The Mole is one of a handful of boutiques around the North Laines that sells both street and…read moresportswear. Their window display draws you in with dozens of pairs of cool sunglasses and wicked headphones. Once you step inside, you'll find there's also a large selection of sneakers, training shoes, sweatshirts, hoodies, tee-shirts and jeans. Labels include Vans, DC, Etnies, Nixon, Von Zipper & Emerica. All you need to complete the look is a skateboard - which you can pick up next door at Oddballs! Review to follow once I've done a few tricks on my BMX. :-)

The Mole annoys me... Not the rodent of course, which is perfectly lovely and surprisingly small…read more.. No, I mean the store. It doesn't matter how much I tell myself that you can create your own "look" on a low budget, and look everybit as well presented as someone forking out four times as much three times as often... Places like this always come along and show off some of the most awesome versions of my clothes... and charge £55 them... £55 feels like the standard... Whether its the ludicrously soft and well fitting hoodies with their gorgeous designs, or the series of gut wrenchingly bad ass trainers....... Gah! There aren't many brands here, with a strong loyalty towards the three or so on offer. In addition to the usual jeans, trainers, jackets shirts and hoodies, The Mole also boasts a strong offering of very sexy accessories. Be they the stylish wallets, trendy shades or somewhat (in my opinion) tacky headphones to match your clothes, The Mole has got colours and styles to impress... Not great value, but offering exceptional quality, The Mole is a place to treat yourself, or to blow that big bonus (not that I've ever had one to wield).

I stumbled across this place a few years back, and ended up buying myself a pair of Adidas trainers…read more(when I'd actually popped out to buy myself some onions from the grocers). I guess it was one of those whim purchases but consequently I've ended using them a lot because they're so comfortable. The staff in here are very knowledgable and can suggest different styles of running trainers/clothes depending on your foot shape, type of exercise and fitness level. They'll even make you run around and look at your current shoe soles to understand how your body and feet carry your weight. This can be invaluable when you have no clue deciding whether you should buy a cross trainer or dedicated running shoe. Brands include Adidas, Asics, Brooks, GORE, Nike, Odlo, Pearl Izumi, RONO, Saucony and Thorlo.

This is everything that I dislike in shops; you walk in and there are a handful of clothing rails,…read morebut the majority of the store is just empty. Everything is a bit too cool, the shop is empty and 'minimalist', the staff aren't friendly in anyway. The clothes on offer are ok, but they cost about three times what they should. It all just distracts from the supposed purpose of being an athletics store. The shop is apparently run by experienced athletes, so the advice you get will be good, I didn't stick around though, the whole place put me off.

I don't really see this as a shop, it's more of a playground - you just have to give them money to…read moretake the toys away with you. I've been spinning and building Poi for about 5-6 years and always come down here to get any supplies I need. I also like that every time I come down here I end up seeing a new gizmo or performance toy to think about trying to learn. Sadly, right now I don't have the tie to branch out, but it's always good to stay abreast of these things. The staff are absolute legends here and go above and beyond to help you or offer suggestions. They also sell a lot of training videos which I wish I had when I was starting out. Prices are reasonable for the items and they also have a range of long boards for sale. Certainly a great shop to stop by to pick up something to play with over the summer and get you out into the sunshine.

To juggle or not to juggle?…read more You might assume there wouldn't be enough jugglers to justify opening a juggling shop but Oddballs have been supplying aspiring circus performers for over 25 years now. Their original flagship store in the North Laines is a jugglers wet dream as they stock a wide selection of juggling balls, rings, sticks, clubs and bar flares. For those that have perfected their juggling and fancy trying something else, they have diablos, poi spinners, devil sticks, knives, spinning plates, hacky sacks, stilts, walking ladders and uni cycles. For the uninitiated - like me - there's also hula hoops and advanced yo yo's!

A massive sports superstore selling all the big name brands in sportswear. Spread over two huge…read morefloors, clothes hang on isles from floor to ceiling and there are boxes and racks and piles of other stuff on ground level, meaning it's cramped and messy for shoppers below. It's become common practice for me every time I come here to be stuck behind a jam of people on the trainer isle, literally unable to get out, and it can get a bit claustrophobic. But, presentation and space aside, there really is a massive range and nearly always a sale so you can sort yourself out a whole new gym kit for less than £20. You'll find everything from football tops to slippers, and upstairs has a kids section, as well as a selection of bikes, skateboards, cricket and tennis equipment, footballs and rugby stuff.

I recently decided that I needed to get fitter and healthier, so went on the hunt for some sports…read morestuff. I had a gym trial and wanted to look swish, so I adorned myself with the Nike Swoosh - my preferred medal of sporting honour (who needs an Olympic Medal?!) One of the best places to buy sports gear is the aptly named Sports Direct. It seems to constantly be offer "further reductions", but don't let the cheap exterior put you off. And don't let the masses of sports crap put you off either. And definitely don't be put off by the less-than helpful staff, because these are just formalities. When you are searching for practical items, you have to think practically. Sports Direct is ugly, but has some great finds. I got some pretty sweet Nike Dri-fit shorts for around £10. That's a good price, especially since they are specifically designed for running and have a nice little pocket in the waistband for your iPod. I could've gone to a specialist sports store and bought the same shorts for a much higher price. I would have probably been made to feel more valued as a customer and spent less than 20 minutes trying to find the bloody things, but at the end of the day I made a saving. And as the government keep yammering on at us: money matters!

I gotta admit I've never done an ollie or a 360 kick-flip…read more I have however, spent a lot of time watching other people practise and perfect these tricks and over the years have developed a strong appreciation for skateboarding as a sport and art form. I'm also a bit partial to buying skateboard gear for my younger, more sporty, little brother and one of the best shops to do this is Route One. As the busy windows and spraypainted doorway suggest, Route One is a santa's grotto for skateboarders, snowboarders and BMX riders. Alongside new boards, wheels, helmets, pads and inline skates, they sell cool hoodies, sweaters, tees, jeans, jackets, beanies and sneakers. Labels include Zoo York, Vonzipper, Emerica, Etnies, Fenchurch, Vans, Addict and Fallen. For those wanting to 'borrow' the whole b-boy look without spraining an ankle or breaking an arm, they also sell fresh headphones and limited edition baseball boots.

As a non-skateboarder, I was more interested in the clothes and shoes in Route One than the…read moreskateboards and supplies. Name brands like Vans, Supra and Dickies are a bit costly, but Route One had several things on offer for the Christmas season. Tops were about £20, or 2 for £35; and accessories were on offer 3 for the price of 2. The front wall displayed several versions of remote control toys: spiders, snakes, modes of transportation...But my favourite was the non-electronic Racing Nuns set! Apparently they run on elastic bands. Quite intriguing. The clothing in Route One wasn't my style, but I'm going to keep those Nuns in mind for a rainy day...

One of the most important things I learnt from my mum is the importance of a good fitting bra,…read moreespecially if you're bigger than a C! It's all very well buying yourself a pretty bra and knicker set every few months from Zara or H&M but they almost certainly won't last and don't fit properly, which makes your clothes fit badly and essential could give you back problems. I came to Bravissimo with my sister, on the advice of a friend to get a proper fitting and invest in some 'proper' bras (call before and you'll be sure to have somebody help you). This shop is for people size D and above, not people who need egg warmers like me, just so you know. The girl who measured her was really down to earth and made her feel very comfortable, She told her where she was going wrong, i.e. wearing bras too big, and suggested some brands that would do her justice. She bought 3 bras for under £100 but worth every penny, her whole shape and posture has improved.

Selling lingerie, swimwear and specially fitted clothing for big boobed women, Bravissimo is like a…read moresecret club, hidden away from the prying eyes of North Street passersby. The shop front is comprised of a door and then stairs to the unknown, a world only open to ladies gifted with a Dcup or more. Upstairs you'll find a wide selection of bras and support clothing, all quite expensive but very good quality and there's no frump involved. They do cup sizes right up to K and offer free non-obligatory fittings which you can either walk in to or pre-book. The staff are very responsive to customers wandering up from the downstairs entrance and trot over to assist, and are particularly helpful if you're not sure what you're looking for.

Stocks all the 'main' brands you would expect in a chain sports shop (eg : adidas, nike, reebok)…read more Offers quite a wide selection of sports clothing and footwear but not particularly specialised in any one area. Shop is based in the Churchill Square Shopping Centre and can get quite busy. Often has some really good reductions on trainers (in fact there us usually always a 'sale' rack) so well worth a look.

Oh. My. Lord. I…read morepopped into Size? this afternoon to look for a new pair of Converse and ended up falling in love with the most bling pair of silver Adidas hi-tops. I'm not talking matt or gloss silver either, I'm talking thousands of silver sequins painstakingly stitched into two sneaker-size glitterballs. I would have bought them too, only my rap skills are zero. Maybe I'll twitter Jay-Z and Kanye and see if either of them want a pair. Seriously, these sneakers belong on stage. :-)

I used to be a fan of Size? back in the day - now, not so much…read more They don't seem to offer anything DIFFERENT - and I am something of a sneaker connoisseur, I like my feet to stand out from the crowd. Actually, maybe I am being a little harsh, it's just the BRIGHTON branch of Size? That doesn't seem to have a lot going for it any more. I haven't bought a pair of trainers from there in years, the last time I did spot a pair that I wanted to buy, they didn't have my size. The Size? On Carnaby Street in London is pretty cool. I will make sure I review it next time I'm there.

Flawless is a pretty tiny shop, with the labels it sells conveniently printed on the front window…read more I'm not a big name-brand shopper, but Miss Sixty sounded familiar. The small selection fit the size of the shop, with a few shelves of unique, and slightly pricey shoes along the side and front wall. Along the back hung a selection of high-quality printed t-shirts, usually on for £25, but now on offer 2-for-1. The sales clerk was quite friendly, greeting customers as they entered from behind the counter. I can't see myself doing much shopping at Flawless, but for those with particular tastes, I would recommend it.

Fix up, look sharp…read more.. A homegrown label founded in Brighton, Flawless provide street and clubwear for discerning teenagers and twenty-somethings. Think box-fresh sneakers, tee-shirts, sweats, hoodies and jeans with clever logos and urban designs. The menswear is upstairs and the womenswear downstairs with a carefully selected mix of skirts, dresses, jeans, sleeveless tops and shirts. Besides their own threads, they also stock labels like Surplus, Iron Fist and Red Mutha. To complete the look of youthful rebellion, there's neat sunglasses, baseball caps and accesories. Unfortunately, I feel about 10 years too old to venture in again!

This independent store sat right next to the Royal Pavilion is a real gem of a shop that has only…read moremanaged to stay in business because it knows what it's real sports people need. The shop looks small from the outside but as it is set over 2 floors it increases the floor space dramatically. The beauty of this shop is that it offers equipment for sports that you can otherwise struggle to find and they can give you a good insight into what equipment will suit you best. The 2 guys that own it I am almost certain are father and son and everytime I go in there they are both there involved in something. The first time I found out about this shop was when my friend took me to get his shirt printed with his name and number which they do brilliantly and can do all the proper lettering for most sports which really helps to make your shirt feel real. If you need something please go here first as this local shop really deserves, and has earned, our loyalty.

There's a good variety of sporting goods on offer at Swift Sports, and if I were the age where I…read morewanted to be getting football boots, this'd be my location of choice. It looks small from outside, but the store is pleasantly put together, and surprisingly deep so that you'll find there's more variety on offer than you may be expecting. The really special thing about this place is T-shirt printing. If you want your name or whatever putting on a jersey, then this place will do it at a damned descent price, at a good speed (if the machines warmed up) and to a fantastic quality. I came here with a friend when he was preparing his best mate in America's 21st birthday gift and have to say, that even as a novice to this kind of affair, I could appreciate why he dragged me through the rain soaked streets of Brighton to get here.