This is by far my favorite outdoor gear shop in Auckland. It's independently owned and the people…read morewho work here really care about their business and know their stuff. I bought a tramping backpack here after much hemming and hawing and trying every pack at every shop in Auckland. What I loved about this place was how not pushy they were, how willing to suggest things in every price range (though honestly they don't stock merchandise they don't believe in), and when they could see I was undecided, they were happy to have me go away and come back when I was sure, AND they offered me a small discount, which was enough to woo me away from buying my bag overseas and having it shipped to me. They care about selling you good, sustainable options that will keep you in good gear for a long time. They'll order for you if they don't have something in stock that you want, and they rent gear if you're not quite ready to commit (or you're visiting). Bottom line - good quality stuff, amazing service, get in there and get outdoors!!

If there's one thing I love, it's polar fleece. I would be so happy to be rich enough to be able to…read morehave an entire wardrobe filled with stuff from places like Bivouac Outdoor. Just jackets and polar fleeces and trousers with zips and boots and everything. All in really nice primary colours. All waterproof. And I'd never get wet for the rest of my life. That's how friggen waterproof I'd be. Bivouac is a typical outdoors shop where you can spend hundreds of dollars on jackets and sleeping bags and tents etc. It's pretty great to browse around at all the stuff. The staff are extremely knowledgable and friendly which is useful when you're wading into the somewhat confusing and technologically swelling world of outdoor apparel. Really great shop.

I came to Auckland and immediately regretted leaving my Nalgene Bottle and beanie in the States,…read moreand saw this place as a keen shop to look around in a couple days later. I went in and a man was there basically waiting for my question, and he pointed me right to the Nalgene bottles, which are 3X more expensive here than in America. He knew other brands with the same type of plastic and kindly pointed me to different options. I still went with my trusty Nalgene. I then needed the beanie for my adventures, and somehow I found him again and he was able to help me compare them all and which one he preferred and why. I went with a cheaper Outdoor Research one however he pointed more towards a locally sourced wool one which if I wasn't traveling I would've purchased for looks. I then remembered I needed a travel lock, and thankfully they are placed all around the store just like the beanies. They have a good selection but are on the smaller side (if in San Francisco someone would easily cut the locks). I went with one that was a little larger. Overall good store and nice employees! Kinda reminds me of an REI from back in the states (a lot smaller though); quality products at mid-range prices.

Whether you believe in the Bible's version of creation or Darwin's theories of evolution, both…read moreoptions confidently presents humans as land animals. And since I'm leaning towards the second option, it is millions of years since we've left the water, so there is no need to go back. But when a friend of mine invited me to go fishing, I could not decline, well not for the third time anyway. And how bad could it be drinking beer, catching rays and maybe even snaring a snapper or two... I prepared myself by going fisherman shopping in Milford, a bit of an oxymoron I know, but a necessary task nonetheless. I wouldn't know where real fishermen shop anyway, and Hunts is a great place to get all the gear you need. The owner was on hand to ask me unreasonable questions about what I'm trying to catch, where I'm going to fish and what rod and reel I'll be using. I explained it will be fish, in water and a long stick, but the expression on his face gave the impression he was hoping for a more definitive answer. I settled on a few items, and left looking like something between an American tourist on an African safari and a fly fisherman on a hunting trip in the Amazon. I caught two beauties, and my host none, ah the joys of beginners luck.

I got great service from a young guy here last week who was very friendly, helpful and seemingly…read moreexperienced in hiking boots.and didn't try to put the most expensive ones on me. He even gave me a tip on looking at some review websites when I couldn't decide between 2 pairs. Partly because of that I will be back to buy the particular pair this store had over the others.

well I be honest. I have been to better north face store in my time. The sale was okay not the…read moregreat i've seen. If i was in New Zealand I would be going to Kathmandu not North face. Its the local brand and have a lot more selections.

Not the gangsta music producer, but a store that specializes in outdoorsy gear and footwear (mainly…read moremen's, but there is a smattering of women's and kids gear in store as well) Timberland is ideal for that rugged outdoorsman in your life. I wish I had one, the closest mine gets to the rugged outdoors is when he's playing Call of Duty on the Xbox, bless his heart. The brand is known for its durability, comfort and craftsmanship in its designs. It also places a high emphasis on its commitment to the environment. Many of the products like its Earthkeepers range use elements of 'environmentally friendly' items in the production of the range itself, which is pretty cool. So whether you're in need of some things for your next weekend tramping trip or just for the daily urban jungle you can find everything you will need here.

Stopped in here to get some leashes for our stand up paddleboards, and being new to the sport,…read moredidnt really know what to look for. The bloke who helped us was great, asked what we needed them for, what we were likely to be doing, and we ended up walking out with a mean set of leashes within 15 minutes of walking in! Had a look at the board range there, and they have a sick collection to choose from, with the added bonus of their sister business The Roof Rack shop next door, you can get yourself a new board, and get fitted for a rack for it all in one go!

As I wrote in my first review I was not really satisfied with the repair of my kite made by The…read moreBoard Shop. It was terrible made, and even though I asked them to fix all the rips, they did not manage to find them all. I took my kite to another shop to get the rest of the rips fixed, and they actually changed all the repairs made by The Board Shop, because the needlework was so poor. After the first repair I wrote an email to The Board Shop complaining about the bad repair, but I did not get an answer until a month later, where the manager of the shop wrote be back, after he had read my first review on Yelp. He wanted to offer me a $200 voucher for the shop if I deleted my review from this site. I did not write him back, because I thought it was really bad customer service that I had to write a review before The Board Shop would even consider my complain. On the other hand it was kinda nice of him to offer the voucher to make it up for the bad repair, but it does not really change the fact that they do not know how to repair a kite. I do though change the review from 1 star to 2 stars, because of the voucher, although I did not go back there.

I used to think it was outrageous to spend $125 on yoga pans, but that was before I bought myself a…read morepair of Lululemon's Wunder Under Pants. I know what you're thinking - "I could get 4 (maybe 5) x pair of spankies from Cotton On for that price or even 2 pairs of Nikes" - and you'd be right but the quality of these bad boys is like no other. Firstly the material is incredibly breathable without being see-through. Secondly, they don't fall down when you run or god forbid, your trainer makes you do burpies. Lastly and perhaps, most importantly they're unbelievably comfortable! I am yet to purchase any other items from their range but I've got to say, I finally get what all the fuss is about. One final note - the service is outstanding. They have designated 'pant experts' who man the pant wall and run you through your options. They also put your name on the dressing room so the staff can ask by name if there's anything you need.