Decathlon

This barebone superstore has everything you need at really low prices. What a find! I went here this Saturday with my boyfriend who wanted to buy skis. Unlike specialist ski shops, or shops in the centre of town, you get a much better deal here and still get quality gear.
Some of the staff weren’t entirely knowledgeable, but that was probably my mistake for asking about ski waxing in the cycling isle! The colleague in the ski isle was able to answer my query. :)

This soul-​less sports superstore at Hermiston Gait does 1 thing exceptionally well and most of the rest of what a decent sports shop should do badly. So the exceptional thing is if you need the most basic sportswear or equipment for just about any sport cheap then this place is brilliant — when it comes to kids who want to try something, then you pop along and for a few quid can kit them (or yourself) out. If however you are serious about sport and so need to rely on quality (in things like running shoes) then you need to be cautious and would be better served at a specialist store. The staff are reasonably helpful but I have never found them going out their way to help.

This was a destination for my English friend who sought swimsuits in a particular cut she’d previously only found in France. I was in need of a couple basics, so I joined her.
It’s in a strip mall and has a big box store feel. Very large place, clearly a chain store. It has large departments based upon the sport or activity. Lots of camping gear. The staff aren’t specialists but they get the job done.
I was pleasantly surprised to find decent rock climbing shoes for £30, which is still about half the best prices I could find in the States. Sold!
A comment on the transaction: they were the only shop we visited in the UK that didn’t require a signature for a large credit card purchase (my friend had a much larger purchase). The checkout guy didn’t understand what we were asking for.

A properly uninspiring outlet with a wide variety of sports wear and accessories. The problem I have with stores of this type is that nothing is done particularly well because there’s so much emphasis on having everything.
I had a look at the cycling and running sections. Ladies’ cycling wear was beyond rubbish; half an aisle with poor sizing and about six different items. All pink or variations after the fact. The price of some of the clobber was good, but the cheaper the tag the poorer the gear. Saying that, I did buy a cheap pair of shorts for £9, so will see how they go.
Bikes looked poor. You know when you look at a folding bike for £150 that packs up to the size of a small room you’re not going to get much for your money. I think the bikes on offer probably fare okay for an occasional ride, but they didn’t look great for anyone looking to do regular riding.
Running gear fared slightly better with a whole aisle dedicated to shoes and clothing for women. There were more colours and different types of clothing on offer, so not quite as bad as the cycling section. I bagged a pair of running tights for £10.
So all in all, some cheap bits and pieces on offer, but they are not quality items and probably won’t stand up to much. But hey, you pay peanuts, you get monkeys (or words to that effect!).
Customer service typical of a barn of this type; I overheard a staff member say «sorry mate, this is not my department», when someone asked a simple question. Sigh!
I really do think that dedicated shops that specialise in one sport or interest are vastly superior to this kind of place; running shops with runners and cycling shops with cyclists and outdoor shops with outdoor lovers provide a much better experience and have a wealth of knowledge in comparison to places like this.
I suppose this has its place as the first port of call for someone maybe picking up a sport or outdoor activity for the first time… Or maybe for someone to try and grab a bargain? But I’m not sure I’ll be making an effort to go back.

I was suitably impressed with their range and prices of footwear (£20−140). As this is what I came for due to another nearby shop had failed to live up to expectations. So for as it was near closing time, I still managed to look round their vast, and I mean vast sports and outdoor ranges.
That took around 20 mins to briefly sniff out what they had, and judging by what I saw it seems I’m hooked so will defo be back later for supplies. From camping gear to wet suits, footwear to workouts, Don’t think I’ve been in a bigger warehouse that supplies all these items under one roof in Scotland?
Great got what I was after, quality sports shoes (⁵⁄₁₀), anyhoo means I can now workout at home, or go back to the gym without fear of staff staring and pointing in disbelief at the state of my worn out footwear while muffling laughter… nice one Dec.