Testimonials

What our customers say about us:

My order arrived today - excellent quality and even more praiseworthy service. Many thanks. My order was only a small one for you (£13.00) but I am impressed with how it has been dealt with. Hope to do more business with you in the near future. Regards, M.S.

Just a note to say how impressed I am at the quick service from yourselves. I.B.

I just wanted to write a quick note to thank you for the speediness of your service. I placed an order only yesterday and my new gear arrived by midday today, all this with free postage. There are hundreds of companies out there who could obviously learn from you. Thank you again and be sure that I shall use you in future. Yours gratefully, R.R.

Just wanted to say thanks for the prompt service - the two seperate items I ordered from you recently both arrived in one working day - and were exactly what I needed. When I phoned you I found your staff both knowledgeable and helpful - a rare combination I also wanted to congratulate you on your web site -as a sometime web-designer I know how much work goes into creating and updating such a site - I find yours both very informative and easy to negotiate (and buy from!). I have particularly valued the Via Ferrata info and links - I guess someone has an interest in it. Many thanks, and congratualtions, N.E.

Just wanted to say thanks for getting my order despatched so quickly. Its been a pleasure buying my gear from you. I see absolutely no reason not to use you in the future, as well as spread the word about your great prices and service. Thanks again. M.M.

Appreciate the quick turn-around on my order. Less than 24 hours - that absolutely rocks!, for want of a better expression. Cheers guys, R.F.

I'm sending this brief email to thank you for your prompt and efficient service over the weekend. I ordered a Black Diamond Moonlight and a Thermarest Chairkit online late on Friday night and was amazed to see them arrive with the first post Monday morning. I have purchased many items online from eight different retailers in your field and no one else has come close to your turnaround, including those that charge up to £6 delivery on top of the product cost. I'm very happy with my purchases and will be recommending your store to my many friends and workmates that share my
outdoor interests. Well done on your efforts and you just bought your store a swag of free advertising of the best kind!! Cheers, P.G.

I thought it was about time I wrote and congratulated you all on what an outstanding service you provide. I have visited the shop on a couple of occasions and found you all to be extremely helpful and knowledgeable. For the most part though, I use the internet, and it never ceases to amaze me how fast you process the orders and deliver them. Most notably was ordering at 11am and having the goods at my door before 8am the following day! For Free! What more can I say? Keep up the excellent work. D.C.

Just to let you know that I received everything OK. No delays - I actually received it on the 2nd December with no Custom's hold ups or charges. So next time we should use the same system and carrier service. The Scarpa Phantoms are very comfortable - tested already in the snow outside Beijing at -10c. Thanks for your help, N.

Just a quick message to say how impressed I am with your efficiency and courtesy and that many companies certainly have a lot to improve on to achieve even half of the service you provide, I will without a doubt be ordering from you in the near future. Excellent. MB.

I have used Needle Sports twice only, the first time it was a sling, at £1.60, the second occasion a bunch of stuff, £116. On both occasions the website worked flawlessly, the items have been top notch, I am well pleased with every item you sent. The delivery is always swift! Advice over the phone has been valuable and informative. Congratulations on being a really professional service. I will naturally return to you again and again in the future because of these very reasons.
How refreshing to deal with a competent knowledgeable friendly company! Kind Regards D.

I would just like to say that I am very impressed with the service I have had from Trevor at Needle Sports and from Rab Carrington Limited. I ordered a custom bag on Tuesday and just opened the package today (Friday). I can't wait to use the bag next week in the Pyrenees. The pack size and weight are exactly what I needed. My poor 20 year old synthetic Caravan will be relegated to friends sleeping on my sofa. Thanks to all. J.B.

Just a quick note to thank you for the excellent service I have received from Needle Sports.
Just by coincidence I had a Camp One stove (£50) also develop a fault, which was purchased from Cotswold Outdoors. I had to write two emails before I got a reply. I was promised a refund, this resulted in telephone calls too.
This is in complete contrast to the service I received at Needle Sports!!!
I shall be recommending (as I already do, I often pop in with friends to advise them on jackets etc.) Needle Sports everytime. Thanks again, R.C.

I just wanted to write to say how fantastic the service I have received from your shop has been. It was my first order with you and even though the order was small, it was dealt with an exceptional level of service. I haven't experienced service like this before in four years of using mail order shops. Many thanks, RS

Dear Needle Sports, I'd just like to compliment you on the standard of service i have received. I ordered an MSR pot over the phone on Tuesday afternoon and was stunned to recieve it on Wednesday morning - by courier no less. I can't thank you enough. PH

Bit of feedback - excellent speed of service as ever (I'm always really impressed with the way you get things out promptly), but could you stop putting staples in envelopes for those of us who have a habit of fishing around in the bottom to make sure they've got everything out? (although on the plus side, the shock woke me up - so my boss thanks you...) Cheers, BT

Dear Needle Sports,

I recently found your website after searching for 'Mammut Rope'. I was only browsing for a 30 metre rope for indoor lead climbing. I found your website easy to use and the information about the products left me knowing everything I needed to about the products I looked at. In the end I ordered a Beal Edlinger II 35 metre rope and an Outdoor Designs ropebag, and as I'm one of those people that wants something straight after I ordered it, I paid the £3.50 Priority Postage (already impressed with the pricing and free postage and packing).

My order was placed at 23:00 hours on Tuesday 7th June and requested delivery to my place of work, personally I was thinking that I might get it Friday if I was VERY lucky but Monday was the day I expected it to show. I can only say that I was seriously impressed when I arrived at work on Thursday 9th about 13:30 hours to find a large parcel sat on my desk!!

I can only say that I have been massively impressed with Needle Sports. I strongly believe in 'first impressions last' and my impression of Needle Sports is very good and I have already recommended you to a fellow climber at work!

Thanks again and I look forward to ordering from you again in the future

Regards MS

Thank you very much for the A1 service. A delight to do business with you - straight forward ordering service, easy to navigate web site and exceptional delivery. Well done - only wish everyone was as easy to deal with.
No doubt my son will have plenty more ideas as to how I can do business with you again !!!

Dear Sir
I wish to make a complaint.
You are far too efficient!
Thanks...
S.

It's getting a bit boring now. There must be a chink in the customer services armour somewhere.
I have been shopping at Needle Sports, in person and on-line, for over 10 years. Never once has the customer service been anything less than excellent. TT

I don't know what they put in the water up there, but it makes a
refreshing change for a company to deliver such excellent service!
I've already recommended you to my friends.
RL

Needle Sports,
Not an order I'm afraid, but I thought it would be worth dropping you a line.
I've just received my latest order (some climbing slings), which arrived intact and on time, as always.
I just wanted to congratulate you on your excellent service whenever I've used your website and placed an order. I'm currently thinking about a POD rucksack…
Your site stands alone in my opinion, because it doesn't appear to be attempting to sell me the product. The site advises on the best product, and that's pretty rare. Your text and descriptions aren't just lifted from the manufacturer's websites. It's the next best thing to talking to someone in the shop (and I do come in when I'm in Keswick, but it's a bit of a trog from Weston Super Mare).
I noticed the section in your order form, asking how the website can be improved, and I had nothing to write. However, I can say that the above is the reason that I keep coming back.
Keep up the good work,
GC

May I suggest an area on your website for customers leaving comments that are viewable by the public/other potential customers. I would like to sing your praises on being one of the most efficient and easy to deal with shops I've ordered from (I messed up the order, and when I called up, everyone was very helpful).... but I feel if I just email you this, it's a bit wasted. Sooo.... thanks again for being helpful, and the very speedy delivery was nice :)
R

With many thanks and grateful acknowledgements to all those who have taken the trouble to email us.

What the press says about us:

In an article (31st July 2004) entitled The 50 Best Shops for Sports Gear The Independent Newspaper highlighted 5 of the best shops for climbers in the UK, along with 45 other sports shops.They said of Needle Sports, "Run by Stephen Reid, a stalwart of the climbing scene, this small shop possesses a good range of equipment... Their (web)site offers updates on the latest weather reports for climbers and special sections including up to the minute information on rock and winter climbing. The site offers everything from Snowshoes to a guide to free climbing in the Yosemite Valley in America. Invaluable."

Cumbria "Business Gazette" November 2005

In "World Wide Winners" by Terry Kirton

Needle SportsAddress:
www.needlesports.com

This specialist climbing shop in Keswick is tiny, but the website is vast. The on-line catalogue is extensive and ordering is straightforward. The images on this multi-layered site are excellent. Links to all of the local climbing clubs and regular updates on books on outdoor pursuit subjects make it a must for anyone interested in fell-based activities.

Design: 5 out of 5
Content: 5
Usability: 5

"(Nationally) the stores which consistantly please include George Fishers and Needle Sports in Keswick, and Wild Trak in Newcastle. All three shops offer good retailing standards, a good meet and greet process, and a level of product knowledge that is definitely of the highest quality.

When it comes to specialist retailers operating in the climbing world, I reckon that Needle Sports and Wild Track can't be beaten at this moment in time. They offer a good selection of specialist stock which is well displayed, a wealth of user knowledge courtesy of the shop staff, and a store you can easily walk around without bumping into things which aren't other customers!

Needle Sports does get busy at times, but that in itself is a good sign as it shows that others are of the opinion that the store is getting it right. It appears to be first port of call for quite a few people when they head into the Lakes and there are times when some legends of the mountaineering world can be seen parting with their cash or handing over their plastic."...

The Phantom Shopper

(Outdoor Review is a trade magazine for the Outdoor Industry. The Phantom Shopper regularly checks out gear and clothing shops incognito and reports on their staff, service and other ascpects. The quote above was from an article published in 2002 entitled "Ten Years of the Phantom Shopper".)

In an article in the April 2004 issue of Trail, entitled Live Here! which rated various places in the UK for their attractiveness to hill-goers, Ambleside and Keswick tied in first place for gear shops.

Trail noted: The Battle for Gear Central:

"Keswick and Ambleside boast a cracking 18 gear shops each, but we reckon Keswick pips Ambleside to top spot in this category. Why? Two reasons:
1. George Fisher This is what every gear shop should be: huge and beautiful, housed in the famous Abraham photographic shop. These days it's full of kit, has a great bookshop and is one of Lakeland's best places for a cuppa.
2. Needle Sports Not a big shop, but every item in it is chosen with love. When you walk in, you can tell it's owned by experts: so, if you want advice, this is the place to come."

Keswick also ranked 2nd overall in the UK as a place to live. We should point out that, at the time, we had never advertised in the magazine, and didn't even stock it!

OUTDOORSmagic Readers Awards 2005/6

BEST SPECIALIST OUTDOORS SHOP
Winner - Needle Sports, Keswick;
Runner-Up - Gaynors, Ambleside

"Interestingly our best regarded bricks and mortar shops both come from the Lakes, suggesting that for spot-on service, Cumbria's the place to go. Keswick's Needle Sports took the crown over Gaynors though, well done."

CLIMB MAGAZINE Feb 06

needlesports.com

Although primarily a climbing gear portal there's also lots of excellent free back-ground stuff on this site. Proprietor, Stephen Reid studied art once and his graphic design flair marks this site out as more than just a shop window Highlights include a beautifully illustrated photo-guide to the esoteric climbing of Galloway, a useful section advising how to get back down off Napes Needle (should you ever suffer the misfortune of finding yourself up there) and an interesting exposition on Ken Wilson's contribution to climbing literature. Plus the site hosts the wacky Nuts Museum, there's a quirky section on rocks that look like faces and one of the most thorough lists of links to useful climbing-related sites; there's at least a trillion.
Defining phrase: ‘Entertaining and educational'.
Personality: Lord Reith (except a jollier and nicer version).

In the days of huge trade only trade shows, firstly COLA and then Go Outdoors, Needle Sports used to regularly feature in the running for the prestigious Outdoor Retailer of the Year Award. The outdoor industry has changed a lot over the last twenty years and such trade shows and awards are now things of the past but we hope that our customer service is still as good, if not better!