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The best outdoor and sports equipment shops revealed
The weather is turning unpredictable, and if you're looking to venture out for a hike or a run you might be on the lookout for some new autumn-appropriate sports gear.
Top-quality products, value for money and great after-sales care are all important when buying sports and outdoor equipment. You don't want to get caught out with a leaky 'waterproof' or stuck with a tent you can't figure out how to put up.
We've quizzed thousands of shoppers to find out which outdoor and sporting equipment shops to sprint towards and which might leave you running for the hills. The results are revealed below.
Which are the top outdoor and sports equipment shops and websites?
The table below shows the 11 highest-scoring shops in our survey. Links take you to retailers' websites. Survey sample sizes are in brackets.
| Retailer | Customer score | Product quality | Staff helpfulness/knowledge | Value for money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotswold Outdoor (79) | 78% | |||
| John Lewis (68) | 77% | |||
| Adidas (366) | 76% | |||
| Amazon (647) | 76% | |||
| Nike (222) | 76% | |||
| Trespass (48) | 76% | |||
| Blacks (69) | 75% |
Results are based on a survey of 3,806 shoppers in May 2023. Customer score is based on satisfaction with the brand and likelihood to recommend.
- Find out more: best and worst outdoor and sports shops - the full results
Cotswold Outdoor and John Lewis top the table
If a retailer both wows its customers and also passes detailed Which? analysis of its T&Cs, we'll name it a Which? Recommended Provider.
This year, we haven't named any shops as Which? Recommended Providers for outdoor and sports goods. Cotswold Outdoor doesn't have a good-enough returns policy for us to be able to wholeheartedly recommend it, while John Lewis didn't score highly enough in this category for staff helpfulness.
Cotswold Outdoor was the only outdoor and sports equipment shop to achieve four stars for staff helpfulness and knowledge in our survey, so if you're after advice on a new pair of walking boots or the best four-person tent then it's worth a visit. Shoppers love the quality of products it offers, too, rating it five stars for this.
Cotswold Outdoor stores offer rucksack and boot fitting, and some even have uneven terrain surfaces for customers to test walking boots on. One customer said that the staff went 'out of their way to help'.
The chain also has a range of 'Outdoor Partners', which offer discounts or in-store events - National Trust, National Trust for Scotland and British Mountaineering Council members get 15% off in-store and online, for example.
- Find out more: best walking boots for 2023
Second-placed John Lewis is another good bet for buying outdoor and sporting items.
It does well on measures including product quality, availability and range, as well as after-sales service. It even picked up a respectable four stars for value for money.
- Find out more: best waterproof jackets for 2023
Which stores came bottom?
The table below reveals the three retailers that received the lowest customer scores in our survey.
| Retailer | Customer score | Product quality | Staff helpfulness/knowledge | Value for money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Golf (53) | 70% | |||
| Sports Direct (388) | 70% | |||
| TK Maxx (105) | 69% |
TK Maxx was at the bottom of the table, with a customer score of 69%.
While this isn't in itself a terrible customer score, the retailer achieved just two stars for staff helpfulness and knowledge.
Sports Direct (70%) also got a poor two-star rating for staff helpfulness.
But both scored a decent four stars for value for money, so if you're after a bargain and aren't fussed about customer service they may still be worth a go.
- Find out more: what are my rights for returns?
