This is a friendly store with helpful and knowledgeble staff. One of the few places where you can…read moreget outdoor equipment locally and ideal for picking up those pieces needed for when the children go on outings and camping trips. Personally I love their fleeces, which are well made and warm, which is ideal for the winter. It is a shame the store isn't bigger, which would enable them to sell a bigger range of goods, but they do issue a catalogue and I believe they will do their best to locate an item if they don't have it available at the store.

Great range of outdoor clothing and equipment in this store, although it would benefit from being a…read morebit bigger as the range of goods could be better. Although they will order items into store for you if you ask. The staff in there are very helpful and efficient and, in most cases, are also very knowledgable when answering you questions or queries or giving advice. I managed to get most things I needed before I went travelling. Also a handy location in Wycombe town centre.

Large and well-stocked outdoors shop with decent prices. It's actually quite a large chain, owned…read moreby JD Sports, and sells a wide range of well known brands. This store is on the market square just behind the church. It runs the length of the block, and is the largest outdoor store in Kingston. It has a cafe and soft-play area inside. I was on the look-out for a specific knee-high mid-weight sock, which I've been looking for, for ages, and was delighted that they had it in stock. It'll be a regular calling point for me from now on. Reasonably friendly staff, though I only needed to speak to them at the till.

Made a very fruitful stop into Kathmandu a few months back as I was prepping for my first…read moretransatlantic trip with a baby. I came looking for a rucksack. I left with a suitcase with detachable rucksack (a suitcase that can be carried as a rucksack, with arm straps!) and a huge duffel bag to stow the carseat in. I thought the prices to be competitive (the duffel bag only £14!) and the service top notch. The guy helped me with everything, took it to the counter while I looked around, helped me with the Summit Club membership and packaged it all up smoothly so I could get it back to my flat. The Kathmandu items are high quality and have already made many trips. They are durable and sleek, and high performance. Just what I needed. The last thing you want to deal with while traveling (with a baby or not) is crap luggage. Summit club membership is free and gains you access to great deals (most of the deals advertised, so...if you want 'em, you'll sign up). Sign up!

I've always been a bit suspicious of Kathmandu-type stores, due to the fact that I'm the least…read moreoutdoorsy person you could come across. I always believe 'outdoor' stores were specially for extreme snowboarders or wannabe Nepalese-mountain climbers. Boy, was I wrong. Set right next to Spitalfields Market and boasting some rather fit staff, Kathmandu has everything for the civilian to adventurer. Water flasks, jackets, thermals, little key ring things with torches on them, it has it all. I actually found heaps of stuff I wanted to buy - probably more in the way you deck yourself out with designer gym wear after only one visit, to realise you're not quite the gym junkie you thought you would become if in fact you had the correct gear. It was fun anyway.

I must admit, I always thought Cotswold Camping was a bit twee, a bit cheap and a bit middle-aged…read more How wrong I was. This is a big, modern store with clothes and equipment for people of all ages. I was very tempted by their women's clothing, which ranges from outdoor casual to normal casual. It's maybe not the best place for highly technical clothing, but it's great for general hanging around the park type clothing, and fantastic for entertaining bored friends who've been dragged along with no interest whatsoever in the outdoors. Sadly the prices are the same as those for more technical clothing, so I couldn't justify buying one of their pretty skirts. I went to look at tents. They've got a selection of all sorts from lightweight to giant family jobs (for the families of giants, of course), but not a huge amount in each category. There was a very helpful shop assistant who took me outside and helped me assemble 3 tents. He didn't know much more than me about them, but was very polite, honest and keen to help as we fumbled around in high winds. I was especially impressed as he didn't look older than 15.

From the owner: At the Bicester store we are keen to help a variety of people whether it be finding boots for…read moregeneral walks around the local area or preparing your kit for a trek up Kilimanjaro. Our staff will be with you every step of the way to help you find exactly what you're looking for and at the same time making you feel as comfortable as possible and offer varying knowledge from their own experiences. This store is set in a prominent position on the outskirts of the ever growing and developing market town of Bicester. Access is simple with direct access through to London and Birmingham and by passing hotspots such as Silverstone on the A43 and the Heritage Motor Centre, Junction 12 on the M40. There are regular direct links through to London and Oxford by train and coach. Parking is free and there is a selection of other shops available to satisfy your shopping needs including a delightful cafe and restaurant with an adjacent indoor play facility for the younger explorers.

Ironically, this ugly warehouse-style building by the side of an urban road contains everything you…read moreneed to enjoy the great outdoors. It's recently been taken over and the new manager is really friendly and has introduced some new ranges, so it's well worth a visit. As the name suggests, the focus is on outdoors clothing and equipment, so expect fleeces, walking trousers, raincoats and walking boots. There's also a good range of camping equipment, ranging from tents to caravan gear, camping stove and dubious looking mountain food. Think Millets, but bigger. If you're not used to outdoor shops, it's great fun looking at the gadgets like 'sporks' (half spoon, half fork) and 'platypuses' (water bladders in backpacks with a giant straw). If you are used to outdoor shops, you'll be bound to find something here. I must confess to being a bit of an outdoors snob, but there are some really good bargains here, especially with waterproofs, and you can't go wrong with generic camping bits and bobs. There's even a new and improved rock climbing section with all the basics. It's probably the best place for rock shoes and harnesses in the area and the manager can give some very useful advice. There are sections for fishing, running, cycling and even skiing, and whilst this is in no way a specialist shop for any of them, it's big enough to have a reasonable range of basic items to satisfy the enthusiast's immediate needs. Go and buy lots of fun gadgets and look forward to your holidays, when living in a tent suddenly seems like such a fun idea.

A great place if you like the outdoors as the name implies. They have a great range of products and…read morealso offer a price match policy and they honour it. They offer a discount if you purchase one of there discount cards and it can amount to considerable saving for just £4.00 per year.

Army surplus shops are sadly a dying breed but this is a great survivor…read more It's small but they pack in loads of stock including new and surplus army gear (everything from jackets to gloves) as well as camping and outdoor equipment. They have a small but good range of boots. There's also a small counter selling army and camping knives and air rifles. Staff and knowledgeable and friendly. Recommended.

Attention ,march in and get your gear here! Many people do .read more

It's a really weird place for an army surplus store, near all the big retail DIY places, but what…read morefun to look round! It's a bit daunting as a rather nosy female, as there are lots of military and tattooed types who look like they're supplying their own personal army, but it's well worth a look. If you're not familiar with surplus stores, they're basically leftover army kit being sold off cheap. It's usually really good quality, but not the most attractive (think green, sand and camo colours) or necessarily the most luxurious. If, for some reason, you like looking like a soldier, the clothes are really good. Incidentally, they're tough enough to be good for gardening and lots of outdoor sports. There's never much for women though. I find it most useful for getting outdoor equipment like drinks bottles and camping kit. It's all really tough and you know it'll do the job as people's lives depend on it. Have a browse on Ebay for army surplus if you want more of an idea what there is before you make the journey out to visit the store.

Just wanted to say how disappointed I am with this store. I personally haven't visited it but my…read morebrother has and bought some boots. When he got home he found they weren't a matching pair. He went back to the store and no exchange or refund was given so that was money wasted and someone else out there has an odd pair too! Not a good way to treat your customers.