the canoe back to the parking lot. He also decided to save us the trip back to the business in downtown Columbia by loading it onto his trailer and returning all our items from the rental. He didnt charge us anything extra and was happy to assist us. He even gave my two boys free stickers! This is the type of business I love to spend my money at because of their extraordinary service to go out of their way to make sure we had a great experience. Five stars all the way!

We rented a canoe for the day to paddle Cedar creek in Congaree NP. The staff helped us load the canoe on the truck and gave us pointers of how to get off/on by ourselves. He even gave us some tips for paddling the creek, since that is a popular spot for renters. The gear was well taken care of and in good condition. We returned in the same condition for future users. Great place to rent from!

Rented a canoe from Guy to do the Congaree River blue trail. Price was reasonable and they shuttle your car to the take out at the 601 bridge so you dont have to coordinate a ride. He was also super helpful giving us recommendations for other local places to visit in Columbia.

The best place to find paddling gear locally and great advice for what fits your needs and your budget! I would also recommend going here for car roof racks too, both purchase and install to make sure its done right!

Ive been to this store about three times, the first to ask questions, II to get prices on their kayaks, and even though I could not afford one, the salesman was so nice, and kind to me, a friend found a kayak online for $95, and I bought it, I then went back to the store, were the same salesman was, and ask him if he would look at the kayak for me, and let me know if it was okay, he not only looked over the entire kayak, he found two small cracks, and gave suggestion on how it could be fixed, I didnt think to ask if they repair kayaks there, but I will call back, because I would rather give them the business. My experience going there was awesome, even though I couldnt afford to buy anything at the time, the salesman was so kind, and treated me with the utmost respect, I recommend anyone who want to have Outdoor Adventures to check out this store.😊

This place is amazing! They sell really great gear, the staff is incredibly knowledgeable, and they will do anything they can to get you on the water and keep you there. It’s the only place I’ll go anymore after several awesome experiences.

They cancelled on us once because they said they were too busy. Then said they’d do it, then cancelled a second time the day before making our way from Nj because they didnt trust us on the route we’d chosen. I understand their point but maybe choose another company if you’re doing anything “too serious”. Anyway we went with another company and completed the trip flawlessly.

Rented a canoe for the day to go to Congaree and it was great. The people were super helpful getting us set up with our gear and strapping it to the car & it was a great deal - highly recommend!

Great store, been there forever even after the backpacker closed. super helpful people too

We came from NY and rented a canoe to do the Congaree River for a few days. All the equipment was great, we left our car with them to bring to the end of the river section we were doing. That all went very smoothly. Jesse answered all our questions over the phone as we planned the trip, and gave us a number to text during the trip if anything went wrong. Definitely recommend river runner!!

We rented two paddle boards for a one day rental on Saturday. Asked what time to return on Sunday? Was told they were closed on Sunday, and to bring them back Monday morning. We complied. Then noticed we were charged for a 2 day rental. When we inquired of why we were charged for 2 days, they said Monday counted as a full day even though we returned first thing Monday morning. How misleading. Even their website says there is no charge for Monday returns under their rental policy and procedures.

Always have what I need for my fishing yak!Guy that works there is super knowledgeable and laid back.And they really have it all.

Great prices, very knowledgeable about all gear and kayaks, friendly people very eager to help

If you ever need a canoe rental, go here!! Guy was informative about the region and extremely helpful in picking out a canoe for us and giving recommendations. It was a cold, icy day on the river and after hearing of this he called us to let us know. He also called the national park service at Congaree to make sure we know the route that had ice and the route that didnt. He then went out of his way to accommodate a canoe drop off for us. He was friendly and utterly fantastic. Will be going back here every time we are down.

The owner is very friendly and knowledgeable. Their prices are not the lowest around, the products are usually good quality.

Jesse was great!

Thank you for a great adventure! River Runner staff/owner went above and beyond with customer service and helped us at every turn. We appreciate you very much.

Super knowledgeable and nice. Why go anywhere else?

Great shop. Good service, good stock (especially for the size of store), competitive prices

We called this dealer and asked about a Hobie product that we would like to purchase.They said they didn’t have that one but to come in and we could sit in one that they did have.When we got there we were shown around for about a minute and then the phone rang and the salesman said he had to get that.He left us with many questions, so we looked around at the Hobie that he had on display and then walked outside to see what was displayed there.The salesman was not on the phone, but outside showing another couple that had came in after us a kayak, meanwhile we were still waiting.After ten more minutes another person showed up and tried to show us around but when we told him that we would like to see what Hobie products they had he kept saying things like Hobie technology was 10 years behind and the Hobie’s construction was sub par and that the mirage passport, the one that we were interested in, was a knock off of a Hobie with low grade parts.They kept trying to show us other brands that were hanging where we could not see them and they were not put together, nor could we sit in them .When we told the gentleman our concerns, he told us the people who came in after us drove a longer distance to his store than we did and that’s why he left us waiting with questions to go and help them. I guess the hour we drove to his store wasn’t sufficient for us to receive any customer service.We went ready to purchase and left empty handed.

Guy Jones is amazing, he helped set us up with gear and maps, and even gave us some great advice for camping spots.

My wife and I purchased our first kayaks from them and a roof rack for our Rav4. The staff was very helpful (they installed the roof rack and provided instructions on loading/unloading the kayaks). Parking is a bit tight, which should be expected as the store is in the middle of the city. All in all it was a very pleasant experience and we have been back to purchase several accessories since then. I highly recommend making this store your first stop when purchasing a kayak.

This is a great local paddling shop with quality gear and decades of knowledge. We stopped in looking for a cheap replacement paddle and while this isn’t really a used equipment store the owner found a beat up paddle from his rental fleet that he gave us a really good price on, and then spent some time showing us maps and giving us advice on where to paddle near Charleston. Thanks Guy!

Small place not a large variety of gear disappointed. No parking for any type of trailer since we were going on our trip decided to stop off had to park several blocks away and pay for it. If we had a small vehicle we may have been able to park in the lot. Employees helpful A+ for that

Great local shop that’s has a good selection of kayak gear but also good backpacking gear.

Some friends and I rented a canoe overnight last week for a canoe-backpacking trip in Congaree National Park, and River Runner was fantastic! It was fairly close to the park, although it felt weird to be driving IN to the city to be picking up a canoe. The staff were super friendly, and he showed us how to set up the canoe on my car (Toyota corolla). The price was absolutely great, and the canoe handled excellently in the park. If I were back in the area, I would definitely use them again!

Super friendly staff. Has just what I needed for our groups river trip.

These guys know their stuff. High quality goods, and much better experience then shopping at the big box stores. Jesse was very helpful in explaining the different products, and what was best for me. Highly recommend.

Friendly knowledgeable staff. Great ideas on where to paddle if you dont know the area well.

Solid supply store for paddling and other outdoor needs. Great and deep Sortiment for a fairly small store.

Customer service is the pits; Bought a kayak that within one month developed a crack. Told it was not covered by warranty but to bring it in and they could patch it. Would cost $50-$75. Brought it in. One month and three phone calls later I was told that they didnt have time to get to it. They told me I could pick up the patch at Home Depot. When pressed they said they could try to get to it but that the repair would be $150. When I complained about how long they had my kayak without doing anything they accused me of brow beating them and they would not have itI contacted the manufacturer who confirmed that this was not a warranty covered repair but gave me instructions on how to patch it. They even sent me a patch sized to the crack after I sent them a picture. Repair took 5 minutes.I would not use these guys again as I would not trust their service once out the door. Sorry I could not give them zero stars.I should add that when they showed me the kayak originally there was a spray skirt in the waterproof compartment and they showed me how it worked. When I got it home the skirt was gone. I called about it and they told me it wasnt included. Then why was it in there?

Great place, very nice owner and is willing to help and spend time with you.

Had to call around to find a Jackson dealer. Found River Runner in Columbia, which was an hour away from me, but one of the closest dealers. I dealt with Jessie, several times over the phone. He was very knowledgeable about the products, and always willing to take my many calls. I finally drove up and bought my Kayak but they had to hold it for me, as I could not load it that day, in the meantime, my wife fell in love with another brand Kayak they sell, and we called a few days later and ordered hers. I would recommend them to anyone and everyone (And have already).

Jesse was very helpful when I stopped by to do some whitewater boat research. Great place to shop with very knowledgeable staff.

Used River Runner Outdoor Center for a canoe rental for Saturday. The canoes were exactly what we wanted and the guys who helped us out were friendly and assisted us in getting the canoes on the cars. It was exactly what we needed for a weekend trip getaway to Congaree National Park.

I have been coming to River Runner for about 4 years now, and I keep coming back. I bought my first boat (Liquid Logic Remix 69) from them 4 years ago and just went back last week and bought another boat (Liquid Logic Stomper 90). Ive also bought a ton of gear from them for both whitewater and flat water, for myself and for others. Jesse and the rest of the staff are always very helpful and knowledgeable. They really know their stuff and will do everything they can to help you out whether youre just starting out or have been going to them for years. Theyre not pushy, they make good recommendations and Jesse really has a good ability to remember people. Thanks, Jesse, for everything! The new boat was a blast out on the Broad this past Friday!

We used River Runner to rent out kayaks for a 4 day kayaking trip down the Congaree River into Charleston. They were very helpful, easy to work with, accommodating and one of the cheaper options to rent from in Columbia. The only thing I wish they did was to not recommend one of the boats that we chose as it was meant more for fishing than distance, and it proved to be a pain very early on.

Following a demonstration of different water craft at Lake Murray, we decided to go buy a kayak. The folks at River Runner Center were extremely knowledgeable and profession. I wish other businesses would follow suit!!!

Nice store, super selection. Great staff.

Knowledgeable, friendly and just cool af.

The only place well go to get our equipment. The entire staff is very knowledgable, friendly and willing to spend time with you if you have questions.

Love this outfitter store !!! If you have questions, ask for Jesse. He really knows the boats and equipment they sell.

Just had my first experience with River Runner, and left extremely disappointed. My boyfriend was looking to purchase a pair of Chacos, and after standing by the shoes for ten minutes being completely ignored by the employees, we left. The employees seemed to be too busy conversing amongst themselves, and when my boyfriend approached the counter to ask a question of the young girl working, was brushed off without a second look. She actually left the room that we were in, leaving us standing in an empty store having been offered no assistance or even a greeting upon arriving. Will not be back.

Jesse was very knowledgeable and helpful. Led me down the right path and saved me some money. Definitely recommend this place.

Super cool and helpful staff

We decided to rent two paddleboards for the July 4th weekend at Lake Murray. I called and was quoted what I thought was a reasonable price and gave my debit card over the phone, and was assured that they were open until 6 for pick up. Upon checking my bank account the next day, I discovered that the charge run through was $ 50 more than originally quoted. I thought I would address that when returning the boards and it wouldnt be a problem . Boy was I wrong!!! upon returning the boards, I was informed in an extremely unfriendly bordering on rude manner that I was to be charged an additional days rental for returning after 5 - which had never been mentioned previously- and also was charged $100 for superficial gelcoat scratches that they said were incurred during transport. So what I had planned on being a $120 weekend rental turned out to cost 3 times what I had been quoted over $300 for two paddleboards for a weekend. . Beware of these guys!!!

Great curbside service!

Great place to get a kayak

Great prices and genuinely friendly staff.

Great staff very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly.

Like this place they were very helpful i will be back

Stopped for some info. Very nice & helpful staff

Nice supply of canoe & kayak gear

Jess and his crew are awesome

Always knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly

Wonderful service!!!!

Very helpful!

Knowledgeable staff.

Lots of stuff