Decathlon is a Sporting Goods store from France. This location recently opened and is the first in…read moreOttawa. In fact, Decathlon only opened its first store in Canada last year (2018) in Brossard, QC. Their prices are fairly low and all their items are their own branded stuff, so don't go expecting any Adidas, Nike, or Under Armour, lol. I see it as sort of the Ikea of sporting goods. They had really cheap sportswear. I saw shirts and shorts going for $5-7. Obviously, they had clothes that cost more as well. They had lots of inexpensive yoga and weight lifting accessories too. They had lots of sporting equipment like skis, bikes, rackets, hockey sticks, basketball nets, etc. The store is really big, brightly lit and well organized. There's a cafe inside run by Think Lunch. From what I saw, selection was limited and on the pricey side. There's an indoor basketball court in the store, and a friend of mine told me that if you sign up for their membership, which is free, you can book their court for free. I don't play basketball, but if you do, you have a free place to play year-round, which is pretty cool. The store is in a big strip mall. It's right next to Giant Tiger and will be next to Adonis, which is being built at the time of the writing of this review. Same strip mall as Food Basics, Dollar Tree and Party City. Lots of free parking.

Great value, pretty good service overall, so I would come back here, and I ended up buying more…read morethan I expected. I found this a really solid choice and I would recommend it.

I had an issue with a tent I purchased, as it arrived with what appeared to be marks on the…read morerainfly. From the very beginning, the Bushtukah team was professional, responsive, and genuinely cared about finding a fair solution. Rather than dismissing my concerns, they took the time to contact Sea to Summit on my behalf to get the manufacturer's opinion and kept me updated throughout the process. In the end, they offered a refund, and I couldn't be happier with how everything was handled. Outstanding customer service like this is becoming increasingly rare. Bushtukah truly stands behind the products they sell and values their customers. I wouldn't hesitate to shop with them again and highly recommend them to anyone looking for outdoor gear. Thank you again, Bushtukah, for your professionalism and excellent support!

Had an initial issue with a cancelled order, but Bushtukah's customer service handled it perfectly…read more They took full responsibility, updated their processes, and made things right by fulfilling my order with an extra discount. Great post-sale support.

Kind of expensive, but not good service, or much to say in a good way I guess…read more I had trouble finding what I wanted, getting service, and then they had a very small selection of skates. Decided to shop somewhere else with better options.

Very disappointing experience dealing with Nathan. His conduct throughout this situation was…read moreunprofessional and made us feel unwelcome. When we raised concerns about things Nathan had said, he denied saying them, which made it extremely difficult to have a productive conversation or resolve the issue. We were also left with the impression that he does not want us to return. What was especially concerning was his response during a moment of crisis. Instead of staying and helping address the situation, he left when his presence and assistance were needed. Overall, the way this situation was handled was extremely frustrating. We expected respectful, professional communication and accountability, but unfortunately that was not our experience with Nathan.

There have been various grand openings of Sail around the GTA. I had never set foot in one until I…read morewas at the Trainyards. I saw this massive Sail store and decided to check it out. Sail is like MEC, except that you do not need to get a free membership. There are a ton of outdoorsy items, such as canoes, tents, backpacks, and more. I also enjoyed some novelty, fun items, such as cushions that looked like logs. When I do visit a store like Sail, I like looking at shoes and accessories. The beverage tumblers and travel accessories always interest me. I like looking at unusual cleaners, such as down wash. It's all good in my books. I also like looking at the footwear. I used to be into hiking shoes. I like seeing what's trendy in this department. I didn't buy anything, but it was nice to browse. There are two floors, so you can spend a good hour in here if you wanted to. Hey, camp out and set up a tent! Oh, wait. The tents are already up and it was fun going into each one. (267)

For someone such as myself who is very into walking/hiking and camping this is my sanctuary. There…read moreare 2 floors. I prefer SAIL over MEC. Anything you want that has to do with the outdoors, they will have it! They have hiking, camping, clothing, fishing and camping. I appreciate there are many staff members around their respective department and will answer any questions you may have. It is a bit more on the expensive side but the quality is there. However, I am removing 1 star because I bought a canoe and the sign for pick up was so small to find in the back it took a while to find it. Just be careful, because if you do not stick with your list, you could buy way more than you anticipated.

We have had such a great experience with the MEC. We had shopped at a few other places for…read moreadventure clothes, gear, and more and they have a good selection. For clothes, yes come try, check out their sales. They also have a great selection of boots and shoes. Their clothing is varied and I appreciate them having a store brand. We actually like a lot of the store branded items. They seem to carry lots of sporting stuff. I would say a good strong selection of camping, biking, skis, hiking, and... climbing! I love their climbing selection. They even have ice picks. I would say definitely talk to their staff if you have questions. They are knowledgeable and helpful.

It had been years since I last stepped foot in an MEC store. The last time I did was in Montreal…read moreperhaps eight years ago. That particular store is long gone. My friend and I stopped by to check it out. She let me know that you no longer need a membership. Yep, I live in a cave. This store is huge. It's two floors of camping gear, bicycles, apparel, snacks, and more. I know many folks who think that MEC is strictly for campers. I have never done any camping in my life. It's not because I don't like nature. It's because I'd get eaten alive by mosquitoes. My bug bites get puffy and extremely itchy. Instead, I can enjoy getting hats and tumblers. We saw a flat flask that we both liked. It would be great in a bag or purse. Is it bad that I was thinking of filling it up with booze instead of water?! It was a bit expensive at roughly $60. Every water bottle that I own does not exceed a third of that price. I like the sling bags at MEC. They are durable, have many zippered compartments, and are comfortable. I still have my red one. This store had more updated styles. If it came in purple, I would have bought one without any hesitation. There were some sales going on. Prices are high to begin with, so if you can get something on sale, do it. I saw a sun sombrero that fit my large skull. I couldn't justify paying $40 for it. I hope that it goes on sale. I like the travel accessories. From charging adapters to mini flashlights, you can get everything here. My friend found a pair of Teva sandals in my size, at a reduced price. I haven't worn this brand in ages. I had just bought two pairs of sandals a couple of days earlier. Had I not, I would have probably bought this pair. Teva has velcro straps on all its sandals. I am into the convenience of velcro on footwear these days. This store had those massive Stanley tumblers that everyone seemed to want earlier this year. I held one in my hand. It was $60. I then put it down, similar to the flat flask. I enjoyed browsing around this store. I can now say that I've been to MEC in Ottawa. Yay! (286)

I am coaching soccer and hockey and I went there recently because I was looking for something…read morespecific, an agility ladder. I saw on the website that they had that specific ladder in stock so I went to store. When I arrived, the first thing I realsied is how spacious is the place. The first floor have a lot of sports wears and shoes. I went on the second floor as all the equipment are there and it is spacious as well. They have a lot of choices for every type of sports. I asked the lady about the ;adder, she was kind enough to come with me at the section and when I told her the ladder I was looking for was not on the shelf, she immediatly asked me if I saw it on the website. I told her that I saw it was in stock in this particular store and she asked me if I can wait and she went to the backstore. Within the next 5 minutes, she came back with the ladder. What an amazing service, as most of the place I go, the employees don't care about going to the backstore. Defintely one of my most pleasant shopping experience in the last months.

Got my skates sharpened here. It was pretty quick and good price. I have nothing really bad to say…read moreas im not a hockey player. Just happy the blade didnt fall lol. However could be nice if they offered abit of advice on different types of sharpening someone should get as I know other places do that

I really want them to be good but I've been disapointed at this location with VERY limited…read moreinventory. No small Canadiens jerseys. Skate sharpening closed on Saturday and Sundays... I want this store to be my one stop shop and I spend well over $5,000 per year but this place is making it imposible. Unfortunately this isn't the one stop shop for any real hockey player. Sorry I wish I could give it a good review!

No customer service at all. I went in to buy a pair of skates for winter. Walked in and the guy…read moreat the counter didn't utter a word. Then I walked over to the skates and waited for someone to come help me for 10 minutes. NO ONE CAME AT ALL. So I decided to leave. As I was leaving the store there was an employee blocking the doorway. I said goodbye and the guy couldn't be bothered. He didn't say one word.

A good store that has a wide selection of hockey equipment. Knowledgeable, friendly staff that…read morehave a good rapport with hockey kids. Hockey stuff can be expensive, but I have found this store to be competitive and have always been appreciative of the promotions they do for our local hockey association. There are lots of big box stores with hockey equipment, but Valiquette Source for Sports combines selection with dedicated customer service.

This review is for the Bells Corners store. Tried finding turf cleats in 8 stores around Ottawa and…read moreGatineau: found only one pair at SportCheck! Was just about to order online when I bumped into this place, and found a prety good deal, but most importantly found something. Staff was quite helpful, and they have a great selection of equipment. If you're into futbol, this is the place in Ottawa-Gatineau.

Limited selection, expensive, but has brand equipment and long opening hours. Good parking spotsread more

I had such a wonderful experience at TPS - I went in to buy a new kayak, and the staff was…read moreknowledgeable, patient, and very thorough. Prices are reasonable, and they really seem to have a range from budget-conscious to high-end... but they didn't try to oversell me, which was very refreshing and appreciated! I left with exactly what I needed, empowered and ready to take on the mighty Ottawa river. About four hours after my kayak was picked up, I was back to buy another one for my husband, and had another employee helping me. I got the same top-notch service and yet MORE helpful information. I can't say enough good things about the store and the staff!

Trailhead used to be in a really cool rustic looking post and beam building at Scott St and McRae…read moreAve, but that building was torn down to make way for condos (story of my neighbourhood). So it moved to the Fairlawn Plaza which is across the street from Carlingwood Mall. The older building had much more character, and was really fitting for Trailhead, which is an outdoor adventure kind of store, like MEC. Nonetheless the new store is doing well. Admittedly, when I walk into these kinds of stores, I am like a fish out of water. I have zero interest in kayaking, camping or climbing mountains. I like the temperature controlled climates of enclosed shopping malls, museums, theatres, and restaurants (and don't ask me if I want a seat on the patio, because the answer will always be "no." Lol). Actually, I do like the outdoors, but only when the weather is fair (20 degrees Celsius, no precipitation), the sun is setting, and the bugs haven't come out yet. I am not sporty nor outdoorsy. So why the heck do I even go to Trailhead, you ask? Because they have some cute clothes! They have a great selection of prAna jeans (ethically made, sustainable, and organic fabrics) and they have clothes that are great for travel, like they fold up real small and don't wrinkle (brands like FIG from Montreal, and Toad and Co.). Their prices are on the higher side, but they do have sales, although their sales are not as discounted as at Bushtukah or Sail. Nonetheless, I like going in to poke around, but only for clothes because I have no idea what most of the other stuff in there is for ;) Oh, they also sell Canada Goose jackets. These are also of no interest to me, as I try to avoid situations where I have to be outside when it's -30 degrees. Lots of free parking in the plaza.