I reckon I can count on one hand the number of good outdoor gear stores in Brisbane and this is…read moredefinitely one of them. It has the best trekking gear and although I'm more of a couch potato Trekkie than mountain climbing trekker, I bought a great pair of boots for a trip three years ago that are still going strong. Outdoor junkies like my mountain climbing cousins don't mind paying the fairly high prices for the expert gear, but I'll wait for the sales thanks. It's well worth it, with lots of stock between a third and half off regular prices at mid-year and in the new year.

My dad requires outdoor gear for his job and so growing up, I'd always get dragged along to stores…read morelike Columbia or Mountain Designs. Even now, he may invite me for coffee in the Valley, we'd end up walking and talking and before I know it, I'm inside Mountain Designs. This is the only way to go 'shopping' with dad, is if you take him to the only stores he likes. If it's not electronics, its outdoor gear. And if it's not Columbia is Mountain Design. Mountain Design is the Valley is quite the store. It isn't big like Anaconda, but it has most of the clothing required for different environments. Whether you need something for below 0 temperatures, which my dad does, you can find it here. There are plenty of different styles of shoes to suit difficult terrain and they've got the good insulation socks to prevent you from frostbite. Mountain Design also stock some seriously insulated snow jackets, which can only be found at reputable stores like this in the Valley. Also, if you regularly buy clothing here, it is worth signing up to their Alliance Club so you can take advantage of some good discounts.

If you need anything at all to do with rock climbing or mountaineering, Pinnacle is the place to…read morego. Information, instruction, equipment, perhaps an expedition to Mt Everest, they have it all. The guys at Pinnacle have years of experience climbing and trekking and are keen to share their love of climbing with anyone who walks in the door. Their rock climbing courses are great for beginners and more advanced climbers wanting to develop their skills. They do them down at Kangaroo Point, Brisbane's famed outdoor rockclimbing cliffs and they start from around $300 for a six-week course. The best thing about the courses is that everyone who does one is able to come along to the free social climbing events Pinnacle puts on every week, usually down at the cliffs. They're great for keeping up your climbing skills and meeting other people with a love of climbing. They also have all the equipment you could ever need for climbing and trekking and the expertise to help you put together your own kit.

From the owner: Pinnacle Sports specialise in everything Rock Climbing!…read more Equipment: We offer a huge range of rock climbing abseiling and mountaineering equipment at great prices. Adventures: Pinnacle Sports can take you climbing locally and overseas - our guide have nationally recognised training and will provide you with a great experience. Training: Want to know how to set up your own ropes or get out of a dangerous situation? Pinnacle offers training to a nationally recognised level starting at a beginner level through to an advanced level. Industrial: Pinnacle has a huge range of industrial roping equipment.

Gosh. It's big…read more Massive store, full of Stuff. Plenty of camping and fishing gear, including clothing. Lots of tents set up with mattresses and the like inside too, so you can have a lie down and check out how it feels, or, if you're tall, find out if you have to crouch in the tent or not. They sell bicycles too, and have a bicycle service centre. Canoes and associated paraphernalia.. really, if you can do it outdoors, you'll probably find the gear you're after here. Even rock climbing gear; which is fortuitous seeing as they have a rock climbing wall in the store too. They have special members prices if you sign up, which can save you a bit of cash, and quite often some great sales too, so if you're not in a hurry for the gear, you can wait until it gets a nice chunky discount.

I would not even give these guys 1 star. Customer service is non-existent. Being brand new to…read moreclimbing I decided to go to the nearest real climbing shop, where I should receive expert advice. I spent time with an assistant, who sized me and sold me a fantastic shoe. I pointed out at the time that I found the shoes tight and painful to wear and was told they would give and become more comfortable, I just needed to wear them in. Over the next 2 weeks I wore them a couple of times at my climbing gym, but found them more crippling the more I wore them. I took them back to the shop and was resized by another expert, who recommended a full size and a half bigger but had no authority to replace the shoes for me. The following two weeks I was led on a journey of discontent and frustration by the owner of K2 who wanted a post mortem to understand what went wrong. This resulted in me being invited to spend more of my personal time in the store only to be insulted, accused of lying and intimidated before being offered, his final conclusion of me purchasing a second pair of identical shoes from K2 in the appropriate size. He also suggested to recoup the cost of the original pair I should sell the ill fitting shoes in the newspaper. In conclusion, avoid K2 at all costs- there are plenty of alternatives close by.

I wandered into Anaconda on a whim after an IKEA expedition and was blown away by how giant the…read morestore was and the extensive range of outdoor gear and clothes they had to offer. From kayaks, to sleeping bags, to hiking shoes, Anaconda was an adventure land of camping gear. What I was most pleased about was their range of swimwear. I've just gotten into swimming recently and I've been having trouble finding a basic, black one-piece for under $100. At Anaconda, I swooped in on a pair of sleek, TYR swimmers for $50 and got a complimentary pair of TYR goggles as part of a giveaway. My brother has just joined the SES and he picked up a knife and compass. The total for both products would have been over $35, but somehow he picked up both for under $16. (Christmas sales!) I'd recommend swinging by Anaconda just before Christmas, because chances are you'll bag yourself an unexpected bargain. Or just go to browse the warehouse-sized store itself - you'll be sure to find something interesting.

Am I an outdoorsy person? To an extent, but I'd never fully act on it and go out and buy me some…read moreadventure ready outfits or gear. I ended up coming here on a last minute decision to look at something for my dad. Prior to this, I've never been, although I've always made the effort to go to IKEA next door. When I walked in, I was completely shocked at the enormity of the establishment. I mean, it was massive! Under this one roof they have absolutely everything to do with camping and adventure gear. If I could be frank, this place actually can inspire one to become an outdoorsy person. There is so many products and adventure equipment, it gets my heart racing and pumped to get into it. I want to ride bikes, go fishing, go hiking and even something basic, like running. They've got you covered. I particularly love the range of bikes they have here. It's not too expensive and they look great. However, I've found they always run out of the bike I want whenever I'm ready to buy... Hmmf. The staff here are fantastic! They helped us find what we were looking for and chatted to us about the product, it's benefits, their experience using it. They were really informative and genuinely good with customers. This is a one stop shop for the adventure gear, for sure!