Sports Basement Berkeley

Category:	Sporting Goods Store
Address:	2727 Milvia St, Berkeley, CA 94703, USA
Phone:	+1 510-984-3907
Site:	sportsbasement.com
Rating:	4.4
Working:	9AM–9PM 9AM–9PM 9AM–9PM 9AM–9PM 9AM–9PM 9AM–8PM 9AM–8PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 13

Lea Slavic

This place used to be an indoor ice skating rink. Its actually funny and cute when I think about it (the scoreboard is still there). Now they sell all sorts of sporting goods (they also repair and rent you bikes) and their selection is bigger than in some other places Ive been to (yes, it can make your decision harder, but its a good thing in this case). Despite the place being big, its nicely organized by activities and age groups. If unsure ask the staff, theyll be happy to help. I came here to buy some crossfit shoes since I didnt want to just do it online without even knowing what Im buying. The staff was very knowledgeable and helpful when I had questions about different brands and types. The sitting areas are almost like in your own living room. Very homey feel to them. Also take a trip upstairs, if not for buying at least to get a good look at the place. Why come here? To buy shoes, backpacks, camping gear, skiing/snowboarding gear,... anything sports related. Its my first go-to place for sure. And its closer than San Francisco and Walnut Creek (at least for me). They have street parking and meter parking in front and around of the building. If you dont want to pay, you can also park a few blocks away from the place or ask the staff to refund you for your parking.

valkanir

I strongly caution that anyone looking to purchase or repair a bicycle avoid Sports Basement Berkeley. The cycle repair employees are extremely incompetent, unhelpful and rude. They repeatedly fail to repair a bike I purchased new from them, and when I asked why they were unable to make the fix on a brand new bike, they said "learn to fix it yourself and laughed." This happened on multiple occasions due to several issues with the bike. I even had an accident once as a result of their incompetence. When I went to another mechanic, she immediately noticed that the derailer was not properly adjusted, and moreover observed that the Sports Basement mechanics had failed to properly tighten the breaks which was likely the cause of the accident. She is an amateur mechanic and it took her less than five minutes to make the fix. Also, Sports Basement tends to resell damaged merchandise. They sold me damaged cleats which also almost resulted in a cycling accident. I have since switched to REI and had a far superior experience. There is no comparison in the level of product and service between REI and sports basement. Purchasing a bike from Sports Basement is a waste of time and energy, not to mention a safety hazard.

Zachary Roy

It has the feel of an REI without the high prices. The staff are incredibly helpful but also arent bothersome with their questions. What really sold me on this place though was that it never seemed to be a place where elitist outdoors-y types would congregate. They have these awesome signs posted near all of their gear that explains how to make the best selection based off of your preferences. Their gear ranges from beginner needs to more specific gear that you would need a specialty store to find. I went looking for a new non-trunk style swim suit. I ended up getting a TYR jammer for $26, which is about $8 less than what you can find online. In their swim section they also had a huge variety of goggles, fins, gear bags, buoys, kick boards, caps, and any type of swim accessory you can think of.

Josh Borkowski

Hilarious that someone thought this place disorganized... it has more sections than that store that begins with an R. And an extremely disciplined energy bar / blok / shot section! Excellent late- and off- season deals all round. Have bought light jackets, swim goggles, shorts, socks, etc. Have not talked to many employees but so far theyre all chill, no pressure gearheads of one or the other extreme pursuit. Since any mountain checked out of Berkeley (and wilderness exchange is long gone), this is your stop, people. Also a very agreeable couch section +10 pts.

Seth Benson

As the name suggests, the ambiance of this place is basement-ish. Everything feels a bit unfinished but the prices are good. Lots of kids clothes and shoes. I come here specifically because they have marked down kids shoes for toddlers and preschoolers. They also have a decent selection of kids swimwear. The entrance to this place is across from king child development center in the neighborhood rather than on the main drag. Parking is beside the building on both sides. They have parking for compact cars closer to the entrance.

Matthew Liu

Very rude service at the ski rental. We called in advance about if different equipments are required for xc and ski and they said yes. So we only rented ski equipments. And we ended up paying extra money at the xc place b/c we dont have the proper equipments. When we go back and inquire about the incorrect answer they gave us, the women at the rental counter simply said they wont accept it and they cant possibly make such mistakes which of course is exactly what they did - a mistake. Never come back again.

Tom G.

Expected low prices with the whole basement theme (cardboard signs, etc) but there are few bargains there. Everything seemed to be at MSRP.and housed in a ridiculous former skating rink - 10x the space needed for the contents (so much for conservation!) This Berkeley store seemed to lead to the demise of the nearby Any Mountain sporting goods, which had better sales racks and selection. Ill stick with REI now which is also expensive but at least gives a dividend at the years end.

Mrs mariel Jenkins

I walked in and first was a bit put off by the presentation. Nothing is clearly marked and selection is mediocre. Not one single solitary employee walked up to ask if I needed help or greeted me. This was my first and last visit. I run competitively and their sports selection was ridiculous. There were about 3 pairs of soccer shoes, 4 pairs of basketball shoes and running shoes. I have no idea who did the floor plan but he or she needs to be fired.

Diane Fernandez

Love our neighborhood Sports Basement. .. we wonder in often, sometimes while walking our dog... shop with goals-needs-wants in mind a lot and overall could hang out here more than we should ;-) free apple cider during Christmas is the cherry on top ! Love the staff ,the layout, the community involvement and all the "stuff " they have going on !! Never leave us !

Hunter Irvin

Love this place for all of my outdoor and sports gear. They have a wide selection of goods, from wetsuits to bike equipment, camping gear and lacrosse cleats. Highly recommend, and they donate 10% to the local team of your choice (choose Berkeley High athletics!) Support this group, and the local community. They do amazing work!

Jeff Aguero

Awesome space (a former ice rink) and huge selection! The decor is really nice too. Staff was friendly and helpful (I was looking for slim fit hiking pants), but I ended up leaving empty-handed as I picked the one type of pants that they didn’t have in the right color-size combination.

Joe Blow

What an unpleasant place! Disorganized. Impossible to find anything. Nobody on the floor to help you. After three tries someone who knew very little about the stock stands there like a dummy. He treats my questions like I was asking him riddles--a big joke. The jokes on you guys.

Erik Appel

I didnt like the organization of the place and really didnt care for their shoe selection. Then went looking at bicycle gloves and the selection was poor there too. Definitely not impressed. Plus with a name like sports basement, I think I expected lower prices.