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.

Great shop for military surplus and ex-military clothing, shoes, and gear. Can be a bit pricey, but…read morethe staff are extremely friendly and sometimes willing to barter.

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.

A great store for people who like to go outdoors, climbing, fishing, camping, hiking. Whatever you…read morelike to do outdoors, you will find what you need here. Friendy people, great gear! Have fun, be safe!

I love this place. Excellent range, reasonable prices, and absolutely fanatical but friendly staff…read more Even better they have all the little twiddly accessories that a lot of other places don't have - the kind of things that are small, but can make a big difference. Very often specialist shops can have staff that think they are über cool for working there - not here, eager to help without being intrusive, and they chat to you about the product without trying to get you to buy - which is great - they provide the info and let you come to your own decision. This doesn't seem to be an exclusive to the Birmingham store - the Manchester one is similar. I'd thoroughly reccomend 10/10.

Handy small Millets shop in the semi-covered shopping area - the sales for camping equipment can be…read morereally good.

As an outdoor lover I think Oswald Bailey has high quality products and beats the high street…read moreprices for outdoor equipment needed for things like camping and hiking. I came in during a sale and thought the original prices were a costly but worth it and it was great to see high quality products at more reasonable prices. When visiting independently owned stores (especially outdoor specialists) I often find that the products aren't good quality and the shop is often cluttered and messy. Here it felt like they had a lot of things happening but store is very spacious and looks much more professional. Rather than piling things up on the floor, like many other stores of its kind, the staff have smartly attached items to the walls. The staff were polite as they greeted me and offered help soon after I walked in. They were also helpful by giving any information I wanted to know about the products.

Osawald Bailey is an outdoor specialist, located on station road in Solihull. I often find that…read moreindependently owned outdoors stores like these can be really horrible shops to try and use, they often seem to be very cluttered and unorganised. However, Oswald Bailey's is much closer to a professional chain such as Millets or something similar. They've laid everything out very clearly and have a lot on show without making it confused. Most importantly, they've got great prices, more than competing with the big chains, and always have loads of deals on. I recently bought two fold up camping chairs for just £20, and they're significantly better quality than similar ones I bought from B&Q last year. Highly recommended.