Cotswold Outdoor

Fifteen percent off, full-price items, no hoops. That's the Cotswold Outdoor military discount. Serving personnel, veterans and cadets qualify. Online you email a photo of your ID and they send a code back. In-store you show ID at the till. On a £200 waterproof jacket that's £30 before you've even looked at the sale rack.

About Cotswold Outdoor

Started out in 1974 selling camping kit from a building next to a water park in the Cotswolds. Now 79 stores across the UK. The stock list covers Arc'teryx, Osprey, Scarpa, Salewa, Montane, Rab, Berghaus — brands that don't appear in Sports Direct and don't tend to go on sale by much. That's what makes 15% off here worth more than 15% off somewhere else.

The Cotswold Outdoor Military Discount

The 15% forces discount is one of the stronger standing military discounts in the outdoor retail sector. Good outdoor kit costs serious money. A Berghaus Hydroshell jacket at £280 full price — £42 off at 15%. Hanwag GTX boots at £220 — £33 off. An Osprey pack — £27 off. Real savings, not token ones. Forces personnel buying new gear ahead of an exercise, a deployment, or a resettlement trip into the hills are the obvious use case.

How to Claim Online and In-Store

Online claim: email enquiries@cotswoldoutdoor.com, attach a photo of your MOD 90, veteran's card or cadet ID. A unique code comes back by email. That code takes 15% off full-price items at checkout. One thing to check first: whether the item is already in the sale. Glance at the clearance page before applying the code — sometimes the markdown is already sharper.

In-store, the process is simpler. Walk in, find what you want, present your ID at the till. No pre-registration, no code, the discount applies directly. For more outdoor kit deals for the forces community, the Sports, Fitness and Outdoors section has regularly updated offers.

Explore More Club — Worth Joining

The Explore More Club is the loyalty scheme — free to join. It gives exclusive member pricing, early sale access, and bumps the returns window from 30 days to 100. That last part is worth noting. Buy kit before a long exercise or a deployment, don't test it properly until you're in the field, find out something doesn't work — 100 days gives you room to come back and sort it. Worth joining before any purchase.

Sales and Price Match

Sales at Cotswold Outdoor run deep in the right windows. Camping kit has gone as low as 70% off. Clothing and boots, 30 to 50% in end-of-season events. The forces discount doesn't stack with sale lines — but sale prices on their own are often sharper than 15% off full price. Compare before committing.

Price match is available. Same item cheaper at another UK outdoor retailer — raise it before completing the order. For comparison, Go Outdoors is another option worth checking for outdoor gear deals, and the Berghaus page covers forces deals on that brand directly.

Tips to Keep Costs Down

• Email enquiries@cotswoldoutdoor.com with your military ID before any significant purchase to get your 15% discount code.
• Join the Explore More Club before ordering — free, and the 100-day return window is worth having.
• Check clearance pricing before using the forces code — sale lines sometimes beat 15% off full price.
• Use price match if you find the same item cheaper elsewhere — raise it before completing the order.
• Time larger purchases around end-of-season sales for potential savings on top of clearance pricing.
• Use click and collect if available — saves delivery costs on smaller orders.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Cotswold Outdoor offer a military discount?

Yes — 15% off full-price items for serving personnel, veterans and cadets. Online, email enquiries@cotswoldoutdoor.com with a photo of your military ID to receive a unique discount code. In-store, present your ID at the till and the discount applies directly.

Is the Cotswold Outdoor military discount available to veterans?

Yes. Veterans qualify for the 15% discount on the same terms as serving personnel. Email your veteran's ID card for an online code, or show it at the counter in any of the 79 UK stores.

Do reservists qualify for the Cotswold Outdoor forces discount?

The published eligibility covers serving personnel, veterans and cadets. Reservists should contact Cotswold Outdoor directly to confirm — email enquiries@cotswoldoutdoor.com. Most outdoor retailers with a military scheme accept reservist ID, but worth checking before ordering.

How do I get the Cotswold Outdoor military discount online?

Email enquiries@cotswoldoutdoor.com with a photo of your MOD 90, veteran's card or cadet ID. The team sends a unique discount code by return email. Apply it at checkout — it takes 15% off full-price items at cotswoldoutdoor.com.

Does the Cotswold Outdoor military discount work in-store?

Yes. Show your military ID at the till in any Cotswold Outdoor store. No pre-registration required, no code needed — 15% comes off at the point of sale.

Does the 15% military discount apply to sale items?

Generally no — the forces discount applies to full-price stock. Sale items carry their own reduced pricing which already reflects a markdown. Before using the code, check the current sale price on the item — sometimes the clearance price is already lower than 15% off full price would be.

What is the Cotswold Outdoor Explore More Club?

A free loyalty scheme giving members exclusive pricing, early sale access, and a 100-day return window instead of the standard 30. Worth joining before any purchase — it takes a couple of minutes to sign up and the extended return window is particularly useful for forces personnel whose schedules make returns difficult.

What brands does Cotswold Outdoor stock?

Arc'teryx, Osprey, Scarpa, Salewa, Montane, Rab, Berghaus, The North Face and many other outdoor specialist brands. These are technical brands that rarely go on significant sale through mainstream retail — the 15% forces discount is worth more here than it would be at a general outdoor or sports retailer.

What is Cotswold Outdoor's return policy?

Standard customers have 30 days to return unused items. Explore More Club members get 100 days. Returns can be made to any Cotswold Outdoor store or by post. Joining the Explore More Club before purchasing is the easiest way to extend that window at no cost.

Is Cotswold Outdoor worth it for forces personnel?

For anyone who needs quality outdoor kit, yes. The 15% forces discount on full-price items from a retailer stocking premium technical brands is one of the better standing military deals in the outdoor sector. Staff in-store tend to be experienced outdoor people with genuine kit knowledge — worth using for advice on technical purchases.

Does Cotswold Outdoor have a price match?

Yes. Find the identical item cheaper at another UK outdoor retailer and Cotswold Outdoor will match the price. The request needs to be made before completing the purchase — price match claims after checkout are not typically accepted.

Can I use the military discount and Explore More Club pricing together?

The military discount generally applies to full-price items and doesn't stack with other promotional codes or sale pricing. Explore More Club member pricing sometimes sits separately — check the terms when ordering to see which discount applies to the specific item you're buying.

Does Cotswold Outdoor stock children's outdoor kit?

Yes — the range includes children's waterproofs, fleeces, walking boots and base layers from brands including Berghaus. Useful for forces families who want durable outdoor kit for kids that will hold up across different postings and weather conditions.

More Forces Deals You Might Like

For outdoor clothing deals directly on one of the brands Cotswold Outdoor stocks, the Berghaus page covers forces-specific offers. Go Outdoors is the other major UK outdoor retailer worth comparing — different range, different pricing, worth running the comparison on specific items. The Sports, Fitness and Outdoors section brings together the best current forces deals on outdoor gear, kit and activities in one place.