Kintec Footlabs

I signed up for the 10 week Kintec Run Clinic. Yes beside selling shoes, they also have run clinic. I found out about it through my company who is paying for the clinic and yes I am prepping for the Sun Run. The run clinic is a pretty good deal. It cost around $ 150 but if you are a first time runner (meaning first time joining the run clinic), you get a voucher for $ 150 toward a new pair of shoe. I am in!
So first class was pretty good. Off to a good start. The staff are very friendly. Seems like the coming 9 weeks, I should be fit and ready for the Sun Run. Interestingly, majority of the people who signed up for the clinic are mostly from my company. Guess Kintec should really advertise more for people to find out about these things.
So I have visited this place before in the past. Staff are very helpful when coming to finding the right pair of shoes. They are very knowledgeable. I have never bought anything from them probably the reason being is that their prices are on the higher scale. I shop to much in the states so to me buying shoes in Canada doesn’t make too much sense.

TL/​DR version: terrible return policy, bad hours, very little inventory for men’s shoes, poor operational planning.
I have been a loyal customer to Kintec as a whole for years, starting with the Port Moody location. For the first few years when I lived near that store, I was getting great service, and good selection of shoes. Since then I moved to Vancouver so I have been trying this location. These days, especially now that I have a M-​F job, their hours are difficult (10 to 6 on weekdays, no Sundays and usually closed during holidays and some none-​holidays. You need to check online before you come down here), and I also find that their selection for men’s shoes are highly limited. They do not have any way to check the inventory online before I go into the store, and it’s tough to get a hold of them by phone. They also do not keep their promises to return your calls. Two recent visits to this location resulted in no shoes found that worked for me as their selection in store is pretty bad, and I have fairly average sized feet. I tried online ordering but I found that the sizing for each shoe is different, so getting the right size has been tough. Despite their «100% satisfaction guarantee», if you try the shoes out for a run and don’t like it, you can’t get a refund or store credit, so online purchases are a huge gamble. More importantly, any SALE items are FINAL SALE and there is NO REFUND or RETURNS! Even if your purchase qualifies for a return, you pay the postage fee. So with that in mind, their «100% satisfaction guarantee» is in fact pretty much a sham. I have 3 pairs of shoes from Kintec online that did not work out after trying them out for a couple of days, so they went to Big Brothers.
All in all, I miss when I can go in to the store, and find the right shoes, but those days are gone now, or maybe Port Moody location was just better. I miss getting good advice as an overpronator, which is not something I can expect from big box stores, but what can I do if Kintect just does not have enough inventory? It’s not like their prices are better either so I guess I have to try other places now.

I’ve worn orthotics much of my life and needed to get new ones. Within 20 minutes of wearing my new ones my foot was numb. Kintec just blew with it off. Said I needed to take longer to break them in. I went back three times over two months and finally had to make a fuss to get anyone’s attention. By that point I had suffered nerve damage in my foot that took another four months to heal. Kintec did modify the orthotic but came across as completely disinterested. I ended up getting a new pair from a podiatrist, same price range, way better fit.

Super informed and helpful staff. The gait and experience is awesome from real runners.

Came here to get custom orthotics. Sara the pedorthist is awesome. She’s kind, patient, knowledgeable, and extremely helpful. She answered many of the questions I had. Staff are also very knowledgeable, professional, and helpful in finding the right shoe and fit. They have the lab on-​site so they get working on your orthotics asap. No sending it across the states or elsewhere like some other places.
Overall good experience!

I was recommended by my doctor to go to Kintec to get my orthotics done for plantar fasciities. They looked very professional and helpful. I payed almost $ 700 there and it didn’t help, even worse, it made my feet more painful. They told me about a brak-​in period, streaching, etc. I gave it a chance many times, always made me worse. I went there several times to get the correction but, once they have your money, they don’t seem to be so helpful anymore, basically want to get rid of you and they don’t care that they sold you a crappy product.
They manipulate you to buy stuff that you don’t need and that possibly can make you feel worse. I ended up using a pair of CROCS (for $ 30) and it really helped me.
I think most of the positive reviews here were written immediately after receiving the product, they know how to make a positive first impression. Bu they don’t help you!!! You just loose lot’s of money and feel worse.

I am an American visiting for my dad’s bday, and came here on the suggestion of another runner friend to pick out a pair of shoes for my dad as a bday present.
I am a runner and know full well the importance of having the perfectly fit shoe for running– and I wanted to make sure I put my 70 year old dad who ran 20 years ago into the right shoe (which is why I just didn’t buy any old shoe in his size in the US and bring it over even though it would have been WAAAAY cheaper). If you are just starting out to run, or even a seasoned runner who has never had a gait test and really had someone explain shoe mechanics to you– I strongly suggest going here. You will save yourself a world of pain.
Nick put my dad on the treadmill and had him run on it to show how his stride was– we talked about his ankle alignment, his over pronation (where his arch collapses inward slightly which can cause all sorts of issues) and also a tight Achilles and the importance of stretching it and having a shoe with good solid heel support. After identifying issues and also dad’s strengths in his form, we went on to look at shoes. Here is where I really appreciated him– he opened first «Were you looking at getting a fitting for shoes today?» Which was a great way to take the pressure off of the sale. I really felt that no matter what, he was happy to just give us the information that we needed.
We went through several shoes and sizes and widths for my dad before we found one that worked really well, and also was a Brooks shoe (my favorite). In the end I bought this shoe and then found out it was on sale, double score there. I had some pretty technical questions for Nick (does my dad need an insert like super feet? Or does this over rotate his pronation?) and every question he had an answer for. He smiled the whole time, encouraged us to bring our dog in that was sitting in the car, and really did a great job on helping us. He helped me switch out the laces (the bright colors were too cool for dad) and helped me put in a runners knot for him too.
So if you are torn over which place to go for shoes– please start here. Running will only make worse any alignment or muscle weaknesses you have in your feet and legs, and you owe it to yourself to have someone help you pick out the right shoe with the right support and technology for your specific feet. Have someone with a LOT more training and a college degree in this will help you into shoes that will support your running.

Fantastic service and quality. Have been a customer for the past four years and am extremely satisfied. Thank you kintec. Nic helped me the other day and he was super smart about shoes, very helpful and friendly.

This place is great for buying running shoes, they put you on a mill and take a video of the way you walk and will let you look at it as well as give you recommendations before selecting what kind of running shoes are best for you. highly recommended.

Flat-​footed and two days into a shin splint. I decided that I didn’t care what the cost was but needed to get a good pair of supportive cross-​trainers, as my running shoes just weren’t cutting it. I do own custom-​made orthotics but those only work if you wear them and I have never worn them long enough to get used to them.
Visited Kintec on W. Broadway as I think I learned of them through a newspaper ad. I was helped by a young man named Tim. He asked me how much time I had and I said I wasn’t in a rush. The first thing he did was to get me on the treadmill and videoed me walking at my normal pace. I knew I had flat feet but I had never before actually seen just how flat they were. Seeing them on the computer monitor was eye opening. Tim explained the video in detail and explained how my foot hits the surface. Tim pulled out a pair of Asics. Good call, as my running shoes are Asics too. I’ve never owned a pair of cross-​trainers before and man they sure do offer way more side support than my running shoes. Tim continued to pull out cross-​trainers. I think I tried on at least six pair. He explained how each shoe was different from the other, explained the soles of the shoes, the way they lace up, the toe box etc.
After 60+ minutes, I settled on two pairs of cross-​trainers. Tim thought I should go down ½ size in one pair but the Broadway store didn’t have my size. He checked around and found a store close to my home that has the size I need. They are holding the pair for me for a week. The really great ending is that both pairs were on sale for only $ 83.99/pair.
What really impressed me was that Tim gave me his undivided attention for at least a good hour or more. Tim wasn’t running about the store helping other customers — he was focused on helping me find the right shoe. I didn’t get the sense that other customers were being ignored as there appeared to be 3 – 4 employees in the store helping whoever walked in the door. It’s extremely rare any store employee will devote their attention to a single customer and today’s experience won me over. I’ll be a devoted Kintec shopper going forward.

Knowledgable staff if you are looking to get custom fitted orthotics. This isn’t a walk across this useless pad and make you a generic orthotic place. You get video gait analysis so you can see the problem. They are very high on educating you. You walk away knowing why you are getting these specific orthotics. If you dont need it, they wont sell you a pair.
Good shoe selection if you are looking for the proper fitting shoe or alternative to orthotics.

I haven’t been the happiest with these guys. I pay my deposit, order my order and then… nothing. I pay my bill for $ 350 and still nothing. Finally, I call them back and they tell me that they er… misplaced my order. Wth?
The only reason that they still get three stars from me is that they were really nice and apologetic, and I’ve paid, so of course, I have a follow up appointment. But I can’t say that I’d recommend them in a hurry.
The guys who fit you seem quite professional on the outset, but losing your order isn’t very cool. And the people at the front don’t seem to have any idea what you’re talking about when you ask. I don’t get it.
Still, the place seems busy enough, but now that I’ve done my research, I’m hoping that there is some better competition out there. I also hope that if you’re reading this, you have no idea what I’m talking about since your feet are in top condition.
A note to the ladies: don’t continue to wear high, beautiful or pointy shoes, especially those that look great but are just a «bit» too tight, yes, even the ones that you fought someone over to purchase. Never again. And now, they want me to dress like Geppetto. Great.

I visited Kintec in late 2008 for an orthotics fitting. Sara was great. She was very patient, thorough, and she explained every step of the assessment. She also told me about the layaway program where I could order two pairs at a significant discount. Because my insurance would only cover a certain amount per year, I could put one pair on layaway until the next year and still receive the discount. This went off without any problem.
I recently returned to Kintec to order two new pairs, one for this year, and to place a second on layaway for 2011. The receptionist who took my order seemed like she couldn’t care less. I had to explain the layaway plan to her, and she didn’t confirm the discount with me. I had to ask several times to make sure she calculated the discount and understood how the program worked. To be honest, she seemed like she was extremely bored, never said ‘thank you’, never smiled, didn’t make me feel welcome. They had much better staff in 2008. I’ll see what happens when I pick up my first of two pairs at the end of the month.

I needed a knee brace and walked in a left with exactly what I needed. Now if every where the service was this good we would only have 5 star reviews. They have a full line of orthotics and braces for the weekend and not so weekend warriors among us. The brace was off the shelf but custom fit by them in the shop, it made me a better skier something 30 years on the slopes never accomplished ;)

If expert advice or reasonable customer service are things you expect from a retailer, you better look somewhere else.
I needed a custom brace, but was sold an off-​the-​rack version. The manager assured me the OTR version would work just as well for me. Plus, he said, I could use it right away, whereas I’d have to wait up to two weeks for the custom to arrive. He also bragged that he had recently suffered the same injury and was running within three days with this exact same brace, no problems.
That all sounded good, but I was concerned about the OTR version’s materials (neoprene and cordura) irritating my skin when I sweat and move. I told him I can’t wear rubber rain coats/​pants because I sweat to much and that wetsuits irritate my skin. He said that wouldn’t be a problem at all with this brace. He got me to try it on and walk to the front of the store and back. No problems? OK, let’s go to the cash register. I took his advice, bought the OTR brace, and gradually started using it for more activity the first week after my injury.
By the end of the week, the OTR brace was hurting the skin of my knee more than the torn ligament I was trying to protect. I couldn’t use it for the activities my physiotherapist had assigned. Effectively, the store manager had sold me a brace I couldn’t use (a.k.a. a useless brace).
When I called the store a week later to tell them, I thought the manager might feel kind of bad about the situation. Nope, not at all. No embarrassment, no apology, and no concern over the delay his advice had caused my recovery.
When I asked if I could exchange the brace for a custom one, he agreed on one condition: I return the OTR brace BEFORE he order the custom. «How about I return it when the custom arrives? That way I can still use it for support when I’m not doing physio.»
«No, we need it before we can place the order» I was told.
«Why?» I asked.
«Donjoy needs it back before they send you a custom one.»
«Can you give me a loaner or rent me another one?»
«No, we can’t re-​use or rent medical equipment once it has been used».
«Even if it has been used by me?»
«No, that’s our policy. I cannot place the order for your custom brace until you give me your original brace back.»
«What if, instead of crediting the cost of my original brace to the price of the custom one, I pay you full price for it? Then, when the custom arrives, you give me a refund on the original one».
«No. Donjoy needs it back before they send you a custom one.»
«How would Donjoy know they’re not simply selling two braces to two separate people?»
«But you are not two separate people.»
«What do you need it for? You said you can’t re-​sell it or re-​use it?»
«Donjoy needs it.»
«For what? That doesn’t make any sense.»
«Look, you said you can’t use the brace for activity anyway, so why not give it back?»
«Because my physiotherapist told me to wear it ²⁴⁄₇. Even if it hurts, it’s protecting my knee from further damage.»
«Your physiotherapist doesn’t know what he’s talking about. You only need it on during physical activity»
«So what if I twist my knee when I’m getting out of bed, or sitting on the toilet?»
«Look, I can’t order a custom brace for you until you give us the original OTR brace back.»
At this point, I called Donjoy. They said they have no such policy requiring stores to return one brace before they’ll send back another. They told me that such policies are at the stores discretion. I was happy to tell the manager:
«I talked to Donjoy and they said they don’t need my OTR brace before they send me a custom.»
«Even if they don’t need it, we do.»
«But what for? You said you can’t use it. What’s your concern? Are you afraid Kintec will somehow lose money? You’ll have full payment for two braces from me, that’s over $ 1500…»
«No, you need to return it before we’ll order you a custom brace. That’s our policy»
«So what are you going to do with the brace once I give it back to you?»
«We might use it as part of our industry demo program or as a loaner in special circumstances.»
«Are you kidding? You have a demo program and loaners for special circumstances, but you won’t let me use my own brace while you order me another?»
«If you had purchased a custom brace first off, you would have had to wait without a brace for the same amount of time, so why not wait now?»
«But I could barely move my knee back then, so it wouldn’t have mattered as much as it does now. And I didn’t purchase the custom at first because you told me I didn’t need it. You told me the OTR version wouldn’t hurt during activity, but it does. Now I can’t use it for activity, so you’ve delayed my recovery. The least you could do is let me keep using it while you order me a custom brace. I’ll pay full price for it. What’s the problem?»
«You need to return it before we’ll order you a custom brace. That’s our policy.»
Policy over people? Not for me.
I just bought a $ 1250 custom brace from a competitor with absolutely no problem.