Robinson's Outdoors is exactly the kind of independent shop that reminds you why local stores still…read morematter. The staff were genuinely friendly, approachable, and--most importantly--knowledgeable. They actually took the time to answer questions and make sure I understood what I was looking at, instead of just pointing me to a shelf. You get the sense they really know their gear and care about helping you make the right choice. Sure, you can buy outdoor stuff on Amazon, but you're not going to get any level of service. There's real value in being able to talk to someone who's an expert and can guide you properly. Overall, an amazing experience--I'll definitely be back.

I love visiting Robinson when in Victoria. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. The…read moreselection of gear is top notch, this past visit I got some Smartwool leggings. I am always happy to support and give my dollar to local businesses that encourage people to get outside!

This was our first time here in Victoria British Columbia. We decided to check out this place full…read moreof sporting and camping equipment. MEC is a membership store it only costs $5 to join. The "WASHROOM" as it's called over here was clean. There's a large selection of everything you could possibly need for camping, biking, hiking and backpacking. It is an interesting place to visit and browse. My husband is very interested in cycling. He got on the demo Tacx bike which generates power and is an interactive game which you ride in competitions in famous locations like Central Park. As my husband rode a crowd gathered to watch and cheer. He was riding hard, shifting gears and working up a sweat!! He was not in his riding outfit or clip on shoes, but he rode quite a distance and was ready to buy if we weren't so far from home. The price is a huge factor. Our son briefly tried out the Tacx bike and thought it was awesome.

I have shopped at a number of MEC locations over the years and this one seems a bit more cramped…read morethan the others. The shoe area is certainly tight. No worries. I love every MEC store and I've been a member since the 90s so I can never leave without buying something. Indeed, while others were scooping up deals on clearance merchandise -- this store was packed with people -- my two items were full price. Darn. I still left happy.

DO NOT SHOP HERE…read more This store has the worst customer service and treats their customers badly. Even their own employees do not suggest shopping there. My friend bought a pair of googles and were told they were legit and were cheap, fake lookalikes. I have tried to buy a knife from them and I am on my second replacement and it came broken out of the box, now they are accusing me of breaking the knife. Bottom line, take your buissnes else where. Go to Dragon Impact, great peole, better prices and they don't sell fake and broken items

The reason I am giving this store 2 stars is only because the manager(s) whom I dealt with are…read moregreat in their own category. The current manager Anton & former manager Aiden have been very helpful to my husband and I. I am writing this review because people who walk into this store with no knowledge are basically snickered at and made fun of as they end up leaving the store, I personally heard this on 3 Occasions and I had mentioned to my hubby that that was not professional. The biggest "Customer Beware" is the man working there named Dennis who is just the most condescending and flat out biggest bull sh**ter when it comes to his "Knowledge" of these $400+ guns.... My hubby had a shop in a different province and he just stood back and listened to the jargon coming out of his mouth that was not even accurate. One of the customers at the time was bringing back a airsoft gun that he had worked on and no longer works. So frustrating! I do not make it a habit in anyway to post these type of things., but even his coworkers have the mindset to let Dennis say his thing. Needless to say, we did not, and will not buy from this store in Victoria.

I wanted to post about Karsten and Cameron's work at the new Valhalla Pure Outfitters (VPO) in…read moredowntown Victoria. Karsten at VPO mounted skis for me last week at the end of May (!). His work is excellent. It's hard to get good ski service in Victoria, and Karsten went out of his way to get a rig. I've also gotten great help from Cameron at the same store. Besides the staff, the Victoria's VPO has an excellent, concentrated selection of climbing gear. It's the store you would get if hard climbers (that were moderate gear nerds) were told to fill out a garage. Compared to a big Vancouver and Seattle store, the floor space is small. But the careful attention on selection shows, and gives the store a compact, useful character.

Sitka was established in 2002 and now features a nice selection of men's and women's clothing, a…read moreskateboard line and a full quiver of surfboards to stand up to any condition. The name Sitka itself derives from the mighty Sitka Spruce, a tree naturally drawn to the rugged shorelines of Western Canada and Alaska. Gayle's first reaction when we walked in was - "Aren't we a little "old" for this place?" Actually we are, but it was the wood-enhanced architecture within this historic building and something inside that screamed Portlandia! that drew me in. It's a nice little shop and worth a visit if you want to hang ten, or drop even more than that in Loonies.

Sitka store in Victoria is a great surf/skate shop that sells the Sitka (from Victoria, BC) brand…read morealong with other skate brands such as Lifetime and many others. This store features typical west-coast design (extensive use of wood), the staff is knowledgeable of the product and the location of the store is easy to find and central within central Victoria.

We had a great experience at the Victoria store. My wife has very hard to fit feet, different…read moresizes, bunions and orthotics. Nathan helped her with a foot scan, then patiently helped her in to various models and widths until she found just the right pair. He really was knowledgable and went out of his way to make sure she got the right shoes.

Aidan, you helped me find the shoes of my dreams. I wasnt sure what style I was after but I knew I…read morewanted New Balances. Aidan helped me pick out different shoes that suited 'the vibe' I was going for. He offered pristine fashion advice, he was a pleasant conversationalist and went above and beyond in ordering New Balances in for me! I can't wait to pick them up and to shake hands with this employee. I bet they're an aquarius, so you already know they have good vibes. NB is lucky to have an employee like Aidan *thumbs up emoji*