Updated (6-6-2013)
General Links:
- Australian Bushwalking Community Forum - Full of experienced local people who are more than willing to share their wisdom and experiences. Includes a brilliant photo gallery and a classified section.
- We Love Hiking - Another local hiking blog.
- Confederation of Bushwalking Clubs - Very useful resource for locating bushwalking clubs. FAQ section also has a huge amount of information about bushwalking in general and gear.
- Queensland Government National Parks - Information on all Queensland National Parks including online bookings.
- 10 Pound Backpack - Great comparison website for lightweight gear. Mostly USA brands.
Locally Based Shops:
- Terra Rosa Gear - Small lightweight gear manufacturer. Does custom work.
- Paddy Palin - Brisbane based shop. Stocks a wide range of gear and clothing from various top brands.
- K2 Basecamp - Brisbane based shop. Stocks a wide range of gear and clothing for travel, hiking, climbing, etc. Various brands.
- Macpac - Sells their own branded gear. Mostly high quality.
- Mountain Designs - Locally based shop. Sells a combination of their own and other branded gear and clothing.
- Kathmandu - Locally based shop. Sells mostly their own branded gear. Not so great reports about quality and pricing schemes these days. Usually my last stop.
- Kellys Basecamp - Sydney based shop with a good online store. Free shipping on orders above $100. Good range of high quality brands.
- Backpacking Light Australia - Australian shop selling mostly lightweight hiking gear.
- Pinnacle Sports - Brisbane climbing shop. Also run a variety of courses and adventure holidays.
- Globetrekker - Brisbane hiking and climbing gear shop.
Online or Overseas Based Shops:
- Campsaver - Online store with a wide range of quality brands. Keep an eye out for the sales.
- Backcountry Gear - Another online store based in the USA. Excellent website with great sales and great postage.
- Anti Gravity Gear - Gradually expanding cottage gear maker in the USA. Good range of ultralight cooking systems.
- Gossamer Gear - Another larger cottage gear maker. Good range of ultralight shelters, packs and walking poles.
- ZPacks - Cottage gear maker concentrating on gear made from Cuben Fibre. Home of the ultralight Hexamid shelter. Also sells packs, stuff sacks and tarps.
- Ultralight Outdoor Gear - UK based store with a very large range of lightweight gear and clothing. Cheap shipping the Australia.
- Mountain Laurel Designs - USA based large cottage gear maker. Sells a large range of ultralight gear made from the latest fabrics including Cuben Fibre. Shelters, packs, accessories, quilts and heaps more.
- Hyperlight Mountain Gear - Makes a small range of Cuben Fibre based products with a bias towards being harder wearing while still ultralight. Packs, shelters and accessories.
- Moontrail - Online store with a great rewards system. Not a huge range but a good source for tents and MontBell products.
- Warbonnet Outdoors - Cottage gear maker specialising in hammocks and related products.
- Goosefeet - Small manufacturer of down products.
- Prolite Gear - USA retailer. Range includes Westcomb and MontBell
- Feathered Friends - Store selling a good range of lightweight and high quality down products.
- Bear Paw Wilderness Designs - Cottage manufacturer of ultralight shelters. Well known for making custom designs and alterations.
- McHale Packs - Maker of custom very high quality packs.
- Wiggle - UK based triathlon store. Good source for Innov8 shoes.
- Yama Mountain Gear - Small cottage gear maker in the USA. Nice range of lightweight shelters including bug shelters.
- Tarptent - Large cottage maker of lightweight tents and tarp shelters.
- Lightheart Gear - Maker of lightweight tents and shelters including Cuben Fibre.
- TiGoat - Cottage manufacturer and seller of unique ultralight gear.
- Big Sky International - Manufacturer of ultralight tents using cutting edge materials.
- enLIGHTened equipment -Cottage manufacturer of ultralight quilts.
- Six Moon Designs - Cottage manufacturer of ultralight tents, packs and accessories .
This list will be added to continuously. If you have a link that you would like added just let me know.