Overview: Buying camping and outdoor equipment
As a foreigner buying specialized equipment of any kind in this city can be pretty frustrating, especially if you don’t speak much Thai. It can be hard to find, very expensive, of limited choice and comes with a no returns policy. It’s often all these things and not even the item or brand that you really wanted.
As a foreigner buying specialized equipment of any kind in this city can be pretty frustrating, especially if you don’t speak much Thai. It can be hard to find, very expensive, of limited choice and comes with a no returns policy. It’s often all these things and not even the item or brand that you really wanted.
I guess there
isn’t that much demand for serious outdoor kit - the climate is so pleasant that people survive in the remotest locations in a
pair of flip flops and a t-shirt. Some international brands are
available but you tend to find the same things popping up in every shop
so choice is limited.
If you’re serious about camping and outdoor kit I’d look at buying when you’re on trips to the US or Europe (with Asia Japan and Taiwan are probably your best bets) or get visiting friends to bring it over for you. It’ll be a lot cheaper and you might get what you actually want. Cold weather gear is especially hard to find in Thailand for obvious reasons.
Thailand has huge import taxes so niche international brands get hammered hard. If you’re used to US prices you might want to sit down before you ask the prices in these shops. You will almost never find a sale as most of these places don’t buy enough stock to have sales. This also means they will very frequently have limited size or colour choices.
This list is based on a couple of years of wondering through sois and shopping centers searching for kit. It isn’t intended to be an exhaustive list of every outdoor shop in Bangkok. It’s just a list of places which I have found which might save you from being stuck up the klong without a Gortex hat.
If you’re serious about camping and outdoor kit I’d look at buying when you’re on trips to the US or Europe (with Asia Japan and Taiwan are probably your best bets) or get visiting friends to bring it over for you. It’ll be a lot cheaper and you might get what you actually want. Cold weather gear is especially hard to find in Thailand for obvious reasons.
Thailand has huge import taxes so niche international brands get hammered hard. If you’re used to US prices you might want to sit down before you ask the prices in these shops. You will almost never find a sale as most of these places don’t buy enough stock to have sales. This also means they will very frequently have limited size or colour choices.
This list is based on a couple of years of wondering through sois and shopping centers searching for kit. It isn’t intended to be an exhaustive list of every outdoor shop in Bangkok. It’s just a list of places which I have found which might save you from being stuck up the klong without a Gortex hat.
Outdoor and camping gear shops
The first place to try in Bangkok is probably the 2nd floor of the Amarin Plaza shopping center. It’s right next to Chit Lom BTS station, next door to Erawan shopping center - there is a Sky Walk entrance straight into the 2nd floor. At the back you will find ‘Outdoor Unlimited Zone’, which is slightly misleading as it’s quite limited.
Bike Zone seems very well kitted out - I don’t ride though so I don’t use it. They stock Source water bladders and backpacks.
K-trade is an interesting shop that mainly sells dry bags. They stock Ortleib bags which are designed for use on bikes and are very solid.
They also have a lot of stuff by a Swiss brand called Exped. I’ve never seen this in the UK but it’s good stuff (it used to be distributed in the States by Outdoor Research - which is a sure sign of quality). I’ve got a few of their Dry bags including a completely dry backpack which has proved to be very waterproof and very tough - in rainy season it will save your life, or at least the life of your camera.
They also sell other Exped stuff including sleeping bags, ‘thermarest’ style airbeds and a tent. This is the only serious quality mountain tent I’ve ever seen for sale in Bangkok.
They also have some Manhattan Portage bags for looking cool with.
There’s a small shop called UnaGun which sells various outdoor gear but with a weapons related theme. Despite the fact they have videos on loop of people shooting massive guns they don’t actually appear to sell guns.
However they do have a good stock of things that might be hard to get elsewhere.
Pelican cases (a limited selection but ranging from very small ones up to the 1720 machine gun/riffle case),
Leatherman multitools - some cool looking ones I haven’t seen in other places.
Military style backpacks (5.11 Tactical)
Spiderco knives (US and Asian made models),
Gerber knives and survival stuff
Some 5.11 Tactical clothing.
first aid kits, flints, paracord, light sticks and other survival bits and bobs.
There’s a dive shop which I’ve never bought from but looks to have most common things.
There’s a Pro Cam-Fis shop which stocks 5.11 Tactical gear as well as a range of torches/flashlights, clothing and some Sea to Summit camping bits and pieces like collapsible washing bowls and eco friendly soap. Just recently I've seen Watershed drybags there. In my humble opinion these are the best drybags money can buy so it's awesome that you can now get them in Bangkok.
Equinox shop sells boats! Rigid inflatables to be precise. And buoyancy aids and a large selction of first aid kits.
Vaude sells Vaude packpacks and bags. And that's about it for Amarin Plaza.
Northface
I hate to admit it but if you really want some technical clothing in Bangkok the best place to go is one of the many Northface shops (branches in Siam Discovery, Paragon dept store, Central World and in Sports World stores). They have all the stuff any Northface shop in the World would have, and probably more sizes and choice than anywhere else in Bangkok. They also have more cold weather gear than anywhere else.
Tank Store
This is a chain of military style stores which sells a range of outdoor gear. However every branch sells exactly the same thing, so even though there are 3 or 4 branches the stock is the same everywhere. There are branches in Central World, Paragon Dept. Store and Emporium Dept. Store.
They mainly stock a military/gun-ware brand called 5.11 Tactical. It’s an American brand (I think) - I’ve never seen it in the UK. There’s lots of military style trousers/pants, jackets, torches/flashlights, boots and backpacks. All of it seems to be good, tough stuff - as long as you like dressing up as a Marine. If you want more colour choice and lightweight technical-wear then go to Northface instead.
Tank Store also sell Lowa boots from Germany. They have the Sea to Summit range of camping accessories. You can get Petzl headlamps and Eagle Creek bags too.
The small Tank Store in Emporium has a particularly good range of Sea to Summit stuff like eco-friendly soap, citronella body and clothes wash, collapsible washing bowls and sporks.
Super Sports
You’ll find a Super Sports in any ‘Central’ shopping center (big stores in Central World, and Central Chit Lom). They’re a large general sports retailer but they have quite a lot of outdoor gear.
It’s one of the few places you’ll find Solomon footwear. There's Northface and Columbia clothing too. They have a surprisingly good range of Osprey backpacks (awesome European packs) and Deuter stuff (which I’m not mad on). They also have a wide if slightly low-end range of diving/snorkling gear.
They also sell a Thai brand called Karana. This crops up in quite a lot of places. It has the advantage of being cheap (no import duty as it’s made in Thailand) but the disadvantage of being a bit crap. But it’s not awful considering the price and I’ve got a few of their dry bags - all apart from one has been OK.
Karana do a range of tents. I wouldn’t want to be in a Scottish rain storm in one but for camping in Thailand they’re more than adequate - which I guess is what they’ve been designed for. They have a neat feature with mesh sides and yet still with some rain protection from the over hanging roof - perfect for hot tropical nights. And they are very, very cheap - Like 2000bt or something.
I also have a Karana ‘thermarest’ style airbed - it’s OK but not as comfortable as my Exped one (bought from Amarin Plaza). It was half the price though.
Coleman Camping stoves
Paragon dept. store has some camping stoves - I think made by Coleman. They’re bloody expensive.
Leatherman
Paragon dept. store also have some Leatherman multitools and other brands of knives too.
Eagle Creek
Eagle Creek make little bags to keep the contents of your luggage tidy. If you do a lot of travelling they rule. Tank Stores sell some of them but the best range I’ve seen is in a little ProCam Fis at the East end of Siam Discovery center (the end nearest Paragon) on maybe the 3rd floor. This place has quite a lot of skateboard shoes and backpacks. Next door to this there is also an Equinox shop that sells Karana and Deuter stuff.
Columbia
Personally I’m not bothered about Columbia gear but there’s a stop in the Dept. Store in Paragon (on the same floor as menswear) if that’s what you’re after. The Columbia store also has the Karana tents.
Rama 9
In the ‘Nine’ shopping center on Rama 9 soi 41, between all the restaurants and cake shops you’ll find a little military shop at the end of the balcony on the 3rd floor. It sells a small range of local military surplus type clothes - which are cheap. It also sells some imported 5.11 Tactical type clothing, knives and other kit. It is the only place in Bangkok where I’ve ever found leach socks. And did I mention you can get 1000 types of cake in this shopping center?
Diving
Bangkok has a few good dive shops. You might also find more choice on the islands where you’re going to dive - especially on Koh Tao.
Dive Supply (nearest BTS is Phaya Thai)
This is a big shop and it has branches all over Thailand. I’ve bought from the branch on Koh Chang before and the guy was very knowledgeable. The Bangkok branch has good staff and as well as the usual diving gear it also has some camera housings and underwater lights.
Planet Scuba (near Phrom Pong BTS)
This shop is slightly easier to get to and has a very good stock of Mares gear. I got quite a heavy weight wetsuit here despite the fact even thinking about wearing a wetsuit in Thailand generally means it’s too cold to dive. However, even in these specialist stores when I tried to buy a wetsuit hood a couple of years ago they looked at me like I was mental.
Super Sports (in any ‘Central’ shopping center) also has a good range of basic dive gear.
Climbing
The only place I’ve found for real climbing gear is Rock Camp. It’s on Ratchathewi Soi 21, which is on the west side of the river. You can get there by boat or by taxi from Victory Monument. From Victory Monument it’s a straight taxi ride West on Thanon Ratchathewi, over the bridge on the river and then get out as soon as you’re off the bridge. Walk down the sois to the left (past a hotel and a Wat) until you find it. There are signs to follow, it's quite a windy route though. They only sell Petzl and Beal gear but they have a fairly good range. It’s expensive and they don’t speak english.
