Friday, May 30, 2014



More Than Your Average Sports Store
Our Sports & Outdoors Store is the leading online retailer of sporting goods and outdoor equipment. We feature specialty stores in popular categories like exercise & fitness, golf, skiing & snowboarding, cycling, hunting & fishing, camping & hiking, and boating & watersports.

As an online retailer we enjoy the advantage of "unlimited" shelf space and we also feature stores and a wide selection of products for smaller categories like skateboarding, surfing, paintball & airsoft, racquet sports and team sports.

From durable camping gear to serious bikes and treadmills, we've got all the sporting goods and exercise equipment you're looking for. For your home gym, we carry a full complement of weights, weight sets, exercise bikes, treadmills, workout clothes and more. Hit the home gym and get in shape with our vast assortment of sporting goods, treadmills, trampolines, team sports gear and outdoor items.

Going camping? We've got a terrific selection of camping gear, including tents, canopies, coolers and air beds. If it's camping you love, we have all the outdoor gear and camping supplies you need.

If you're a sports fan check out our Fan Shop.

If you're a team player, we have all the team sporting goods you'll ever need, including soccer gear and softball gear.

And if you consider yourself a hard-charging athlete check out our new Athlete store.

No matter your sports passion or skill level, we're confident you'll find what you're looking for in our sports & outdoors store.

Exercise Equipment Buying Guide

Getting in shape is important for your health, and a home gym is one of the best ways to reach your fitness goals. Joining an expensive gym can be a hassle, but you can avoid the crowds and save some money by creating your own home gym. A variety of gym equipment can keep you entertained and help you develop a balanced workout. This home gym buying guide was designed to help you evaluate your options so you can choose the best home gym machines for you.

Buying Home Gym Equipment:

Gym equipment basics: Home gym machines share a few general features you'll want to consider while making your selection.

Monitors give you information about time, distance, calories burned and more. Some include programmable home fitness routines. Make sure the home exercise equipment you choose has all of the information that you are interested in knowing.

Weight limits are given on all gym machines. Make sure the one you choose can support you safely.

Space is required to use and store home fitness equipment. The dimensions are given for all gym machines, but make sure to consider how you'll fit when on your exercise machine. If you plan on using an elliptical trainer in a basement, plan for your height while standing on the pedals. You'll also want to measure the floor space where you plan to place your home exercise equipment.

Assembly is required for most gym machines. Be sure to consider your abilities (or if you'll be able to find a helper) when making your choice.

Elliptical Trainers: Elliptical Trainers allow you to move in a walking or running motion, your feet creating an oval-shaped action. Your feet do not leave the pedals, which creates a low-impact workout. Beginners and those with sensitive joints will appreciate this. Most elliptical machines also have handles that coordinate with the pedal movements, providing a complete workout for the upper and lower body.

Exercise Bicycles: An exercise bike offers a low-impact cardio workout with the same smooth movements of a regular bicycle in your home. Because you can adjust the resistance on an exercise bike, you can vary the amount of calories you burn, making the workout on an exercise bike very efficient.

Features to look for in exercise bikes: All exercise bicycles should allow you to adjust the seat to ensure a proper fit. You will have various ways to adjust the tension on an exercise bike; some require you to stop and get off the stationary bike while others can be adjusted during your workout. There are three different kinds of exercise bicycles: upright exercise bikes, recumbent bikes and dual-action bikes.

An upright exercise bike lets you sit in the same upright position as a regular bicycle.

A recumbent bike lets you sit back with the pedals stationed in front of you instead of underneath you. This creates a very comfortable workout for people with back pain.

A dual-action stationary bike has handles you can move while you pedal so you can get an upper-body workout as well as a lower-body workout.

Rowing machines: Designed to mimic the motions of rowing oars on a boat, a rowing machine will give you a cardio and strength training workout. This is a full-body workout that will increase muscle tone in your back, arms, legs and core. Because of the exertion required, rowing machines aren't as popular as some other home exercise equipment, but the workout intensity of a row machine is appreciated by people who are serious about getting in shape.

Treadmills: Treadmills remain the most popular home fitness equipment. All you need to know to use a treadmill is how to walk or run; the treadmill takes care of the rest. When you love the workout you get from a run or brisk walk but just can't get outside, treadmills are the gym machines for you. Burn calories, build muscle, lose weight, strengthen your heart and feel healthier with a treadmill.

Features of treadmills: Many treadmills let you set the speed and incline for your walk or run, but if you'd rather not deal with a lot of settings, you can select a manual treadmill. If you want to put away your treadmill after your workout, choose a folding treadmill so you can slide it under the bed or into a closet.

Buy Exercise Equipment

Camping Gear Buying Guide

Going camping? Whenever you pack for a trip of any length, you may worry that you're going to forget something. Getting camping gear together can be more stressful than packing bags for other trips because many pieces of outdoor equipment are essential and difficult to replace. Let us help you calm those fears with our camping and outdoor checklist.

Camping and exploring the outdoors are some of the best ways to spend your time. Because camping is so popular, you have many choices when shopping for outdoor camping gear. Allow us to help you sift through camping gear and choose the very best camping supplies and outdoor gear for your adventures.

Buying Camping Gear:

The checklist: Before buying outdoor equipment and camping supplies, consider this basic camping equipment checklist. Of course, additional items will enhance your camping and outdoor experience, but these basics will get you started:

  • Tent
  • Sleeping bags
  • Backpack
  • Cooking equipment
  • Camp gear


Tents: A great tent is a very important camping equipment purchase. Don't waste your money buying just any cheap tent. If you select a tent that isn't suitable, you'll end up regretting it and will probably spend more money to compensate than you would have buying the right tent the first time. The type of tent you buy depends greatly on where and when you camp and the number of campers you'll have.

Choosing the Right Tent

Weight and pack size: Car campers can feel confident purchasing any size or weight, including a family-sized tent for 10 to 12 campers. If you are backpacking, you need a lighter tent. Most three-season tents range from 4 to 9 pounds.

Style: Tents all have three basic components: poles, canopy and rain fly. How they are arranged depends on the style. Tent styles include single- and double-walled tents, A-frames, dome tents, hoops and tepees.

Season: Know when you plan to camp and consider the season. Convertible tents are for four-season use; summer tents aren't very versatile if the temperature drops; mountaineering tents are designed with extreme temperature changes in mind; and three-season tents, the most common, are for summer, spring and fall.

Sleeping bags: Your sleeping bag is going to be a valuable piece of outdoor camping gear. You will need to choose between different types of insulators in sleeping bags, as well as sleeping bag designs. A down-filled sleeping bag will be a little more expensive but will last two to three times longer than synthetic-filled sleeping bags. Down sleeping bags are very soft and have a great warmth-to-weight ratio. Synthetic-filled sleeping bags are very convenient because they are machine washable and dryable. Synthetic sleeping bags are easily warm enough for summer camping. Certain sleeping-bag features will also add to the warmth and comfort of your camping experience. Hoods add tremendous warmth around your head, and draft collars prevent heat loss around the neck.

Backpacks: When selecting a backpack, decide which type you are in the market for. Do you need simple bags to carry snacks, special outdoor gear for backpacking or hydration packs for hiking? Backpackers should look for a large enough backpack to carry all of their outdoor camping equipment. Remember that the more outdoor gear you can fit into your backpack, the heavier it will be. Frames should be comfortable around your hip bones. Many backpacks will have a frame-sheet across the back. A good backpack should remain flexible and transfer weight effectively. A quality back panel will alleviate the discomfort associated with a sweaty back. Some panels have grooves for air flow, while others have reticulated foam.

Camp cookware: As your camping checklist comes together, it is time to move on to other outdoor camping equipment. Many outdoor cooking options exist. Camp stoves, cast-iron cookware and accessories for fire cooking are all great choices. Sleek, modern camp stoves make preparing meals as simple as a backyard cookout. The features you'll want to look for when purchasing a camp cooking stove are entirely up to you. Push-button ignition, flame-control adjusters, self-cleaning fuel jets and advanced mixtures of fuel for ease-of-use in the backcountry are just a few of the features to look for. Since camp stoves are relatively new on the scene of camping cookware, you've probably heard everyone brag about the amazing hot dogs and marshmallows they've cooked over the fire. You've also heard about the delicious cobblers served right out of Dutch ovens. Cooking over a fire is simple, and the results can be very delicious. Basic supplies include roasting sticks, pots, pans and grilling plates. Solar ovens and Dutch ovens also make campfire cooking fun and easy.

Camp gear: High-quality camping gear will bring comfort and convenience to your camping trip. Whether you drive out to remote locations and create a camping site or camp in designated camping areas, finding a place to sit in the warm glow of the campfire is an adventure in itself. Camping chairs make setting up a comfortable spot quick and easy. Many camp chairs include drink holders and arm rests so that you will have convenience even when you're "roughing it." Folding camp chairs are easy to store and pack in a car to bring along on your camping trips and outdoor activities. Camping chairs are also perfect for the beach. You can also bring along the warmth of a camping heater and the comfort of a camp cot. These pieces of camping gear will make sleeping in the great outdoors almost as comfortable as sleeping at home. Remember to pack a first-aid kit when you're preparing for a camping trip. Even small injuries need special care when you're spending time outdoors.

Buy Camping and Hiking Gear




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