“THEY LOOKED
EVEN BETTER
IN PERSON.”

Yes. Every pair we sell is genuine. We check the trainers before they reach the Club and we only put pairs online that we're comfortable standing behind. If something doesn't look right, it doesn't get listed. We're not interested in passing off fakes, replicas or questionable pairs. Real trainers only. That's the rule.

Some are brand new. Some have been worn. That's part of what makes The Trainer Club different. Every listing tells you what you're actually getting, and the photographs are there to show you the pair rather than hide behind clever wording. We won't call something "new" because it has only been worn twice. If it's used, we'll tell you.

Honestly. We look at the uppers, soles, heels, lining, stitching and general condition of the pair before listing it. Any meaningful wear, damage, repair or cosmetic issue should be reflected in the description and photographs. We would rather point out a mark ourselves than have you discover it when you open the box. No smoke. No mirrors. No "excellent condition" doing suspiciously heavy lifting.

Where appropriate, yes. We prepare pairs properly before they reach the Club, which can include cleaning, detailing and general freshening up. But we're not going to scrub away the history of a pair and pretend it's brand new. Wear is wear. Our job is to present the trainer at its best while being completely straight about what condition it's actually in.

Yes. Nike is a big part of the Club, but we're not running a one-brand dictatorship. If we find a genuine pair from another brand that makes sense for the Club, we'll consider it. The same rules apply: genuine, properly checked, sensibly priced and something we'd actually be happy putting our name behind.

It varies from drop to drop because we buy what we can find rather than ordering a predictable wall of identical stock. You'll see the exact UK size on each listing. If we don't currently have your size, don't assume that's the end of the story — if there's something specific you're after, ask us and we'll see what we can find.

Absolutely. The photos on the listing are there to give you a proper look, but if there's something specific you want to see — a heel, sole, lining, label, particular mark or anything else — just ask. We'd rather send you another photo than have you buy a pair without being sure about it.

We'll try. Tell us the trainer, colourway, size and roughly what you're hoping to spend. We'll see what we can find through our sourcing options. We won't promise the impossible or suddenly slap a ridiculous premium on something just because you've asked for it. If we find the right pair at the right sort of number, we'll let you know.

THE DROP happens weekly. We release a small selection of freshly prepared pairs rather than filling the website with hundreds of trainers just for the sake of it. The exact pairs change every week, so there's always a reason to check back. Fresh pairs. Limited numbers. Valley first.

THE DROP is our freshest weekly selection. We aim to release around 5–10 carefully sourced and prepared pairs at a time. We look for genuine trainers, good models, sensible prices and pairs that we think are worth putting in front of the Club. It's deliberately small. We'd rather have ten good pairs than fifty fillers.

Not necessarily. Sometimes we'll tease what's coming, but we don't promise a full preview before the Drop goes live. Part of the fun is discovering what's just landed. Keep an eye on the Club and our social channels for transmissions, previews and fresh arrivals.

Generally, no. We want THE DROP to be fair, so we don't quietly put pairs aside while everyone else is still waiting for them to go live. Once a pair is released, it's available to whoever gets there first. If a particular listing ever has different arrangements, we'll make that clear. Otherwise: first come, first served.

THE DROP gets its first week in the spotlight. If a pair doesn't sell during that period, it can move into THE VALLEY FINDS for its next week. That gives local customers another chance to grab it before we consider moving it on to the wider online market.

After their week in THE DROP, unsold pairs move into THE VALLEY FINDS for one week. If they're still waiting for their new feet after that, we can move selected pairs on to other online platforms. Nothing sits around forever. The Club keeps moving.

Absolutely not. Just because we can buy a pair doesn't mean we should sell it. We choose what makes sense for the Club, and anything that doesn't meet our standards gets left out. We'd rather have a smaller collection we're proud of than a warehouse full of trainers nobody actually wants.

THE VALLEY is our home ground. It's the local community around us and the people we built The Trainer Club for. We wanted to create the trainer shop the Valley never really had — somewhere people could find genuine trainers at fair prices without automatically paying high-street prices. Local isn't just a marketing word around here. It's the point.

Because this is where we're from. When a fresh pair lands, we want people around us to have the first opportunity to buy it before we throw it into the wider online market. That's our Valley-first promise. Local families get the first look. If a pair doesn't find a home locally, then it can travel further.

Yes. Absolutely. Valley first doesn't mean Valley only. Local customers get first chance, but selected pairs can still be bought online once that local-first window has passed. If you're outside the Valley, you're still welcome at the Club. You just don't get to complain if someone local got there first.

Yes. We offer free local delivery around the Valley, and collection can also be arranged where appropriate. If you're outside our local delivery area, we'll explain the available options before anything is finalised. We want getting your trainers to you to be as straightforward as buying them.

Yes. Once the local-first window has passed, selected pairs can move into the wider online market. The Valley gets first chance because that's who we're here for, but we aren't building a secret trainer bunker that nobody else can enter. If you're further away and see something you want, get involved.

Not necessarily. The website shows what's currently available and ready to go, but we can have pairs coming in, being prepared, being checked or waiting to be photographed. If you're looking for something specific, ask. The website is the shop window — there can occasionally be more happening behind it.

Because we're not interested in becoming a warehouse with a checkout. We want the pairs we sell to mean something. Smaller drops, careful sourcing, proper checking and sensible prices are part of the Club. We'd rather you look forward to what's coming than scroll through 4,000 pairs of trainers nobody bothered choosing properly.

A Misfit is a genuine trainer that isn't perfect — but absolutely isn't finished either. It might have worn inner lining, slightly worn heels, a cosmetic mark, a repaired area or another honest bit of battle damage. We show you the issue, price the pair accordingly and let you decide. Not perfect. Still proper.

It varies. You might see worn lining, heel wear, cosmetic marks, scuffs, small repairs or other signs that a pair has lived a little. The important bit is that we tell you what you're looking at. There shouldn't be any nasty surprises hiding underneath the description.

Absolutely. "Misfit" doesn't mean "unchecked". They're still genuine trainers and they still have to be worth selling. The difference is that we're being completely upfront about their imperfections and pricing them accordingly. Every pair earns its place in the Club.

Because you're not paying full price for a pair pretending to be perfect. If there's wear or damage, the price comes down with it. That's the whole philosophy: same genuine trainer, honest condition, fairer number. Sometimes a little battle damage is a very good way of getting a proper pair without doing serious damage to your wallet.

If you care more about wearing a good pair than having a completely untouched pair, absolutely. A Misfit can be a brilliant way to get a genuine trainer for much less. You just need to read the description, look at the photographs and be comfortable with the condition. If you are, you could have found yourself a serious bargain.

The same basic rule applies: you need to understand the condition before buying. That's why we photograph and describe the issue rather than hiding it. If there's ever a problem with your order that isn't what we described, talk to us straight away and we'll deal with it properly. We don't do "tough luck, you bought a Misfit."

Yes. That's exactly what THE AF1 STUDIO exists for. Bring us the idea, the pair or even just the vaguest thought in your head and we'll work from there. Colours, characters, names, graphics, photographs, inspiration — or absolutely no clue whatsoever. We'll help turn the idea into a pair that feels completely yours.

Yes. You can bring us your own brand-new AF1s, or talk to us about a used pair you already own. We'll assess the trainers first and make sure they're suitable for the work you're considering. Not every pair is a perfect candidate, so we'll be honest about what's possible before you spend anything.

Yes. If there's a suitable pair available through the Club, we can discuss using it as the starting point for your custom. That means you don't necessarily have to go out and buy a brand-new pair before the Studio work even starts.

Yes. If you don't already have the right pair, we can look at sourcing one for you. That can include suitable lightly used AF1s where doing so makes sense and helps keep the overall starting cost realistic. You tell us what you're after and what sort of budget you're working with, and we'll see what we can build around it.

Yes. We can assess a well-loved pair and carry out suitable cleaning and cosmetic restoration work where the trainers are worth saving. That can include cleaning, detailing and bringing tired areas back into better shape. We won't promise miracles or disguise serious structural damage. The goal is simple: give a good pair another run.

There isn't one magic Studio price because every custom is different. The final cost depends on the starting pair, the design, materials, colours, finishes and how much work is involved. We don't believe in adding a ridiculous "custom trainer tax" just because something is bespoke. Tell us what you're thinking and we'll give you a clear idea of what's involved before we start.

Absolutely not. In fact, we'd rather you didn't feel you had to be a designer before contacting us. Bring a photograph, a colour, a character, a name, a mood, a sketch, an idea you've had at 2am — whatever you've got. We'll help develop it into something that works on the shoe.

The AF1 is where our Studio is focused, because it's a brilliant canvas and something we know inside out. If you've got another pair in mind, ask us anyway. We'll tell you whether it's something we're comfortable taking on rather than promising everything to everyone.

Find the pair you want, check the size, condition and photographs, then follow the purchase options on the listing. If you're unsure about anything before buying, ask us. We'd much rather answer a question first than have you buy the wrong pair.

If the size you want isn't currently in the Club, get in touch. We can't promise we'll find it, but sourcing is part of what we do. Tell us the model, size and budget and we'll see what we can do. Sometimes the pair you're looking for is hiding somewhere in the Valley.

If you've bought a pair and have a question about returning it, contact us as soon as possible and we'll explain the options that apply to your order. We want the process to be straightforward, so don't sit there wondering what to do — just talk to us.

Tell us. That's it. Send us a message with what's happened and we'll look into it. We're a small Club, which means you aren't being passed through six departments and asked to explain yourself to a robot. If something has gone wrong, we'll do our best to put it right.

Yes. Payments are handled through our secure checkout process and we only use the information needed to process your order and communicate with you. We don't need your life story to sell you a pair of trainers, and we don't sell your personal information to random third parties.

Ask us. Seriously. We're real people, not a call centre. If it's about a pair, a size, sourcing, delivery, THE DROP, THE MISFITS, the AF1 Studio or anything else Trainer Club related, send us a message. If we know the answer, we'll give it to you. If we don't, we'll find out.