Well I can't wander down to the same stores as you, so I will thrown in a couple of tips I have for shopping online with some perspective from someone overseas.

One of the major obstacles when shopping online internationally is "distributor" limitations. As a classic example, Osprey backpacks have an Australian distributor so online buying from a USA store is not permitted. There are ways around this. Have a friend purchase or use one of the increasingly available commercial "fake" addresses you can find promoted. In the case of Osprey though, it's not worth it. There is enough competition in the local market that the price is competitive when postage is considered and I believe if they are competitive you should support your local, wherever you are.

But there are many smaller suppliers, particularly of niche market lightweight gear that are excellent for direct purchase.
I have purchased 3 packs from ULA in Utah and they ship direct and provide excellent support. Similarly Henry Shires TarpTents get a huge plus from me. They actually have a link in Melbourne who actually ships the tent to you and he also provides excellent support including instructional videos.
I am sure that other "cottage" businesses making lightweight gear will similarly ship direct, no problem.

If you intend to hike in the USA and live overseas, there are a number of items, you should review and decide on but purchase on arrival. Hiking poles, sleeping bags and mats, rain gear are a few of the items that fit into this category.

I must for Australians at least, give a huge rap for Big Agnes bags and mats as they do not have an Australian distributor and so can be purchased online from the likes of REI and shipped direct. Try and buy several things at once to combine postage.

I like to support my local outfitters as much as possible.

I've bought a few things from Mountain Laurel Designs and had excellent service.

www.packitgourmet.com
www.backcountrygear.com
www.campmor.com
www.backcountry.com

Questoutfitters, Enlightened Equipment, Lawson Equipment (MountainFitter), Zpacks , SixMoonDesigns, Thru-Hiker, JoAnns Fabrics, Walmart

I do not have a local outfitter. There use to be Blue Ridge Mountian Sports, but they closed the Williamsburg store. It is pretty hard to support local, when there is nothing local.

I do like http://www.backcountryedge.com/default.aspx
They have average prices, but plenty of sales. While I deal with them mail order, I like that I can just call them up and it feels like I'm dealing with a small local shop. Free shippingon $50+ orders, and fro their location it is essentially 1 day shipping.

Love Packit Gourmet

In the last half year I have had pleasant dealings with Warbonner Outdoors, Wilderness Logics, and Arrowhead Equipment.

ozjacko if you need something from REI let me know I have a store about 30Km away

Don't forget ebay. I've scored some good deals on there. Got a brand new Jetboil Ti years ago for less than the aluminums were going for at the big name places. Got a great deal on a thermarest neoair one time and sold it on there after I had used it for a year for more than what I had originally bought it for just because the prices everywhere else had gone up so high. The buyer got a great deal and was very happy too.

Not just Ebay, but Amazon.com as well. All too often it's got the best price with free shipping.

Exactly.
When I'm looking for a particular item I just do a google search and the best prices come up and usually it's somewhere I've used before and if you have a favorite place you like to buy from chances are they will match the price.

WiseOldOwl wrote:

ozjacko if you need something from REI let me know I have a store about 30Km away

Thanks but it may come as no surprise to those who watched me shop last year I'm pretty good for gear.
Have a guy in WV coming to hike the Bib next month and he is bringing a couple of BB's stoves for me and a WM bag for a friend who envies mine.
Just bought a ULA Circuit for Annie (purple with Annie embroidered on it) this month.

Oh - and Annie has a dozen cheap silk liners coming from Ebay. About 10% store price - we intend to sell a few at our market stall.

About a 40 minute drive away there's an EMS and an REI.
Then there's Campmor in NJ. We'll go there after hiking in Harriman State Park.
And of course like everybody else I always browse the internet when I need something.
No matter if I'm going brick and mortar or doing the internet thing I usually shop by price, not fashion, color or style.

I too like to support my local outfitters. There's a EMS 3.68 miles away in a Mall, I walk there often, usually every Fri night as there's a B&N there as well, and that's my book store night. Blue Ridge Mountain sports is about 6 miles away. Also shop on the internet.

In Sacramento I shop at REI, but sometimes look things up on Campmore's and Cabela's sites. When I was a beginner in the 1990's, (Northern VA) I bought most items at EMS, and some at REI and a gear outfitter in nearby Vienna VA - can't remember the name. I loved EMS but they turned the Tyson's Mall store into mostly clothing for yuppies and wannabees. I've finally replaced my backpacking tent I bought at EMS - best tent I ever had! I hope my Kelty Salida 2 will hold up as well. I don't like to shop online, and will only do the Amazon thing if I'm desperate. I hate it when someone will take up an hour of an REI staff member's time, and then go order an item from Amazon for a few dollars cheaper. Amazon will eventually run a lot of stores, including outfitters, out of busines.

I know this thread is a little "old," but I've been off the site for almost a month!! Too busy at work & home -- trying to finish my sewing room so I can get a bunch of projects done. Anyway, I do a lot of my shopping on Ebay & Amazon and by google search. I buy Merino wool fabric from a store in NZ and make my own base layers, "buffs" & I'm going to try a few t'shirts out of a merino/polypropylene blend I bought from them. I buy silnylon from Outdoorworld fabrics and I've purchased a quilt kit from thru-hiker. I made my first quilt from a kit from Jay Jardine.
My best deals were a ULA pack from ebay for $45 and I just scored a huge L-shaped desk from Gucci (that's what we call the Goodwill store by us) for the sewing room -- cost $124.99. I have the lightheart gear solo tent from Judy and I sometimes go to the local EMS (about 20 minutes away, but it's the only outfitter in my area).

I'd love to see some pictures. Are the buffs easy to make?

Welcome back!

Hi TJ ... thanks. I put the word "buff" in quotes because when you buy a real buff, there isn't a seam. My buffs are basically a rectangular piece of merino with a center seam. I guess it's about 24" long and folded it's about 12" wide. I'm at work so I don't have the exact size. I'll post a few pictures some day :). The heavy weight merino base layer I made is great! I used them on our Harriman trip and they worked fantastic -- toasty warm.

www.amazon.com
www.campmor.com
www.ula.com
www.rei.com
www.backcountry.com
www.6pm.com

And for smaller stuff/consumables have gone to Academy, Gander Mountain, and WalMart.
Also picked up a few things from Outdoor 76 and 3 Eagles Outfitter in Franklin. If I wealthier I would try to help out the new outfitter in town (more water sports, but some hiking stuff).