Up and under

What Up and under does

Up and Under is a UK-based specialist outdoor gear retailer founded in 1977 and headquartered in Cardiff, Wales. The company operates a hybrid model combining a physical destination store with an e-commerce platform, serving consumers engaged in a wide range of outdoor activities including climbing, hiking, running, camping, caving, canyoning, bushcraft, watersports and access/rescue work. Its product catalog spans technical clothing, footwear and equipment from premium third-party brands such as Rab, Montane, Patagonia, Mountain Equipment and DMM, at price points ranging from approximately £2.50 to over £1,400 per item.

The business differentiates on technical-expert curation and service rather than price competition. Up and Under holds Rab Expedition Stockist status — one of only six such retailers in the UK — and operates in-store fitting services for boots, rucksacks and rockshoes that pure online competitors cannot replicate at the same level of technical specificity. The retailer has begun to extend into proprietary merchandising with the Up and Under Trad Pack, a curated trad-climbing bundle that marks its first branded SKU. A dedicated outdoor education vertical targets organized groups, clubs and Duke of Edinburgh participants, while digital gift cards and a group discount-code program open institutional and gifting demand channels.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through direct resale of third-party branded merchandise via the website and physical store, with no disclosed subscription, marketplace or wholesale revenue lines. The company is privately held, has not raised external capital, and operates with 11–50 employees. Content marketing via an active blog and category-guidance resources supports organic acquisition, particularly in technical niches such as traditional climbing and expedition preparation where product selection carries higher information-asymmetry risk for buyers.

Name

Up and under

Legal name

Up and Under Outdoor Gear

Website

https://upandunder.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Up and Under is a Cardiff-based specialist outdoor gear retailer founded in 1977, operating a hybrid physical-store and e-commerce model. It sells premium third-party technical apparel and equipment across climbing, hiking, caving, canyoning, bushcraft and watersports to UK consumers and organized outdoor groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Equipment Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811), Shoe Retailers (4582)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Shoe Stores (5661)

akta.pro primary industry

Camping, Hiking & Climbing Specialty Retail (CRAMABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Climbing & Mountaineering Gear Retail (CRAMAMAB), Camping, Hiking & Backpacking Gear Retail (CRAMAMAA), Outdoor Clothing & Footwear Retail (Camping/Hiking/Climbing) (CRAMAMAK), Backpacks, Bags & Load-Carriage Retail (CRAMAMAI)

Keywords

• Outdoor equipment retail
• Climbing gear
• Watersports equipment
• Camping supplies
• Hiking boots

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Up and Under is a UK-based outdoor gear retailer (founded 1977) that sells branded outdoor equipment, clothing, and footwear across categories including climbing, walking, camping, watersports, running, caving, canyoning, bushcraft, and travel through an e-commerce platform and a physical retail store in Cardiff. The company offers curated multi-brand product ranges supplemented by expert in-store fitting services for boots, rucksacks, and rockshoes, plus proprietary bundled packs such as the Up and Under Trad Pack.

Product overview

Up and Under is an established outdoor gear retailer (since 1977) operating an e-commerce platform alongside a physical store. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of outdoor equipment and clothing across multiple categories: Outdoor (clothing, climbing, walking, running, caving, travel, canyoning, camping, books/maps, dog walking, transport, bushcraft), Watersports (body boarding, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, swimming, surfing), Access and Rescue (professional fall protection, rescue equipment), and Outdoor Education. The core offering is the e-commerce retail platform selling third-party branded products, supplemented by proprietary bundled packs like the Up and Under Trad Pack. The company also offers gift cards and operates a sale section for discounted inventory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cotswold Outdoor: UK multi-channel outdoor retailer offering climbing, walking, camping, and watersports equipment across an extensive store estate and online platform; directly comparable to Up and Under's product mix and omnichannel approach but at significantly larger scale.
• Snow+Rock: UK specialist outdoor retailer with strong credentials in climbing, mountaineering, and technical gear; operates both physical stores and e-commerce, closely mirroring Up and Under's specialist positioning and category depth.
• GO Outdoors: Mass-market UK outdoor retailer offering clothing, footwear, climbing, camping, and watersports equipment across a large store network; overlaps significantly with Up and Under's categories but at a more value-oriented positioning.
• Blacks: Long-established UK outdoor retailer (sister brand to GO Outdoors under JD Sports) selling climbing, walking, camping, and watersports gear; comparable breadth of categories and similar omnichannel model to Up and Under.
• Mountain Warehouse: UK outdoor and walking specialist with extensive store estate and own-brand product lines covering clothing, footwear, camping, and accessories; overlaps with Up and Under's walking and camping categories at scale.
• Trespass: UK-based outdoor clothing and equipment retailer selling skiing, walking, camping, and watersports gear through stores and online; comparable category breadth and UK-focused customer base to Up and Under.
• Ellis Brigham: UK specialist outdoor retailer focused on climbing, mountaineering, hiking, and ski equipment; closely aligned with Up and Under's technical/outdoor enthusiast positioning and brand portfolio.
• Rohan: UK specialist retailer of technical outdoor clothing, footwear, and travel gear; overlaps with Up and Under's outdoor clothing and travel categories with similar emphasis on technical performance.
• Joe Brown Shops: UK climbing and mountaineering specialist retailer with deep technical expertise, founded by legendary climber Joe Brown; directly comparable to Up and Under's climbing-led specialist positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Decathlon: Global sporting goods mass-market retailer with a UK store network covering outdoor, watersports, climbing, and camping; competes with Up and Under across many categories but at vastly larger scale and lower price points.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/upandunderltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/upandunderoutdoorgear

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Up and under