Great one stop shop for pretty much all major out door activities. Good range of equiptment, well…read morepriced and helpful staff on hand to assist you. They have a cycle surgery for maintainance and repairs to bikes. Good range of footwear and kit for the snow. It's a good idea to call ahead should you be after something specific just to check it's in stock.

I am changing the review to one star. It already happened at least two times, when something is…read morewrong with the product, but according to store manager it's ok (in one of the cases I was able to get money back from the manufacturer). So, according to Blacks manager of the store it's perfectly fine when water bottles are falling out of rucksack on somebody's head. While this store is closing, I have no doubt Blacks will re-employ this wonderful understanding woman.

There are just so many outdoor-type shops on Deansgate, it's an absolute miracle that they all…read moremanage to stay in business? How do they do it? There must be at least six or seven. Ridiculous. Anyway, Blacks is absolutely similar to the rest of them. On the ground floor is where you'll find all the expensive but amazingly waterproof hiking jackets. Not even an ocean of water could get through these heavily gortexed items. Unfortunately, for protection like this you're going to have to pay for it to, and a jacket from Blacks could set you back as much as £200. This is serious clobber for serious hiking action. They do have some cheaper options, you'll just have to search a bit for them. Just like all the other outdoor stores on Deansgate, Blacks has a humungous basement which is where they stock all of their speciality outdoor pursuit gear. Like climbing equipment, hiking boots and camping stuff. This is an excellent shop, but just as excellent as all the other outdoor shops around this area.

Ellis Brigham is located in Castlefield and sells equipment for outdoor sports. Although it covers…read moregear for climbing, hiking etc; it's main stock is Ski and Snowboard equipment. It sells everything from Skis and Ski boots to gloves, scarfs and hats. Ellis Brigham only stocks the most high quality brands and names such as The North Face, Solomon etc and for this reason is not cheap. It has a Ski boot fitting service where they will heat mould your ski boots to your feet; something every goos skier should have done. If Ski gear is what you're after and you know a lot about Skiing then here is your place. If your a first timer on the slopes it probaly isn't worth the investment of your time or money.

The team at Ellis Brigham is top notch, especially the service staff. Not only do they tweak…read moreill-fitting boots etc. but they do it with a smile and usually on the same day. Nothing is too much trouble! I admit that I tend to go to Ellis Brigham off season in order to miss the crowds in January / February. But the atmosphere in the store couldn't be more relaxed and the staff are always knowledgeable and friendly.

I've always been an NHS girl. What's the point in paying for something privately that you could…read morehave done for free? So, it was only as a last resort that I decided to go to a private travel clinic. I'd had a bad NHS experience which involved a rude nurse who didn't have the injections I needed and was going on holiday for 2 weeks meaning that I couldn't get them before I was due to go away. So, I googled 'Manchester travel clinic' and gave the first hit a call. That was Nomad, and I wasn't disappointed. The staff were all so friendly and helpful right from the lady who let me choose the time and day of my appointment on the phone (I chose a Saturday afternoon so I wouldn't have to take more time off work to get jabs) to the lady who gave me my injections. I'm not scared of being jabbed by needles, but if you are then I would definitely recommend coming here as the staff will make you feel comfortable and relaxed. It's the small touches that count, such as giving you a call to remind you of your appointment or turning on the air conditioning for you if you're looking hot and flustered. I didn't buy anything from the shop itself, as I'm sure most things can be found cheaper elsewhere, but it is a nicely laid out and well-stocked shop with all the travel gear you could dream of, from walking boots to water purification tablets. I'm only knocking off a star due to the above average prices.

I have booked a last minute trip to Bali and the waiting list to see a nurse at my doctors was…read moreridiculous. Therefore, i chose to go to Nomad for my travel vaccinations and they were able to book me in the following day. I wasn't sure of which vaccinations I needed and I also didn't know if I was able to have them due to my endless list of allergies. The nurses were very patient and thoroughly investigated the ingredients of each vaccine. The nurse I saw (Alice) even phoned the pharmacist and asked another nurse to have a look at the vaccines just to be 110% sure. All vaccines apart from the rabies were approved but a second nurse came into the room whilst I had them just to be on the safe side. I then had to wait until the nurses heard back about the rabies vaccine. My next appointment was booked in with Danielle. I changed my appointment so many times (because we hadn't heard back from the vaccine distributor) and I also had a million questions every time I phoned up. Danielle was always so friendly, informative and understanding. Id just like to thank all the nurses and staff at Nomad for making me feel extra safe and delivering exceptional care!

This is a great shop for all your outdoor and winter clothing. It sells clothing suitable for…read morecamping, skiing, other winter sports nd hiking. It is a unique brand and the quality of their products are very high. It also sells, waterproof clothing, bags, hiking boots as well as accessories such as torches and pen knives. They stock both men and womens clothing as well as a small childrens section. Its a small shop but they have plenty of stuff inside and also offer some great sales every so often!

good stock but i can never manage to find something i like trulyread more

I needed some gear for a camping holiday, the prices were way better than for standard camping gear…read moreand the quality looked very impressive. I for one will be back!

The lettering on the windows of New Cross Army Surplus suggest the shop stocks clothing and…read moreequipment for Camping, Hiking and Survival. I bet you a tenner however, that their most regular customers are more likely to be students looking for bargain priced army jackets than adventurers planning trips into the wilderness. For those that like to spend their weekends alone in the middle of nowhere however, the shop sells everything from rucksacks, sleeping bags and cooking stoves to balaclavas, camaflouge trousers and army helmets. In true Deliverance style, they also sell torches, rope and pen knives.

Animal is a very popular surf brand popular with young people. As well as their mens and womens…read moreclothing range they sell a range of accessories, watches and luggage. The store is quite small but it is set out with a beach theme which is great. Animal stuff is really good quality, i'm a particular fan of their luggage and handbags, they aren't really cheap, but in sale season you can pick up a bargain, i got a handbag which was reduced to £4.99 from £19.99 which is cracking! Clothing again isnt cheap, but the material is a high quality, its another case of you get what you pay for.

If, like me, you end up leaving buying essential holiday stuff until not long before you fly off,…read morethen having winter sports stores relatively close by always helps. Those who've been skiing before will know that it's an incredibly expensive activity at the best of times, so I'd advise not to buy new outfits and equipment until you're sure you a) love the snow/cold b) are ok with falling down a lot and c) will repeat this in future years. Beg and borrow from friends and family first if you can! If you're a keen winter holidayer and are ready to treat yourself to something like new ski trousers, or 'salopettes' to use their proper name, then you can't go wrong with S + R. It's located inside the entrance walkway to the Chill Factore, sharing the space with other stores such as Subvert (for snowboarders) and The North Face. They have two levels, with the upper one for ski equipment and the ground floor for clothing, jackets and accessories such as headgear, hats, gloves and goggles. Most of the better-known snowsports brands are in there so you know you're getting quality goods. They stock women's, men's and children's clothing. The staff were really helpful, dashing off to locate the keys for the fitting rooms and checking their stock inventory for a particular pair I was after. Great customer service. Tip: recommend shopping here during the off-season months if you can and not during winter like I had to do, as you might grab a bargain.

I quite like this shop, as it offers a selection of hiking goods for all price ranges. To get a…read morediscount, you need to own a membership card, which you can buy for 5 pounds. The staff is generally helpful, however, I think I was unlucky, as one of them told me that one very expensive jacket is good for winter, however, after I bought it, I realised out that it was not nearly enough for a cold time of the year and is more suitable for summer or mid season most, and for that I'm taking off two stars. The shop has also online site, where you can check the stock, availability and prices. However, don't overtly rely on that either - as after I checked the jacket I liked was present at the shop just before I left, it appeared to be missing at the shop. The shop assistant said they must have sold out! As I don't live far it's not really a problem, but it might be worth reserving the goods online first if you are coming a long way.

there is a great selection of goods to choose from and prices are okread more

Manchester is surrounded by so much amazing countryside, with the great expanse of the Peak…read moreDistrict just a few miles away. It figures that there should be some serious outdoor shops in Manchester's city centre. At first, you would think Cotswold was just a place to buy well made and nice-looking hiking jackets, jumpers and fleeces. If you go beyond the small ground floor you'll soon find that there's an expanse of gear to be found in the basement and on the first floor. Downstairs in the basement, they stock professional climbing gear with helmets, karabiners and ropes all on display. They've got a great selection of maps and videos as well. Upstairs is the place to buy a force-10 gale storm proof tent, if that's what you need. On the stairs down to the basement I found a couple of notice boards, where staff had posted pictures and info about themselves and the outdoor activities they specialised in. It was a nice touch and goes a long way to prove that Cotswold is all about getting out and having real fun in the outdoors with great hiking and climbing gear to do it with.

Home from home, split over 3 floors Cotswold is one of my favourite places. With a good mix of…read moreevery bit of outdoor kit you could need and friendly staff who will endure to go into minor detail of the pros and cons of a variety of equipment. The basement has all your clothes, boots, climbing harnesses, DVDs (I'm just listing equipment). Additionally Cotswold invests time in its clients; because of this you have 20% discounts for university climbing members and the lark. All very nice of them. If you listen to recent weather reports anyway it would seem that alpine clothing is going to see a sharp rise in purchases. Long live Cotswold that's what I say.