Walking into Kathmandu made me feel both warm and cozy, and ready for adventure. Coming in from the…read moresnow to see fleece, down, wind- and waterproof coats; hats, scarves and mittens; and thick, comfy sleeping bags made me feel immediately warmer. (Plus, of course, the heat was on.) The shop has a few different post-holiday sales going on. Much of the clothing has been marked down - thermals are on at 2 for £24, for example, and some of the footwear has been reduced by 30%. The most interesting items to look through - and those making me crave an adventure - were the travel accessories, at a 3 for 2 mix and match offer. Kathmandu has pretty much anything you could need for an outdoor or international adventure: pocket knives, tent pegs, first aid kits, thermoses and water bottle, sleeping mats (some inflatable), rucksacks of varying sizes, microfiber towels and tonnes of Lonely Planet books. They also offer some luxury items, like travel speakers, for instance. This is definitely a good place to start if you're in the market for travel gear - it'll probably carry everything you need.

Brighton is home to probably every shop that has ever been conceived, so it is no surprise this…read moreGunsmith can be found down in the heart of the city. Unsurprisingly you'll no longer find actual guns here, but you can buy a selection of air guns, ranging in price from £30 to well over £1000. Having opened up in the 19th century, C&H Weston is steeped in history, so it is certainly worth a visit. If you like strange tat then you'll be delighted to know they sell giant ornamental pieces like Owls and Magpies.

Blacks' sign claims it's the expert outdoors shop. I can't vouch for the skill level, but the…read moreselection of outdoorsy items is quite impressive. The first floor contains camping gear: tents, sleeping bags and rucksacks of various sizes. The ground floor is loaded with winter wear: ski jackets, gloves and mitts, hats and scarves...All of high quality to keep you warm and cosy. However, I was having the most fun looking at the wall of accessories. Lanterns, torches (that don't need batteries), inflatable pillows, thermal mugs and water bottles. The highlight was a thermal-coffee-mug-SLASH-HAND-WARMER! Wowy. Now that's what technology should be used for. Warm inside and out. So - if you're looking to do something outside, Blacks will have all necessary equipment.

I've been here a couple of times recently to get some last minute bits for festivals…read more I'm going to a festival next week (last minute thing) and realised I am without a tent! I thought I would go to Blacks and have a look to see whats on offer then see if I could find cheaper online. I don't have too much money to spare, and I'm not fussed about the size of tent, so I managed to find a 2 man pop up tent for £25. The staff members were more than happy to show me how big the tent is when set up, and it was quite comical to see them trying to pack it back down again, when a more experienced member of staff managed to do it very easily! All the staff involved were very helpful.

It's very strange when you go past a shop almost on a regular basis but never even really give it…read moretwo looks, then go in, and realise it's really damn good. That's exactly what I did today. I was on the search for a good quality Snowboard kinda jacket, water and wind proof, durable and warm. I had been all over Brighton looking for one of these, and couldn't quite find one that met my specific requirements, which were so specific that I don't think even I knew them. All of this ended though walking into Surf and Ski. The range of proper old person practical skiing gear, as well as cool, fashionable snowboarding stuff is really quality and varied. Bonfire, The North Face and Icepeak are among the labels that I spotted, and whether your looking for something quite garish, or simple, expensive or cheap(er), I could not recommend this place enough. The lady who owns the shop is a really sweet woman, who really helped me out in a genuine and kind way, spending a lot of time with me, explaining the coat I was looking at in great detail, from the little inside pockets, to how they make the lining. She really knew her stuff, and was, as she said a 'Ski Nut'. There is also Hardware upstairs for skiing and snowboarding, for those who can and do,actually use it.

This surf and ski shop looks like it's made of snow, you can't miss it. I recently got into skiing…read moreso now every time I pass one of these stores I can't help but look inside and this one, set over two levels, has a large inventory of every kind of equipment you could need. This includes my favourite ski brand K2, and some really gorgeous ski suits (I really need to update in this department, my snowboarding brother refuses to be seen on the mountain with me). That being said, the only thing I've bought in here is a North Face rucksack. In fact, their whole camping and outdoors section of the shop is definitely worth a visit if you don't frequent the piste and the staff are extremely helpful if you don't know what you're looking for.

Tog 24 is a strange line of clothes. For as long as I can remember the shop has been around, and…read moreI've seen people wear Tog 24 clothes, but it's never really been that cool has it. I've never been into a Tog 24, and to be honest I kind of forgot that the shop was still going, but it was, and to prove it I walked in. The clothes on sale vary between actual sailing, hiking, adventure type gear, with enough Gore Tex to cover the whole Marina from the current torrential winter rain, and fashion(esque) type stuff. Jackets in this range, are pretty simple and practical looking, but also quite nice, though at £200 your gonna have to really want it. The more fashionable stuff, seems a little bit too garish, or just simply a bit ugy in my opinion. Stick to the Gore Tex Tog 24

I went here to look for a tent today, oddly this Millets semms to have mainly camping clothes…read moreinside. It's a bit stuffy in there so I didn't want to stay in there for too long. I ended up buying a blow up mattress and foot pump. The staff were very smiley and cheerful which was nice! I didn't get a tent, but I was happy with the service!

This Millets is predominantly full of camping clothing - e.g. fleeces, anoraks, cagoules -,…read morewellington boots, sleeping bags, tents, and camping accessories, such as outdoor cooking equipment, water storage devices and the like. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and they've never disappointed me whenever I've needed their help or had an enquiry regards a certain item. Prices are reasonable.

Aston Bourne is a clothes store specialising in that rugged outdoor look that brings to mind images…read moreof Landrovers and hikers. There's a host of more conventional clothing as well, such as shirts and the like and the quality of products is pretty good. I was surprised to see clothing that seemed (on first glance) to be designed for Prince Charles that actually looked trendy. The small store packs plenty in too, so you don't just end up looking at one trendy cap, but a plethora of different styles and designs. The major stumbling block for me however, was the price... While I can imagine spending a lot of money on a really good Jacket, I'm not sure I'd spend 200 or so £££ on one. But if you're looking for something thats going to last you a long time and look cool while its doing it, its certainly worth casting your eye across their website, and maybe popping even into the store to have a look in person.

Aston Bourne couldn't fulfill an online order and it took me THREE emails and TWO phone calls to…read morethem over 11 days to find out the item was not even in stock, though was at time of purchase and now also discontinued too, spoiling my chance of purchasing elsewhere at a competitive price, had I known sooner. Not a very satisfactory online shopping experience for me and most likely wont use them again, largely due to the lackadaisical communication. I think I would still be waiting to hear something had I not contacted them .

Everything about my experience in White Stuff was ... soft. Soft music playing, soft styles,…read moreclothing made from soft materials like wool and cashmere. Most tops were long and flowing, paired with suit coats or vests to add a bit of a professional tweak. There were a few pairs of jeans, but most trousers were of the dressy variety. Sale racks were off to one side, offering cheaper versions of the soft, flowing styles. Most of the shoppers were women 40 and over, although the shop does offer some men's selections as well. Several men were in the shop, but waiting patiently, probably soothed by the soft music. It made for a very relaxing shopping experience, despite the store being quite busy.

I quite like this branch of White Stuff and I usually exit with a lighter purse. Not being a…read moremassive shopper, I like to get in and out quickly, so this is usually a safe bet if I need an addition to my wardrobe. I like the layout and the location, and the staff are friendly but not too overbearing. Clothes are good quality and long lasting, if a little predictable in their styling, but I like their prints and the fit seems to suit me. Get on their email list and get invitations to their discount days. Normally 20% off everything, and everyone like a bargain, right? Also, they offer free drinks and nibbles on these days - a glass of wine may loosen the purse strings but its makes for a far more enjoyable shopping experience!