T.W Ryder Ltd

The great outdoors is not the reason we use this shop, one of the main reasons is that my girlfriend has somewhat of a military fetish*, So as you can imagine we have purchased a few items from market stalls and shops like T.W.R, Gas masks, ski masks, sap gloves, Russian officers caps etc. Another reason for shopping at T.W.R is quite simply for the clothes and boots. I have purchased everything over the years, from donkey jackets, work boots and shirts to combats, over coats and woolen hats.
The last time my girlfriend and I were in T.W.R was a few weeks ago, after an outpatients appointment I had to attend at Selly Oak hospital. When I say had to, I mean I literally had no choice in the matter, as she insisted on coming with me it mean’t I couldn’t just say I’d been when in actual fact I had been walking round Selly Oak looking at bongs in Mamma Mad and perving on oriental girls… anyway, the reason I mention it, is because the consultant that dealt with me was a lieutenant, (in military greens) and I was wearing a pair of British ex-​army camos and he happened to say that he used to wear a uniform just like that. I refrained from quipping, «yes, but I’ve never shot at an innocent civilian in mine». Something I was really pleased with myself for thinking at the time, but then later realised, he’s probably been a military doctor all his life and although trained, its likely he hasn’t shot many people… if I had have said it and he had have pointed this probable fact out, I just know my girlfriend wouldn’t have let me hear the last of it, so i’m quite glad I didn’t chance it!
Before leaving the hospital with a clean bill of health, I had explained the Ed Gein case to a nurse in her 60’s that took my blood pressure, height, weight etc after she had pointed to the tattoo on my inner forearm and said, «that’s Leatherface isn’t it… hes based on a real person isn’t he?». She seemed to enjoy the gory details of grave robbing and cross-​gender skin transvestism and the fact that Buffalo Bill and Norman Bates were both based on him. She then went on to say, «Amityville, thats another one that’s real isn’t it?». She was less over joyed with my answer of, «well no, because anyone that ‘see’s a ghost’ is either a liar or an idiot, its only based on a ‘real’ story in the sense of its based on a story that has been told before and not apropos of nothing», she dealt with me quite quickly from that point on. I was bollocked by the lieutenant for smoking, administered sternly for recommending the steroids I was on for being, «really good if you need to get a lot done in a day», to which he replied with something to the effect of, «it starts off good… then it goes bad quickly!». After which he confirmed that all I had was an acute chest infection, (not asthma like my girlfriend had insisted for a week!) and finally he shook my hand with a vice grip, a gesture I took as him saying he definitely isn’t gay and the harder he squeezes, the gayer he isn’t!
After leaving the hospital we walked the short distance to T.W.R, all the while with me gloating how wrong my girlfriend was and her using the, ‘I was just thinking of possibilities that were not that bad after I saw you not being able to breath and being rushed to hospital last week’ argument… (I personally thought it was a little low of her to use an emotional argument, especially based on the fact I had nothing to counter it with except, «yeah… well… you were still wrong, ha!». Certainly not my greatest moment!). The most eye catching thing in there on this visit, besides how adorable my girlfriend looked in a german cap she was trying on, was the standard issue British camo shirt that had a Desert Rat badge on the sleeve, (my granddads regiment in world war 2), for a tenner. T.W.R. is a bit of a rarity nowadays, a well stocked military surplus shop, that you can always guarantee is going to have a pair of good boots in your size, (usually for 20 quid), quality hard wearing trousers, (cost about a 5^th as much as a pair of Levis and’ll last you 5 times as long), and a good coat, (ask anyone that has ever owned a military greatcoat). As well as having all the usual stuff you would need for any trip into the woods, tents, stoves, shag-​bags etc. You could also get fully equipped for stalking an enemy under the cover of darkness with full black out gear, military grade binoculars and ski mask, (ski mask is a multi purpose item as well as stalking, its an essential piece of wardrobe when delivering a quality kneecapping and also good for military interrogation role play). Whether you’re a military fetishist, an insignia collector, a hippy that wants cheap quality clothing with lots of pockets and boots that’ll last years with every day wear or a lesbian, then raise 40 quid and get a whole new kit-​out at T.W. Ryder.
*Her fetish is less of a ‘fancying a man in uniform’ kinda thing and more a being tied to a chair and interrogated sort of caper!

I love the great outdoors. And I love gear that enables you to make the most out of the great outdoors. From rip-​stop combats, bashas, ponchos, surplus boots, stoves, canteens, billy cans and so on. You name it TW Ryder’s most likely got it, or had it, or might have it. It’s a bit hit and miss with what you can find, but it nonetheless stocks rugged, utilitarian army issue or army surplus gear.
I’ve picked up a bivvy bag, a helmet (I really don’t know why), some combats, a stove, a lot of hexamine blocks and a field jacket probably all for under 50 or 60 quid. You won’t find anywhere else that sells products for that price that have been to the far-​flung corners of the earth and still have years of use in them. This stuff is functional and it’s refreshing to come across somewhere that sells stuff that is designed for falling over, falling out of cars, falling on abrasive surfaces (when you need to jump out of a moving car) and just generally being tough and rugged — or for pretending to be anyway.
They are specialists in uncompromising gear that doesn’t fall apart on you, whether trekking in the Gobi desert or running for the 11 bus.

Army surplus stores seem to be a bit of a dying breed and to buy old bits of interesting kit can be even harder to find. T W Ryder has a great mix of new stuff and hidden gems. Yes it’s a good place to pick up bits of camping gear and new tactical webbing type stuff. For me I love the old bits of military surplus whether its weird foreign military dress uniforms, sailor tunics or a russian child’s gas mask. Yes I own all three and they came from here. Worth a rummage and at the very least if you are after fancy dress boys and want to be a pilot then don’t waste money on hiring but nip in here and buy a real RAF tunic and have a permanent costume on hand in your wardrobe for a fraction of the price of hiring.

T W Ryder is frankly a bit of an institution and notable for its rather dazzling outdoor display of tents and utilitarian trousers which is so large and eye-​catching that it is visible from the bus. Based on Harborne Lane on the way to the University and new hospital, T W Ryder specialises in military surplus and ex-​army clothing. You can pick up all sorts of weird stuff here — sailor tops, army overcoats — even camouflage nets and gas masks. However, it is really useful for camping equipment — they have sleeping bags, air beds and cooking stoves at a knock-​down price. I suspect if you were planning a Himalayan trek this is the sort of shop you would go. As a student I found it an ideal place to pick up a) canvas bags (which I would then ‘decorate’ with Tippex and an array of badges and b) boots (which I would team with leggings and wear down The Hummingbird… I’m showing my age here aren’t I?!) but it also sells high-​vis jackets, gore tex, thermal socks, padded shirts, padded gloves, hard hats, wellies, torches, binoculars… the list is endless.