Wellington Surplus Stores

Wellington Surplus is a no fuss one stop shop for outdoor gear. The building it’s in is kind of old and grungy, and it looks a tad daunting from the outside with all the wire and mesh, but it contains just about everything you need to go hiking or backpacking, all at reasonable prices. The range is pretty good and they stock products for all budgets, but even the cheap and ugly stuff is tres practical.
If you want everything to look gorgeous and like a bit of pampering from sales staff, forget it. Head up Hay Street to the designer outdoor stores. This is an army surplus store after all. If you would rather save some money for whatever adventure you need the gear for, give this place a go.
My one beef would be that the place is obviously geared towards men, so it is hard to work out sizing if you’re a woman. Obviously, you can just try everything on, but some size charts near the thermals and a sign by the socks would have been really useful. Especially since the lady I asked had no idea. That was a pity because I’ve found their staff spot on in their suggestions before: the right product to suit your budget and get the job done.
Was it a pleasant shopping experience? Meh, more like utilitarian. I got everything on my list in one place for much cheaper than I was expecting. That’s a win in my book. Would I go back? Yes. Am I disturbed that I totally did not notice the sword and knife display because of my mitten and thermal skewed tunnel vision? Quite.
3.5 out of 5 camo-​clad, mitten-​obsessed backpackers… Wait a moment. Half a backpacker? Ew!

The company I work for has an account with wellington surplus and I must purchase my boots from this store. I have been visiting the store for the last 4 years, they never have suitable boot of my size shoe in stock. I’ve had enough of this store.

Wellington Surplus is a very interesting store. Replica weapons, old military medals, knives and display swords jostle for space with military gear and your pedestrian backpacks and outdoor clothing.
Some of their items are quite impressive. Their knives selection would make any gangster or professional hikers smile, and some of their swords are beautiful pieces, although they are display-​only. There are the subdued lines of a katana, and the elaborately-​wrought fantasy swords.
As for their outdoor equipment, it is similar to other stores. They have an emphasis on clothing, although there are some decent backpacks as well. However, in terms of gear for those wanting to go off the beaten track, there is comparatively little compared to other shops. Most of the items at Wellington Surplus is for people who want to dress up in military garb, without being part of the military.

Admit it, we’re all just a little bit anxious and ashamedly excited of that day, somewhere in the not so distant future, when zombies will roam the earth, and we hapless humans must rely on cunning, luck, and a crapload of supplies to survive. Well, cunning is something we all have in various degrees, and luck we don’t really have any control of, but as for the crapload of supplies, Wellington Surplus Stores has everything covered to survive a zombie apocalypse.
Compasses, lamps, multi-​tools, backpacks… Of course, this stuff is good for camping and other outdoorsy type things, but let’s be honest, if we value the future of the human race at all we should be stocking up on this stuff to use against the zombies. And you know, I suppose we could always use our supplies for camping trips and mountain hikes while we wait for the zombies to come…

I went into Wellington Surplus Stores looking for a compass (for someone else, not for me). I was expecting it to be like other military surplus stores I’ve been in, full of fusty old military uniforms and worn helmets. I swear in one of them I once saw a jacket that still had bloodstains on it. But Wellington Surplus Store is a far cry from that; it’s huge, and very well stocked with outdoor gear of all kinds. They have outdoor clothing from plenty of different brands, including Levi’s, Caterpillar and Huski, and all sorts of military clothing. They have a wide selection of rucksacks, with sizes, styles and prices to suit everyone. Their selection of camping and outdoor equipment is excellent; if you need something outdoorsy, I reckon you’ll find it here. And as for the compasses, I was spoilt for choice; they had a good range, from basic ones to professional ones, with a price range to reflect that. The same goes for just about everything in this store: good range, good prices. They also have a slightly scary collection of replica guns and swords. A sign on the sword display cabinet reads, ‘These swords are for decorative purposes only.’ Er, good.