From Running to Rugby, and Badminton to Bouls, there is prety much any piece of sporting equipment…read moreyou could want from this shop (or the website if it's not in stock) I find that alot of the central sports shops only deal in the more mainstream sporting goods and equipment, more specifically football and semi casual sports wear. Doug Hillard is good if your after something that is a little bit more specialist. Also for all the budding and fresh new teams out there they also do a design embroidery service. So you can design your own team logo and email/give it to them and they can see what they can do in terms of creating it and placing it on some sports wear/equipment. Go on, get that proffesional look for your team!

I enjoy sports to a certain extent. I like a bit of squash or rugby for instance, and I don't mind…read morewatching a bit on the TV. An entire shop, however, dedicated to sporty stuff is a bit much for me. For those that aren't too overwhelmed and are in need of some good quality kit, head down to Doug Hillard's. From swimming to soccer to cricket all the kit, balls, bags and supplies you could ever need are all down here. They keep it local too supplying local teams with their kit and some Bristol Rovers merchandise. If it's kit you need they run a little T shirt printing bit on the side, make an already able store a little better.

One of the many things I love about Gloucester Rd is the huge range of independent shops and…read morebusinesses. There are few other parts of Bristol where you can see fresh local talent really shouldering its way in. Just over a year or so ago now two local lads Sam and Logan started up their very own clothing label. Focussing on the growing styles of snowboard and skate clothing they've come on in leaps and bounds. A lot of the clothing designs have deep roots with local graffiti artists and as a result the prices can be a little steep. Rest assured however that this money is paying for quality and shelf life, and the money is going back to the kids that deserve it, not some fat cat corporation. As big supporters of local up and coming 'urban' music Avalaan get about, getting involved with nights out and local festivals. This is a great shop to pick up some original bits of clothing but you really get the feeling that this goes beyond just a clothes shop - it's a lifestyle.

Avalaan may specialise in sports and ski wear but they're also a great place to stock up with…read morewinter essentials. Heavy duty gloves, woollen gloves and scarves are in abundance here, and it's the perfect shop to protect yourself from the cold. This flagship store also has a great range of t-shirts, posters, shoes and jump suits. The prices are fair for the quality of the clothes, and the shop assistants always smile when you walk through their doors. A lovely shopping experience - better for boys than girls.

Y C Sports provides sporting goods and accessories. The business has had a renovation and the…read morequality of products is excellent. Products range from football to more unusual sports. The staff really knows what they're talking about, so if you need advice check them out. When you really need an accessory and you can't wait to have it delivered go to Y C Sport and get it instantly.

Amazing Shop !!! Especially The Gentleman John, who showed me the tennis rackets and accessories. I…read morewalked in THINKING of buying a racket and left with a racket. Babolat Pure Drive Play was amazing!! The quality of the strings and they are basic are outstanding!! The RRP for this product was £250 and the gent bumped the price down :) Such an amazing store, My go to shop for tennis stuff 10/10, youll be seeing more of me.

A very well stocked sports shop selling a good range of sporting equipment. I was looking for a…read moretennis racquet and was pleased to find they had a good choice in store. For those wanting to head off for the beach they had body boards for sale at £6.99. Although I'm not a fan of Crocs, I know plenty of people who are (they must be mad!) an they did have a good range availible. They also stocked Barbie active girls wear, which I'm sure is very popular with the under 7s!

This place seems to change it's name very three months or so, which is a tad confusing, but it's…read morethat massive sports shop by the entrance to Cabot Circus which always has a bucket of balls, a selection of white socks and some golf umbrellas sitting outside the door. Although I wouldn't recommend it as a fashion outlet, if you actually play sport, this is a great place to stock up on the cheap. No one wants to spend more than they really have to on stuff that's just going to get muddy, broken and smelly, and you can get football boots here for £15, shinpads for around a fiver, and tracksuit bottoms for less than a tenner. This place is the perfect antidote to 'sports' shops that don't actually sell proper sporting equipment; and it's also worth occasionally checking out their range of largely horrible but very cheap trainers ( I once picked up a pair black Adidas shells for £30 when they cost £50 everywhere else).

I've been to other sports direct and had an okay experience so this two star rating is quite…read moresubjective but hey my experience today was shocking. Firstly I was in the shop with my pushchair and found it impossible to navigate round the shop. More than 50% of the aisle were to narrow for me to go down turning the whole shop into this frustrating maze. The fact that it was busy didn't help the situation. I then found my way to the lift and went to the top floor where the children's shoes were located. By this point my son had had enough of being pushed so I set him loose while trying to find him some trainers. I quickly found a pair and gave them to the staff member on duty who said they'd find his size. He disappeared behind a door and literally didn't return for 10-15mins!! What the hell he was doing out there I don't know, but I'm sure it cant take that long to locate a pair of shoes. By the time he did return my son and pulled and twenty different things off the shelves but I thought oh well serves you right! He wasn't apologetic either. I should add the trainers were really nice and a bargain so I'm sure I'll be back but definitely minus the pushchair!

There's a few sporting shops that have carved out a little enclave for themselves on Whitchurch…read moreRoad, and this one has to be my favourite. It is a really large outlet that is incredibly well stocked, with all manner of gear. You can even buy archery equipment here!!! (Not that this is what I come here for... I'm lethal enough without needing to resort to using something like a bow and arrow! My car is the only potentially dangerous piece of machinery that I'll allow myself to use... I give everything else a wide birth!) My needs that Cardiff Sportsgear meets are of a much more mundane variety. I come here for my swim suits, as I tend to call in at RatRigs, the surf shop just down the road, whilst I'm about it.. (RatRigs have a sale on a the moment, and so I called into both last week to scoop up a couple of bargains. Sadly, Cardiff Sportsgear didn't have what I was looking for in my size on this occasion, (a Speedo with long legs, like the type of suit that competitive swimmers wear... something that is proving nigh on impossible to find)... The staff were really helpful, and said that if I knew exactly what I wanted, then they would happily order it for me. Great service!

Wowee! Whatever sport you're into you will undoubtedly be incredibly impressed by Cardiff…read moreSportsgear. They offer: racquets, cricket gear, pool table, gym equipment, riding helmets, wetsuits, and so much more! Whenever I come in here with friends we like to play a game of how many sports we can count (at least 25 last count). The staff are all incredibly friendly and know their stock well (surprising considering how big this place is). The only thing they don't have much in the way of is, gym clothes, which is ironically the only thing I need.

As you walk into Henleys, the luxury sporting clothes shop, you are happy-slapped in the face by a…read morewall of noise blasting from the sound system. Head-banging garage choons, which I think are designed to confuse and disorientate you into spending all your hard-earned dough. At least that's what I hope - because if there was no clever psychology behind it, it was just extremely off-putting. As for the clothes, it's a Paris-Hilton-cum-Vicky-Pollard dream. Velour, hoodies and diamante bling are splashed all across the store as well as t-shirts, jumpers and dresses all unashamedly sporting the Henleys name across the front. The boys section was a lot more interesting than the girls, with preppy American sweaters and Ralph Lauren style shirts. The boys behind the till were too-cool-for-school (or Henleys for that matter) and barely acknowledged the people they were serving. Not a fan!

I love this little shop. You can pop in for a sandwich, for a drink, for some sports wear, or to…read moretop up your phone - and every time the service is fantastic. I went in for a pair of shorts and found some in cardiff university colours (all shorts are cardiff university colours but you can also buy hoodies and t-shirts in a whole range). There was a good range of sizes available. I was also looking for some jogging bottoms but they didn't have them in my size. The shorts were £10 which I felt was quite reasonable, though not cheap, because they are good quality and I'd rather pay for that than go into town and get either a cheap pair that won't last or are ridiculously expensive for the logo on them. The shop also offers a good range of vegetarian food in the chilled cabinet - worth a look!

This is one of those shops that seems to sell everything - catering well to the student union crowd…read moreof university staff and students. When I worked at Cardiff Uni, on Park Place, we always used to nip in here on milk runs for our tea breaks - picking up any chocolate requests at the same time. You can also grab birthday cards, a drink or some lunch, some cigarettes, university sports hoodies and t-shirts, phone top ups, the odd toiletries, and more. The service is always efficient and friendly, and even when there's a queue it goes down quickly - but watch out on the opening times because it closes at 4pm and is only open weekdays.

With a mum called Betty, how could I possibly resist going into a shop with a name like this? I was…read morehoping to find plenty of branded goods for me to buy in an attempt to make my mum giggle. And I was in luck - there's pink branded EVERYTHING to be had here from flasks to towels. Quite obviously not a gym member, I felt pretty self conscious next to the other die-hard sport fanatic customers who seemed to be very seriously whilst buying sportswear. The shop assistants, however, were lovely and politely laughed while I explained the significance of the Sweaty Betty umbrella I was buying. The clothes in SB were feminine and practical but carried a hefty price tag. Only worth a visit if you're serious about sport. Or have a mum called Betty too.

This place scares me a tad. Not just the abhorrent name, but the extremely, fluorescent pink lycra…read moreoutfits that line the window in the Triangle shop. Inside, the approach is far friendlier and more feminine than JJB sports - with whopping price tags to match. A miniscule muscle vest will set you back the price of a monthly gym membership - so I'd say it's for posers more than anything (although there's nothing wrong in wanting to look stylish whilst working out). If you're after upper class velour tracksuits (vaguely chavvy still) and yoga wear/mats, plus girl dumbells or training shoes then head up to Sweatybetty. Beware, you'll share floorspace with some quite snooty sporty types and leave with a considerably lighter wallet.

***ATTENTION read the low rated reviews - Absolute Cowboys! Avoid!…read more Bought £150 climbing shoes which degraded after only 1.5 months! Upon going back to Taunton Leisure I was met with rudeness and condescending attitudes both on the phone and in person. After Taunton Leisure's "inspection" they informed me that premium climbing shoes failing after only 25% of their typical lifecycle was completely acceptable and therefore they refused me an exchange! Additionally the store manager requested I sign their form which he told me was their proof of them having given the shoes back. Luckily I read the form before signing, which turned out to be a document removing them of all responsibility! I refused to sign of couse but needless to say, Taunton Leisure aren't above outright Fraud either it seems!! I have now launched a case with my bank to recover the money and also will be reporting Taunton Leisure to Trading Standards. Dont use Taunton Leisure guys, theres plenty of other places for all your climbing, hiking & outdoor needs. I'd recommend Banana Fingers, EpicTV, GoOutdoors or Mountain Warehouse (Links below). Any of these are reputable brands that in my experience, wont break trading regulations in order to thieve your money... unlike Taunton Leisure!

Whilst there are no fewer than three outdoor gear shops in the town centre, it is definitely worth…read moreheading out here to Taunton Leisure. It is barely in Bedminster, before you reach Asda on the left. A large blue shop, they have supplies for camping, walking and climbing here at reasonable prices and some high-end brands as well. There is a room for tents with a couple on display, and an area for women's clothes which is pretty good - they don't pander very much to the pale blue and pink outdoor gear that a lot of brands seem to think that women want to wear. Staff are knowledgable and friendly, and don't push you for a sale. There are a lot of them as well so you won't have to wait to be helped when it gets busy.