Where to Shop in Auckland - Winter/Outdoor Clothes

Kathmandu, Macpac and Bivouac in Sylvia Park mall

Winter jackets are just too expensive in Manila. Unless you can borrow from a relative or you get lucky at the ukay-ukay, it's better to buy your jackets and other winter gear here. Mahal ang regular price, oo, pero madami naman ang naka-sale or clearance (last season's collection), so lumalabas mas mura pa rin kumpara sa Manila.

First on our list is Kathmandu. It is an Aus/NZ outdoor clothing brand. Think of it as the Bench of outdoor clothing here. Quality of the products is not the best (compared to let's say North Face, Berghaus or Patagonia), but it will get you by. Kathmandu has baselayers, fleece pull-overs, down (insulated) jackets, softshells and rain jackets--the works! My tip for you is not to get the thickest (and usually the most expensive--from NZ$300 to NZ$400) jacket you find. Unless you're going camping on a snow capped mountain, you won't need that thick jacket. Instead, buy layers of clothing. You remove or put on layers depending on the weather, which fluctuates quite often within the day here in Auckland. One moment malamig, tapos mamaya a-araw, and then later uulan. So here are the essentials:

1. Buy a bunch of baselayers. Polyprops (NZ$20) or Wool/Merino (NZ$40).
2. Get a couple of fleece pull-overs (NZ$50).
3. Buy a down jacket (NZ$100). It's the puffy jacket filled with duck or goose feathers. 
4. And then a rain jacket (NZ$100-150).

Another tip is under any circumstances, do NOT buy at regular price in Kathmandu. Like I said, hindi naman siya high quality. Wait for the products to go on sale. Only buy at 50% off. Better if 70% off. 

The Kathmandu store I go to is on Queen Street. But they also have stores in Newmarket and Sylvia Park mall.

The next outdoor clothing brand is Macpac. Like Kathmandu, Macpac is an Aus/NZ brand. I think Macpac is slightly of higher quality than Kathmandu, but just the same, do NOT buy the regular price. Wait for it to go on sale.

There are two Macpac stores in the city. One is on Vulcan Lane (pictured above). and the other is at Britomart. 

For those more accustomed to US brands, there's Mountain Designs. I am a big fan of this store since they sell Columbia apparel. And they are cheaper compared to ROX, SM or Rustan's in Manila. For example, a Columbia insulated jacket at ROX was priced at PhP8,000.00. I bought the same jacket at Mountain Designs for PhP4,500.00 (NZ$140.00). A Columbia long sleeve shirt in Manila cost around PhP2,500. I got mine in Mountain Designs for just PhP1,200 (NZ$35).

The Mountain Design store I frequent is located inside Westfield Downtown Shopping Center, across Britomart. Meron din branches sa Newmarket at Sylvia Park mall.

Last on this list is Bivouac. Like Mountain Designs, Bivouac sells international brands. Mas higher end ang Bivouac. It holds North Face, Arc'teryx, Helly Hansen, Marmot, Outdoor Research and Patagonia, among others. So they are more expensive. However, nag-se-sale din dito. I bought a couple of caps and bags here.

The Bivouac store I go to is on Queen Street. They have another branch in Newmarket.