Where is the best place to get sporting goods? Sports is one of those fields (pun intended) where the right equipment can make or break your sporting experience. Whether you're a first-time player, joining a school team, a longtime pro, or just picking up a new-to-you sport for fun, the proper sporting goods are key to having a good time. Sporting goods retailers are popping up all over the place, too, making it easier than ever to find the equipment you need to make your sport a winning experience.
Fair
Dunham's Sports is a sporting goods store that's based in the Midwest, getting its start back in 1937 in Michigan. Now, Dunham's Sports has chain locations across 25 states. You can visit over 250 locations if trying on your sporting goods is a must-do. Dunham's Sports stands out by offering "big names at low prices." You'll find a mix of athletic apparel, serious sporting goods, hunting and outdoor gear, and more.
Hundreds of brands and over 1,000 items for baseball
There are hundreds of brands available through Dunham's Sports. These include a mix of popular apparel brands and serious sporting goods. You'll see favorites like Accubat, ACL, Adidas, Aero, Aguila, Air Venturi, Apex, Bauer, Bladerunner, Bogey Bros, Browning, Carhartt, Champion, Cobra, Columbia, Easton, Eno, Fat Cat, Garmin, Land Shark, Nerf, Nike, Rawlings, Titleist, Volvik, and hundreds more. As for sports, Dunham's Sports has plenty of those, too. You'll see baseball, basketball, cycling, bowling, boxing, disc golf, fishing, football, golf, hockey, hunting/shooting sports, soccer, softball, swimming, table tennis, volleyball, wrestling, and beyond. We looked at the inventory for several popular sports and found 203 items for football, 1,258 items for baseball, and 477 items for softball.
UI designed for sport-specific filters
Dunham's Sports has a helpful browsing experience where you can look at all items in a single category or just a specific sub-category if you choose. Plus, if you're looking for something specific, you can easily use the top menu for the search. The filters offered by Dunham's Sports for narrowing down your sporting goods include hiding out of stock items, price filters, as well as those for color, size, gender, and type. You'll also find some sport-specific filters like "bat weight" or "bat drop weight," which are helpful for serious sports players (and a feature we haven't seen at many of Dunham's Sports' competitors). The listings include photos of the items, details on the sales (including how much you can save), and whether the item is available in-store at a location near you.
Prices from $7.97 to $499.99 for researched items
To compare costs at different sporting goods stores, we looked at the price ranges in three categories: the price range for a popular brand (with both fashion and sports items) like Nike, the prices for Easton bats (softball and baseball) to see a single item from a single brand, and the prices for multiple brands across one product (football helmets). However, Dunham's Sports didn't offer football helmets, only other football-related gear, so we left that price comparison off in this review. Here's what we found at Dunham's Sports:
On top of regular sales, Dunham's Sports offers a Best Price Guarantee that states if one of their competitors has the same item at a lower price, Dunham's Sports will refund you the difference.
Returns within 60 days, except for specific items
There isn't a blanket offer for free shipping at Dunham's Sports like we've seen at a few other sites. Instead, your sporting goods shipping costs will depend on your location and how much you're ordering. As for exchanges and returns, you have 60 days to get your items back to Dunham's Sports. You are required to have a receipt that shows a date that's within 60 days to qualify for a return. However, there are some non-refundable items to keep an eye out for. For example, you can't return firearms, ammo, swimsuits, bats (for baseball or softball), or boats and motors. There is no mention of fees or shipping costs being subtracted from your refund at Dunham's Sports.
Mid-tier ratings overall
Dunham's Sports has a more balanced reputation than some, but it still could use a little work. The sporting goods store currently holds a "D-" rating on the Better Business Bureau, but this is due to just 3 ignored complaints rather than the higher number we've seen from Dunham's Sports' competitors. On Trustpilot, Dunham's Sports holds a 2.9-star average out of 5. Most of the recent reviews, as of a month before our review, were a full 5 stars. Customers praised how helpful Dunham's Sports' customer service members were, and they loved the sale prices. However, there were some complaints about issues with getting gift cards to work or rude managers. Many of the poor reviews were location-specific, so you may be safe if you choose to shop online (or research the reputation of your local branch before visiting).
Decent one-stop shop for most sports
Dunham's Sports is a great site if you want a mix of useful items, ranging from sports apparel to sporting gear and training items - though if you're a football player looking for a full gear upgrade, you might be disappointed by the inventory. However, for other sports, this is a solid one-stop shop. With a competitive return policy and a price-match guarantee, Dunham's Sports has plenty of things to help it stand out from the pack. On the other hand, with lower-than-average ratings on the BBB and mid-tier scores on Trustpilot, it could do a little work on its reputation before it ranks higher. Overall, it earns a lower-than-average score in our review, with a note that you may want to research your local branch before visiting in person (or skip all that and just order online).
Continued from above...
Sports is one of those fields (pun intended) where the right equipment can make or break your sporting experience. Whether you're a first-time player, joining a school team, a longtime pro, or just picking up a new-to-you sport for fun, the proper sporting goods are key to having a good time. Sporting goods retailers are popping up all over the place, too, making it easier than ever to find the equipment you need to make your sport a winning experience.
Choosing an online sporting goods store is a great idea if you're looking for a place where you can buy it all. Sports don't just require the big stuff like baseball bats or hockey masks. You'll also need to buy the basics: socks, pants, golf balls, warm-up gear, and more. The best sporting goods stores will be a one-stop shop with everything you need in one place.
Have kids who play different sports? No problem. Need extras like water bottles or workout gear on top of your sport-specific goods? They've got it. Some sporting goods stores have more specialized inventory (which would be great if you're a pro in that particular sport), but for most customers, having a wide variety is going to help you across all your various sports requirements.
The best part? Most sporting goods stores offer impressive deals. Since the sites are mostly online (though there are still a few brick-and-mortar stores if you're someone who likes to try things on), you won't run into overhead costs all the time. Plus, you can browse through clearance and seasonal promotions you won't find elsewhere when you shop at a sporting goods store online. Plus, the top competitors will have solid policies for both shipping and returns, resulting in high customer satisfaction and also great for keeping the total price in your cart down.
Whether you're buying varsity football gear for your student athlete, grabbing some new leotards for a new gymnast, or ordering some new shoes to try out running for the first time (good luck), there's a sporting goods store out there to meet your needs. No matter your budget, you'll be able to find a sporting goods store that ticks all the boxes.
But, with so many options, it can be hard to decide which sporting goods store deserves your business. There are so many things to consider, so we made it simple with a quick list of factors that can help you decide:
You don't need to worry about finding the best sporting goods stores out there: with our detailed research and rankings, Top Consumer Reviews has identified the top sporting goods stores online today. This way, you can get your head in the game and enjoy your sport (or cheer on a loved one who's playing). Let's play ball!
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