I first came across Snow & Rock many years ago a ski show in Earl's Court where I purchased my…read morefirst pair of ski boots from them. Since then I've returned many times for skiing related purchases. Skiing isn't a cheap shop and indeed Snow & Rock aren't a cheap ski shop so be prepared for some credit card pain when you shop here. I tend to buy my more specialist items like ski boots, skis and goggles from here as I feel quality in these areas is worth some extra money for good advice and good fitting. After all, these items tend to last me years, so it's worth getting quality which will last I've now skied long enough to know when I've getting good advice or if someone is trying to blag. The advice here is generally solid. I like their custom footbed service where they will mould the soles of your boots to fit your feet exactly. Having a pair of perfectly fitting and comfortable ski boots is vital to an enjoyable ski holiday and these are well worth the investment. Snow & Rock will also adjust boots after purchase for up to a year after purchase. As usual, hit the shop for bargains at the end of ski seasons. The clothing is expensive here and I tend to go elsewhere for less trendy but more affordable gear - I can't bear to spend that amount of money on something I've only going to wear 1 or 2 weeks a year

I don't think anyone in London is going to understand the following reference, but visiting…read moreAmericans might. Snow & Rock is REI. Just smaller and more expensive. They had a decent selection of outdoor gear and more sports oriented gear than I expected. If you need adventuring or outdoor gear I'd come check this place out.

Terrible experience, discriminatory staff…read more I visited the store last week to try on ski boots and was told to come back later as the trained staff were on their breaks, so I returned after a few hours and was denied entry by the security guard. Staff told me the guard had received a picture of me from a CCTV camera at another nearby store - I do not even live in London, and had arrived the previous day. They showed me the photo, and the person in it was obviously not me - this would have been easy for the guard and staff to see if they looked at it properly, but it was apparent to me that I had been profiled and was being discriminated against. None of the staff were interested in what I had to say - the store manager was less than 2 metres away from me throughout this incident, but they had their back turned the whole time, clearly not wanting to be involved. I had heard good things about this store, but I only had my time wasted, and walked out feeling humiliated and upset. I emailed customer service about this over a week ago and my complaint was forwarded to multiple managers of the business straight away. I am only writing this public review now because I am yet to receive a single further response. Unacceptable on all counts.

This is the best place in London to come for all your outdoor gear needs. Set over 4 or 5 floors…read morethere is dedicated floor space to everything you will need for sports ranging from skiing to high altitude mountaineering. For me, nowhere in London has anything like its selection. The only real downside is that all the gear is skewed towards higher end products which is fine if you want to splash the cash but means that you can leave here having spent a worrying amount of money on day glow boots or GoreTex jackets.

This is a large store specialising in camping gear, out door gadgets, climbing, and snowboarding/…read moreskiing clothing and accessories. I found their best products to be out doors gadgets like The Meteotronic Weather Forecast hand held device which provides a professional weather- pretty useful for £40. This store could give you some great ideas for what to get Dad for Christmas/ birthday. In fashion wise... I find the clothes and colours to be quite plain jane, practical but not very attractive.

Pricey, but well worth it because of the personal service and the vast selection…read more On day 2 in London it was clear that the shoes that worked for me in Dallas would NOT work at all in London. I hobbled in, barely able to walk, ad in great pain from shows that had become too tight from all the walking I had done. I left nearly pain free, in shoes that not only supported and housed my swollen aching feet, but also corrected my tendency to pronate. It took trying 10 pairs and about 50 minutes to find the shows I needed, and In that time I realized how deeply knowledgeable staff was about hair products and issues customers have with their feet. I was so blessed to find such an experienced and helpful employee. My London adventure was almost at an end before it really began!

Splendid customer service with positive energy attitude . Always appreciated the great serviceread more

I love you Decathlon!…read more Decathlon makes me sporty. OK - so I am (was) anything but sporty. But living next to Decathlon has forced me to become a (half) Marathon runner and a regular hiker. Decathlon does a great job of selling. Products are among the most competitively priced and the quality is not too compromised on either. For some reason, I always thought otherwise. Maybe because it's French? They never run out of stock for some reason. Good inventory management. The staff is very friendly. I have almost never had trouble finding what I need. They've always gone that extra mile to make sure I get what I'm looking for. Really glad to have Decathlon for a neighbor.

A bit tucked away near Petticoat Lane but easy enough to find from Liverpool St. Lots of stock,…read moreparticularly for hiking, trekking, mountaineering (alpine), rock climbing, and camping. Good selection of sleeping gear, backpacks, and climbing boots. Cotswold Outdoor also have a great online ordering system that allows customers to pick up items from the store. Since this is near City, it's really easy to stop by after work and pick up an order. Staff are really helpful too. If you buy a lot of outdoor gear, it's worth becoming a member for the discounts and points. They'll also notify you of sales. Also don't forget that if you're a National Trust member, there is a 15% discount on all items, including anything in the sales! Show them your card in store when you check out. Naughty of them not to advertise this, but hey... now you know!

Tried to sell me a pair of trousers that were far too big and didn't seem to understand what was…read moreactually needed for outdoors activities. Dead rat by the front door - think it died trying to get out of the store by the looks of things, staff did not seem to care about it.

This is a big sport shop at Southside Shopping Center. All kind of sporting goods and accessories…read more A lot of choices to choose from. Very good price too.

Prior to its arrival at Southside, I was unfamiliar with Decathlon. It had been there for a couple…read moremonths, before I ventured in to peek around, wary from most all previous life experiences with sporty/outdoorsy stores. I was surprised. It was different. A mecca of own-brand + nice branded items for all sorts of athletic pursuits from walking and running to cycling, yoga, all sorts of sportsball apparatus, etc. for women, men, & children. It's a bit like a Lidl, but nicer, for sporty stuff. When shopping for a helmet and lock for my new foray into biking in the city, the cycling department staff were really helpful and kind. Even though I had lots of questions, they happily helped. Each department seems to have knowledgeable staff. Prices here are great. Very affordable and incredibly competitive. The store is quite big, spread over 2 floors. My only complaint is the checkout staff seem to always be aloof and the opposite of the helpful staff from the rest of the store. But, apart from that, I think this shop is a keeper.

Blacks is a more upmarket shop selling gear for outdoor activities. I usually look in Millets first…read moreacross the road as it's cheaper and then Blacks. At the end of the ski season, my sister and I hit Blacks, looking for ski gear. We're not slaves to the latest styles and are quite happy to be a season out of date fashion-wise. Otherwise, I find it so hard to pay such a huge amount of money for things like a ski jacket, which I'll only wear for one week or at most 2 weeks a year. There is also lots of stuff for walking, hikers, climbers and campers.

Gone there when the hiking boots were on sale and pick up some real bargain…read more The shops carries a wide selection of merchandise from the high end to the more affordable range which makes it very useful as a one-stop​ shop for camping stuff.

This is a great store. I was forced to buy a whole bunch of outdoor equipment for hiking on my…read moreEuropean trip when my luggage was lost. The owner was kind and thoughtful and spent a significant amount of time with me going through all the options and helping me balance my desire to get good equipment without breaking the bank. I cannot imagine going to a chain store when you could shop here and get very personal service as well as having access to a good selection of high-quality products.

Brilliant! It was my first time visiting and Yusef and Tarran provided an exceptionally…read moreprofessional, friendly and knowledgeable service. Their attention to detail and personal touch is exemplary and cannot be found in the larger chain shops. They took fantastic care of me and have gained a customer for life.