a small but well equipped camping / outdoors shop. has…read moreeverything you would expect to see including hiking boots, waterproof coats, torches, camping stoves, sleeping bags etc. it is only a small shop so dont hold vast amounts of stock, however most things are available within just a couple of days of ordering. there is a fitting room for you to try on any of the clothing. price wise it is reasonable. most things would probably be cheaper if you went to a learger town, but then once you add the fuel costs and parking costs etc you arent really saving anything.

This is a real shop for outdoor stuff. Not a shop that has fashion stuff under the guise of a…read morespurious sport. In Cotswold you can get proper walking boots, real fell-running shoes, those ropey things that climbers use (you may guess that I'm not a climber), proper real coats, tents, hats... you get the idea. There's also gadgets like tripods for attaching to jungle branches and ways of finding your way in the desert. The staff know what Gortex and gaiters are. Not sure why it's called Cotswold as the stuff in here seems designed for ground that's a lot more challenging and rugged than the tame Cotswolds.

I called in here to exchange a coat last week, actually on behalf of someone else who didn't have…read morethe time. Alex was very friendly on the phone and explained what coats and colours were available in the same price range. After my friend made a choice I whizzed down to New George Street. Alex couldn't have been more helpful and I changed the coat over before having a look around the store. It was larger than I'd expected and there's certainly a lot of quality stuff on sale. I was tempted by some of the colourful outdoor clothes and backpacks but didn't buy anything on that occasion.

Situated at the bottom end of town by the market, this is a great store for all things outdoors! It…read morehas clothes on the entrance floor and then go downstairs for boots, sleeping bags etc. Prices are reasonable and staff are very friendly and helpful. Products are well discounted in the sales so always worth a look then. This store is ideal for the general product as well as more specific sports items and they are quite happy for staff to just browse but are also available if you need help without being pushy about it- nice to have a store where the staff are not just behind a till.

The time came to kit myself out with a new pair of walking boots so I ventured out to Darts Farm…read moreShopping Village as Cotswold Outdoor has a relatively large retail space there. Darts Farm presents a surprisingly wide array of shops selling anything from fresh fish to a gaudy Emma Bridgewater Aga. It is the sort of place that can end up costing you a small fortune as those little bits and pieces that you pick up as you wander around start to add up pretty quickly! I am ordinarily a Tiso man through-and-through but finding myself residing in the South West it is a bit of a trek to one of their excellent stores! The position of my favoured outdoor kit shop is open so this was a chance for Cotswold Outdoor to make a claim for the crown... I must admit that I was not expecting much when I browsed the selection of climbing boots... this is not a slight on their range but in previous visits to other Cotswold Outdoor shops I have not felt at all valued as a customer. On this occasion the service I received was nothing short of excellent! My feet were measured to a level of detail that I have not experienced since I was fitted for my current pair of orthotics. The length and width of my feet were measured both while I was sitting and whilst standing. This info was then used to provide guidance on suitable boots for my feet. Three different pairs of boots were then brought out from the stockroom to be tried on and tested (albeit in a slightly limited manner). Where Tiso wins out, particularly at their 'Experience' stores, is the rough terrain areas on which you can test the footwear. Here, I had to make do with a stomp up and down a short ramp to mimic my foot movement within the boots akin to ascending and descending some eminence and a brisk wander around the store. I made my choice of boots and duly paid for them, leaving the shop with a lighter wallet and feeling valued as a customer, but still longing for Tiso...

When I see stores like this I think of "Zombieland" the film. This general surplus army gear and…read morecamping equipment store has all the army gear you'd need. The front windows full of guns and overalls, and the inside barely seem like the store makes any money, as the distressed paintwork and poor store fittings suggest. If I were inclined to camp they would be able to provide me with a gas stove and suitable Glastonbury attire but on the whole there stock is more aimed at the game hunter or fishermen, camouflage gear being the order of the day strewn up on every shelf. If your looking for all things waterproofed or Gortex clothing this tore should be able to help you out.

Are you in need of army gear? Are you planning on camping in the jungle, tracking a bear, bringing…read moreabout a revolution? Then this might be the store for you. A huge range of army and camping equipment occupy the shop, more than you can shake a stick at in fact. The thing I've never really understood about stores selling this stuff is that Army Surplus isn't all that good. It usually means heavy and expensive. If you're going on a really serious camping trip or are taking part in some kind of ultimate paintball then go along and stock up. I can't see what else you'd need this kind of place for. I know one thing, when the uprising comes, I'm heading this way. Oh, they sell air rifles and the like as well, although Arthur Bale & Sons across the road seems to have a better, more devastating range.

The first thing that struck me about this place was just how big it is. It really has the largest…read moreselection of outdoors stuff I've seen. It even has a climbing wall so you can test our your gear before even leaving the shop! I first caught a glimpse of the back end of the shop when I was on the train going somewhere and could just see all these tents. Intrigued I went to have a look when I after some outdoorsy christmas presents. There was almost too much choice and whats more that had lots of reasonably priced gear as well as the high end stuff. I picked up a bargain pair of walking boots and left before I could eye up anything else to buy. Really good choice and value.

Disgraceful store. If you have a complaint or issue they will have a slanging match with you to…read moreforce you out. Apparently will not replace anything that does not have a guarantee and the manager Gareth does not know what the line 'this does not affect your statutory rights' mean. So they are quite happy to fraudulently convince customers that they cannot replace/repair or refund when that customer is legally entitled to one. Only bad review I have given a store in my 40 years, quite simply a horrible, horrible business who are doing their best to screw you. They hate their customers with a passion. I spent a grand in there and now have nothing to show for it, they are worse than thieves. In the end the joke in on them, going out this week to buy whole new sets of horse riding gear for my 2 daughters, and a whole new tent set up and will be spending that in another store. So to save themselves a quick buck they are losing nearly 2 grand of income, which admittedly is not much to them! Word of warning all their own brands tents are designed to fail and they will assure you there is no way of repairing or replacing parts, forcing you to buy a whole new tent!

There's a few sporting shops that have carved out a little enclave for themselves on Whitchurch…read moreRoad, and this one has to be my favourite. It is a really large outlet that is incredibly well stocked, with all manner of gear. You can even buy archery equipment here!!! (Not that this is what I come here for... I'm lethal enough without needing to resort to using something like a bow and arrow! My car is the only potentially dangerous piece of machinery that I'll allow myself to use... I give everything else a wide birth!) My needs that Cardiff Sportsgear meets are of a much more mundane variety. I come here for my swim suits, as I tend to call in at RatRigs, the surf shop just down the road, whilst I'm about it.. (RatRigs have a sale on a the moment, and so I called into both last week to scoop up a couple of bargains. Sadly, Cardiff Sportsgear didn't have what I was looking for in my size on this occasion, (a Speedo with long legs, like the type of suit that competitive swimmers wear... something that is proving nigh on impossible to find)... The staff were really helpful, and said that if I knew exactly what I wanted, then they would happily order it for me. Great service!

Wowee! Whatever sport you're into you will undoubtedly be incredibly impressed by Cardiff…read moreSportsgear. They offer: racquets, cricket gear, pool table, gym equipment, riding helmets, wetsuits, and so much more! Whenever I come in here with friends we like to play a game of how many sports we can count (at least 25 last count). The staff are all incredibly friendly and know their stock well (surprising considering how big this place is). The only thing they don't have much in the way of is, gym clothes, which is ironically the only thing I need.