Originally Posted by
TXbikerider
I'm trying to find a good place online or in the Houston area to buy top quality camping gear (tent, bags, pads, stove) at discount prices. Any ideas?
I've browsed the forum and seen other discussions on places to buy gear, but when I checked, it didn't seem that any of them sold gear at deep discounts. i.e., places like REI, Nashbar, Perfomance, bikebagshop, jensonusa, wiggle, thetouringstore. I've also checked Houston area retailers like REI and Whole Earth Provision Company and they don't have discounts except on clearance items which don't match what I'm looking for. Cheaper stores like Academy Sports only offer lower end camping gear and primarily aimed at car campers. I've also tried googling "discount backpacking gear"
I realize that sometimes buying at retail prices is worth it when you get a lot of help from knowledgeable staff, or when you think you might want to return the gear if not happy with it. But if you're doing your research online and know what you want, and if you are buying a complete camping kit for 2 people and buying lightweight high quality gear--thus spending over $1000--finding a place that offers significant discounts is worth it! I assume REI will soon have their annual "20% off one item" sale for members, and I might use that for the tent, but I'd like at least that much off everything!
Appreciate any suggestions you may have...
I don't think that Houston is much different from anywhere else, in that sometimes you need a mix of places to get the best deals.
Start with army surplus, the armed forces needs good quality equipment that needs to fit in a solders backpack, so it can't be bulky or very heavy. If a sleeping bag can do 2 tours of Iraq and a tour of Afghanistan, without falling apart it can probably handle a bike tour. Fleabay (my name for ebay) is another place you may find cheaper gear. Classified adverts, newspapers, Craigslist are other places. Internet retailers, although you need to be careful here and with Fleabay, you have to include the cost of shipping and handling in the price. An item that as $25 at a local store, but $19.95 online looks like a good deal, until you realise that S&H adds $10.
Sometimes local stores can be good deals, especially if there is an "off season" for camping, I am quite a bit further North then you are, and the camping season basically ends after our Thanksgiving, (second Monday in October), this means from mid-September until the end of October, the stores are trying to clear out what they can, so 20% isn't an uncommon discount, after Christmas those discounts can be 50% or more.
Some stuff can be home made, like the soda-can stove.
Stuff that can serve multiple purposes, for example a pot with a lid that can be used as a frying pan, saves the cost, weight and bulk of a frying pan and a kettle.
Stuff where you have something that will work already, a good example is a fork and spoon from the kitchen drawer rather then a special spork at the camping store. This applies quite often with clothing as well.
Stuff you can live without, eliminate it, saves the entire cost.