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!!

This may sound a bit weird but this store smells so good; just like new store smell. FCO in Mt…read morewellington is absolutely massive! There is nowhere else you need to go for fishing, camping and other outdoor equipment. If these guys haven't got it, then it doesn't exist. The fishing section is amazing, shitloads of rods, shitloads of reels and everything in between. Sean, the fishing specialist in there is such a nice guy and really really helpful. My friend was wanting to buy a new surfcasting rod, and Sean was happy to spend probably about 20 minutes going through all the different models, discussing the pros and cons, as well as answering all questions that we threw at him. He obviously knows what he's talking about and is quite an experienced fisherman. He offered to spool the newly purchased rod and we were off, with less cash in our pockets but priceless knowledge.

This is a pop up outdoor clearance store, which I guess means it's not going to be around forever…read more It doesn't actually say how long the sale is for, but they have heaps of stock in here to get rid of. For anyone who needs outdoor gear, this place is great. They have all the well known and quality brands for sale, and it's all pretty well discounted. If you don't actually need anything though I'd suggest that you should probably stay away as you'll end up buying something that you don't need, like I did. The store itself is not what you'd call a designer's masterpiece, but I guess there's no need for it to be pretty when it's not going to be there forever. It serves its purpose, which is to sell cheap outdoor gear and lots of it. Oh they also have some snowboard clothing near the back.

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.

Is one of my favourite stores to shop for anything to do with the outdoor. I love that Kathmandu…read moreTakapuna has everything from clothing, to shoes, tents, and sleeping bags, baby carriers, baby clothes, and so many cool accessories and knick knacks for your outdoor adventures. A visit to Kathmandu for me cannot be complete without spending a good hour roaming the store, looking at the sales items, and fining out the latest gadgets for camping. The cheerful and helpful staff make your shopping experience a memorable one, even though the staff may not know completely everything about every single product in store, they make you feel like they do or want to learn more about it anyway. If you join up as a member for a small fee, you are kept in the loop of the latest sales, and also get sent a catalogue once every few months. I really think Kathmandu staff are a really active and positive bunch and always enjoy my time in store.

I would like to mention the great service which I recieved whilst shopping here. I was preparing…read morefor a backpacking holiday, the kind of thing which Kathmandu caters for beautifully. The lady who was working asked me a few questions about what I planning for, she then walked me around the store showing me what she thought might be helpful. I ended up buying quite a lot stuff, and she managed to negotiate a bit of a bargain. Somehow or another I got my compact windproof unbrella for free, and she signed me up for the Kathmandu club, which actually cost me money, but resulted in an overall saving.

Northbeach is really expensive but they sell the most trendy stuff. They are always coming up to…read moreyou and asking "do you need any help" which is kinda nice but can be annoying sometimes. They are really helpful and smiley and I find there are no problems when I shop here. They really should lower the prices tho. It's really expensive there. And I do find sometimes that they don't have what I went there for. But in all a good shop to get your stuff at

I was pretty excited to hear about North Beach finally being a bit (A LOT) closer to home when it…read moreopened up opposite Sylvia Park. The store is big and spacious and there's a lot to look at. They could probably fit loads more stock on the floor but the flow of the store is great. They've got a wide range of denim here for women, and since I live in jeans, it was a great sight. North Beach is also home to all your favourite surf brands and you're bound to find what you're looking for from wallets and dresses to boardies and watches. My first visit here was pretty good and I made a very nice investment in a new bag. The staff here seem really chilled out to me and are really nice to talk to, not overbearing but always willing to lend a hand, which is how I prefer to be served when I'm out and about. They also stock my favourite New Zealand brand, RPM, and this branch is one of the only two surf stores I go to in Auckland to check them out, because their service is far better. Unless you're after something specific, you could easily spend a good half an hour or so in here just browsing, especially since you's have to walk across the road from the mall, or drive to get there- may as well make the most of your trip! I for one am looking forward to making a trip here in the winter for some Huffer knits and Wrangler jeans- its your perfect all-season store.

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.

As soon as you enter into this hunting and fishing store, the beautiful fragrance of fresh timber…read moregreets you with its warm embrace. And the store is so massive that it actually does feel like you have wandered into a forest somewhere. It probably needs to be this big because they have heaps of tents and gazebos up on display. If you're going hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, or just like shooting guns (they have a shitload of guns and an air rifle range where you can test them out) then this place has you sorted. I usually come here for fishing equipment because they have a good range of products, plus there are always plenty of bargain bins around which contain some pretty sweet deals in them. So if you think you are Bear Grylls, or want to be, you need some survival supplies.

This is such a hip skate and snowboard store located in the Botany Mall, which funnily enough sells…read moreskateboard and snowboard equipment and clothing; and not a bad selection either. But like any store that sells new season and top of the range gear, this store is sort of on the expensive side. Even so, it is probably one of my favourite snowboarding stores to visit. The guy who works in here is a really friendly person who was only too happy to offer help and advice. We spent ages having a yarn about the different snowboards that they stock as well as the advantages of some of the different boards that he has ridden. Good advice from firsthand experience.