I'm always on the lookout for deals on gear, and was wondering where you guys shop.

My top resources are:
Campmor
REI
Exploration Products - but now it seems that they've cut back on stuff, sadly.
BaseGear

I've also bought knives at various military surplus websites.

Many of the "outdoor" manufacturers seem to "remainder" their goods to Sierra Trading Post:

http://www.sierratradingpost.com

It's been swamped with casual cothing in recent years, but there are still some very good deals to be had if you're diligent. Note that it's got very good search capability (as retail sites go), and you can search by the percentage of discount if you're just "shopping" for deals.

I try to remember to check it when starting to consider a new purchase. They'll seldom have your absolute first choice in an item, but sometimes the discounts are so large you just don't care. Hot items disappear fast, though.

A new favorite of mine is County Comm.

County Comm homepage

Careful, it becomes an addiction.

www.bisonbelts.com

www.sportsmansguide.com

www.eknifeworks.com

Brigade Quartermasters
Triple Aught Design Gear Never ordered from them but they have some nice stuff.
Cheaper than Dirt Lot's of cool surplus stuff.
Brightguy.com Lot's of nice flashlights.
Cutlery Shoppe Knives
A.G. Russell More knives

I also use REI.


Robert

Goodwill stores!

Bountyhunter

Rei
County Comm
Local surplus and camping stores
A.G. Russell
New Graham Knives

As of late, Brigade Quartermaster and The Sportsmans Guide, but I'm always on the lookout for "impulse buys".

Troy

www.sasskit.co.uk British military and survival items.
www.stringtownsupplies.co.uk " " " "
www.sciplus.com American science & Surplus, all kinds of stuff for the ETS crowd. Plus i like making the check out to A.S.S
www.majorsurpluNsurvival.com
www.colemans.com Military surplus and hardware.
www.shomer-tec.com High end Military and Law Enforcement items, nice toys.
www.southsummit.com Knives, multi tools, lights, camping. Good regular prices.
www.ccrane.com AM/FM, SW and scanner radios, antennas, lED lights. Great company and fun free catalog.

www.lightfighter.com

These guys are the real deal.

Gary

In addition to those mentioned, I like Ebay and the clearance sections at Target and Wal-Mart. Pete

Ebay

Ebay is good, but I have found that many items for sale up there can go for more than the origional price.

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in my area have a 'sale' of used equipment on occation. They sell the old stuff to get new stuff and to go to campouts.

The University Surplus sells all sorts of stuff, and when I can get over there, I find everything from Lab equipment to furnature. The school systems also surplus out things on occation.

And, my favorite, Garage/Yard sales. You get to talk to the people who had it last, and because I am really going to use it, sometimes I get a discount after talking to the people. It is fall, many people have to clear out their garages to make way for the cars that are supposed to be in there.

Rena

tadgear.com

Some great sources in this thread- I've always liked BQ a lot, it's often the only source for some items of gear in "subdued" colors, which I think is important in a few ways- but they don't generally discount.

I pointed out Sierra Trading post, which does discout everything, and sometimes even has what you want, if you're a little flexible.

However, recently I've been building some PC systems, and I've become very familiar with slickdeals.net for computer gear, and especially the "hot deals" forum behind it ("forums" link on right edge of main page, part way down). It's a forum where folks share "deals" that they've found.. mostly on electronics and computer stuff, though everything ends up there sooner or later. I saved a LOT of money by following it for a few months and picking off the best deals on computer parts and systems.

The reason it works so well is that it takes advantage of what folks are doing anyway- shopping- and their natural desire to share good deals that they've found, plus which everyone weighs in on the product (and often the vendor), so you get a source, a discount price, and reviews all in a screen or two.

There's some of that going on here, of course (and it's much appreciated) but I've been wondering if there might not be a lot more if there were a forum devoted to "deals" on survival/outdoor gear. Sort of a smaller, simpler version of what slickdeals is doing, but in our focused area of interest. Having a forum devoted to good deals is bound to encourage folks to seek them out and share them, to think of this site when they find one... and, of course, to check this site/forum whenever considering a purchase, or just wondering if a better price is available on an item.

There might not be much traffic, but what there is would be valuable, and having a separate forum would make it easy to find the information. I can't think of a downside.

Just a thought.

I generally look around at the local Army/Navy store first to see if they have what I want. I don't settle for lesser or similar items because I am the kind of person who would never be satisfied. I have learned this in the past.
Other than that, Brigade Quartermasters usually gets the first nod, then Sportsman's guide if their prices aren't too nuts. Also, sometimes Cheaper than Dirt and AIM Surplus, but they are usually just for ammo, which is probably outside the scope of this discussion.

I've only gotten things from Walmart, REI, and IMS-Plus-- www.imsplus.com

I have had catalogs from Sportsman's Guide, Ranger Joe's, Brigade Quartermasters, Quartermaster Uniforms, and CheaperthanDirt

Hopsscout:

IMSPLUS might sell more bowls for eating if they did not call them "bowels".

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Yes, BountyHunter, they'd probably "move" a lot more of them.

Goatrider:

They would probably have "runs" on the bowels they sell. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

They could put up sale fliers saying "They've got to go".

It might "cramp" their style but in the world of cut throat competition, you have to "go or get off the pot".

After they "dump" that "load" of merchandise, they would feel a lot lighter.

After the sale and the accompanying paper work, they could "rest" in the "room".

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

BountyHunter:

Those are all pretty "crappy". <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

interesting site, a few strange items floating around there eh?

Christ, don't tell me they're calling them B-O-W-E-L-S !

No bloody wonder the items aren't selling.

SPELL CHECK, Isle 9!

I used to buy all my surefire flashlights from them, as they were a bunch less than anyone else on the net....but then surefire must have said you have to sell for higher, cause they are sky high on surefire flashlights now.