Blacks

Blacks on Elm Row, looks like a tiny branch of Blacks, but is actually a fairly decent size when you take the large upstairs area into account.
It has a good selection of outdoor clothing, along with all the gear you’d need for camping (tents, stoves, sleeping bags etc), snowsports and hill walking. The products range from their own brands to Berghaus, Animal, North Face and Karrimor, so there’s something for every budget. They alsohave a good selection of outdoor footwear with heavy walking boots for the winter and sport sandals in the summer.
Generally I’ve found the assistants to be helpful and heo know what they’re talking about, which is a change from some branches of Blacks. I think the stores location adds to its appeal, as it’s never terribly busy so the assistants have more time to chat to you and talk about what you’re looking for.

Blacks is a wonderful place to find outdoor wear. They stock many good fantastic brands such as North Face, Berghaus, Quicksilver — way too many to mention. This is the place to buy a winter jacket is you want warmth over fashion.
They stock clothes, footwear, camping gear, rucksacks and running gear. Prices are reasonable when you think about the fact you are buying something that is for a purpose rather than for fashion.
The shop looks small from outside but once you get indoors it is on 3 floors (I think) and has quite a lot of stock!
There is definitely more mens wear than womans wear but I have found this is the case in many outdoor shops.

This Black’s store looks pretty tiny from the outside but they actually stock a surprising range of stuff. There is an upstairs that has the sleeping bags, rucksacks and cookware and usually has a few tents out on display and the staff are really friendly. Some of the bigger tickets items, such as tents and backpacks, can be quite pricy but if you don’t have time to do your homework and buy online then at least you know you are getting good quality gear here. The selection of women’s clothes is generally a bit sparse but some nice pieces nonetheless.