Despite the less-than-tropical climate, Berliners aren’t strictly indoors types. Not even the most lip-numbing winters halt locals from making the most of the outdoors. The city is surrounded by acres of parkland and forest, and there are plenty of opportunities to explore the great outdoors – and loads of places to stock up on the goods you need to make it a comfortable experience.

The biggest and best of the lot is the 4,300 sq m Globetrotter Ausrüstung in Steglitz (030 850 8920). Not only does it have tents, sleeping bags, hiking gear and every accessory that makes camping a home away from home, a visit doubles as a shopping adventure: there’s a rock climbing wall, a freezing cold room to try out the jackets before you buy, and a mini lake to give the kayaks a test run.
The Down Under Tauchzentrale has a similar nifty testing pool, so you can trial the dive gear before you hand over your hard-earned euros (only at the Ohlauer Strasse store).

If winter sports or extreme sports are more your thing, Charlottenburg is the best place to go, with several shops dedicated to helping you satisfy your adrenaline fix. Citysport Extreme has a huge range of ski gear for sale or hire and offers helpful advice for first-timers. Right next door, Strawberry specialises in snowboarding and ski gear for girls, while in the same street, California Boarding sells snowboards, skateboards and wakeboards, plus a large range of skate, surf, and snow clothing labels with all the big brands covered, including Reef, Liquid Force and Volcom.

Kite surfers will find joy at Flying Colours, which has frisbees and boomerangs among its colourful assortment.

If you’re heading somewhere sunny to enjoy some surf and sand, get the appropriate surf gear at Oakley and Quiksilver, which both have flagship stores in Mitte.