Made a very fruitful stop into Kathmandu a few months back as I was prepping for my first…read moretransatlantic trip with a baby. I came looking for a rucksack. I left with a suitcase with detachable rucksack (a suitcase that can be carried as a rucksack, with arm straps!) and a huge duffel bag to stow the carseat in. I thought the prices to be competitive (the duffel bag only £14!) and the service top notch. The guy helped me with everything, took it to the counter while I looked around, helped me with the Summit Club membership and packaged it all up smoothly so I could get it back to my flat. The Kathmandu items are high quality and have already made many trips. They are durable and sleek, and high performance. Just what I needed. The last thing you want to deal with while traveling (with a baby or not) is crap luggage. Summit club membership is free and gains you access to great deals (most of the deals advertised, so...if you want 'em, you'll sign up). Sign up!

I've always been a bit suspicious of Kathmandu-type stores, due to the fact that I'm the least…read moreoutdoorsy person you could come across. I always believe 'outdoor' stores were specially for extreme snowboarders or wannabe Nepalese-mountain climbers. Boy, was I wrong. Set right next to Spitalfields Market and boasting some rather fit staff, Kathmandu has everything for the civilian to adventurer. Water flasks, jackets, thermals, little key ring things with torches on them, it has it all. I actually found heaps of stuff I wanted to buy - probably more in the way you deck yourself out with designer gym wear after only one visit, to realise you're not quite the gym junkie you thought you would become if in fact you had the correct gear. It was fun anyway.

For Ski Boot fitting, was blown away by the attention to detail. Excellent service and knowledge…read more Made us try on many boots to get them exactly right. I've been to a few places and this was so much better by a mile. You do need to book for fittings and there is a charge (so worth it). For clothes, not the biggest selection but had what we wanted and seemed to be in line on prices. Maybe just me but seemed to have more choice for women than men. I'll be coming here again. Great service deserves rewarding.

Not a great choice of camping gear or clothing really. Lots of camping hardware that other places…read moredon't have. Staff didn't try to help out at all

Well the name says it all for this place. Its got a lot more than one of the chain shops like…read moreMillets in my opinion and the staff are all really enthusiastic 'out door' types too so are more than happy to give some advice - not just on gear but on where to head for a good campsite. There's everything you need here from tents for festivals to hiking equipment. They also stock a small amount of skiing gear too as well as steel toe-cap boots and other work wear.

Campers Paradise seems to be a quintessentially British camping shop. It stocks all the regular…read moreequipment you're going to find yourself needing for, say, a trip to Wales. The selection is well balanced though a little limited, but they have made good use of the space they have by suspending a whole tent from the ceiling fully erect. The British nature of this place isn't just brought into place by the stock of two season sleeping bags and big bins of tent pegs, they also have buckets and spades, inflatable boats and flat caps. I suppose this isn't a bad idea with them being so close to the sea side but it did leave me wondering where the canvas deck chairs and knotted hankies were. The slightly odd selection of stock is definitely balanced out well by the great customer service. When I discovered this place today I entered into a discussion with the South African guy who works there about Swiss army knives and their virtues by comparison to the ever popular Leatherman tools. Not only did the guy clearly know what he was talking about but he was funny and great to chat to.

Walking into Kathmandu made me feel both warm and cozy, and ready for adventure. Coming in from the…read moresnow to see fleece, down, wind- and waterproof coats; hats, scarves and mittens; and thick, comfy sleeping bags made me feel immediately warmer. (Plus, of course, the heat was on.) The shop has a few different post-holiday sales going on. Much of the clothing has been marked down - thermals are on at 2 for £24, for example, and some of the footwear has been reduced by 30%. The most interesting items to look through - and those making me crave an adventure - were the travel accessories, at a 3 for 2 mix and match offer. Kathmandu has pretty much anything you could need for an outdoor or international adventure: pocket knives, tent pegs, first aid kits, thermoses and water bottle, sleeping mats (some inflatable), rucksacks of varying sizes, microfiber towels and tonnes of Lonely Planet books. They also offer some luxury items, like travel speakers, for instance. This is definitely a good place to start if you're in the market for travel gear - it'll probably carry everything you need.

My partner and I had been searching for good quality and decently priced ski equipment. This shop…read morehad exactly what we needed! The gear was great quality, and we were both very happy with the price of our gear. Don't bother spending insane amounts of money or time at any other shops! Edit: We had a nice young man (blonde) help us, but unfortunately we did not get his name! Credit to him!

Large and well-stocked outdoors shop with decent prices. It's actually quite a large chain, owned…read moreby JD Sports, and sells a wide range of well known brands. This store is on the market square just behind the church. It runs the length of the block, and is the largest outdoor store in Kingston. It has a cafe and soft-play area inside. I was on the look-out for a specific knee-high mid-weight sock, which I've been looking for, for ages, and was delighted that they had it in stock. It'll be a regular calling point for me from now on. Reasonably friendly staff, though I only needed to speak to them at the till.

I must admit, I always thought Cotswold Camping was a bit twee, a bit cheap and a bit middle-aged…read more How wrong I was. This is a big, modern store with clothes and equipment for people of all ages. I was very tempted by their women's clothing, which ranges from outdoor casual to normal casual. It's maybe not the best place for highly technical clothing, but it's great for general hanging around the park type clothing, and fantastic for entertaining bored friends who've been dragged along with no interest whatsoever in the outdoors. Sadly the prices are the same as those for more technical clothing, so I couldn't justify buying one of their pretty skirts. I went to look at tents. They've got a selection of all sorts from lightweight to giant family jobs (for the families of giants, of course), but not a huge amount in each category. There was a very helpful shop assistant who took me outside and helped me assemble 3 tents. He didn't know much more than me about them, but was very polite, honest and keen to help as we fumbled around in high winds. I was especially impressed as he didn't look older than 15.

From the owner: At the Bicester store we are keen to help a variety of people whether it be finding boots for…read moregeneral walks around the local area or preparing your kit for a trek up Kilimanjaro. Our staff will be with you every step of the way to help you find exactly what you're looking for and at the same time making you feel as comfortable as possible and offer varying knowledge from their own experiences. This store is set in a prominent position on the outskirts of the ever growing and developing market town of Bicester. Access is simple with direct access through to London and Birmingham and by passing hotspots such as Silverstone on the A43 and the Heritage Motor Centre, Junction 12 on the M40. There are regular direct links through to London and Oxford by train and coach. Parking is free and there is a selection of other shops available to satisfy your shopping needs including a delightful cafe and restaurant with an adjacent indoor play facility for the younger explorers.

This branch has recently moved locations in the Wellington shopping centre, moving from a large…read moreshop downstairs to a smaller stall upstairs and as such the amount of stock in here has been greatly reduced. Millets (like its brother Blacks) is still reasonably expensive for everyday objects and clothing, including boots, although you can pick up some decent bargains when they have a sale on. When it comes to walking boots it is probably the only decent place you can get them without paying through the nose, however, with Aldershot being a military town there are many other outdoor shops where you can buy quality goods for a much cheaper price. Outdoor fashion wise they are pretty good, with some very nice branded T-shirts and decent quality fleeces.

I've always been a fan of millets, you can pick up some quality clothes here that are fashionable…read moreas well as practical. (especially in the sales) I also like hiking so find this is the best place locally to get my boots etc. This branch has recently moved upstairs from where it was previously situated but still in the same building.

Outer wear for almost every purpose!…read more To shop here you do need a full wallet, but their range of gear is amazing and they have all the major names like Craghopper, Berghaus, Regatta etc. It's a large store so expect a wide range and have a good memory! Even the colour range is pretty expansive. They also do T shirts, not cheap, and flannel shirts, and thermals. I'd only ever go in a sale - but their stuff is quality.

I have shopped here quite a few times over the years for camping, skiing and walking gear. It can…read morebe a little pricey, but the range and quality is good. Helpful and knowledgeable staff are a real bonus especially if you're comparing products and trying to find the right item to do a specific job and dedicated car parking means you can always find a space.