GO Outdoors

There aren’t many of these stores around and after driving MILES to buy a tent that the website said was in stock, it turned out that it wasn’t! The shop assistant said become a member for the discount (£5 charge), and buy on-​line. This tent is not available on-​line and therefore I have to travel over 50 miles to another store to buy it in person. Will this store have it in stock???
They can’t take card payments over the phone and you’re charged a premium rate to call Customer Services who can’t help anyway!!!
The moral of this warning is:
DON’T TRUST GO OUTDOORS’ STOCK AVAILABILITY SYSTEM!
angry from Brighton

Beyond the impressive range of outward-​bound gear in this warehouse-​sized Newport Road store is the off-​putting manner in which they decide to run their pricing system. Coughing up a membership fee for a discount card is the only way you can get the actual prices widely advertised (the RRP for ‘regular’ non-​paid-​up customers displayed in comparatively tiny letters). The slight rip-​off stench of trying to draw you into return purchases on the basis of shelling out for what is really just a beefed-​up Tesco Clubcard variation doesn’t give a great impression, especially as the system isn’t really clearly explained anywhere prominent. And it also seems like a thinly veiled way to force you onto their mailing list (because they persistently send you post afterwards), while deflating shelf prices to the eyes of first-​time visitors. Still, if you can stomach those unwieldy tactics, they stock enough equipment for camping, climbing, walking, cycling and more to comfortably kit yourself out for several months of survival in the wilderness (or the valleys). Bear Grylls wouldn’t stand for that discount card malarkey, though.

The first thing that struck me about this place was just how big it is. It really has the largest selection 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.