Kangwei, which means healthy and powerful in Chinese, is a famous Chinese sporting goods brand with over twenty years of history. Their products made in Guangzhou feature original designs and comfort. And they cost less than foreign sportswear brands like Nike and Adidas. On the south side of Tiyuguan Lu lies a Kangwei outlet. Its striking blue sign will help you recognize the shop easily.

When I was at the outlet, the newly arrived athletic suits were shown in the window. Most of their sportswear is made of pure cotton, or cotton with dacron. Jogging pants there were in a single color, with stripes down the sides. When I touched the fabric, it felt soft, elastic, and not very thick. For Beijing’s temperature, it’s perfect for spring and fall. The tag price for them was 148 yuan each, but customers could get one pair at 118 yuan after cutting 20% discount off.

Long-sleeved T-shirts (RMB 128) were on display as well. Customers have three colors to choose from: white, black, and orange. The fabric has good venting quality.

The shop also had a wide variety of sports shoes to choose from.

What I appreciated

High quality but inexpensive sportswear

What customers appreciate

Chinese famous sportswear brand, reasonable prices

Who says sporting clothes can’t be chic? Y-3, a recent addition to the China World Shopping Mall, started as a collaboration between Japanese-born designer Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas in 2002. And has since become its own style.

Although originally conceived as a sportswear line, Y-3 is actually more like a fashion brand, perfectly combining athletic and fashion elements in its design. Its collection features a minimal color palette of black, white and red, nicely in harmony with the store's black-and-white decor.

The collections include mini dresses, leather pants, blazers, shoes, and belts. A prime example of their style is their line of black suits with Swarovski crystal-encrusted shoulder stripes (RMB 3270). This chic suit will certainly provide a nice upgrade from those normal uninspired office wears.

The prices for the casual clothes range from RMB 800 to RMB 4,000; while, the shoes will cost you between RMB 2,000 and RMB 3,000. The shop assistants speak basic English, so simple conversation is not a problem.

What I appreciate

The men's black jacket

What customers appreciate

Full range of chic sportswear

If you are looking for sports apparel, chances are YaXi will have exactly what you need. The YaXin Sports shop on DongSi North Street is a wonderful place to shop for men and women sports apparel by the top brands in the industry like Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Puma and more.

The mens Nike Air Max 97 is the currently the store’s best seller. As an update on the classic 1997 sneaker, the Air Max 97 has full length visible air cushioning and all the styling from the original 80's design. Despite the hefty price tag of RMB 1380, it is still much cheaper than the same shoes in UK.

The price for the products there range from RMB 300 to RMB 3000. Though the shop assistants cannot speak English, you should be familiar with all the items on display.

What I appreciate

A large selection orderly displayed

What customers appreciate

A large selection, famous brands

As a western gentleman sport, golf has a short history in China. In recent years, however, the sport has quickly risen in popularity among the new generation. Many visits the Aoke Dragonfly Golf shop on DiAnMen East Street, which offers a wide range of golf equipments from shoes to bags to clubs. All products are brand names, like Ping, Mizuno, Nike, and Taylor Made.

The shop assistant recommended the Mizuno Fli-Hi CLK (RMB 3100). He said this golf club is good for a newbie, and bridges the distance gap between conventional woods and irons. Its narrow body, short shaft, and deep center of gravity give the user greater control than a fairway wood.

Prices for the golf clubs range from RMB 3,000 to RMB 40,000, while the golf clothes cost about RMB 300 to RMB 1000. The shop assistants speak basic English if you have any questions.

What I appreciate

A large selection of golf equipments

What customers appreciate

A large selection of high-quality golf equipments

Kappa is an Italian sportswear which has become very popular among China's the younger generation. One reason is that Kappa's style combines sports with leisure perfectly. Compared with other well-known international brands, Kappa sportswear are more adjustable to your figure and make you look more fit.

I went to the Kappa shop on the 5^th floor of Anzhen Hualian Plaza. Some of the older autumn merchandise displayed at the front of the store at a discount, while new arrivals for winter hung neatly on the walls.

Inside, I picked out a pair of deep blue sports trousers for women priced at RMB 428. It was surprisingly thick and warm, with two red thin lines sewn on each side. The main material included terylene and a little cotton. The shop assistant then showed me their most popular female apparel this winter, a wadded jacket with simple black design a tiny logo on each sleeve. The price was RMB 698 for a female style,  a similar jacket for men with the same pattern cost RMB 876.

These young shop assistant could speak a little English. She told me that customers could get a 10% discount for purchases of over RMB 600.

What I appreciated:

The wadded jackets designed for the couples

What customers appreciate:

Popular brand, fashionable design