Kathmandu

I used to go to Kathmandu years ago when I first started backpacking, but I never had any idea that there was an outlet in my own suburb, literally a 5 minute walk from my front door!!!
Anyway, Im off again to the REAL Kathmandu — in Nepal and I needed some cargo pants, and when I discovered that there was an outlet around the corner I decided to have a look.
As it turned out, I did get some pants — which were 50% off and the shop assistant implied that my arse looked good in them — I doubt she meant it though!!! In any case, whether true or not, the shop sells top quality outdoor hiking clothes. The clothing is expensive, but it very high quality. To counter the expense, they often have sales where things can be marked down dramatically to 50% sometimes even more. The other useful thing is if you are a «Summit Club» member — which is their rewards card. You can actually borrow somebody else’s and still get the discounts which it brings — and that person also gets some reward points!
I bought a few items of clothing there and thus had to go back a few times to pay for it. The staff who served me took their time and were happy to spend time answering my questions, discussing the pros and cons of the clothing I was trying on and giving their opinions on what would be most suitable for what I was looking for. I was impressed that when I went in after a few weeks to pay for some things Id put on hold, the staff remembered me — even though it wasnt them who had served me in the first place. The customer service in this shop was excellent.
I also bought a picnic set with a hamper and cutlery as a Christmas present for someone — it cost $ 48 and I thought it was good value for what it is.
As for the other prices, I bought 2 pairs of cargo pants for about $ 70 each and 2 thermal tops for about $ 25 each. So the prices after the mark downs are not so different from kmart or Aussie Disposals or those sorts of places.
I think the thing to remember in these sorts of shops is that there are some items where quality is particularly important whereas others, a cheaper option is ok. For example, if you want a t-​shirt, well the Kathmandu t-​shirts are no different from kmart t-​shirts except for 2 things: they have «Kathmandu» written on them and they are a hell of a lot more expensive. However if you want a pair of cargo pants which will dry quickly after downpours, remain comfortable, allow bending and stretching of your legs, come with sufficient pockets etc, then what you will get from Kathmandu is superior to kmart’s alternative.
Use Kathmandu for specialist things in which you need a high quality item — but be aware, they do sell a heap of crap too — for which you are simply paying for the name «Kathmandu»… As long as you avoid this stuff and use the shop for its high quality bargains, then you will be just fine!