Is one of my favourite stores to shop for anything to do with the outdoor. I love that Kathmandu…read moreTakapuna has everything from clothing, to shoes, tents, and sleeping bags, baby carriers, baby clothes, and so many cool accessories and knick knacks for your outdoor adventures. A visit to Kathmandu for me cannot be complete without spending a good hour roaming the store, looking at the sales items, and fining out the latest gadgets for camping. The cheerful and helpful staff make your shopping experience a memorable one, even though the staff may not know completely everything about every single product in store, they make you feel like they do or want to learn more about it anyway. If you join up as a member for a small fee, you are kept in the loop of the latest sales, and also get sent a catalogue once every few months. I really think Kathmandu staff are a really active and positive bunch and always enjoy my time in store.

I would like to mention the great service which I recieved whilst shopping here. I was preparing…read morefor a backpacking holiday, the kind of thing which Kathmandu caters for beautifully. The lady who was working asked me a few questions about what I planning for, she then walked me around the store showing me what she thought might be helpful. I ended up buying quite a lot stuff, and she managed to negotiate a bit of a bargain. Somehow or another I got my compact windproof unbrella for free, and she signed me up for the Kathmandu club, which actually cost me money, but resulted in an overall saving.

I used to think it was outrageous to spend $125 on yoga pans, but that was before I bought myself a…read morepair of Lululemon's Wunder Under Pants. I know what you're thinking - "I could get 4 (maybe 5) x pair of spankies from Cotton On for that price or even 2 pairs of Nikes" - and you'd be right but the quality of these bad boys is like no other. Firstly the material is incredibly breathable without being see-through. Secondly, they don't fall down when you run or god forbid, your trainer makes you do burpies. Lastly and perhaps, most importantly they're unbelievably comfortable! I am yet to purchase any other items from their range but I've got to say, I finally get what all the fuss is about. One final note - the service is outstanding. They have designated 'pant experts' who man the pant wall and run you through your options. They also put your name on the dressing room so the staff can ask by name if there's anything you need.

At the beginning of winter 2012 - you might not remember because there was no summer to help…read moredifferentiate the seasons - I popped along to the icebreaker outlet store for one of my bi-annual shopping sprees. While it does have a good selection of stuff, I'm not sure that it's much cheaper than a regular store. That seems to be the case with most outlet stores these days. Anyways, despite that I did manage to get a few items that kept me insulated through the winter. Icebreaker stuff is pretty hardy so I shouldn't need another trip until 2014 now :) If you're on the North Shore and like a bargain it's worth a visit as there are four or five other outlet stores in this strip of shops.

Nick stayed late to help us find the perfect boards, matched to our individual skill level, and…read morewithin our budget. Brought an engineering mindset to tailored board and fin choice. Great new, used, and demo selection. 10/10 recommend.

Genuine surf shops are hard to find in Auckland. Most "surf shops" are really just stockists of…read moreanything Rip Curl or Billabong and the sales assistants don't know the difference between a short board and a SUP! That's why I consider Ultimate Surf Shop so... well, ultimate. If it's anything surfing orientated you're after, Andre or one of the other knowledgeable staff will certainly be able to suss you out. Whether you want to go all out and buy yourself a brand new board or just stop in for a chat about what the surf is doing and grab a new block of wax this is the place to go. They cater to nooby as learners, eager grommets and old grumpy long boarders. The custom J Dub quad fin board I got from the boys at Ultimate has showed me some seriously good times in the surf. A new addition to Ultimate surf is the Ultimate Skate shop upstairs. Absolutely anything skate will be stored up here and Jesse knows his stuff! He recently put together a board for my boyfriend. I was so thankful he could make the process so simple for me because if I was asked to choose a deck and bearings and wheels and all the other crap going on I wouldn't have known where to start! Ultimate also puts on some awesome events to get involved in from skate jams to movie nights! Lots of good times to be had so I'd recommend getting involved!

This is by far my favorite outdoor gear shop in Auckland. It's independently owned and the people…read morewho work here really care about their business and know their stuff. I bought a tramping backpack here after much hemming and hawing and trying every pack at every shop in Auckland. What I loved about this place was how not pushy they were, how willing to suggest things in every price range (though honestly they don't stock merchandise they don't believe in), and when they could see I was undecided, they were happy to have me go away and come back when I was sure, AND they offered me a small discount, which was enough to woo me away from buying my bag overseas and having it shipped to me. They care about selling you good, sustainable options that will keep you in good gear for a long time. They'll order for you if they don't have something in stock that you want, and they rent gear if you're not quite ready to commit (or you're visiting). Bottom line - good quality stuff, amazing service, get in there and get outdoors!!

Came in with mum to get her some yoga pants as mums do…read more I was very impressed with their service! Perhaps among the best customer service I've seen in Auckland retail. They write your name on the changing room door to make sure they address you by name which is great. Great range of products, although their guys department was a little lacking, but probably cause they don't have a large male market. The have free in store yoga, after the store closes on Wednesdays.

I love this store. What better way to motivate a girl's health and fitness habit - by looking very…read morecool - as I stride out along the North Shore beaches like a promenading maniac! I have to admit, Lulu L's price point is a little steep, but there's a lot of thought that goes into the design and fabrics. For example, all the cropped walking pants have special pockets just big enough to hold your phone and a credit card. They use FRENCH terry-cloth (four way stretch apparently!) and every item I've purchased is super comfortable. I highly recommend a visit to one of the LL stores. Friendly and knowledgeable staff and great gear to choose from!!

If you're looking for a bargain and a great day of shopping then Dressmart is the place for you!…read more Dressmart is a mall that houses over 100 stores and offers up to 70% off the normal retail price, all year round. No need to wait for end of season sales to be able to spend up large! My last trip to Dressmart I was looking for work clothes and ended up buying three dresses, a blouse, and a singlet top for $60 - a feat that just wouldn't happen anywhere else. However, my real find of the trip was the chunky wedge sandals I found in Glassons. Down from $59.99, I ended up purchasing them for $10, and when I took them to the counter found out accessories were buy one get one free, so ended up walking away with a great black flower hairclip for free as well! Talk about a happy shopper! Though predominantly a clothing outlet, Dressmart also houses eateries, sports shops, shoe shops, health and beauty stores and book stores. The only thing that is missing is a jewellery store, but when you're saving so much money on everything else I guess paying full price for jewellery isn't so bad! Located near Auckland transport stations and with lots of customer parking and a free shuttle service operating Monday-Friday between the mall and Auckland CBD, despite being in Onehunga Dressmart is easily accessible.

You can get some real bargains here I've found. I love my Nike running shoes and shorts which I…read moregot from the Nike shop. The shorts were about $30 and the shoes, I think were not much over $100 and are so comfortable. Since I've had them, I've kept up regular running which is an achievement! My flatmate also got a really good new outfit for a wedding at Working Style and saved a lot of money on good quality clothes. The service here was also excellent. Also Dress smart Onehunga is home to the only outlet shop for Peter Alexander in New Zealand! Dress Mart really is the place to visit if you want to save money on branded items. It gets really busy on weekends though, so either be prepared, or come early. Sometimes I find myself getting a bit disoriented inside trying to find a particular shop, but that might just be me!

A seven day bricks and mortar store. Good service and a good website with a lot of gear. Selling…read moreNRL, sports shoes, orthotic shoe outlet for men and ladies. This place is also a Post Centre for sending stuff local and overseas. handy for gifts. Has its own carpark out front, big and spacious inside with lots of variety.

Arazzo is Mum & I's go to for gifts. They stock a beautiful range of candles, gorgeous body…read morelotions, silk scarves, jewellery, cookbooks and more. But the best thing about this small shop is that they turn over their stock at lightning speed, which means for a regular like me there's always something new to fawn over. It's obviously as popular with the other Milford locs as it is with our family. The other fabulous thing about Arazzo is that, compared to many other independent home decor stores, it's affordable. I love candles and so they have become somewhat of a price indicator for me and at $40 (they have quite a range), Arazzo's are an absolute steal! Try their beautiful handmade ones from Devonport. I forget the brand name but they come in a stylish black and white box and are stunning. They also currently have some fabulous christmas decorations, which the owner tell me are flying out the door. Cute wee reindeer and fairy lights galore - it certainly put me in a festive mood!