Kasarani to Ruiru: Finding an Outdoor Gear Shop on Thika Road Before Your Next Hike

Our outdoor gear shop on Thika Road is Shop D39, on the third floor of Mountain Mall, at the junction where the highway meets the turn-off for Thome and Garden Estate in Nairobi. It is open Monday to Friday 8:30 am-6:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 am-2:00 pm and on Sundays by appointment, selling quality thrifted and new hiking gear.

Most people who live along the highway, in Kasarani, Roysambu, Zimmerman, Githurai, Kahawa or Ruiru, end up shopping for boots and jackets in town, sitting in traffic both ways. Below you will find exactly where the shop is, which matatus pass it, the best times to come, what to check on second-hand kit, and which hikes start from the same road.

Where Is the Outdoor Gear Shop on Thika Road, Exactly?

The outdoor gear shop on Thika Road that we run is inside Mountain Mall, on the third floor, in Shop D39. The mall stands at the Thome and Garden Estate junction of the Thika Superhighway, which makes it an easy stop for anyone living between Roysambu and Kahawa West.

Thika Road itself is the 50 km stretch of the A2 that links Nairobi with Thika town. It was rebuilt as an eight-lane highway (twelve lanes in places) and opened in November 2012, and several malls now line it, including Mountain Mall and Thika Road Mall.

Which estates are closest to Mountain Mall?

Thome and Garden Estate are the nearest neighbourhoods to our outdoor gear shop on Thika Road, with Roysambu, Lumumba Drive and Zimmerman a short ride away. Kasarani, Mwiki, Githurai 44 and 45, Kahawa West and Kahawa Sukari are all on matatu routes that run along this part of the highway, and Ruiru is further out but on the same road.

For hikers in these estates, that matters more than it sounds. Trying on three pairs of boots properly takes half an hour, and doing it at an outdoor gear shop on Thika Road close to home on a weekday evening is far easier than finding parking in the CBD on a Saturday.

Finding Shop D39 once you are inside

Take the stairs or lift to the third floor and look for Shop D39. Coming with a friend? Agree to meet at the outdoor gear shop on Thika Road rather than at a mall entrance, because Mountain Mall has more than one way in.

How Do You Get to Mountain Mall by Matatu or Car?

From the CBD, any matatu heading out along Thika Road towards Roysambu, Githurai, Kahawa, Ruiru or Thika passes the outdoor gear shop on Thika Road at the Thome and Garden Estate junction. Ask the conductor for Mountain Mall. Drivers simply head north on Thika Road from the city centre.

Nairobi route numbers and town stages change from time to time, so treat the table below as a starting point and confirm with the conductor before you board.

Coming from	Matatu routes to look for	What to tell the conductor
Nairobi CBD	44 (Zimmerman, Githurai, Kahawa West), 45 (Githurai, Kahawa, KU), 145 (Ruiru), 237 (Thika)	“Mountain Mall, at the Thome junction”
Kasarani and Mwiki	17B and 49, which run along Thika Road via Kasarani	Ask to be dropped as close as possible to Mountain Mall
Githurai, Kahawa and Ruiru	Any town-bound 44, 45 or 145	“Mountain Mall” on the way into town
Thika and Juja	Any town-bound 237	“Mountain Mall, Thome junction”

Coming by car

From the city centre, take Thika Road north past Pangani and Muthaiga and look out for the Thome and Garden Estate turning; Mountain Mall, home to our outdoor gear shop on Thika Road, is at that junction. Weekday evening traffic heading out of town can be slow after about 5 pm, so a Saturday morning visit is usually quicker for drivers.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Before a Hike?

Weekday afternoons, after 3 pm, are the best time to try on boots at an outdoor gear shop on Thika Road, because feet swell during the day and late fittings match how your feet feel on the trail. Saturday is shorter, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, so arrive early if you need several items.

Most group hikes from Nairobi leave very early on Saturday or Sunday. That means the shop will not be open on your way out of town, so plan to buy anything new by Friday evening or Saturday lunchtime at the latest.

Sunday visits are by appointment. Message us on WhatsApp a day or two ahead with what you need and when you would like to come.

How long does a visit to an outdoor gear shop on Thika Road take?

A visit to an outdoor gear shop on Thika Road for a single item, such as gloves or a headlamp, takes ten minutes. A first full kit, meaning boots, socks, a rain shell, a fleece and a daypack, is closer to an hour if you try everything on properly. Come with your hike date in mind, so you can decide what has to be bought now and what can wait.

What Can You Buy at Our Outdoor Gear Shop on Thika Road?

Our outdoor gear shop on Thika Road stocks quality thrifted gear from well-known outdoor brands alongside some new items, which keeps good kit affordable. Pre-owned stock changes often, so the exact sizes and brands on the shelf vary from week to week.

The ranges at our outdoor gear shop on Thika Road cover most of what a Kenyan hiker needs, from a two-hour walk in Karura to a summit night on Point Lenana:

• Footwear: hiking boots from Quechua, Lowa, Keen, Karrimor, Brütting and Scarpa, such as the Quechua waterproof hiking boot, plus merino and synthetic hiking socks and leg gaiters.
• Rainwear: waterproof jackets, rain pants and rain ponchos for adults and children.
• Warm layers: fleece soft-shells, packable down, thermal underwear, long johns and fleece-lined trousers, all in our hiking jacket range and clothing rails.
• Hot-weather clothing: quick-dry T-shirts, zip-off cargo trousers, wide-brim sun hats and UV400 sunglasses.
• Cold-weather extras: Thinsulate waterproof hiking gloves, fleece-lined mittens, balaclavas and trapper hats.
• Packs and hydration: a 28-litre day hiking backpack and 3-litre hydration packs.
• Camping and night kit: rechargeable headlamps, ultralight trekking poles, a 15°C mummy down sleeping bag, and Cadac 500 g and Coleman C300 gas cartridges.

If you are not sure what you need yet, start with our hiking gear checklist for Kenya, which goes through every item by trail type. Bring the list on your phone to the outdoor gear shop on Thika Road and tick items off as you go, so you do not leave with three fleeces and no rain cover.

Thrifted or New: What Should You Check Before You Pay?

With pre-owned gear, judge the item in front of you rather than the brand on the label. Check soles, seams, zips and buckles yourself, and try clothes on with the layers you will actually wear on the hill.

As our post on thrifted outdoor gear in Nairobi explains, pre-owned kit is how many Nairobi hikers get Gore-Tex boots and branded shells at a fraction of the new price. It is a sound way to buy, as long as you spend two minutes looking closely. Use the checklist below for any second-hand item, whether you buy it at an outdoor gear shop on Thika Road or anywhere else.

Item	What to look at	Walk away if
Hiking boots	Lug depth on the outsole, the midsole for cracks, the toe and heel for separation, the inside heel lining	The tread is worn flat under the ball of the foot, or the sole is peeling away from the upper
Rain jackets	Taped seams inside, the main zip and pit zips, the hood adjusters, the care label for the membrane	Seam tape is lifting in long strips, or the inner coating is flaking
Fleece and down	Pilling under the arms, cuffs, the zip; for down, even loft when you shake it	Down has clumped into hard balls that will not break up
Backpacks	Hip-belt and shoulder-strap stitching, buckles, zips, the back panel foam	A load-bearing buckle is cracked or a strap seam is pulling apart
Sleeping bags	Temperature label, the zip along its full length, the hood drawcord	There is no comfort rating and the bag is far thinner than the label suggests

How should hiking boots fit when you try them on?

Hiking boots should leave about a thumb’s width between your longest toe and the front, with your heel staying put as you walk. Lace them fully, then walk down a slope or step off a ledge: if your toes hit the front, go up half a size.

At any outdoor gear shop on Thika Road or in town, wear the socks you will hike in, not office socks. A thick merino sock can take up half a size on its own, which is why we suggest picking up a pair of merino wool hiking socks first and fitting the boots over them. Our guide to buying hiking boots in Nairobi goes deeper into lasts, widths and sizing between UK, EU and US numbers.

Checking a rain jacket at an outdoor gear shop on Thika Road

Zip it to the chin and pull the hood up. Turn your head left and right: a good hood turns with you instead of covering your eyes. Raise both arms above your head; if the hem lifts above your belt, the jacket is too short for a pack and will let rain run onto your trousers.

Which Hikes Start From Thika Road?

Several of Kenya’s best hikes leave Nairobi along Thika Road: Ol Donyo Sabuk via Thika and the Garissa road, the Mt Kenya gates via the A2 north, and the eastern Aberdares via Nyeri. For hikers on this side of the city, an outdoor gear shop on Thika Road is on the way out.

Hike	Route out of Nairobi	Gear to sort beforehand
Ol Donyo Sabuk (Kilimambogo)	Thika Road to Thika, then about 22 km east on the A3 Garissa road to Makutano junction and Donyo town; roughly two hours from the city	Grippy shoes, 2-3 litres of water, sun hat; buffalo live in the park, so walk with a ranger or group
Mt Kenya (Sirimon, Naro Moru, Chogoria)	Thika Road and the A2 north towards Nanyuki, Naro Moru or Chogoria; usually 3-5 hours depending on route and traffic	Waterproof boots, warm layers, gloves, balaclava, headlamp, sleeping bag
Oldoinyo Lesatima (via Rhino Gate)	Thika Road to Nyeri, then about 30 km on the Nyeri-Nyahururu road past Mweiga to the turn for Rhino Gate	Rain jacket and rain pants, gaiters for bog, a warm hat for the 4,001 m summit

Each of these has its own full guide. Read the Ol Donyo Sabuk hike guide for the summit road and the park rules, and the Mt Kenya gear guide before a multi-day climb. Park entry fees change, so confirm the current rates with Kenya Wildlife Service before you go.

A worked example: Ruiru to Ol Donyo Sabuk on a Sunday

Here is how a hiker living in Ruiru might plan a first climb of Ol Donyo Sabuk, with a shop visit fitted into the week before:

1. Monday: read the trail guide and note the summit is roughly 2,145 m, with a long, steady climb on a forest road.
2. Wednesday after work: catch a town-bound 145 and get off at Mountain Mall for the outdoor gear shop on Thika Road. Try on boots over hiking socks, and pick up a sun hat and a small daypack.
3. Thursday and Friday: wear the boots around the estate for an hour each evening.
4. Saturday morning: if anything rubs, come back before the 2:00 pm close to swap a size or add gaiters or a second pair of socks.
5. Sunday: leave early, fill your water bottles before Thika, and set off in boots your feet already know.

For Mt Kenya, stretch the same plan over several weeks: boots first, because they need the most breaking in, then layers and night gear.

Can You Order From Our Nairobi Shop Without Visiting?

Yes. You can order from our Nairobi shop online through the website and pay by M-Pesa or cash on delivery, which suits anyone who cannot reach the outdoor gear shop on Thika Road during opening hours or lives on the other side of the city.

Online ordering suits items where size matters less, such as socks, gloves, gas cartridges or a waterproof rechargeable headlamp. For boots and fitted jackets, send us a WhatsApp message first with your foot length in centimetres or your chest measurement, plus the trail you are preparing for, and ask what is in your size.

Prefer to see things in person? Visiting our Mountain Mall store near the Thome turn-off lets you compare two or three options side by side, which is hard to do from photos. Many people browse online at night, then come in on Saturday to try the shortlist.

Hiking With Us From Nairobi

Besides the outdoor gear shop on Thika Road, we run guided hikes from Nairobi, from beginner-friendly day hikes to tougher mountain days in the Aberdares and beyond. Upcoming dates, meeting points and what to bring are listed on our hike calendar.

Our past and upcoming hikes include Table Mountain and Oldoinyo Lesatima in the Aberdares and Ol Donyo Sabuk outside Thika; each has a full trail guide on the blog. If you are new, the best day hikes near Nairobi list is a good place to choose a first trail, then come and kit out for it.

What Do Thika Road Hikers Get Wrong When Shopping for Gear?

The most common slip is leaving everything to the Saturday before a Sunday hike. With the outdoor gear shop on Thika Road closing at 2:00 pm, a rushed visit means boots that never get broken in and no time to swap a size.

Three other slips are just as easy to avoid:

• Buying for the weather in Nairobi, not on the hill: a warm afternoon in Roysambu says nothing about 3,500 m in the Aberdares, where mist and cold rain can arrive within half an hour.
• Choosing boots by colour or brand alone: fit decides comfort, and a well-fitting budget boot beats a famous one that crushes your toes.
• Forgetting rain cover in the “dry” months: afternoon storms happen outside the long rains (roughly March to May) and the short rains (roughly October to December), especially on the mountains.

Short on time? A light ultralight foldable trekking pole is worth adding for steep descents like Ol Donyo Sabuk’s summit road, and it folds small enough for a daypack on the matatu home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a hiking gear shop along Thika Road?

Yes. Hiking Outdoor Gear Hub is an outdoor gear shop on Thika Road, in Mountain Mall, 3rd Floor, Shop D39, at the Thome and Garden Estate junction. It sells quality thrifted and new hiking gear, from boots and rain jackets to sleeping bags and gas cartridges, and is open six days a week with Sunday visits by appointment.

What time does the Mountain Mall gear shop close on Saturday?

The Mountain Mall outdoor gear shop on Thika Road closes at 2:00 pm on Saturdays, having opened at 9:00 am. On weekdays it is open from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm. On Sundays it opens by appointment only, so send a WhatsApp message a day or two ahead if Sunday is the only time you can come.

Which matatu drops me near Mountain Mall?

Any matatu running along Thika Road towards Githurai, Kahawa, Ruiru or Thika passes Mountain Mall and our outdoor gear shop on Thika Road, including routes such as 44, 45, 145 and 237 from the CBD. Ask the conductor for Mountain Mall at the Thome and Garden Estate stage. Route numbers and town stages do change, so confirm before you board.

Do you sell second-hand hiking boots in Nairobi?

Yes, second-hand hiking boots are a big part of what our outdoor gear shop on Thika Road sells in Nairobi, alongside some new pairs. Thrifted boots from brands such as Quechua, Lowa, Keen and Karrimor come through regularly, but sizes vary week to week. Message us your size and the trail you are planning, and we will tell you what is in.

Can I pay with M-Pesa if I can’t get to the outdoor gear shop on Thika Road?

Yes. If you can’t reach the outdoor gear shop on Thika Road, you can order online and pay by M-Pesa, or choose cash on delivery. That works well for socks, gloves, headlamps, ponchos and gas cartridges. For boots and fitted jackets, send your measurements on WhatsApp first so you order the right size, since thrifted items are often single pieces.

Final Thoughts

Living near the highway puts you closer to good kit than you might think. An outdoor gear shop on Thika Road means you can try boots after work, collect a rain shell on Saturday morning, and be on the A2 heading for Ol Donyo Sabuk or Mt Kenya the next day without a trip into town.

Pick your next hike, check its guide, and then come to Shop D39, our outdoor gear shop on Thika Road, on the third floor of Mountain Mall, Monday to Saturday, with your hiking socks in your bag.