SAElite

Behold.....the ultimate containment unit
Under Armour
Other stores carry it, but only Elite had my size in stock.

After wearing the same pair of compression shorts for the past 3 years, I would like to introduce you to my new friend.

oh man, so many jokes could be made about that tag..but I will refrain.

Other stores carry Under Armour, and compression shorts. I had been to Sports Basement and Sports Authority and tried on probably 20 pairs. None felt better or had more compression than my old pair...until I went to Elite and tried on these bad boys.
I love them! I had not seen them anywhere before. I have seen X technology in longer running tights, but not in a compression short.
Ran in them (actually I ran in my full marathon outfit for a test run) and could rave for days about my new found stability of my "pelvis and groin" and improved "stronger motion and more explosive propulsion".
: )

Above are some shots of the shopping bag your things go in. It is really nice, re-usable, and could convince you to turn pro and line up at the front of the race in nothing but your new sports bra and compression shorts.

Below is a picture of the entrance from the parking garage.

And here is a blurry picture from the outside of the store from the corner on California Blvd. This is just the top section of building, I managed to not get the whole entrance.

Alright, so I am so not a shopping snob. Downtown WC is one of those places I have to be in the right mindset to spend time there. I have to feel good, wear my "good clothes", and be having a good day to feel ok with walking around shopping down there. We had driven by here a few times and judging by the name and local, I figured it was just another snobby, overpriced athletic store to move into WC. Up to now, I have been totally content with Sports Basement and Sports Authority. Between the two, I can find what I am looking for.
Elite intrigued me, though. I googled to figure out what this whole Elite thing was about, and they made some claims that if true, would be really nice. Like carrying brands not found in other stores, and having a wider variety. And, they carry Ironman Brand. Supposedly employees have to go through training on the specific brands, and sports, and shoes....and it's preferred that they are sports enthusiasts themselves. So....we headed in.
WOW!! WE went in through the parking garage entrance and we were met by an employee at the door. She explained the layout of the store, how things were grouped. I asked about the Ironman section (yes, a little obsessed) and she took me right over....and then left me alone. I love that she didn't hover. The store itself is immaculate. The displays, racks, fitting rooms, bathrooms...everything is super clean and well organized and just really nice.
As for brands...they do indeed carry all those more "elite" brands that you see in magazines, but not in store. They have all the running brand shoes that Sports Basement has, BUT...they have all the clothes, too. Saucony, Brooks, Skirt Sports, Prana, Columbia, and so so many more. As for Nike...not a shoe fan, but I am a running skirt fan. It is hard to find Nike skirts in stores, but Elite had one of every single skirt I have ever seen online in the store, including tennis skirts. Also running dresses, which I have seen online, but again, never in a store. They also have the normal brands you see in store, like Adidas, Under Armour, and others, but more of it than you will see other places, a wider variety of gear.
Most surprising to me was the prices. I was expecting things to be way overpriced, and truthfully, after being in the store and realizing how great it is, I wouldn't have minded paying a few dollars more. Prices were the same as everywhere else! I payed the same for my bra, and actually the compression shorts were less than what I expected to pay. Considering a lot of the merchandise is made up of things you would normally have to buy on line and ship, they could actually be charging higher prices, but they are not.
On top of shoes and clothing, they had a small section of fuel, watches, glasses, and other sports accessories, which I didn't look at. And , although my focus was mainly on running things, they had a wide variety of sports represented - golf, tennis, soccer, and triathlon products were all there too. I mentioned above the bathrooms and fitting rooms, both were very clean, and large.

So overall, Elite is a WINNER!!! Five stars. Love it.
If you are from here and haven't' been in yet, go.
If you are going to be in the area, go.
Even if you have no plans on buying anything, it is an experience just to check it out.
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SA Elite
Downtown Walnut Creek
1675 Olympic Blvd.
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Driving Directions ›

9:00 AM – 9:00 PM Mon-Sat
9:00 AM – 7:00 PM Sun