TrySports

I just had the worst customer service experience of my life at this store, from the manager himself. First of all, I am disappointed every time I go into the store because they never have the nutrition I’m looking for. The selection is really minimal for GUs, shot blocks and the like. However, I look past that and continue to shop there for apparel needs. On my last visit I purchased a running singlet that was on sale for my husband. Since it looked a little big I made it a point to ask the sales associate if I could return it. I figured she would say no since the item was on sale, but she said I could in fact bring it back, no problem, if it didn’t fit my husband right. So today I stopped by to return it and was told something completely different by another associate. At first she told me I couldn’t return it, then she told me I could exchange it for another tank. I went over to look and there weren’t many options to choose from, so I asked for clarification. I asked if I could exchange it for any other tank top. She said no, that it needed to be a men’s tank top similar to the original one I purchased. So I went back and tried to look again. Still unhappy with my choices, I returned to the counter to see if there was anyway I could exchange it for anything else, happily willing to spend more money in order to get something I actually wanted. This time the manager rushed over to me to say in a very stern manner that the only thing I could exchange it for was again, a men’s tank top that was just like the one I purchased. So this time, since it was the manager, I asked why the previous associate specifically told me I could bring it back yet he was telling me something totally different. He raised his voice and started talking over me to tell me that the associate would not have said I could return it and that he didn’t understand why he had to keep explaining that to me. I didn’t need any further explanation on the matter, I simply hoped that since I was unhappy with this purchase he would allow me to exchange it for something better in the store. Instead all he wanted to do was talk down to me in a very rude, condescending manner. As a former retail manager, I was overwhelmingly dissatisfied with this experience so I walked over to him before I left to let him know that that is not the way you should treat a customer. I understand that stores have policies in place for returns & exchanges. I was not loud or angry in any manner so there was no reason for him to get such an attitude with me over the exchange of a sale tank top. He flat out did not care that I was upset by his customer service and continued to be rude, never once showing any kind of empathy.
This is simply not the way you run a business. This store needs a manager that cares about good customer service and treats the customers right. I wasn’t asking him to return the item. I simply wanted to exchange this brand new tank top with tags still on it and all for something that fit right. Given that the options were so limited it should not have been an issue for me to get something better, and spend more money as a result! But apparently this store manager is more concerned with standing his ground than making the situation right for a customer.
I hate it for this business because the store has so much potential. On my last visit I walked in to buy a few GUs and left spending over $ 100 because of the nice, helpful sales associate. I run a ton of miles and spend an awful lot on running shoes and clothes but I will never return to this store because of this rude store manager. I will take my business to another running store that values their business and treats customers the way they deserve to be treated. I will encourage all of my running friends to do the same.

I went to TrySports today to get some new running shoes. As a very new runner, I wanted to go somewhere where I could get hands-​on help picking out the perfect shoe. I was a little worried before I went in because I wasn’t sure what to expect. All of the sales people were wonderful, and they spent almost an hour making sure I got the perfect shoe. They were a little pricey, but the extra help was worth it. The sales associate fit insoles for me and showed me what they would feel like in my shoes, but was never pushy. When I told him I didn’t want them, he was fine with that. I will totally go back again the next time I need shoes.

I didn’t love the try sports in Wilmington, NC. So I was slightly hesitant to give this one a shot. After winning a gift card in a local race we took a trip. I was pleasantly surprised when walking into this store. It is huge. There are really a lot more choices in shoes, clothes, and biking accessories. It also has a huge yoga selection including mats, straps, and clothing (men and women’s!!). Yoga clothes are often tough to find and finding them in a running/​biking store is a huge score! The only downside is some of them are priced on the high end.
The staff here is really friendly as well. The staff that was working today had knowledge on all of the products we had questions on and even advice outside of clothing and shoes. They also have a great at home gym section. Free weights, balance boards, exercise balls, and foam rollers galore! If you run, bike, or do yoga this is a great place to shop! It’s a little on the pricier end but most quality pieces are.

I’ve been in this store multiple times and only once has any of the staff approached me and asked me if I needed any help. Yet I’ve stood there and watched as they approached other people, within seconds, who came in after me and asked if they needed anything.
I just left the store and stood there for about 15 minutes waiting on my wife to shop. Only 1 person said anything to us, and that was only after being in the store 5 minutes.

A little pricey but the service is so good. So helpful with picking out the right shoe for you. They are very knowledgeable and I have gotten my last 3 pairs of shoes there and will most likely buy my next three there.

Just visited to buy new running shoes
Stood in the shoe department for 15 minutes without a single
employee acknowledging my presence. Ther were several employees not helping
Anyone! Rude! Go to Omega, better service and prices!

I’m not much of a runner, let alone a triathlon, biathlon, ironman or competitive racer by any stretch of the imagination, but TrySports is awesome and ever so educational.
Tons upon tons or mounds upon mounds of gear, bike shorts, odd thirst-​quenching beverages/​pouches and expensive equipment.
We were in for a pair of shoes for my wife. Graham helped us out and took it to the next level. He took all measurements of my wife’s feet, analyzed her stride, asked detailed questions and picked out a shoe that she immediately fell in love with. He EVEN went farther to form-​fit the insoles for her shoes. I was absolutely blown away.
These guys are knowledgeable, kind, welcoming and willing to listen without shoving the most expensive product down your throat. For a non-​racing individual, I wasn’t intimidated one bit by this niche shop. Quite the opposite. Graham and the rest of the staff were attentive to every detail for every customer while we were in the shop.
They have tons of stuff on sale on racks right outside of the shop. Check it out. Some of the stuff fit me (I’m not a typical size small like all other triathlon runners but more of a large) and was super cheap. Definitely worth a perusing.
The referral system they have is great as well. If you are referred from a buddy or if you refer one of your buddies, you get $ 10 toward your next purchase. Not a bad deal, eh?
Next time we were in the market for a new pair of Brooks for my wife or if I end up becoming a diehard road biker in the near future, we’re definitely going to TrySports.
Thanks to Justin Breland for running a great place.

If your hobbies involve any kind of physical activity, TrySports wants to be your gear destination of choice. Whether biking, running, swimming or Yoga, TrySports wants to outfit you and keep you going on all cylinders.
Though not a monstrosity like Dick’s or other national chains, I found this store to be clean, organized and laid out very logically. Yoga has its own nook, as does cycling. Girls clothes separated from the guys, etc. All the familiar brands are here and I found the selection to be ample, on most things. Plus, the staff will greet you at the door and offer help for any purchase. This is a more personal level of service than what is typically found in a sporting goods chain.
Then, as with other «active boutiques» in town, there is the wall of shoes and fitting service that goes far beyond any normal shoe store. Yes, friends, come prepared to go for a short jog and be filmed from behind. Luckily, the focus is on the shoes and not your rear-​end. Your salesperson will slow down the video, measure the angles of your foot strikes and then use that to help you pick a shoe or orthotic insert that actually corrects the biomechanics of your feet and offers the proper support to keep you from injury. It takes a bit of time, but the end result should be more knowledgable consumer and a better end product. Will you run faster and further? Maybe not, but you at least can try with reduced risk of injury.
Like others have mentioned, you will pay a bit more for the final shoe of choice, but the knowledge you gain should pay off in spades. Other gear here can seem pricey at times, but there are also sales that make for some awesome deals, especially as the seasons change. Biggest thing for me: these guys are local to the community and passionate about their customers. They support local events and promote those of others. So, I know my purchase dollars stay closer to home.
The service here is not cold and distant– they want to be familiar and make recommendations to further your pursuits. This used to be the way business was done in most communities, but some things have been lost in the pursuit of price and convenience. My choice: I’ll take relationships over pure price when it comes to my hobbies and my sport. TrySport for the win!

TrySports in Blakeney has moved into a new, much bigger location, and it’s fabulous! More space. More apparel. More fitness gear. (Yoga gear is also now available here!) I’ve always found their staff to be friendly and accommodating. My husband takes his bike here for service all the time because Rob M. does such a good job with it. Last time I needed running shoes, this is where I went to have my stride & gait analyzed so I could be put in the right shoe for my foot. Yes, you may pay a little more for this service (in the cost of the shoe), but I’m happy to support a local store like TrySports.

TrySports is a great store for any level athlete from beginner to advanced. When I first started running I met a running group outside of TrySports on the weekends to train for a 10K. As I became more serious about running I became a loyal customer for clothes and equipment. The staff is always helpful and friendly, and I love sharing my new goals with them as they are always excited and supportive. As any local sports store they are more pricey than your typical chain store options for athletic clothes and running shoes, but you will have experts helping you fit for the right shoes and share their advice about equipment. To me that is well worth the extra cost.

Little pricey but friendly and very helpful

Definitely like this store. Promotes an active lifestyle and provides good services. Got fitted for a pair of running shoes here and the staff was really knowledgeable.
My only gripe would be the prices in the store. My next purchase should be a bike to cycle… but I’ve been trying to save up… didn’t know bikes could be so expensive!
My overall experience has been great with this store. They have some good pointers to share and they also have running groups hat meet weekly to run along Rea rd.

Walked into TrySports in Blakeney excited about a local running/​tri/​bike store in South Charlotte. However, my expectations were very poorly met.
Walking in towards the evening the store seemed very dingy and dark. That aside, the staff seemed very elitist and while I am not a super fast runner, I still run, and was very put off. After pretty much forcing the staff to speak to me I went through their «5 steps to the perfect fit» that they advertise. The process itself doesn’t seem very unique, it’s the EXACT same thing every running and sporting goods store (except Dick’s and Sports Authority) in Charlotte seem to do and by that I mean watching you run on a treadmill and then helping you find the right shoe. After going through the process my mouth hit the floor when I saw that their prices were $ 10-​$ 15 higher than every single other place in town. When I mentioned this I was informed of their loyalty program that accrues points for every dollar and when you reach 200 points (or $ 200) you receive a $ 10 in store coupon. I don’t see how this benefits me if I have to spend an extra $ 30-​$ 40 over that course just to get back a $ 10 coupon (especially when many stores already have free coupons out there).
I was also pushed towards getting an insole in my shoes since I did not purchase a pair of theirs but wanted to think about it and did not buy. Afterwards I went home and researched Sole Defense only to find out the $ 45 insoles they sell only really cost about $ 8… really?, a %450 markup!!! WOW. If that wasn’t bad enough, I asked my neighbor who is a pedorthist (aka foot guy) and he said he had heard of these but they are actually horrible for your feet as they are heat molded and then «cure» in an incorrect position since your foot pushes it that way. My pedorthist recommended a brand called Superfeet which I did find elsewhere.
I did like some of their apparel, although overpriced and really liked their store shirts with the logo «Believe Achieve». However, when I went home and looked that up I came across a Canadian Running Store, (
) who’s motto is «Believe It Achieve It. Seems a little weird to me how a much newer store as Try Sports would just so happen to have the same motto as another store, seems kind of hypocritical, what does this say about everything else they do? Even the Zulu socks they sell are the grade B, non-​seamless, sock from the Balega brand. Wouldn’t you want to provide your customers with the best products out there?
All in all, I think you can get friendlier, better service at other running and sporting goods stores in Charlotte. Not only that but you can save a lot more too by going elsewhere. Sorry TrySports, I will be spending my hard earned dollar elsewhere.

Great store!
The name, logo, and window displays are brought me in… how could i not stop by the local Charlotte ‘triathlon’ store?!
I received a warm welcome from Cody when I entered… he told me about the history of the store and the layout — they carry everything from swim, bike, and run gear to a big selection of running shoes and all kinds of apparel. Cody also told me that they were recently voted one of the top two places in the US to get a personalized running shoe fitting.
I wasn’t in the market for anything special today, but if I lived in town, this is where I would shop for my tri gear needs — I suggest you go ‘try sports’ too!