Great one stop shop for pretty much all major out door activities. Good range of equiptment, well…read morepriced and helpful staff on hand to assist you. They have a cycle surgery for maintainance and repairs to bikes. Good range of footwear and kit for the snow. It's a good idea to call ahead should you be after something specific just to check it's in stock.

As a outdoors and climbing equipment shop, Outside is one of the best in the Peak district, if not…read morethe country. They have great sales, the people are knowledgeable (although the guys in the climbing section can be a bit arrogant) and the stock is good, high quality stuff. In other words, the opposite end of the spectrum to Blacks or Millets. Come here if you need to buy a waterproof jacket, walking boots or maps. There's a cafe upstairs too, which is very popular on wet days with walkers and climbers. It's ok, but nothing to write home about.

From the owner: For over 25 years Outside has been equipping climbers and walkers with the equipment, clothing and…read morefootwear that they need. We offer specialist advice and competitive prices on hundreds of products, whether you're going for an afternoon stroll in the Peak District or are about to embark on a 2 month expedition to the Himilayas.

I am changing the review to one star. It already happened at least two times, when something is…read morewrong with the product, but according to store manager it's ok (in one of the cases I was able to get money back from the manufacturer). So, according to Blacks manager of the store it's perfectly fine when water bottles are falling out of rucksack on somebody's head. While this store is closing, I have no doubt Blacks will re-employ this wonderful understanding woman.

There are just so many outdoor-type shops on Deansgate, it's an absolute miracle that they all…read moremanage to stay in business? How do they do it? There must be at least six or seven. Ridiculous. Anyway, Blacks is absolutely similar to the rest of them. On the ground floor is where you'll find all the expensive but amazingly waterproof hiking jackets. Not even an ocean of water could get through these heavily gortexed items. Unfortunately, for protection like this you're going to have to pay for it to, and a jacket from Blacks could set you back as much as £200. This is serious clobber for serious hiking action. They do have some cheaper options, you'll just have to search a bit for them. Just like all the other outdoor stores on Deansgate, Blacks has a humungous basement which is where they stock all of their speciality outdoor pursuit gear. Like climbing equipment, hiking boots and camping stuff. This is an excellent shop, but just as excellent as all the other outdoor shops around this area.

If, like me, you end up leaving buying essential holiday stuff until not long before you fly off,…read morethen having winter sports stores relatively close by always helps. Those who've been skiing before will know that it's an incredibly expensive activity at the best of times, so I'd advise not to buy new outfits and equipment until you're sure you a) love the snow/cold b) are ok with falling down a lot and c) will repeat this in future years. Beg and borrow from friends and family first if you can! If you're a keen winter holidayer and are ready to treat yourself to something like new ski trousers, or 'salopettes' to use their proper name, then you can't go wrong with S + R. It's located inside the entrance walkway to the Chill Factore, sharing the space with other stores such as Subvert (for snowboarders) and The North Face. They have two levels, with the upper one for ski equipment and the ground floor for clothing, jackets and accessories such as headgear, hats, gloves and goggles. Most of the better-known snowsports brands are in there so you know you're getting quality goods. They stock women's, men's and children's clothing. The staff were really helpful, dashing off to locate the keys for the fitting rooms and checking their stock inventory for a particular pair I was after. Great customer service. Tip: recommend shopping here during the off-season months if you can and not during winter like I had to do, as you might grab a bargain.

I needed some gear for a camping holiday, the prices were way better than for standard camping gear…read moreand the quality looked very impressive. I for one will be back!

The lettering on the windows of New Cross Army Surplus suggest the shop stocks clothing and…read moreequipment for Camping, Hiking and Survival. I bet you a tenner however, that their most regular customers are more likely to be students looking for bargain priced army jackets than adventurers planning trips into the wilderness. For those that like to spend their weekends alone in the middle of nowhere however, the shop sells everything from rucksacks, sleeping bags and cooking stoves to balaclavas, camaflouge trousers and army helmets. In true Deliverance style, they also sell torches, rope and pen knives.

I've always been an NHS girl. What's the point in paying for something privately that you could…read morehave done for free? So, it was only as a last resort that I decided to go to a private travel clinic. I'd had a bad NHS experience which involved a rude nurse who didn't have the injections I needed and was going on holiday for 2 weeks meaning that I couldn't get them before I was due to go away. So, I googled 'Manchester travel clinic' and gave the first hit a call. That was Nomad, and I wasn't disappointed. The staff were all so friendly and helpful right from the lady who let me choose the time and day of my appointment on the phone (I chose a Saturday afternoon so I wouldn't have to take more time off work to get jabs) to the lady who gave me my injections. I'm not scared of being jabbed by needles, but if you are then I would definitely recommend coming here as the staff will make you feel comfortable and relaxed. It's the small touches that count, such as giving you a call to remind you of your appointment or turning on the air conditioning for you if you're looking hot and flustered. I didn't buy anything from the shop itself, as I'm sure most things can be found cheaper elsewhere, but it is a nicely laid out and well-stocked shop with all the travel gear you could dream of, from walking boots to water purification tablets. I'm only knocking off a star due to the above average prices.

I have booked a last minute trip to Bali and the waiting list to see a nurse at my doctors was…read moreridiculous. Therefore, i chose to go to Nomad for my travel vaccinations and they were able to book me in the following day. I wasn't sure of which vaccinations I needed and I also didn't know if I was able to have them due to my endless list of allergies. The nurses were very patient and thoroughly investigated the ingredients of each vaccine. The nurse I saw (Alice) even phoned the pharmacist and asked another nurse to have a look at the vaccines just to be 110% sure. All vaccines apart from the rabies were approved but a second nurse came into the room whilst I had them just to be on the safe side. I then had to wait until the nurses heard back about the rabies vaccine. My next appointment was booked in with Danielle. I changed my appointment so many times (because we hadn't heard back from the vaccine distributor) and I also had a million questions every time I phoned up. Danielle was always so friendly, informative and understanding. Id just like to thank all the nurses and staff at Nomad for making me feel extra safe and delivering exceptional care!

This huge store has everything you will need ( at a price )…read more There are lot's of erected tents of all sizes outside the building and within, very helpful if looking for the perfect tent for your needs. Camping furniture, outdoor clothing, large choice of sleeping bags for juniors and adults. Also reading matter in regards to walks etc.. ( over priced as is most of the things in this store unfortunately ). I feel that Outdoor World is going to be wiped out in Warrington after this GO Outdoors has been opened, it just cant match up to the sheer size and stock of this place. At the check out I was over-charged which I questioned, the check-out attendant told me that was what was coming through on the till so I paid I then went back to the area I picked my item from to see the labels and I was in fact correct at the price I thought it was. I asked a member of staff and they sorted it out for me and gave me the refund of the difference. Took a bit of time but still it was done without question. Proves its always good to double check if you are not sure you have been charged correctly. Floor staff really helpful and friendly. Check-out staff not as helpful, could have called a manager after I queried the price but I had to go and look for myself. Over-all though good shop if you have lots of cash to spend clothing seemed very expensive! You can buy a discount card for £5 a year. Gets you money off items, actually its a pretty good deal, example a £35 sleeping bag.. £29.99 with card. Discount depends on the original cost of the item. Worth getting if you are buying a lot or go often. It can make you a bit annoyed if you don't want the discount card to see how much less they can sell items for than the retail price you have to pay without a card.. seeing as the stuff is pretty pricey already. Get the card if buying over £40 of stuff as it already pays for itself and is handy for the future. (GO Outdoors need to pay me commission for that discount card advertisement haha ) 4 stars for amount of things in the store loses 1 star for being too expensive for most things.

This shop is joint effort from North Face and Ellis Brigham. Either way, it's all about the…read moreoutdoors and getting equipped. Downstairs is where all the North Face gear lives. Rather than stocking lots of different brands, absolutely everything in here is North Face. It's basically their entire range, and it's all rather nice. Jackets, jumpers, fleeces and bags of varying colours but all of equal waterproofing are everywhere. It's pricey, but well made and sure to properly do the job. Upstairs is where the Ellis Brigham shop lives and everything gets even more serious. Unlike the Cotswold shop just down the road, this shop sells ski gear including skis, boots and accessories. They've got lots of climbing gear too, but again go for the win by having a two storey high ice climbing wall. "What?!" I hear you say. Yes. A TWO STOREY HIGH ICE CLIMBING WALL. I know. I'll explain. Basically, there's loads of ice, on a wall. It's refrigerated, you see. And you try out some of the crampons and climbing gear from the shop and then climb the ice wall. Oh, and again. They have loads of proper climbing and outdoor gear up here. But for me, it's all about the ice wall. Everything is.

Another ellis brigham partnership on the same street? Slightly different from its mountain…read moreequipment chum this brigham is packed full of lovely north face gear. Recently it would seem north face has become pretty darn fashionable with loads of chaps donning their bold coloured raincoats. I'm not free from the grasp of this and was traipsing around in one a few months ago, got to be honest though I'm getting the feeling its on the way out. Apart from this, ellis brigham north face is a great burn time and plan your purchases shop with awesome gear. What separates it from its other twins along deansgate is a great big blooming ice wall on the back. Sure it's not huge but it is good for a gander and a crack at ice climbing if you're up for it, very entertaining watching people get stuck on it from the staircase as well.

In spite being the sort of guy who has visited every one of the many outdoor chain stores on Deans…read moregate, I still have a lot of time for Campcraft. The premises are large enough to display a good selection of outdoor gear - two good-sized floors - with tents, backpacks and boots being on the upper floor. The staff are really friendly, the young sales assistant who served me especially so, pointing out cool gear at random such as a super-lightweight pack. And I was treated to a demonstration of the latest LED headlight which varies its intensity according to lighting conditions - perhaps a wee bit more James Bond than I need, but still it was fun to see! I had been looking for a pair of adventure sandals to replace my worn-out pair, and had no problems at all with paying £75 for a Merrell pair featuring super-grippy natural rubber soles. Somehow, the 'just enough' stock on display helped me focus on making a buying decision which had eluded me in larger outdoor stores. I also appreciated the sales guy's opinion that I needed the larger size. Having since done a few hikes wearing the sandals I am very happy with the fit. For most Bolton locals, I would say Campcraft offers you all you really need. Just step through the door and tell the staff you need a tent, sleeping bag, campstove, boots, whatever and I am sure they will put you right. Although I don't do any extreme outdoor sports, I'm still a total outdoor gear junkie. But there is definitely a place for Campcraft's expertise alongside the Deansgate outdoor chains and out-of-town tent display warehouse places which I also enjoy. Although some of the Campcraft gear is cutting edge, this is still the kind of place I can imagine getting on first name terms with the staff and rocking up to ask 'What's new?' and be treated to a demo of the latest gizmos. Or for staff to remember what level I am at with outdoor pursuits or previous conversations and come up with suggestions tailored to my needs. Plus, we got talking about food, and it turns out that the owner of this place also owns Thyme deli and cookshop in Horwich which the sales assistant thought I might like. Where can you get that sort of village feeling these days? Exactly - so let's treasure it!

It's a fair sized shop but no where near as big as the big retailers. The staff are very helpful…read morethough and know what they are talking about. I went for some gas for my gas stove. I didn't have a clue what I was doing /looking for, but they were really friendly and helpful in advising me on what I needed.

Decathlon seems to literally have anything you need, anything - perhaps maybe beer, they don't sell…read morebeer (note to seek rip off Decathlon idea + beer). On a serious note I do really like what they do here, low cost high quality options for all sports (football, running, outdoor activities) and also some affordable and useful clothing items such as the Down Jackets or padded Gilets. I got a nice padded black gilet here the other week that in a high street shop would've cost upwards of £30 but in Decathlon it was ticketed at £15 (there was a reduction that took it ode to £10). All in all, I've never not been happy with a purchase here!

From the owner: We specialise in sports equipment and clothing for over 70 sports.read more