Sports Direct sell a huge range of sports clothing, footwear and equipment. I called in today (15…read moreMay 2016) and was surprised at how busy it was for a Sunday. It's a well laid out store covering two floors and I spotted the 'Go Walk Memory Foam Sketchers' I wanted straight away. A helpful Sales Assistant was available immediately to get my size so I could try them on and she took my shoes to the counter for me so I could purchase them. With a 30% off sale, speedy service, a great selection of items and because I was literally in and out of the store within 10 minutes, I have to classify my shopping experience in Sports Direct as perfect.

Sports directs always has the biggest sports clothing range around…read more Can get things for great value.or you can also pay extra here if you don't compare around. It annoys me that you can never reach the things on the high rails. There are also not many staff around to help with this or shoe sizes etc. Also the changing rooms are usually locked. On top of that a lot of the stuff is my on the correct rails. So you have to hoke lots.

I must sheepishly admit that I didn't even know of the existence of this shop until number one son…read morejoined a cub troop and needed a uniform. So off I set and was amazed to find a large modern shop stocked to the rafters with uniforms for squirrels, beavers, cubs and scouts. They also sell general outdoor and walking equipment, camping gear and wet suits. The majority of the clothes and equipment belong to a world I find quite alien (walking through choice? And not because you have to? What's that all about?) but even I could tell that there is a huge range of sturdy looking coats and boots and back packs. When I went in, I was served quickly and efficiently by a knowledgeable sales assistant and was in and out within minutes with all the stuff I needed. I also made an impulse buy at the till - one of those little hand warmer packets which I tried out on Saturday while watching number two son playing rugby. What a good mummy I am.

From the outside the Scout Shop looks as if it's exclusively for Scouts but in fact it caters more…read morewidely and includes outdoor, walking and ski gear for other age groups too. The prices seem to be pretty reasonable for rucksacks and walking boots at least, those are the items I noticed in particular. Personally I bought some much needed new gum boots, not very citified or cool, but for me essential for country visits! As you would hope to find at a scout shop, there is a satisfactory selection of traditional camping gear such as torches, cooking utensils, bottles of camping gas and enamel dishes which almost inspires me to plan a camping trip, mad as it may seem to some people.

Great to have a new sports hop in town. So many of the them have closed over the last few years…read more Good they are on the rise. Lots of range in spots brands. And a great choice of women's sports clothes. Which is good compare to the likes of JD sports etc. Though the gear is all very expensive. You can buy it well cheaper elsewhere.

This is a fantastic store full of gym gear and trainers for every sporting need. Loads of gym…read moreaccessories and advice from the staff. Big selection of football boots and strips. Also a huge selection of sports fashion wear like tracksuits and hoodies. Store is big, bright and clean.

This is a superb shop for all things out doors. I went in looking for a specific size of gas…read morebottle. The sales assistant told me exactly where it should be. I duly went to the location (upstairs) but Al's it wasn't the one I wanted. However saw some amazing equipment and merchandise. Definitely a goto place for outdoor gear!!

Cotswold outdoor is a retailer of outdoor clothing and equipment including footwear, casual…read moreclothing and waterproofs. Similar to the Outdoor Store also on the Boucher Road, it has a great range of products to add to the customer's dilemma of exactly which items they should choose for the job. If you're planning a trek to the great North Pole or a similar camping trip with the family, this store will have all you need from sleeping bags to back packs. If you're a novice with the whole equipment malarkey this shop may send you over the edge with its technical jargon.

SS Moore is as much part of the Belfast landscape as The City Hall itself. For as long as I can…read moreremember it's been there. This is no accident or fluke, you need to be on top of your game to hang on to such a prized retail location and these guys have been. SS Moore specialize in real quality sports equipment and wear. This is the first place I visit when I need a new pair of football boots because I know the staff are knowledgeable and will provide a genuine insight in to your purchase. This was the case yesterday, I went in with the aim of getting a pair of football boots with thicker leather and while I was caressing (that makes it sound creepy) the various boots on display a helpful member of staff approached me and asked what I was looking for (or maybe it was 'what are you doing!?'). When I told him my plight he brought me out a whole host of boots that had thicker leather, unfortunately none of them were in my size! That's my only tiny niggle with SS Moore, they don't have a huge stock and tend to sell out quickly. If you're looking for regional sports kits like Linfield, The Ulster Rugby Team or the Belfast Giants Ice Hockey Jersey this is one of the few places, excluding the official shops, that you can get them. There aren't many better sports shops around in my opinion - if you're looking for something specific or niche make SS Moore's your first stop.

SS Moore is an Athletics Store right across the road from Belfast's City Hall. So it has a prime…read morelocation within the city. Unlike most other sports stores, which just deal in replica football shirts and clothes that make you look suspicious on a street corner. SS Moore sales sports equipment for a wide range of sports, both mainstream and the smaller sports. Their staff have a great knowledge of the equipment they sell and will always help you make the right choice. My experience of this shop and their great staff was when I was looking for a new football kit for the Sunday league team I play for. SS Moore have a wide range of catalogues to look through and they are always willing to recommend which offer they think will best suit you and they don't charge extra for having the kits delivered to their shop! They were a great help and I'll be going here more often for anything remotely sporty!

Another one for all you shoppers out there. Once you've had your fill of shopping in the city…read morecentre (see my reviews on CastleCourt and Victoria Square), there's still a few places left to burn out the credit card. Just a five minute drive from the city centre, Boucher Road has quite a few shops in it, most of which are located in Boucher Crescent Retail Park or Shane Retail Park (see my review on Shane retail park). There are men and women's clothing shops (River Island, Next, Burton, the Jeanery...), a sports shop, HMV, Starbuck's, Boots... the list goes on. There's a hell of a lot of space dedicated to parking here, but it can still be very difficult to get a space on a Saturday or Sunday. It's not a mall type place where you can get lost in, it's one of those places where the shops are all lined up in a row and you come out of one shop and into the next one - good for methodical shoppers, or those who don't have a lot of time. The downside is that the traffic on the Boucher Road can be crazy between 4 and 6p.m. But, if you're a visitor and you're out for a day's shopping, get yourself a 'day ticket' (see my Translink review) and you can take a trip up here before/after shopping in the city centre.

Boucher Road Crescent Retail Park is a handy spot for shopping if you don't fancy going into the…read moreCity Centre. It has a huge variety of shops including River Island, Outfit, Lipsy, Newlook, Next, Boots and much much more. Oh and there's a few car manufacturers nearby if you fancy treating yourself to a new Audi TT

O'Neills is a sporting goods shop primarily famed for its dedication to Gaelic Gear equipment and…read moresportswear. Located next to world-famous (kind of) Casement Park, this shop does a big trade from gaelic supporters which there are plenty of in Andersonstown. The shop has a typical sports shop lay-out, with displays and racks of goods stocked around the floor. There is always a problem with sports shops that they are all quite expensive and the majority of their products can be found if you shop around on the internet. O'Neills does have expensive enough tracksuits and equipment, but the gaelic jerseys are pretty much as cheap and you are going to find anywhere else. The staff are more than happy to let you browse about and are very approachable if you require any assistant. One particular member of staff was more than happy to look out the back to see if they had a rain jacket I was looking for in my size. Turned out they didn't but he was happy to order it for me. I told him it was grand and got it off their website instead but the staff are really nice and more than helpful. I can see why there are more and more of these sports shops opening up all over Ireland as it is a very well run, efficient, pleseant shopping experience.

A lot of visitors to Belfast like to bring back souvenirs when they're going home. For many of…read morethem, if they have friends or relatives who originally hail from here (or, indeed, if they hail from here themselves) they like to bring back items that are specific to a particular area or region as a symbol of their roots or ancestry. That's why the souvenir of choice for a lot of people is GAA shirts. Most opt for the county tops, with some even going as far as getting local club tops. O'Neill's is a stockist of such items, and sells county jerseys for around £25 - £40 (depending what time of year you buy them I think - if you can leave it until late August, which is near the end of the GAA season, then they're at the lower end of this price range). It also supplies some sporting equipment, including hurling sticks, as well as some rugby and soccer items.