View Full Version : Best place to purchase gear?
GreyGoose
07-25-2006, 13:32
Sorry if this is the wrong area of the forum for this type of question but I looked around and could'nt find anything specific to gear.
I was just wondering where the best place to buy reasonably-priced gear might be without getting into all the really expensive specialty shops and so on. A long time ago when I used to backpack, I always bought my gear (tent, bag, cookware, etc) from K-Mart. Any ideas?.
- Regards, GG
Lone Wolf
07-25-2006, 13:34
www.campmor.com
Between Campmor (http://www.campmor.com/), Sierra Trading Post (http://www.sierratradingpost.com/), and Mount Rogers Outfitters (http://www.mtrogersoutfitters.com/) in Damascus, VA I've kept myself geared up for many, many years.
the goat
07-25-2006, 13:49
walmart!!!!*
*exclaimation points added to this post for the expressed purpose of reaching the proper quantity of characters to make said post. the author does not get that excited for walmart and hearby absolves himself from any liability associated with misleading punctuation.
Blissful
07-25-2006, 13:55
Sierra Trading Post has a deal this week with 20 cent shipping. Got light weight polypro top for my hubby for $2.36, trekking poles for $30 for my son, a wicking balaclava and mid weight wicking top for me.
GreyGoose
07-25-2006, 13:59
Is it possable to purchase most of the items needed at Wal-Mart, K-Mart or some other common retail chain store?.
hammock engineer
07-25-2006, 14:04
I would purchase clothing items from the different Marts, but for good quility gear, I think you get what you pay for. There are some expections. I order a lot of gear from the sites listed above when they are on clearance. As long as you are not in a hurry, you will be able to get good deals.
Also look into cottege industries. Hennessy Hammock, Tarptent.com (I think), McCat, JRB, ULA. They may cost a little more, but they are high quility items make by other hikers.
Is it possable to purchase most of the items needed at Wal-Mart, K-Mart or some other common retail chain store?.
A lot of the items stocked by large "box" stores seem to be geared more for the car camping enthusiast. I'm not saying a person can't outfit themselves at one of these establishments but like Hammock Engineer said, "you get what you pay for". Find an outfitter near you, go in and try some stuff out, then go online and find it cheaper as long as you have the time.
Two Speed
07-25-2006, 14:11
A little off subject, but there is the $300 Challenge. Basically it's a competition amongst various hikers to see who can develop a complete list of gear for under $300. I believe there's one going here on WB and another on Sgt Rock's website, http://www.hikinghq.net
Lots of good ideas for economical (OK, cheap) gear, and some humor, too.
GreyGoose
07-25-2006, 14:21
I was just over at Walmart's site and did some browsing around and was amazed to see the huge variety of specialized hiking equiptment they have (looks decent too). Of course, some of the items may have to be special ordered. I also noticed that gear-styles have changed a LOT since the last time I did any backpacking (like 20 years ago). I hav'nt been to Kmart's site yet but I'm still looking around:)
- GG
Time To Fly 97
07-25-2006, 14:49
Campmor (!) They have a great selection of gear, everything is always in stock, prices are fair and they are located in the East (NJ), which means faster delivery times (2 days usually) to AT. They are familiar with "hold for AT hiker."
My experiences with them have been absolutely perfect.
TTF
If you were looking for clothing and thinking of buying some from Walmart and for using the running style of clothing (lightweight and wicking) Walmart has a decent selection. I use their gear for when I go running and plan on using it on my hike next month.
GreyGoose
07-25-2006, 17:09
Well, I was going to create a separate thread for this but I don't want to litter up the whole forum with newbie questions. Anyway, are there a lot of natural foods along the AT?. For example, would it be possible for a person to do a little fishing, pick some wild berries or greens...maybe raid a bees nest and get some honey (well, maybe that last one would'nt be such a great idea...lol). Anyway, what all is out there (in nature) that is edible and when does it come into season?.
- GG
Skidsteer
07-25-2006, 18:35
Have a look at this article, GreyGoose.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/article.php?p=206678&postcount=1
Frolicking Dinosaurs
07-25-2006, 18:56
GG, Target also has a lot of appropriate clothing in the Champion line. Even Dollar General has some.
Look for polyester tops that mention wicking and polyester or nylon pants - ripstop is best. Many fellows like swim trucks as shorts because they dry fast and have a mesh liner to hold things in place if needed. Some like board shorts.
Walmart carries some cycling tops and pants that look like they would work well as a base layer.
For gear, if you plan to use a close cell pad, these can be bought from the Marts. I would advise getting your tent and sleeping bag from an outfitter like Campmor because those items are very important to your comfort and safety.
Check out the homemade gear section (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=65) of this forum as well for ideas.
GreyGoose
07-25-2006, 19:45
I've followed several of these links and the information was very helpful so a big thank's. Say, this has nothing to do with gear but I was just wondering about something. When your walking the trail and bump into other people along the way, do they usually just give you a head nod and then go on their merry way or are people pretty outgoing and chatty, maybe invite you to have coffee or dinner with them that evening or whatever, etc. Is it a pretty social experience or is everyone just "hiking their own hike" and not wanting to be bothered.
Also, I'm still wondering if it is possible to fish and pick wild berries while on the trail. Can you live off of the land to a certain extent?.
- GG
fiddlehead
07-25-2006, 20:13
Also, I'm still wondering if it is possible to fish and pick wild berries while on the trail. Can you live off of the land to a certain extent?.
- GG
Tom Brown could do it. ( He doesn't move more than a few hundred yards a day though. )
You probably cannot. Especially if you want to make some miles. Depends how much time you have. (and of course how good you are)
Skidsteer
07-25-2006, 20:50
I've followed several of these links and the information was very helpful so a big thank's. Say, this has nothing to do with gear but I was just wondering about something. When your walking the trail and bump into other people along the way, do they usually just give you a head nod and then go on their merry way or are people pretty outgoing and chatty, maybe invite you to have coffee or dinner with them that evening or whatever, etc. Is it a pretty social experience or is everyone just "hiking their own hike" and not wanting to be bothered GG
It can be both. In large part it depends on what you wish to happen...and what time of year you are hiking.
the_iceman
07-25-2006, 21:34
for brand named stuff campsaver.com but any big sale. do not buy unless it is at least 20% off. 30% is better. 50% is really nice.
Under the christmas tree is always a good place to get free stuff.
you cant go wrong at rei
http://www.rei.com/?cm_mmc=ps_google_reibrand-_-REI_Brand-_-REI-_-r.e.i.
another favorite
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/
:cool: neo
Kerosene
07-25-2006, 23:18
Also www.backcountrygear.com (http://www.backcountrygear.com).
I haven't read all of the posts to this thread but IMHO you can get really great deals from REI, Sierra Trading Post and many others. However, supporting your local outfitters (if you have one) is important. The local people usually have great information about local hiking areas, hiking groups, and much other information. Plus it is very hard for the private shop owner to stay in business with all of the outlets and marts.
Good luck.
You also want to check into the supplier's reputation for support and return policy. I really like Campmor, which may be easier for me because I live close enough to go there and see all the cool gear. They generally have knowledgeable sales folks. Their return policy is very good - I have a pair of trailrunners that I've concluded are just a bad fit for my feet after a lot of conditioning and a section hike. They told me to bring them back for return. That's pretty good!
Jack Tarlin
07-26-2006, 14:46
Coopdog beat me to it.
Goose, there are absolutely fine places to buy stuff on-line, but in my opinion, the best places to buy gear are at small, privately owned, independent Outfitter stores. What you should look for is a store that's been in business for awhile and is primarily a backpacking store, and not a department store, hunting/fishing store, sporting goods shop, etc. You want to find a specialty shop that caters to BACKPACKERS.
The principal benefit from shopping at a small Outfitter is the degree of customer service you are likely to encounter, especially when it comes to getting advice on footwear; getting properly fitted for a pack by someone who knows what they are doing, etc. There are certain items that you simply should not by on-line.
If you get the chance before your hike, I'd also suggest you visit one of the excellent Outfitters on the Trail. Not only do these shops have great selections and staff, but they are truly experts when it comes to knowing what thru-hikers need, what are the most popular and worthy brands and models of gear, and most important, they can offer you valuable advice on what you WON'T need. So if you get the chance before your trip, try and talk to folks like Winton at Neel's Gap; Wayne in Hot Springs; Jeff or Tom at Mt. Rogers Outfitters in Damascus; Laura Wright in Harpers Ferry. They are wonderful people and will bend over backwards to help you out.
Of course, if it's not possible to visit one of these places in person, you best next bet is to find a good Outfitter near where you live. Also, it can't hurt to go shopping with a friend who might be more knowledgable about gear than you.
ALDHA, the Appalachian Long-Distance Hikers Association, maintains a great state-by-state directory of former thru-hikers who are willing to correspond or meet with prospective hikers to help them out, answer questions, etc. I'm sure that through them you could find a former thru-hiker who lives near you who'd be happy to help you with gear questions, problems, or anything else.
For more info, see www.aldha.org ALDHA also has an annual get-together called The Gathering every October, which is a VERY useful event for prospective thru-hikers. Also, if you attended this fall, you'd have the chance to visit some, if not most of the stores I mentioned above on your way to or from the event. For details, see www.aldha.org
white rabbit
07-28-2006, 22:09
Campmor rules
So, I came home one day from work about a month ago. The neighborhood mailboxes are all in front of my house. Like usual, I went to check the mail. Low and behold - the key for one of the "package boxes" is in my mailbox. Now, I'm trying to remember - "what the heck did I order now." Please note, its my creed that even better than foreplay is tracking packages, and waiting for my "stuff" to arrive from REI, or Cabelas, or any other online retailer for my many hobbies. I just couldn't believe that I had forgotten that I had ordered something. Well, with increasing excitement - almost like that of early morning on Christmas day when I was young - I opened the "package mail box" and pulled out a box addressed to me from Cabelas.
With all the excitement of Ralphie Parker opening his red rider BB gun on x-mas morning - I ran to the house and opened the package and found ------- ---- ---- a HARD COVER version of the Cabelas Master Catalog - like 3 inches thick.
So, I'm looking for a support group for my problem now. - Any suggestions. :banana
Well, back to the post - I can recommend Cabelas - yup - that's right they have some great stuff - the XPG series is great, and they sell some of the other brands. Also - Campmor is great.
GreyGoose
07-28-2006, 22:51
So, I came home one day from work about a month ago. The neighborhood mailboxes are all in front of my house. Like usual, I went to check the mail. Low and behold - the key for one of the "package boxes" is in my mailbox. Now, I'm trying to remember - "what the heck did I order now." Please note, its my creed that even better than foreplay is tracking packages, and waiting for my "stuff" to arrive from REI, or Cabelas, or any other online retailer for my many hobbies. I just couldn't believe that I had forgotten that I had ordered something. Well, with increasing excitement - almost like that of early morning on Christmas day when I was young - I opened the "package mail box" and pulled out a box addressed to me from Cabelas.
With all the excitement of Ralphie Parker opening his red rider BB gun on x-mas morning - I ran to the house and opened the package and found ------- ---- ---- a HARD COVER version of the Cabelas Master Catalog - like 3 inches thick.
So, I'm looking for a support group for my problem now. - Any suggestions. :banana
Well, back to the post - I can recommend Cabelas - yup - that's right they have some great stuff - the XPG series is great, and they sell some of the other brands. Also - Campmor is great.
Anyone who say's Christmas can't come twice a year deserves a lump of coal in their stocking. Drool...
- GG
Anyone who say's Christmas can't come twice a year deserves a lump of coal in their stocking. Drool...
- GG
:banana Or :banana 10 to 20 times a year!!!!:banana