Robinson's Outdoors is exactly the kind of independent shop that reminds you why local stores still…read morematter. The staff were genuinely friendly, approachable, and--most importantly--knowledgeable. They actually took the time to answer questions and make sure I understood what I was looking at, instead of just pointing me to a shelf. You get the sense they really know their gear and care about helping you make the right choice. Sure, you can buy outdoor stuff on Amazon, but you're not going to get any level of service. There's real value in being able to talk to someone who's an expert and can guide you properly. Overall, an amazing experience--I'll definitely be back.

I love visiting Robinson when in Victoria. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. The…read moreselection of gear is top notch, this past visit I got some Smartwool leggings. I am always happy to support and give my dollar to local businesses that encourage people to get outside!

My boyfriend and I went on the 9:30am Oak Bay tour this morning. The conditions were perfect - the…read morewater was glassy and peaceful, making for a calm and scenic paddle. Federico took us to several beautiful spots around the bay, including one where we spotted seals lounging and even a bald eagle perched nearby. Later, we were lucky enough to see a sea lion surface right beside us - such a cool moment! We happened to be the only two on the tour, which made the experience feel even more special. Federico was a fantastic guide - knowledgeable, attentive, and easygoing, with a great sense of humor. He kept a comfortable pace throughout and made sure we felt warm, safe, and supported the entire time. Peaceful water (well, we were lucky for that!), incredible wildlife, and a guide who really cares - what more could you ask for? The boats we were in were high quality and the shop is top tier. The people who work at this organization are extremely skilled kayakers who are dedicated to helping the kayak community. The shop has kayak skills courses as well and is dedicated to promoting excellent kayaking. If you're considering a kayak tour in the area or upping your kayak skills, I can't recommend Ocean River Sports enough.

My husband and I were in Victoria for a few days celebrating our anniversary. We stayed at the…read moreDelta Hotel and saw lots of kayaks out and about in the harbor in front of our hotel. We ended up doing a two hour rental with a tandem kayak from Ocean River Adventures. Getting there was a short ten minute walk from our hotel. The entire rental process was very quick and easy and their rental equipment is very good. It was a good value for the equipment and time we got to use the kayak. The kayak tracked beautifully in the water and we had a wonderful time cruising around the harbor for a couple hours. We even had a seal that popped its head out of the water about 20 feet in front of us! Lee (I believe he is the owner) and Wesley were a delight to deal with. I would highly recommend this company.

This was our first time here in Victoria British Columbia. We decided to check out this place full…read moreof sporting and camping equipment. MEC is a membership store it only costs $5 to join. The "WASHROOM" as it's called over here was clean. There's a large selection of everything you could possibly need for camping, biking, hiking and backpacking. It is an interesting place to visit and browse. My husband is very interested in cycling. He got on the demo Tacx bike which generates power and is an interactive game which you ride in competitions in famous locations like Central Park. As my husband rode a crowd gathered to watch and cheer. He was riding hard, shifting gears and working up a sweat!! He was not in his riding outfit or clip on shoes, but he rode quite a distance and was ready to buy if we weren't so far from home. The price is a huge factor. Our son briefly tried out the Tacx bike and thought it was awesome.

I have shopped at a number of MEC locations over the years and this one seems a bit more cramped…read morethan the others. The shoe area is certainly tight. No worries. I love every MEC store and I've been a member since the 90s so I can never leave without buying something. Indeed, while others were scooping up deals on clearance merchandise -- this store was packed with people -- my two items were full price. Darn. I still left happy.

I wanted to post about Karsten and Cameron's work at the new Valhalla Pure Outfitters (VPO) in…read moredowntown Victoria. Karsten at VPO mounted skis for me last week at the end of May (!). His work is excellent. It's hard to get good ski service in Victoria, and Karsten went out of his way to get a rig. I've also gotten great help from Cameron at the same store. Besides the staff, the Victoria's VPO has an excellent, concentrated selection of climbing gear. It's the store you would get if hard climbers (that were moderate gear nerds) were told to fill out a garage. Compared to a big Vancouver and Seattle store, the floor space is small. But the careful attention on selection shows, and gives the store a compact, useful character.

Standard little shop... limited selection. If you can't find what you're looking for you can…read moreprobably find it at one of the many outdoorsy shops within walking distance. *yelp wants longer reviews... Ain't nobody got time for that! So here are a couple of sentences to please the people of yelp who think that people need to keep reading reviews instead of getting on with their lives

I like the brand and the shop. Staff are nice and they have a good collection. Would definitely…read morerecommend checking out their store.