Alpkit Avis 921

ALPKIT is a company that really is focused on its customers and getting them what they want. The staff ( Kingston shop ) that I dealt with ( Ruben and Liz ) couldn't have been more helpful.

I bought an orange El Camino Electric bike.
Subsequently I bought the range extender for it.

The bike is surprisingly light ( compared to my old Van Moof ). The gear changing is a dream: smooth and easy. I had the tubeless tyres variant and the comfort is fine.

The Electrics work well. I have also had the software update and that seems to work well.

If I have a grumble ... then it is on the quality of the documentation of the range extender. Basically it is almost not fit for purpose. Two calls to support clarified issues but I should not have needed to waste their time as the issues I raised were normal operational issues simply not covered in the manual - for example what kind of USB charger and how I could use it.

At Alpkit Inverness, I had the best in-store purchasing experience of my life.

I first wandered in to have a little look at gravel bikes, as a friend had recommended the Sonder Camino, with the vague hope of maybe sitting on one just to get a feel for it. Half an hour later I’ve sat on just about every bike in the shop, peppered my hosts with questions about tyre width, wheel size, bar flare, groupsets, and just about anything else I could think of. Pedals were soon fitted to one of the Caminos and I was trusted to have a little ride around the car park leaving nothing but the keys to a shaky 15-year old Fiat Panda as collateral. The whole visit made a huge difference to what specification I would’ve purchased, but I came away convinced I needed a gravel bike.

A few days later, I dropped by again to place my order, and was walked through the specification component-by-component, with lengthy discussions on the merits of all available options at every step. They knew about everything I wanted to ask, and yet more about questions I hadn’t even known to ask. I got a truly personalised shopping experience, second to none I have ever received in my life.

Finally, when New Bike Day came, I was indulged as I waded through the bewildering assortment of bikepacking bags and the different configurations. I would’ve been completely lost without the expertise of my trusty guides, the Alpkit staff. Again, I came away with something different to what I would’ve had I just made a purchase online, and I was probably saved from some costly and irritating pangs of buyer’s remorse.

My experience has changed my perception on shopping in-store versus online. The in-depth knowledge of the staff, their passion for the topic, and the fact they genuinely have the customer’s best interests at heart, have convinced me that if I need anything else for my gravel adventures, Alpkit Inverness is where I should look.

I bought the wrong product by mistake. Ash in customer services was quick to cancel the order, and was even able to reactive the voucher code I had used. Thanks!

Bought a wetsuit online. It was slightly damaged and too small. Ash in Customer Service did a fantastic job of handlng the exchange, which needed to be done in a hurry because we're poised to go on a 5-week trip to Scotland, which was the whole point of buying the new wetsuit in the first place.
I already have a replacement wetsuit which fits :-)

I am based in continental Europe and ordered a sleeping bag (Pipedream 600), down jacket (Filoment Hoody) and slippers (Refugio). Mind you, I was a little late for my upcoming trip, but I thought Brexit won't have that much of a consequence. Well, I was wrong ;)

Shipping took a bit, so I emailed to inquire. The responsiveness of their support team is absolutely stellar and off the charts. I am looking forward to my trip and post a review on their products.

I had a bit of a problem with a bit of kit. Even though I had bought the kit a while ago, I got a prompt and very helpful response which sorted the problem out.

This is a review for the customer service as I've only done a test ride with the kit so far.
Bit of a rocky start as the wrong item, albeit with the right product tag, was sent. I only realised this less than a week before I was due to leave on a bikepacking trip.
I contacted Alpkit on the phone and a nice chap talked me through how to expedite the process of exchange. As such, the wrong item is being collected within 24hours and the right item dispatched within 2hrs of my call to them.
Mis-labeling happens, so I'm not salty about it. And more to the point the customer service and immediate rectification of the issue (once I'd done my bit and got a return label sorted - which was painless and free or charge) was as much as anybody could possibly ask for. As such, the customer service is worth top marks.

Excellent aftersales customer service. One of the buckles on my prism head torch broke, and even though they don’t stock spares for this. Ash managed to get replacement parts from warehouse for me. At no cost to me shipped it to me in record time. Great communication throughout. Well done Ash, and Alpkit on running such a good team and company.

A huge thank you to Brendan at Alpkit (Nottingham) for outstanding customer service! I arrived expecting a shop but found an online warehouse. Despite being on his lunch break, Brendan kindly assisted me in finding everything I needed for my bike packing adventure—except the tent, which was sold out. He even brought in his colleague Matt, who helped with pannier sizes and recommended essential tools and bike gear. Their knowledge and willingness to help made the experience exceptional. I highly recommend Alpkit for all your bikepacking needs. Fantastic service from a great team

Had to use warranty for a repair and the team couldn't have made things easier. Very quick and good communication, nothing seemed to much trouble. A really important consideration when choosing a company to purchase from, so use with confidence.

This company calls itself a B-Corp, and willing to undertake repairs rather than force customers to buy new. I’ve asked them for help with a damaged sleeping mat which I purchased from there, and they have been completely useless.

It’s a real shame as I’d rather support a British, ethical company. Instead they make zero effort to provide the part to me, I’ve even said I would install/fix myself.

40 mins reply from customers service request, I think that quick

Great clothing at good prices and great customer support from Rachel 👍

Accidentally put wrong address for my order on an evening purchase. Sent email straight after and they got back to first thing next day getting it all sorted to correct address. Superstars!

My parcel from Alpkit was carelessly left by the Amazon delivery driver outside our neighbours front door, which unsurprisingly meant it had disappeared by the time I got back from work and went to collect it. Alpkit were excellent in dealing with the matter - responsive and helpful. A replacement parcel was sent out directly with a new delivery company. Would recommend (although would also recommend that amazon are not used by Alpkit for deliveries!)

We managed to lose the valve for our open water swimming tow float. I asked Alpkit if they stocked spares, to save me buying a whole new float. They don’t, but were willing to have a look around the warehouse. They found a spare valve and posted it to me free of charge! Outstanding customer service!

I've been ordering from Alpkit for years and have also popped into their Bristol store a few times. Every experience has been fantastic!

My latest purchase was the Tarpstar tent. I already had their Soloist tent, which had served me well on many camping trips, but I needed something bigger to take my partner and dog along. I reached out to Alpkit via their online chat for advice, and they were more than happy to help – super knowledgeable and friendly, as always.

Over the years, I've picked up a fair bit of their gear. Back in 2020, I bought a Filoment hoody that’s still going strong. Their hiking poles lasted me for years before I passed them on to a friend, who still uses them. My Qark headtorch has seen me through countless night hikes and even an ultramarathon. My Numo sleeping pad is a summer camping essential, and the Drift pillow? Absolute game-changer for a good night’s sleep.

Their Hunka XL bivvy is just as high-quality as the rest of their kit, and I’ve also owned their Koulin running tights and shorts – both ridiculously comfortable.

One thing I really appreciate is their generous 123-day returns period (not that I’ve ever needed it!). On top of that, they offer in-store repairs – not just for their own gear, but anything you need fixing. I once had the waistband in my Koulin tights get twisted. Since it was within the returns period, I took them in, and they fixed it for free, even reinforcing it so it wouldn’t happen again. That kind of service is rare!

The Bristol store is brilliant. The staff are super friendly – I once went in just to check out a sleeping bag and ended up having a coffee and a good chat about down vs. synthetic insulation before getting distracted by their beautiful range of Sonder bikes. There was no pressure selling, but somehow, I still walked out with a t-shirt and sunglasses I hadn’t planned on buying. That’s just me being an impulsive so-and-so, though!

To top it all off, Alpkit has an incredibly generous rewards scheme. You get a dividend back on your purchases (10% on full-price items, 5% on sale items), and if you leave a review, you can earn even more (£5 if you include a photo, £3 without). The best part? The reward codes last for six months and can be gifted to friends and family if you’re not going to use them yourself.

Honestly, you couldn’t ask for more from a company. Alpkit is top-notch!

Once again the Alpkit team helped me quickly and efficiently with concrete answers to my questions about my order. It is nice to buy from a company where you know you can talk to real people if you have questions.

My go-to for all things camping and outdoors. Really quality products at fantastic prices. And the customer service is brilliant, really quick and helpful. Big thanks Ash!

Really quick customer support response times, and very thorough answers! I asked a question last night about a product and I know it's a small team so wasn't expecting a response for a few days but Ash got back to me this morning, and was super helpful and kind.

You can tell that a lot of love is put into the products and service, and at an affordable price. It's making the outdoors more accessible for more people, while also spreading the message of being conscientious and leaving no trace, so I am a big fan of Alpkit! I also love the member rewards feature.