Best outdoor stores in London

Ken T.

Ken T.

Section Hiker
I’ll be in London late October. Would like to stop in a couple of stores. Any little place I should not miss?
 
ColinHawke

ColinHawke

Ultralighter
Most of the big stores are all in Covent Garden - Cotswold, Ellis-Brigham, Snow & Rock, Rohan, yada yada. Not sure about little places ..
 
Clare

Clare

Thru Hiker
There are no little places, or not that I know about, except army surplus shops. Paramo is middle size and have left Covent Garden and gone to Marylebone high street.
 
ColinHawke

ColinHawke

Ultralighter
Yes Stanfords is good, it's where I got all my Hindu Kush & Karakoram maps - all made by the British back 100 years ago and were still very useful.
 
JKM

JKM

Thru Hiker
As said, covent garden is the main place but it's all full price and few bargains due to the expensive location.

Arcteryx have a store on picadilly.

I have not been (so assume it's pretty new) but appears there is an official Haglöfs Store at 249-251 Regent St.. it's shared with Aisics so that may be why I have not noticed it.

Run and become are near Victoria station stock inov-8 and some other trail shoes and lightweight running orientated gear including Montane and OMM. They are very helpful, did a little consultation via phone /email and recommend some shoes for me to try and then made sure they had my sizes in stock for when I called in.

There are some runners need stores as well, also stocking trail shoes and running orientated gear.

Sadly pattagonia closed their covent garden store last year.

Vivobarefoot have a store on Neal st, covent garden.

There are lots of other running shops that often have lightweight goodies.

There is an altberg dealer out Kingston way that does boot fitting, can't recall the name.

I can't think of a single place to get lightweight (by TL standards) tents or cooking gear.
 
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snow

snow

Trail Blazer
The central shops are fairly rubbish, best of the bunch is Ellis Brigham in Covent Garden imo. As said mostly full price stuff and not that much of the really serious kit, more fashion-y.

Need to go up to the mountainy areas for good shops.
 
Daymoth

Daymoth

Section Hiker
I like Ellis Bingham in covent garden the best from the lot in London.
But other than mountaineering and climbing gear, for UL hiking there isnt much to see in London.
 
B

benp1

Trail Blazer
Covent Garden is still the best option. Lots of options but nothing fancy or specialist. it's catering for a London market

Ellis Brigham (with an ice wall)
TNF (branch of the above), have a sale on every now and then with good priced samples to be had
Cotswold
Mountain Warehouse
Rohan
Snow Rock
Arcteryx
Jack Wolfskin

The first 5 are south of the square, the other 3 are north but it's all quite close

Used to have a field and trek but that's now gone. I think the Kathmandu has gone now as well
 
snow

snow

Trail Blazer
benp1 said:
Covent Garden is still the best option. Lots of options but nothing fancy or specialist. it's catering for a London market

Ellis Brigham (with an ice wall)
TNF (branch of the above), have a sale on every now and then with good priced samples to be had
Cotswold
Mountain Warehouse
Rohan
Snow Rock
Arcteryx
Jack Wolfskin

The first 5 are south of the square, the other 3 are north but it's all quite close

Used to have a field and trek but that's now gone. I think the Kathmandu has gone now as well
Click to expand...

Arc’teryx Covent Garden store closed as well, only the one next to Piccadilly Circus now.
 
Mole

Mole

Thru Hiker
We had a mooch about between trains the other week.

As folk say, thought Ellis Brigham the best overall.

Cotswolds are definitely using more space catering towards the fashion stuff these days. Similarly at my local. The structural overhaul and change of climate last year drove the local management to leave the company by all accounts.

Only bought a shirt from the Rohan shop.
Being from the US Ken, you may not know Rohan? Worth checking out. Very good quality travel clothing made of technical fabrics which look smart, and more traditional looking outdoor clothing. Problem is, the shops often only stock seasonal gear nit everything in the range, and they often change or don't do certain models consistently every year. But often, they get it just right.

Also, if after something different, it might be worth you visiting the Paramo shop. They've definitely got their own approach to clothing solutions!
 
JKM

JKM

Thru Hiker
JKM said:
appears there is an official Haglöfs Store at 249-251 Regent St.. it's shared with Aisics so that may be why I have not noticed it.
Click to expand...
I went to the haglofs store today, it's a bit pants as it's just a section of the basement in the ASICS store.
Staff are fairly knowledgable but there is not much stock.
There were some discounts though.

I was having trouser envy after my soaking above patterdale and had been coveting @NEEpps panatloons so i went in to look for some of the 2.5 layer l.i.m overtrousers. Alas they don't stock them but they did have 40% off the goretex version and several other bits.

I ended up with an extremely comfortable but slightly overweight 25L day pack as I will actually have some daywalks this year.
 
el manana

el manana

Thru Hiker
Can't remember the last time I bought anything from a store, all purchases seem to be online (unfortunately)
 
el manana

el manana

Thru Hiker
My last boots were instore 4 years ago?...I just stock up on same shoes when they appear in the online sales, Salomon mainly...Sportiva..

That said, I tried on a pair of Salomon today half a size bigger and they seemed to fit better...:confused:...the plot thickens with my recurring bruised and blistered toes...:banghead: :pigeon:
 
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