No high-end skates at Sport Chek, Sport Mart

[ktang 34]

From the flyers, it looks like Sport Chek and Sport Mart don't have high-end skates (One90s, Vectors, etc.) this year. They're still selling Vector Pros at discounted prices.

Anybody know why they made the shift? I know it's probably because they weren't able to sell off the high-end skates from previous years, but why was that? Was it lack of knowledge of the staff, public perception that high-end skates should only be bought from LHSes, etc.?

[RadioGaGa 162]

From the flyers, it looks like Sport Chek and Sport Mart don't have high-end skates (One90s, Vectors, etc.) this year. They're still selling Vector Pros at discounted prices.

Anybody know why they made the shift? I know it's probably because they weren't able to sell off the high-end skates from previous years, but why was that? Was it lack of knowledge of the staff, public perception that high-end skates should only be bought from LHSes, etc.?

Forzani Group also owns Hockey Experts ans National Sports. The higher end stuff lives there.

[tro 4]

Sport Check Market Mall in Calgary still has some high end NBH & RBK, I think there is a list of what stores across Canada still carry the high end stuff, usually one store in each major market.

[Hockey Player 0]

A few weeks ago in the Sportchek flyer, it said that only some stores carried high-end stuff (RBK 9k skates, Stealth sticks, 8k helmet, 8500 helmet). Then there was a list. I remember some of the places were in Calgary, the WEM, the Eaton Center in Toronto, St. Vital Mall in Winnipeg. Especially big cities.

The one where I live doesen't even carry Mission Intake helmets.

[helper 0]

Not making you wrong but...

with the great independent specialty dealers in Calgary why would you shop the Check for a high end skate?

To me it has always made sense that if you are going to spend the cash on a high end product go where the experts live.

I respect that Sport Check has a great spot in the market and there are advantages to buying many of the lines they carry. Just not high end skates.

Little if no price savings...(they announced a record 1/4 today)... and young part time help

[the iceman 132]

Sport Chek in downtown Vancouver sells One90 products (skates, sticks, gloves, pads, pants).

[tro 4]

Would I shop for the top of the line stuff at Sport check, usually not, but I did buy Easton 1100's for $250(I think they are $219 now) when Pro skate still wanted $599. So they do have deals on last year models

[jbyun04 7]

if you want higher end stuff from those guys you gotta go to the big locations.. for example in lower mainland of BC it would probably be the one in Metrotown or Downtown Van that has the One90 stuff (like helper said)

[djinferno 2]

Sport check in Ottawa has all the high end stuff, 9K, S15, one90 etc...

[sherwood3 0]

west edmonton mall, and londonderry mall have the high end stuff, only the show case stores carry this stuff

[5minutesforfighting 0]

The one I usually visit have some high-end skates, but they really mark them up. They have Vapor 40's, CCM Vector 10.0's. That's basically it. I though the Mission Fuel 85's were high end skates, until I came on here. Reason why I thought that is cause SportChek wants just under 299 for them. Almost the same price as the Vectors. I'm gona pass on them now and just go to a smaller shop, and hopefully not pay that much for a low end skate..

[tro 4]

They usually mark them up and then bring them down huge, make you think your getting the deal of your life, they were fined for it a couple years back.

It goes without saying, if you buy from them, run when they ask to sharpen the skates for free. Nothing like a 13yr old hacking the shit out of your new blades. I wouldn't even let them sharpen my 4 yr olds.

[ktang 34]

Not making you wrong but...

with the great independent specialty dealers in Calgary why would you shop the Check for a high end skate?

To me it has always made sense that if you are going to spend the cash on a high end product go where the experts live.

I respect that Sport Check has a great spot in the market and there are advantages to buying many of the lines they carry. Just not high end skates.

Little if no price savings...(they announced a record 1/4 today)... and young part time help

I usually get my skates 2nd-hand from Sport Swap... but I was looking through the start-of-season flyers this weekend and noticed that there were no high-end skates in Sport Chek and Sport Mart, whereas last year they were advertised and available at all the Sport Cheks.

[Zamboni 6]

Sport Chek has 1/2 money back/trade in on jr skates-up to $100. One near us has hi end, good deal on last years vector pros etc....lots of kids on team I coach use that program.

[blues_91 0]

The one at Richmond Centre still has Bauer 8000 skates for $500...

[tips09 0]

there is no high end stuff on vancouver island that i have seen so before this thread i never knew sportcheck even carried any of the high end stuff. btw are the prices at the big sport checks with the high end stuff any better then most lhs?

[colin97 0]

The sportchek in SouthCenter Mall in Calgary had Vapor XXX skates and a couple of Sr. Stealths but that was it. I live in Calgary and I usually go to Pro Skate or BP cycle theyve got nice stuff.

[duch 0]

The Sports Cheks here in the Toronto area have specific stores that have more of the high end items. If you hunt around a bit you can get some great deals. They usually carry high end skates or equipment from last year or two years back but it's still new high end stuff but sometimes almost at fifty per cent off. I've saved hundreds of dollars getting some great high end stuff at a fraction of the original price tag. I think their a great place to shop for equipment but you have to know your equipment to really be able to benefit from what they offer. You also benefit in the fact that the equipment has been out on the market for a couple of years and you'll know what has proven durability and what doesn't.

[revolutionz_s13 0]

I was up in Winnipeg last weekend, and the SportChek in the polo park mall had the high end skates...

[ktang 34]

The Sports Cheks here in the Toronto area have specific stores that have more of the high end items. If you hunt around a bit you can get some great deals. They usually carry high end skates or equipment from last year or two years back but it's still new high end stuff but sometimes almost at fifty per cent off. I've saved hundreds of dollars getting some great high end stuff at a fraction of the original price tag. I think their a great place to shop for equipment but you have to know your equipment to really be able to benefit from what they offer. You also benefit in the fact that the equipment has been out on the market for a couple of years and you'll know what has proven durability and what doesn't.

Yes, I got some top-of-the-line Jofa shoulder pads for Cdn$40 at the Sport Chek in the Calgary Deerfoot outlet mall last year. Maybe I'll be able to pick up some Vector Pros / Vector 10.0s...

[Next Sakic 0]

forzani owns sport chek, and sports mart. in sport chek there are only 16 pro shops in all off canada. that was part of the liencing agreement. i worked a smaller chek for 3 years, and we never stocked anything high end. anything from NBH was not even aloud to be transfered in. they had a strict rule on where they product was to be sold. but for anyone else, it was easy to transfer their high end it. like someone else mentioned, forzani also owns hockey experts, which is just a trail store in ont. but i can see if all goes well, the hockey departments in the cheks will slowly shy away from highend.

[Reaper 0]

The sportchek in SouthCenter Mall in Calgary had Vapor XXX skates and a couple of Sr. Stealths but that was it. I live in Calgary and I usually go to Pro Skate or BP cycle theyve got nice stuff.

They also had One90's at the Southcentre location.

[duch 0]

I really hope they don't shy away from top end stuff because that's why I shop at the ones that carry it. I don't mind buying an item one or two years older if it's decent quality equipment. I stick mostly to Jofa/RBK or Easton for underneath protection so not having Nike/Bauer stuff isn't a big deal for me. Besides it clears out the older stock in their top end stores like National and Hockey Experts so it's not in competition with the new high end stock in those stores.

[snipez96 4]

I was at the new sportcheck at the Oshawa center they had the CCM U+ for 599.99

[Law Goalie 147]

The Eaton Centre still has the original Vapor 10s... for $499!