Sporting Life- Yonge Street

Wonderful store, carries some brands that can’t be found elsewhere in Toronto plus a huge selection of popular brands.
The staff is wonderful as well. I had purchased a Barbour jacket when it was 25% off but changed my mind a week later and wished to exchange it for a Barbour vest. The promotion was done but the manager accommodated my request to transfer the discount on my new purchase.
People shopping there are pretty clean too.

This review is for the website and the people behind it… I purchased 2 items early January and its been almost a week already when I called due to none communication regarding my order (strike#1). I was able to get info. «The reason for delayed shipping is that they are unable to locate one item»…(strike#2) and when it finally arrived after being few days behind the Jacket has still a electronic tag on it (strike#3)…called their hotline as she suggested to send it back to have the tag taken out. What an inconvenience!
My dissatisfaction with this retailer didn’t stop here,
After few days of setting up my wish list… I noticed some of the items on it went on sale but when I added it to my shopping cart, it reverted back to the original price. I called customer service few times and even emailed them a copy of my wish list… After few email exchange the customer service person said that the manager said that they will not honour the price on my wish list… Your website. Your responsibility!
I wondering what’s your BBB rating be…

Bought my new Canada goose jacket here a couple of days ago, employees there are super help full while one was looking for my size downstairs 2 other employees asked if I was ok and needed help, with in ⁵⁄₆ mins, must of made this guy go up and down ⁵⁄₆ times looking for the styles and size I was looking at was in stock for me. Always with a smile. Great selection of brands, styles and service and if they served Champagne I’ll would of give them 5 lol but only give 5 stars if the Company go’s above and beyond for there customers.

This location is not the greatest to go, as the parking lot is very small, and waiting time can be up to half hour as the parking attendant is busy helping patrons reverse or exit the lot. The sales associates were not helpful and knowledgable, basically teenager or students as the staff. I found the jacket myself and bought the Canada goose jacket. The jacket came up to $ 956 with taxes. My dad liked the jacket so much, that he bought one also but from the Sherway Gardens mall, the Sportjng life inside. Staff were very great and knowledgable and explained all other brands including the pros and con of each brand.

I had to kill some time around 8 on an Thursday and stopped by Sporting Life.
Yes it’s higher end and yes parking can be crazy (if you go anywhere good parking ain’t a cinch) but there are designer deals to be had and as they have been know for (since my parents shopped with us there in the 80’s) friendly helpful staff, young and old alike and all smiles.
This is a classic Toronto landmark and I got something for myself both kids and my beautiful wife!
But it wasn’t cheap

Certainly a fun place to shop. The sales people are very nice they just really don’t have a clue about anything and the parking is always a mess. I bought a jacket today, and it had an unusual rear pocket and I asked what was the purpose and they really didn’t know so there best guess was that it could be for carrying your skies or poles lol. I don’t shop here often but it is the first place I will come when looking for sporting equipment/​clothes. I don’t rely on the staff, I do my research before I arrive. I have bought many items here including skies, inline skates, ice skates, and other odds and ends. Good selection and pleasant staff, just not that bright. Bring your own light bulb! lol. Watch out for the parking on side streets. I got towed once, that is never fun.

Phenomenal customer service — kudos
I placed a reserve on the phone and went to pick up my order after work. They had apparently sold it to someone. Despite that, they offered to call their supplier for another, but one of the THREE associates helping me procured a similar item, which means I didn’t make the one hour commute here from downtown for nothing!
They carry a very wide range of brands, namely Canada Goose, Barbour, Ralph Lauren, and Moncler. Pricy? Insanely. But they have end of the season sales, which is a smart move.

Great Customer Service. I love the staff! But what is the managers name? Thank you for the time and please reply soon: D ASAP actually

We had a very pleasant experience purchasing my Canada goose coat so we went back today for my wife.
We really did not know what winter coat to buy. Kevin, our salesman, patiently took us around the whole store. Tryied on many many coats and even let us check the web for product reviews. Kevin was very knowledgable.
Prices are the same any where for Canada Goose, which we ended up buying, but service like this is not common. Nor is the selection
Thanks Kevin!

There’s a guy that works there that looks like woody harrelson he helped very minimal since we didn’t need a lot
Of help. But there’s a lot of variety in goose jackets and other different types of jackets, moose knuckles, nubis, North face etc.

Huge selection of product for men, women and children. We made the trip from Oshawa specifically to look for a winter coat for my husband. The choices were overwhelming.
Every sales staff we encountered was very friendly. The sales associate Mike (16 327) was excellent. Very knowledgeable, helpful, pleasant, and not overbearing.
We spent quite a bit of time trying on coats so we never made it upstairs to look around.
There is a small parking lot available south of the store which was easy to access and only half full. I’m sure shopping on the weekend might pose some parking issues but the store is well worth it.
High end product with expensive price points but it’s items that are not stocked in regular sporting goods stores.

How is this a good location when the intersection is tiny and jam-​packed, wow does the parking ever #$%@#% suck here.
It is chaotic coming here by car!!!
But I was blown away by the store’s modern and stylish clothing –there was so much to see (I’m a shopaholic when it comes to winter accessories)
The 2^nd floor is entirely women’s stuff (winter sports stuff AND Ralph Lauren sweaters). I thought the prices were decent considering all the ski/​snowboard events were already over, I had to rely on retail shop’s «end of season sales» if they exist.
I ended up with a beautiful Descente Ski Jacket!!!
ALSO we were told to visit their other location down the street (Sporting Life Bikes) for better selection of snowboard clothing and gear. Which we did visit!
P. S. compared to the Etobicoke (Sherway Gardens) one, this location has much more selection of stylish, fashionable, and young clothing. Also more sizes and more brands. A better ski/​snowboard gloves section, better selection of First Layers (hoodies, sweaters, etc. the layer before your jacket), but SO MUCH MORE CONFUSING.
I LOVE:
— the staff here. They were not pushy and I had 4 different people helping me even though it was SUPER busy when I visited! Each of my items had a different sales person’s ID tag (the staff here put a sticker of their ID so the cashier knows who helped who)
— SO MUCH fashionable stuff! AND YEAH I actually found XS (size 4) jackets (plural!) to try!
— So much STUFF that fits me and it’s still nice-​looking. No more «last picks!» BTW I was looking for ski jackets and ski pants
— many «luxury» brand-​name items, they’re so beautiful and pricey. It’s nice to know that these are here, so when I am rich one day I will revisit. For now I’ll just try them on :)
Does the staff actually know what they’re talking about? Hmm… sometimes.
OMG frustrating:
— finding parking
— actually parking
— if sale discount is more than 30% of original, you’ll only get a store credit if returned.
— they NEVER pick up their phones –it’s as if NOBODY works here. Even the Etobicoke location called them several times (for me, yay!), the Yonge location would take 30 minutes on average to pick up. And when they do pick up, they are rude with this attitude: state exactly word-​for-​word what you want now, or I cannot help.
— why are the change rooms so small, why is the entrance to the change rooms so small.

This review is for their online site, SportingLife (.ca), although their retail store is responsible for my horrible experience as well.
I had to make numerous phone calls and send their customer service department an email in order to find out if I could purchase a Canada Goose coat for my husband for xmas, but have it deliver after Christmas since I would be out of town. After a confirmation and I placed my order, I called again to confirm only to be told that they cannot stop the computer system from processing the order and delivering. Huh? So I ask to cancel my order — only to be transferred to several people trying to tell me they would resolve my issue and not to cancel. Against my better judgement, I proceeded with the order.
Obviously, the coat was not delivered to my satisfaction, and arrived before my return. But that wasn’t the worst part. As my husband unwrap the box and tried on his new coat, I NOTICED THE BIG, ROUND, SECURITY TAG STILL STUCK ON THE COAT. After all the hassle of ordering it, early (I order it on Dec 11, they charge my credit card 2 days after) and on Jan 1, 2014 when my husband opened his gift — and in one of the coldest winters in Montréal — the jacket was not usable!
After contacting the company on Jan 2, they said the only thing to do was return it back to them and have them remove the security tag. And that they would send it back to me asap, 24 – 48 hour turnaround. I called UPS the same day and requested a pickup. The company received the jacket the next day, but took their time in returning my jacket. When I called to get an update, they could not tell me when it would be returned to me because «the store was processing so many return orders and not sure when they would get to mine». Huh? My response, «but I’m not returning it, just remove the damn tag!»
I will never shop there again. Their packaging is poor — they did not even bother to clean the coat of dusk. There is no service in their Customer Service — of the 7 – 8 people I spoke to in trying to purchase this coat, none of them follow up on my request or did what they promised.

When I skied, my parents and I would come here at the start of the season each year to get ready! They offer a lot of variety in terms of quality skiing equipment. I bought my ski boots here when I was 14 and I still can use them today (haven’t gone skiing in 2 years though). SL also can wax your skis for you.
With recent renovations, SL now has a second floor with even more to offer! The sporting equipment is great, but I also like the clothing that they sell. From fashionable winter jackets to Canada Goose goods to Lacoste golf shirts — you can find high end products for anyone.
Parking is available on site albeit very tight spots. Service is a hit or miss. With sporting equipment, the staff know what they’re talking about. As for the high schoolers working on cash, they could try a little bit harder to represent SL.
Good for: clothing, sports equipment

I’m not very happy with sporting life’s inventory system and the staff.
They hire a lot of seasonal or part-​time staff, where I don’ think anyone there is full time, they do not have a lot of knowledge of the products, I browsed for 10 minutes in 1 section and knew more than the staff i was talking to.
There is a lot of staff walking around, chatting etc. and some helping customers (there was a huge crowd at the Canada Goose section) and empty in all the other sections. The whole second floor was full of woman’s fashion, mostly coats… from Canada Goose, Moncler, moose knuckles, Mackage, ADD and other brands, they do have a great selection of winter coats, if you are looking, look no further, all the great brands under one roof.
Their inventory system is horrible, they are unable to check what is in stock at other stores, and to check they need to call and that other store has to physically go look for the coat? and to transfer something takes forever, with no news back.
The parking lot, has tiny and limited amount of spaces, it is tight, and every time i go, there is people fighting for a spot.
Update: the sales associate who said she would call me back after she transfers the moncler coat in the size and color I want from another store, she never called me back after over 2 weeks. I even tried calling and no one knows what is going on.

HUGE!
I love the vibe at Sporting Life, great place to browse and lots to go through, and everything is very neatly organized.
Occupying two grand floors are easily hundreds of racks and shelves full of merchandise, ranging from casual outerwear to hardcore sporting gear. The footwear, sports essentials, and most of the outerwear are located on the first floor, while the regular workout clothing, like tanks and shorts, are on the second floor where the fitting rooms are also.
The store is very spacious and provides a good amount of seating for customers to try on footwear. Lots of staff on the floors as well, and they are all very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable enough to provide you with the standard info about products — if you can get their attention first. The only other downfall is the lack of stock availability. While there is plenty of merchandise to look through on displays, there are slim chances of your sizes being available; call the store first to make sure they have the item in your preferred size and colour before you make the trip. Aside from that, the prices are average, and sales are not an unusual occurrence here, so if you shop here a few times, you’re sure to snag a good deal or two.
Out of the sheer convenience of having so many options all under one roof, I’d say this Sporting Life is definitely worth checking out, but a bit of time browsing their website beforehand wouldn’t hurt.

of all the sporting life’s, this one is my leastt favorite. The parking is horrible, it’s good they offer free parking, but on weekend you have to be VERY lucky to get one.
and the surrounding streets, many are not parking til after 7p. There is some 1hr parking arounf like on Lytton.
As for the goods, i don’t know what it is but they justt don’t have as nice a collection as Sherway in my opinion. i find this a bit disorganized.
But i do like sporting life, they generally have a good mixture of sporting and fashion. I’d say they have a good amount of high end stuff, but it also goes on sale so i still like it.

This review is for their retail website:
Ah, cyber monday. It wreaks havoc on unsuspecting businesses. I get that… But when you eff up and make a mistake, don’t accuse your customers of lying, and don’t try to use non-​existent fine print to save your behind.
They ran an ad on their website that apparently no one knew about, and when I called them out on it with technical difficulties, they did not believe me and claimed the ad didn’t exist. Lucky me, I took a screen shot of it and saved it. When I emailed them the screenshot, they tried to claim a fine print clause (that didn’t exist) and insulted my integrity and intelligence.

Browsing through Unilocal,I am often surprised by how few reviews this store attracts.
I’d guess that Sporting Life appeals to a less tech-​savvy demographic, but if you ever pop by the hard goods section, and eavesdrop as gearheads chat with well-​informed staffers, you’d find that hard to believe.
A Toronto mini-​empire, Sporting Life has built a reputation on customer service in a field governed by unresponsive chains and snarkier-​than-​thou hipster boutiques. Whether I’m there on a mission or just browsing, staff is always friendly, and outside of hiring season, pretty knowledgeable. Want to start a fight about the merits of Patagonia v. North Face? Descente v. Phenix? Polo v. Lacoste? Informed opinions abound. Catch the right person on the right day, and they might even comb the warehouse upstairs for the truly deep discounts. A $ 250 suede bomber (originally over $ 700) will never leave my shoulders.
Full disclosure: I put myself through university selling men’s sportswear, skiwear, golf-​and-​tennis, and anything not bolted to the floor. Need a Speedo? I’m your huckleberry.
Despite the occasional failed expansion attempt (Bloor Street, we hardly knew ye), Sporting Life successfully targets the weekend warrior and occasional serious outdoorsman alike. All manner of ski, tennis, golf and outdoor adventure clothing, in sizes to fit just about anyone. A wall of shoes may confuse, but is easily resolved following a consultation and gait assessment. Accessory hounds can lounge by the glass case, and keep an eye out for sales.
Downside: 48 weeks of the year, it isn’t cheap, and the perpetual sidewalk sale is an eyesore of sun-​bleached special purchases. However, when the real clearances hit, Sporting Life is a lot of fun.

Sporting Life is a place I love to browse around and trying on clothes. They carries the latest fashions in ski jackets and down jackets. both functional and stylish. Of course there is a price tag to match.
You can also found newest accessories for the sport persons as gifts and they are all of good qualities.
If you are into racquet sports, they do have demo racquets that you can sign out and try before you buy! I think that is an excellent service.
The staffs here are all professional and friendly and the selections is just great!
However, I usually go to the Sherway Gardens location though, since they have huge markdown all the time. But the staffs and the vibes are not as good as the Yonge Street location.