About
Buying advice for recreational players and the parents who buy their gear, from a publication with nothing of its own to sell.
- Founded
- 2026
Fordham Sports is an independent gear publication. It has no connection to Fordham University or its athletics teams, and no brand, league or retailer owns it.
It covers what recreational players buy: running shoes, rackets and paddles, golf clubs, bikes, home gyms and team-sports gear, with a section on gear for kids and one on making gear last. The Counter sets out each sport at three levels, and Gear lists the gear worth owning, sport by sport.
We have no shop and sell nothing ourselves. Our links go to retailers and makers, and when you buy through one we may earn a commission. It doesn’t change what we recommend or what you pay.
The writers are on Authors. Questions and corrections go to Contact.
From the counter
The Counter
What to buy for your sport at your level, starting, regular or serious, with what you can skip.
Fit before features
How shoes, rackets, clubs, bikes and pads should fit, and how long they should last, before any talk of specs.
Free, paid for by links
Our picks link retailers. We earn a commission when you buy through them; the price you pay is the same.
What we cover
- 1Running1 guideRunning gear for road and trail runners at every level, from a first pair of shoes to race day.
- 2Racket Sports2 guidesTennis, padel, pickleball, badminton and squash gear for club and recreational players, chosen by level and playing style.
- 3Team Sports1 guideGear for soccer, basketball, baseball, softball, football, hockey, lacrosse and volleyball, for adult league players and the parents of young ones.
- 4Golf1 guideClubs, balls, bags and the rest, for golfers at every handicap who want gear that suits the game they play now.
- 5Cycling1 guideBikes, helmets and the gear around them, for commuters, weekend riders and people who train indoors.
- 6Fitness & Gym1 guideTraining gear for home and gym, for people fitting weights, machines and trackers into real rooms and real budgets.
- 7Kids’ Gear1 guideGear for young players, for parents who want it to fit, keep them safe and last the season without overspending.
- 8Care & Repair2 guidesCleaning, storing and fixing sports gear, for players who would rather make it last than replace it every season.
The team
Fitted shoes, cleats and youth gear for fourteen years in an independent sporting goods store.
Coaches club tennis, strings rackets after the last lesson and plays padel and pickleball on weekends.
Fits clubs for amateur golfers and would rather sort out your shaft than sell you the newest driver.
Bike shop mechanic who also coaches strength training for adult beginners, many of them training at home.