View Full Version : First real shopping trip
leftorright
11-08-2013, 14:50
So this is probably silly of me but I feel one step closer to hiking the AT. I live in a small town and they only camping / hiking gear sold here is at walmart. Well yesterday I had to go out of town and I actually got to stop at my first sporting goods store-Dicks. Was really excited to see and hold some of the stuff I've only seen online up to now! Also, they were having a sale on ALL their sleeping bags, I ended up getting a 3lb synthetic 0 degree sleeping bag and a very small and light compressable pillow for less than 60$
atmilkman
11-08-2013, 15:01
So this is probably silly of me but I feel one step closer to hiking the AT. I live in a small town and they only camping / hiking gear sold here is at walmart. Well yesterday I had to go out of town and I actually got to stop at my first sporting goods store-Dicks. Was really excited to see and hold some of the stuff I've only seen online up to now! Also, they were having a sale on ALL their sleeping bags, I ended up getting a 3lb synthetic 0 degree sleeping bag and a very small and light compressable pillow for less than 60$
Well that's it. The addiction has started. You're on your way to many more purchases. Before you know it you will have a gear shelf, then a closet, then a whole room. And since you mentioned seeing things online wait till you discover the wonders of no sales tax and free shipping. You'll be alright. Keep coming back.
Well that's it. The addiction has started.
Yep...I remember those first purchases. First down sleeping bag. First UL pack. First piece of cuben gear. Oh man. I would hate it if my wife knew how much this stuff cost.
As you are buying all your gear, don't forget to actually go hiking...
Teacher & Snacktime
11-08-2013, 22:29
Yep...I remember those first purchases. First down sleeping bag. First UL pack. First piece of cuben gear. Oh man. I would hate it if my wife knew how much this stuff cost.
I'm telling :p
Trailweaver
11-09-2013, 05:48
Better not. . . You don't want to be responsible for a homicide on Whiteblaze!
MuddyWaters
11-09-2013, 15:08
Do yourself favor, and make a promise to yourself not to purchase anything on impulse and without thoroughly researching or asking here about the best options for your price range for each purchase.
Also go ahead and consider 99% of all salespersons to either dont have a clue, or dont have your best interest.
You will thank yourself later. By about the time you get to Neel gap watch others shipping gear home and replacing it.
max patch
11-09-2013, 15:21
Leftorright, one of these you're gonna write something like this...
So this is probably silly of me but I feel one step closer to hiking the AT. I live in a small town and they only camping / hiking gear sold here is at walmart. There is also a Dicks that is out of town but close enough to get to. Well yesterday I had to go out of town and I actually got to stop at my first real outdoor store -- REI! (or it could be Campmor in NJ, or Mountain Crossings at Neels Gap). I got.....
I mention this as you will find that the difference REI and Dicks is like the difference between Dicks and WalMart. Probably even moreso.
And the next step are the specialized cottage industries.
I remember buying all my first stuff from a store in Miami called Florida Outdoors or something like that. 6.5 pound Eureaka Timberline tent (state of art back then), heavy TNF synthetic sleeping bag, a SVEA 123 stove, etc, CampTrails external frame pack, etc. Still got the SVEA.
Another Kevin
11-09-2013, 15:53
Do yourself favor, and make a promise to yourself not to purchase anything on impulse and without thoroughly researching or asking here about the best options for your price range for each purchase.
Also go ahead and consider 99% of all salespersons to either dont have a clue, or dont have your best interest.
You will thank yourself later. By about the time you get to Neel gap watch others shipping gear home and replacing it.
Indeed. And ... you're likely to regret a lot of purchases that you can make at a sporting-goods store. A real outfitter is likely to offer considerably better options, and Internet ordering better still. (That's not true of all the gear: some of my stuff I did buy at Dick's or Modell's. But some of that, in turn, represents a real compromise between price and quality.)