Berkeley Iceland Reviews

Great ski rentals, have equipment for many non-standard sports and the outdoors.

Awesome
I am a customer service advocate and they have the best workers that I have not seen in years. I will definitely go back with no hesitation

Awesome !
A lot of choice, good reductions and a friendly staff :)

The place took over an old skating arena and converted into a store. So you can imagine the size of it. They pretty much sell everything sports related goods and clothing here EXCEPT golf stuff (although you see it's name pop up when you search golf store in google).

Overpriced, but a comprehensive product line. I purchased a mountaineering backpack just in time for my trip. The sales woman was knowledgeable and helped me find one that suits my need. The customer service is much better than going to a so-called big box store. I guess that is what you are paying for.

Its a bit of a mess, but the product is top notch,staff very nice and great deals abound! The running shoes section- you can buy just one!

Great selection. Reasonable prices. Huge place. Close to Ashby Bart and an awesome repurposed interior (it was an ice rink before)- complete with spinning disco ball.

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 !

Great experience with finding the right pair of running shoes. The staff was very friendly and helpful with their recommendations and are willing to go out of your way to make sure you get the right fit!

Looking around, there seems to be everything you need related to sports, recreation, and more. It's a big store but remains community-oriented. I definitely recommend checking this place out.

Great array of (mostly outdoor) recreational goodies. Apparels are also in abundance.

1 * for having what I needed 2 Stars 4 point me in the direction and the service sucks must don't like black people

Great bike shop, ski rentals and almost everything sports related. Best staff. Good value. A company that does so much for the community!

Found really comfortable running shoes although not cheap.

I love sports basement. Great rentals and student discount for Cal Students!

Lot of choices in every sport's equipment and very very good service from the people working there.

great store for anything really. way better than sports authority or big 5, and kinda like it had a baby with REI.

Genuinely Impressed. My girl friend, Anna, needed to return some hiking boots she had worn once but purchased 2 years ago, and they actually took them back. They stand by their love it or return it policy. Anna is a local Berkeley mom and she is straight FIRE. We recently started a new tradition of going on half day and multi day hikes with each other. The conversation is amazing, exploring with her is a total thrill, she is incredible. Needless to say, when our hikes were cut short by her old boots we needed a new pair and fast. We have a 12 mile hike to a clear water lake coming up soon, how romantic is that?! When she told me she could return her 2 year old boots I called BS. When she sent me pic of her new pair I knew i had to admit that I was wrong. I felt compelled to give SBB some serious credit. If you guys see Anna around, please tell her Jimmy says hello. She also goes by the "Sage of Claremont" for obvious reasons. God DA*M she is a hottie. Can i get an Amen?

Guy in the bike shop was very helpful. Was buying a new bike for my 6 year old. Didn t have my son there as it will be a Christmas gift in a few months and wanted to keep it a secret, didn t have my little guy there to measure him. Your guy back in the bike shop was very knowledgeable. Folks working up front at the register were all great too as normal. I always feel good about going to SB to shop

I want to express my disappointment with the way some of the children's clothing items are described. Two identical hats are categorized as being either for "girls" or "boys" simply because the former is pink and the latter is blue. There is no reason that hats need to be gendered, since the size, shape, and utility are completely identical -- only the colors differ. This just supports an old-fashioned and harmful idea of binary gender conformity. Please get with the times, Sports Basement. Kids can wear whatever color they want, and it has nothing to do with their gender. Please be mindful of this when categorizing clothing and accessories.

Nice selection of things and they take propane canister empty returns

This place (the people) absolutely rock here. Ski rentals are awesome and so accomodating.

Excellent store with all your sports needs.
*****---SKI BUS---*****
Note that they also do a chartered bus to Squaw/Alpine on Saturdays right now. The bus is just for the Novato store and leaves from the parking lot, so it's very convenient for us in Marin to get a nice ride to the snow with food and drink to and fro, highly recommend you check it out. The staff were great - fun and friendly - check it out!!!!

Love Sports Basement. Glad they opened this location in Berkeley.

Good place to find the occasional bargain for camping, hiking, biking, swimming and other sports gear and clothing.

Huge amount of items organized fairly well. All the stock is on the floor. The store is enormous, and items can be hard to find, but the staff is helpful and friendly.

The sales rep on the sales floor (Zoe) was extremely helpful. The item I wanted was not in the Berkeley store and she went out of her way to find a store that had the item and send it to Berkeley. She did a great job doing her job. Please give her a raise!

My friend used to work in the bike shop in the back and bring a little dog with him. That dog was hella chill.

The employees are fantastic!
I didn t realize until later that I had asked the security guard for guidance to an area of the store but he was chock full of information and I appreciate it. (It s not his job and usually I know better)
I was in the market for a new backpack, with my eye on a specific Burton pack. After looking at allllll of my options I had 3 in my hand, none of them the Burton Prospect. Truthfully it took me a few minutes to find a sales associate to help me and I was getting discouraged. But I set my sights on Allyson and she came throughhhhhhhhh.
I was a little rambly, sharing more of myself than necessary- I know this and I m sorry. She took it in stride, we had a lovely conversation. She never once made me feel like I was the most annoying- I was. Or uninteresting- I am. Thanks for putting up with me, Allyson!
On to the important(er) stuff. She suggested putting weight into the packs and trying them all on. We talked about how I plan to use it etc. She looked up other stores to find the color I wanted if necessary.
(I ended up with a Dakine in case you re curious)
Best of all, I can try it out for a few days. If it isn t love, it s returnable. Thanks for that, Sports Basement.
I ll be back

Even though it was really crowded due to Snowfest, Jared took great care of us. Her patience is really appreciated!

Diane did amazing job helping me find climbing shoes!

I've recently stopped shopping at REI and started shopping at Sports Basement. I love the local, community vibes, and their discounts are unbelievable. They really make getting the gear you need to get outside into nature incredibly accessible and affordable. I feel like I'm around family when I walk into the store, everyone is super friendly, and there's places for people to gather and hang out. Their email receipts are really great, too, and when you sign up for a Sports Basement membership, you get to select a local non-profit to have a portion of the Sports Basement 10% profits donated too.

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.

Great deal on a bike helmet for my son, lots of options, helpful staff.

This is one of the best businesses in the Bay Area. They are always honest and have great products. The employees are helpful and friendly.

Had to return a bicycle accessory, because it didn't fit the bike. Flawless refund (with receipt), no hassles.

Friendly, knowledgeable and helpful staff. Was able to get just what I needed without wasting time. It's worth the trip from east Oakland.

My favorite store! So happy you guys are back and kudos for making the shopping experience safe, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. From the mask and glove requirement, to the many sanitizing stations set up throughout the store, you guys haven t skipped a beat! As always, the staff are courteous and very helpful.

I went there to get a new pair of shoes for gym class, and got a ton of helpful input from the employees there ( Shout out to Kat ). Great deals and many varieties of clothing and sports wear/items. I recommend for any occasion, from casual clothing to hiking gear. A little on the pricey side, but only good quality apparel.

Old Berkeley ice rink converted into store. Huge space, lots to see. Great prices.

These guys have become my new go-to for outdoor equipment, rentals and ski service. They're a local Bay Area company, their prices are great, they have a huge selection in the store, and all the employees I've talked to are super friendly and knowledgeable.

It's not cheap but you get quality and actual old school customer service.

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 don't 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 won't accept it and they can't possibly make such mistakes which of course is exactly what they did - a mistake. Never come back again.

Wow! They are serious about safety! Greeting table has boxes of gloves in every size. There was a box of blue med masks for those who somehow forgot to bring their own. Big bottles of sanitizer. To complete the reinforcement of the message that it's safe to shop there, a friendly staffer politely asks permission to point a no-touch thermometer 'gun' at your forehead. Bravo, Sports Basement! I wasnt there there for anything in particular, just strolling the area , BUT I did note some worthwhile price reductions on men's summer-weight pants.

I had not been to the Iceland Skating Rink since my son was 9 years old. Now he is 30yo. I am glad that Sports Basement bought the building. They have turned it into Sports Heaven. They have everything. Go there and you will see.

Big space, and large catalogs for choosing from, they are nice and friendly. Today is the last day they has extra 20% off on top of 10% member off. Killed 2+ hours for me while my boy having party with their team here. Very good shopping experience.

I rented the whole snow outfit, everything was fine until I tried to find the socks, instead of socks I found another pair of pants size s which I'm not, so I couldn't use anyway and the jacket was large instead M the Baselayer Top size large instead M, my bad I didn't check carefully...pleas do check carefully ... it seems they have a mess

Excellent and helpful staff, good layout and space, fair prices

I took the ski bus to Squaw and had a great experience. The staff was super friendly and helpful and the ride there and back was very smooth and hassle free. I'm definitely planning on doing it again

Laura was incredibly helpful....love Sports Basement!

They have everything!! Except golf still 5 star though due to their donation of every purchase to my child's school Malcolm X Elementary.

Good selection of all sports, disc golf section is a little sparse

Great sports and outdoor equipment selection. Not many fitness clothes to select from or items on sales. Amazing staff.

Every time I come here I'm shocked by how awesome this place is.

I didn't like the organization of the place and really didn't 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.

I love this place. To me it's like a younger and smaller cabelas

Amazing selection and really knowledgeable and friendly folks.

Two points of feedback:
1) please help the bike staff out on Saturdays - the two wonderful guys working were so patient and diligent and one guy even stayed after his shift to help out. Please show your team a little more support.

2) New member intake gender options. Current: Male/Female; recommend: Male/Female/Non-binary. We re in the Bay Area, let s celebrate / accommodate that

Keep up the awesome work! Really wonderful place and vibe.

You'll find most everything you need here. Great store; wide selection; excellent service. What I like most is how late they stay open.

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 joke's on you guys.

This place is e-fn-normous. Gotta love all the sofas just scattered around. They're definitely nice for taking breaks between the zillion options that your teenager can't decide on.

Fantastic service and great equipment! I've rented a tent, sleeping bags, bikes (w/helmets, locks, bike repair kit) and all of it has been top notch quality with no issues and very affordable pricing. Needless to say I'll be heading back for more!

Huge place with a wide selection of outdoor clothing and equipment, a lot of things for sale, specially at this time of the year. They also offer Renting ski gear and equipment - including winter clothes - at a good price.

Outstanding staff, service and selection. Walked in and asked to pre-fit Thule roof top cargo box on my vehicle. Manager and sale guys help place it on top of the vehicle. Asked if they priced match. No problem. Polite, professional and courteous service. I became a member, made a purchase and saved money.

This used to be a hockey/skating rink and they left some of the original details so not only does it have an awesome selection of gear but also a bit of character. I shop there because it has a ton of options for running, camping and travel. I can almost always find what I need, from energy bars to boots.

It's difficult to find any staff to help you, and it's annoying that they keep the dressing rooms locked. Selection is good.

Best Customer Service Ever!--Sports Basement Berkeley.
Milo, J-Wo and Tim have helped me out numerous times. I recall how Tim stopped what he was doing, and answered several questions I had about my road bike, then gathered together a few items I needed. Very efficient and friendly service! He also just (today) solved my rear derailer mystery that was preventing me from reinstalling my tire.....(whew!)
A few weeks ago, I had a very tough road bike tire change due to tight rims and J-Wo and Milo muscled through the job in no time flat! I'm back to bike commuting and mtb'ing the EB hills. Thanks Sports Basement!

Tonight I showed up at Sports Basement Berkeley 40 minutes before closing with my broken&bent Scott Sport MTB. (I had a crash monday night, but that's another story) Tim! The bike mechanic fixed my gears which were shifting all funky ever since the crash. He literally spun my bike tire around, used a tool, spun some more, shifted, shifted, spin, shift-- and boom! my bike was golden again! THANKS SB BERKELY and THANK YOU TIM!!!

And...on another note, if you need a bicycle, MILO will hook you up!
I was looking to replace my 1989 Diamondback MTB for my birthday.
I told MILO BAKER, a bicycle specialist at Sports Basement, what I was interested in and he found me my Scott Scale (hardtail). From Pt Reyes, to Bend to Joaquin Miller, I have gone places on that bike. It is above and beyond what I thought I could afford and has brought me so much JOY. Thanks MILO!

One of the guys in the snowgear was super rude and acted annoyed when I asked questions about the $300 boots I was buying.

Awesome place, awesome people. Went in for a road bike, left with a smile on my face. Members get 10% off too

This was my first time visiting Sports
Basement in Berkeley. I rented a bike
(with a rack for my bags) for a week.
The rental process flowed smoothly.

I am from Vermont and was visiting
my daughter in Berkeley. We enjoyed
a lovely adventure while bike camping
for three days in Marin County. The
bicycle performed perfectly!

I will return for another bike on my
next visit. Thanks for your service.

Nice costumer service, and great variety of products and equipment.

I rented a bike at Sports Basement. The person on the phone was super helpful, the people in the store are also super helpful. And the bike is working out just fine. Great experience from a person from the East Coast. Great customer service.

We had a great experience getting some backpacking equipment here last week. The salesperson was super helpful getting us the info we needed and answering questions. Then when we needed some help because we were trying to coordinate using a certain discount plus waiting for a gift certificate, Emilytricia went the extra mile to help us out and make sure everything worked out. Plus we love the store because it is so community minded. supports grassroots causes, and the people who work there are always really down to earth and nice.

Love this place, great gear, great prices. On a rainy day a great place to walk around and imagine sunny days using the gear you'll buy.

great store. lots of high quality products and wide variety. a bit hard to park.

Rented an Ibis Ripley LS for a first time ride of Rose to Toads in Tahoe. Thanks SB for helping me ride beyond my level!!
But, don't do what I did: ride the bike on your local trails for a bit before setting out for all day rocky adventure. I will be back to test other bikes,

Things are more expensive than expected even though they claimed with signs all over the place of being low cost.

This use to be an old ice skating rink that closed done and renovated into a sports basement store. It is still pretty kool, and I do like it is not that far from the ashby bart station.

Our rental experience was super seamless! And the store is great too! Upon returning our camping gear, I ended up buying a bunch of apparel. Love this place and highly recommend it!

Very good quality tent, and cooking stove. (only negative was that pegs were bent and blunt)

They have pretty much anything sports related that you can image on top of a fantastic return policy - hard to beat.

Good place. Very generous in hosting groups like Oakland Tri Club. I got an incredible deal on new wetsuit.

EDIT: Changing this review from 1 to 4 stars based on the admirable response from sports basement regarding this issue. I am impressed by how fast and effectively the management at SB Berkeley addressed my concerns. I am well inclined to think my bad experience was a one time situation and would happily recommend Sports Basement.

ORIGINAL POST:
Let me preface by saying that I am a basementeer and love the sports basement in SF. 2 months ago, I had purchased a hybrid bike from the SF location. Sadly, I wish I had purchased a road bike instead and had headed over to the Berkeley sb to just see how much I would get if it return the bike (and maybe purchase a road bike in it's stead).

The guy in the bike station treated me and my bike like complete dirt. First off, he removed my lock attachment/bracket and trashed it without asking me. Then, he trashed a strap I had on to lock my brakes while taking the Bart. Without asking me if I needed it. Then he just started insulting how I maintained my bike (scratches, rust, didnt even to bother cleaning before bringing it in, brakes being a bit worn out). At this point, I had not even done my free 3 month tune-up yet! He kept asking for documentation, even though I am a basementeer, have a picture of the receipt on my phone, and had the purchase sticker on my bike.

Look, I understand I am going to lose a good chunk of money on this purchase. I understand bikes depreciate a lot. I understand my bike has scratches etc and am not a "bike enthusiast" by any means. All I wanted was a number for me to decide if it was worth returning, selling elsewhere, or living with it. Thats all. I did not want to be insulted nor have my lock brackets thrown in the trash.

I have been a big fan of sports basement till now. Even the branch in berekely has served me well in the past. This experience is probably based on a single sales person at SB Berkeley, but seriously makes me reconsider visiting Sports Basement in the future or recommend it to anyone.

Friendly staff, large spacious showroom, and a wide variety of disciplines represented.

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.

Big selection. Normal prices. Closeout deals we're good.

Came in to exchange a pair of cleats that I got as gift from another location. They didn't have the size I was looking for in store, so they ordered it for me and will have it shipped to my place for no charge. Dylan, the clerk that helped me out, was super nice and helpful as well. This was my first time at any of their stores and they definitely left a very strong impression!

10% off everything for paid membership (including clearance and sale items)!