Much to the disappointment of my father, sports have never really been my "thing." I don’t know if it's the brooding tough guys that dominate every sport, or because my delicate frame is that of an 18th-century prince, but the idea of physical activity sends my body into a fight-or-flight response.

And I’m not alone — it's estimated by the Government of Canada that only about half (49.2 per cent) of Canadian adults get the recommended amount of physical activity each week.

With the dust collecting on my New Year's resolution to get moving, it feels like spring might be the perfect time to bloom into a more active person. 

Because the weather in Toronto is wilder than ever, if I want to invest in being more active, I’m going to need sports gear that not only lasts through both the harsh cold and sweltering heat, but is also affordably priced. That’s where Decathlon, the third largest sports company in the world, comes in.

A mannequin in some very stylish hiking gear.

A French sports brand with locations in Vaughan, Brampton, Markham, Scarborough, Burlington, and a flagship Toronto store in Union Station, Decathlon’s mission is to help make sports more accessible by crafting innovative products at affordable prices.

Recently, Decathlon re-envisioned its whole identity, and we were invited to experience the globally recognized sports brand at its testing centres in France. It was also my opportunity to see if Decathlon could actually help me rise from my natural state of a horizontal being to one that’s at least somewhat vertical.

Reinvigorating the brand 

Created by a group of friends looking for affordable, high-quality sports products, Decathlon's purpose has been to move people through the wonders of sports since 1976 — and that hasn’t changed with this new rebrand.

I got to meet Decathlon athlete Teddy Riner, an 11-time World Champion with Olympic gold medals in Judo!

Located across 70 different countries and regions with more than 1,700 stores, Decathlon imports equipment for over 60 sports to its 20+ Canadian stores. 

As someone who gets overwhelmed by all the different spiky shoes (I’m told the official term is cleats), 60 sports seems overwhelming. But, Decathlon recognizes this and has divided its products into 12 separate categories, or sports universes. That way, if you’re looking for some sort of ball to pass around, you know to go to the team sports section and not aquatic sports.

The unique aspects of Decathlon’s shopping experience don’t stop there. Each section has a "first technical price" model — which is a big yellow tag on products that offer the best performance at a price newcomers to a sport will love. Each product also has an at-a-glance insight to help you find out if it’s the right fit for you.

The bright yellow tag really stands out when you're shopping.

Enhancing the customer experience is all a part of Decathlon’s rebrand strategy. It goes beyond just changing its brand colours to a deeper shade of blue, but instead looks at reinventing what a sports brand is capable of.

Innovating into the future 

From my time experiencing the brand, it was clear that Decathlon is always innovating, because they test their sports gear in ways that go above what you’d expect.

To help achieve this high standard, there are 15 global design and innovation centres testing new products to their limits. 

The three pillars of how Decathlon thinks about innovation.

Whether that’s kicking a soccer ball around at the team sports centre, or trying out new hiking gear in their Mont-Blanc, France mountain centre, Decathlon has over 850 engineers and 400 designers testing new products every day.

Equipped with the latest technology, these innovation centres can access real weather conditions to test products. 4D motion capturing tests the measurements of a garment in use, while climatic chambers see how products hold up in temperatures varying from 45 C to -40 C! 

I even got the chance to test a product in one of the wind chambers, which can reach speeds of 40 km an hour. Pardon the pun, but it really blew me away.

A passion for making sports affordable

Decathlon’s high-quality products come at a shockingly affordable price. 

After visiting the testing centres, knowing just how much work goes into designing one product, I honestly was astounded at how low some prices were for how good the quality was — with basics like shorts and t-shirts for $10 or less.

A wall of fitness gear that's, as the French say, tellement chic!

Decathlon also takes the initiative to redesign products for sustainability — actively investing in a more circular business model and pledging to be net zero by 2050.

The brand is not only looking to scale up the circular business models they have in place — through initiatives like repairability, the buy-back program and allowing for trials of select products — but it’s also improving the lifespan of products and how they’re recycled. 

One of these innovations is the Quechua NH ONE shoe. While not available in Canada just yet, this shoe is made of one material, making it easier to recycle.

The innovations don’t just stop at their products. Making more use of its scanning system to help make self-checkout a breeze, Decathlon is looking to implement discovery stations in their stores soon, which lets you compare two different products side-by-side to see which would work best for your needs — bringing the digital shopping experience in-store.

Getting a demo of the new easy-to-use Discovery System.

Creating a community of sports-enthusiasts

From top athletes to complete novices, Decathlon approaches all of its products by understanding that sports are for everyone and by working to create a community through movement.

Decathlon stores often offer fitness classes and activities to help put your sleek-looking new gear to the test for yourself. If you can’t make it out to a class, Decathlon also offers a fitness coaching app to help you reach your goals.

To give your gear a tuneup, the in-store workshops will keep your skates sharp or your bike in tip-top shape.

A select fit that's part of Decathlon's collab with the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Ultimately, what struck me the most about my Decathlon experience was the amount of care the brand takes at every stage of the process. 

From the creatives designing the clothes, to the people bringing the creations to life through innovative methods, every Decathlon team member was passionate about propelling the brand to the future, and that passion really shines through in its products.

While I feel I’m not going to become the next Wayne Gretzky, LeBron James or whatever name comes up when you Google "athletes," visiting the Decathlon centres has sparked my interest in being (just a bit) more vertical in my day-to-day life.

Ready to play? Get moving towards your nearest Decathlon store to check out the bold new direction, and try its range of products for yourself to live up to the hype.