Outdoor shops in HK

You can find all kinds of shops in Hong Kong where to buy all your needs.

Sometimes finding them though is more complicated than the outdoor paths themselves. Here are some of the shops that I like for different options

· All Weather

The smallest but most efficient (and usually cheapest) shop I know in Hong Kong. Mong Kok Exit 2, walk Sai Yeung Choi southwards, turn left into Soy street and left again in the corner with Ladies’ Market. Half hidden entrance here, up the stair of the dilapidated building (little adventure on its own 😛 ) and there you are. Moved to a way easier location in Fa Yuen street.

With slightly increased space. All your trail running and short hiking necessities might be covered here: compression gear, Ultimate Direction / Salomon and other brand running backpacks, nutrition, anti-chafing, technical socks, GPS / heart rate monitors, waterproof phone covers, etc. They don’t have many shoe options though (really reduced space). Check their Facebook page for the latest products. You may want to call them beforehand (2384 8890) as their opening schedules are bit erratic. Update: The shop owner told me that they open Monday to Saturday from 12 to 9, holidays excluded.

· Overlander

Overlander has several shops all around Hong Kong. Two of the biggest are in Cause Way Bay and Mong Kok. Similar products to All Weather but higher end / pricing and with more variety. Good selection of camping tents and others.

· Chamonix

Chamonix is one of the most technical shops I tend to visit, to find specific canyoning, coasteering, climbing and thermal wear, among others. Mong Kok exit 2, walk Nelson street eastwards towards Ladies’ Market and in the corner you will find the shop. The only one so far that I know that has Five Ten canyoning / approach shoes.

It is a bit messy and the shop attendants are not the most friendly. Some of them know what they are selling (which unfortunately is not the norm in Mong Kok sports shops). Not in the shoe section, on the upper second floor for: canyoning, climbing, etc shoes. In sales season they tend to have a 30% promotion and therefore you can buy the Five Ten access mesh for a bit more than HKD600.

· Escapade

Escapade has products for triathlon, (trail) running, hiking, nutrition and others. In the expensive range. Good promotions and sales frecuently. Several locations including Causeway Bay, Central, Repulse Bay & Clear Water Bay. I did not buy mine here, but they do have swim safety devices. I did buy a dry bag for coasteering and quite some running apparel, Ronhill shorts among others.

· Ah Lai (or whatever Was called – it might be permanently closed as per Google Maps)

36-42 Johnston Road, Wanchai. Cheap shop good for beginners. Mountain Wolf backpacks, knee and elbow pads, knee-high football style socks, etc.

You should be able to find this kind of stores in modest neighborhoods in Hong Kong. Several in Mongkok around ladies market, Fa Yuen Street for example. For cheap cotton gloves, for example, you can try any hardware store (those selling electric cables, sockets, etc), paint shops, etc.

· Tung Chung Outlets

On your way back from any outing in Lantau island, you might want to take a look at the outlets in Citygate. Sometimes they do have good priced sportswear. Here I have bought the (Quiksilver) swimsuits that I have been using for stream hikings (for years), some Nike basic gear, etc.

[Update Sep2017]

· RC Outfitters

As a reader mentioned I had forgotten to include them. Their web is mainly in Chinese but every time I have been there (Causeway and Mong Kok shops mainly, although they are in different locations) I have not had any problem to communicate with them in English. Quite knowledgeable attendants actually. Climbing gear, camping, hiking, own branded cheap products… They have a lot of waterproof bags too, including Overboard backpacks.

· Decathlon

Finally, the cheap sport shop well-known for Europeans landed in Hong Kong. Just a brief check of their webpage will show you how cheap they can be. Mixed feelings. Some of their stuff is worthwhile trying, above all if you are a beginner. But some of the products are too cheap. A HKD19 backpack will not last you almost any of the adventures proposed here. But I do use some of their t-shirts, tights just for skin protection against dense vegetation, basic canyoning stuff… Located in Mongkok.

[Update 2020]

· Sky International

Marine shop but interesting for waterproof bags, rope cutters, and others used while coasteering. They tend to have different Overboard models and sometimes cheaper than in the aforementioned RC Outfitters. Check their web and contact them by email or phone beforehand.

· Cam2

Bigger shop in MongKok with trail running gear, cameras, watches, nutrition, and others cheaper than the main shops. Prices in shop sometimes are cheaper than on their web.

· Action Panda

Similar prices to the previous, focused on trail running. A bit less convenient location. I have bought socks and others on their web.

· Skywalk

Minuscule shop but full of the best climbing gear at the best prices found so far. Reminds me of the original All Weather. Pretty knowledgeable shop assistants. Good recommendations provided. If I need to buy any climbing gear I come first here and if they do not have anything then go to RC Outfitters.

· Funshop Outdoor

On one of our visits to Cam2 we decided to take a look at this shop. Surprisingly, tons of camping gear. Above all cooking stuff.

So good for those who are looking for this fun.

· Diving shops

They are good option to buy wetsuits (full or just a vest) and check further waterproof backpack options. There are tons all around Hong Kong. When I want to see a variety I do a little route in Causeway Bay – Wanchai area. Pro-Dive USA is the biggest, Diving Adventure second, and I have found interesting things (for example the cheap thin vest I bought) in the smaller Urban Diver and Bunn’s Divers.