John Monod arrived in Banff from Switzerland in 1947. His only possessions: ski gear, a Swiss watch, 5 bucks in cash, and most importantly, his knowledge of skiing. In 1949, he leased a small wooden cabin, at Sunshine Lodge (now known as Sunshine Village) and set up a small ski shop. Just as he had done in Chamonix, he built his business around ski guiding & ski instruction for guests of the lodge, and after skiing he would open his shop and introduce his clients to an inventory of high-quality skis, boots, bindings & skins which were imported by him, from Europe, for his shop only. Word quickly spread when people found out how well his gear worked compared to their own and a big demand followed. Monod Sports was on its way. It did not matter to what length he had to go to get the right goods for his shop, he only wanted the best and we still follow this practise today.

Johnny Monod's reputation as a top skier, instructor and ski retailer was quickly becoming legendary in Canada so in 1954, he expanded his business to include a retail location in downtown Banff which included, in addition to the ski school at Sunshine, a retail shop and ski school at Mount Norquay (located near the town of Banff). His ski schools played a big role in his business, and it was said that between the mid 1950's and mid 1960's John Monod and his ski schools taught over 50,000 people how to ski.

In 1982 John's sons Phil, Peter & Nick stepped in and took the business to a total of 6 retail and 3 ski/snowboard rental outlets, including Unlimited (UNLTD) snowboard (& mountain bike) shop, a snowboard school, a windsurfing school & a guided fly-fishing operation. The brothers had learned the intricacies of direct import from their father and travelled to Europe twice a year to find high quality mountaineering products. They were the first to introduce previously unknown brands into the Canadian market: Dynafit, Hanwag, Pomoca, Pieps, Ortovox, Edelrid, Millet, Cassin, DMM, Chouinard, Berghaus, and many more. It would be years before another retailer would also start selling these brands.

In 1989, Monod Sports purchased and renovated the Banff Café on 129 Banff Avenue and became a nationally recognized award-winning store. As the 90's progressed, the Monod brothers decided to discontinue their other locations including ski schools & ski rentals, to focus on a 'Stay small & strong' philosophy. This strategy proved effective as Monod Sports thrived & outlasted competitors and even some suppliers. Although today, the store still offers the best brands the outdoor industry has to offer, the early to mid 80's saw the beginning of the end for direct importing and by 1990, most European factories had been shut down, unable to compete with the growing number of factories in China.

The Monod "concept" of excellence in service and products that began in 1949, was a mantra to the brothers. Because of this philosophy, we do not have multiple outlets. If you want to see our legendary store, you have to come visit us in Banff. Our concept is based on sticking to just one very good shop and staffing it with knowledgable staff who have immediate access to the mountains to use and test the products they sell.

After over 75 years in the business, the legacy has been passed on once again. This time, 3rd generation co-owners, Nic and Matt Monod carry on the Monod tradition of quality mountain gear and specialized service. In addition to being experts in skiing & ski mountaineering, both are enthusiastic participants in all sorts of outdoor pursuits.

Monod Sports continues to be the one stop shop for premium mountain goods in the Canadian Rockies. Our product selection is handpicked every season to best cater to the Banff lifestyle.

If you are ever in Banff, we encourage you to come by our store and experience what we believe to be an iconic mountain shop.