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Deuce
Trad climber
Sonoma County, Ca
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 22, 2007 - 05:16am PT
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I recently lost my pro-deals and am looking to buy some gear. Any opinions about where I should shop for the best deals?
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Prod
Social climber
Charlevoix, MI
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May 22, 2007 - 08:25am PT
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Hey Deuce,
Ebay has worked well for me for the bulk of my gear, then I usually try to spend some cash at local ma and pa climbing shops in the area I am climbing. You may not get the best deals on gear but they are usually very helpful with Beta.
Prod.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 22, 2007 - 08:42am PT
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gearexpress.com is excelent price and service. free shipping, They don't allways have everything though. It is good to shop localy if you can. I just don't have any real gear shops localy.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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May 22, 2007 - 08:44am PT
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There is this Czech site that Irish climbers use, and one in Spain as well, both with very affordable gear apparently, but I guess since you are in the States these two wouldn't be of any use to you.
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sheepdog
Trad climber
just over the hill
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May 22, 2007 - 08:50am PT
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Checkout spadout (http://www.spadout.com); as they canvas multiple sites, sort of a price comparison site for gear. They cover gear express, gear x, moosejaw, etc., etc.
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Evdawg
Trad climber
Sacramento/S. Tahoe
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May 24, 2007 - 01:22am PT
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people are saying to buy off ebay or off someone else. is it really a good idea to be buying used gear?
personally i would have no problem with it, but the pro's tell me to only buy new gear (possably cause they're not the ones forking out the $$$)
idk
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Jude Bischoff
Ice climber
Palm Springs
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May 24, 2007 - 01:55am PT
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The Ebay gear is usually new. I have purchased camelots there with great success. The price was the equivelant of buy 3 get one free.
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couchmaster
climber
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May 24, 2007 - 01:55am PT
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Buy it all new.
I mean used. Yeah.
Ok, maybe not.
Spadout works great. I'd toss MountainGear.com and Bentgate.com in the mix too.
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up2top
Big Wall climber
Phoenix, AZ
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May 24, 2007 - 03:34am PT
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A second and very sincere vote for Gearexpress.com. On RC.com there have been many threads spontaneously started by climbers happy with the buying experience with those fellas (including by me). Over the past several years I've never seen anyone write a bad word about them. Great customer service -- personal, friendly, fast, and efficient.
Ed
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Prod
Social climber
Charlevoix, MI
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May 24, 2007 - 10:15am PT
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Hey Evwdag,
I have bought a bunch of gear on ebay, and have found that all of it was in great shape. Sometimes even brand new never used or used once cams. The problem is that you have to keep your eyes peeled on a regular basis to get the great deals.
-Watch out for shipping and handling expences.
-Know the retail price and what you are willing to spend, do not get caught up in the excitement of the auction (I have and it has cost me nearly retail)
-Look into the sellers history and peer rate. That will tell a lot.
Prod.
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murcy
climber
San Fran Cisco
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May 24, 2007 - 10:22am PT
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gearexpress if i need it now. otherwise, you can save a lot if you buy opportunistically, keeping an eye on the rc.com "hot deals" thread, on steeepandcheap.com, on thalowdown.com, and here.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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May 24, 2007 - 10:36am PT
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The best website is the lottery’s, win the lottery and you won’t have to be concerned about the price of gear.
Of course, statistically, the lottery is the worst kind of gambling you can do.
What’s the saying: Get your lotto form, fill out the numbers, take the $2 and the form and… put them in a drawer, thus by saving yourself $2.
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Tom M
climber
somewhere out there
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May 24, 2007 - 10:58am PT
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If you're looking for Black Diamond gear, order it through the Mountain Equipment Co-op in Canada. Their price is lower in Canadian dollars than REI is US dollars!
Examples:
Yosemite Hammer: MEC = $81CAD; REI = $89.95USD
#2 C4 Camalot: MEC = $57CAD; REI = $64.95USD
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jan 29, 2008 - 12:12am PT
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any bentgate mountaineering stories good or bad?
thinking of buying some gear from them.
thx,
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Shack
Big Wall climber
Reno NV
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Jan 29, 2008 - 12:30am PT
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Nope.
But I have tried these and found:
Backcountrygear.com is good,
GearExpress.com is pretty good,
Fishproducts.com is highly recommended.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Jan 29, 2008 - 12:35am PT
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Tom M said If you're looking for Black Diamond gear, order it through the Mountain Equipment Co-op in Canada. Their price is lower in Canadian dollars than REI is US dollars!
Not if you're ordering from the US. Sometime about five years ago MEC caved in to pressure from US manufacturers (who were really just reflecting pressure from US retailers) and altered its long-standing pro-member principle to a "pro-Canadian-member" principle. Most of the US-made equipment that climbers want now carries a "not available for shipment to the US" tag.
Am I pissed about this? Yes. I was the first manager of MEC's mail-order department, and was a part of a crew who held that principles were worth defending. One of those principles was that raising prices to keep other retailers from whining to suppliers was wrong. (In Canada, it's actually illegal, but that's another story.) It seems to me that discriminating against a climber just because s/he lives in the US is wrong.
Ask Anders (Mighty Hiker) about this. He was involved in MEC almost from the beginning, and is a man of strong principle.
End of rant.
Sorry about that, but it's a matter of considerable irritation to me.
D
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Redwreck
Social climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jan 29, 2008 - 12:46am PT
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gearexpress.biz is great. Prices and selection are good and Blake is wonderful to deal with.
I've been buying some used cams and 'biners on eBay and haven't gotten burned yet.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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Jan 29, 2008 - 01:41am PT
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looking to buy a solo aid, ebay sellers are around half of retail, so if anyone has one and wants to part with it. ping meh.
thx,
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Euroford
Trad climber
chicago
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Jan 29, 2008 - 08:05am PT
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not to mention, gearexpress IS your typical ma n pa gearshop, just maybe not local.
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mister t
climber
nowhere special
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Jan 29, 2008 - 08:32am PT
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I would add Climbinggear.com. Owned by climbers and a local shop (Rock Creek) in TN. Good prices (great sale prices), FAST and correct everytime I've ordered
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rick d
Social climber
tucson, az
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Jan 29, 2008 - 09:58am PT
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I've never found a good deal on new stuff on ebay, and used items (unless some poor ending time or bad description) never sell for a deal.
bentgate & gearexpress are the only two I've bought from in the past few years on a regular basis. google for specific items and look out for specials at any vendors.
I picked up 10 tcu's (new) from a climbing gym w/ onine store in ohio for $34 each (DMM's).
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Bryan
climber
colorado
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Jan 29, 2008 - 10:05am PT
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I like GEAR EXPRESS as well. Fast delivery, very reliable. Also the hand written thank you is a nice touch. They usually offer some good deals as well.
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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Jan 29, 2008 - 10:20am PT
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buy american...
climbinggear.com is out of chattanooga and they have great c/s and a great selection....
ks
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dryfly
Trad climber
utah
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Jan 29, 2008 - 10:34am PT
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I have ordered many times from mountain gear,always fast service and the prices are as good as anywhere.
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boognish
Trad climber
SF
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Jan 29, 2008 - 11:34am PT
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I have lots of good experience with bentgate. Good prices and service. They will call or email if they are out of stock to see what you want to do - back order, substitute, or drop part of the order.
Gearexpress is great too.
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Off-Width Loving Crack Whore
Trad climber
SLO
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Nov 19, 2008 - 05:37pm PT
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20% off EVERYTHING at www.Bouldering.com
just got an e-mail
(they sell more than just bouldering stuff)
they are located in California and it is run by climbers
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Captain...or Skully
Social climber
Boise
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Nov 19, 2008 - 06:23pm PT
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I got like half my wall rack on E-Bay.....Got some deals, too.
It bears monitoring, if nothing else.
Taillights!
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Redlands
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Nov 19, 2008 - 06:54pm PT
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Just did a couple orders from Bentgate in the last two weeks during their sale. Good experience with them, free shipping, no sales tax for us Cali dwellers (hell, that's a 9% discount itself). Although their sale did just end yesterday I think.
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Porkchop_express
Trad climber
Gunks, NY
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Nov 19, 2008 - 09:00pm PT
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i like rockandsnow.com they will match prices if you find lower ones elswhere
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lars johansen
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Nov 19, 2008 - 09:54pm PT
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gearexpress.com gets my vote, and business. Never ever had a hassle on returns and free shipping to boot. Very nice to deal with and very competitive pricing.
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johnboy
Trad climber
Can't get here from there
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Nov 19, 2008 - 10:20pm PT
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My pesonal experiencies
#1. Gearexpress
#2. Bentgate
#3 Mountain gear
#4 Backcountry
Really wish we had a decent gear store around here. There's a couple, but very limited in products.
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apogee
climber
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Nov 19, 2008 - 10:26pm PT
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Whatever you do, don't support the big-box corporatization of the outdoor industry- REI. Buy from a local retailer if possible, or one of the specialty online retailers already mentioned.
I don't think REI does online sales, so this is probably not relevant to your situation anyway. Nice to see that none of the suggestions thusfar have anything to do with REI.
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Nov 20, 2008 - 01:10am PT
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All these places are going to be WAY more expensive than pro-deal.
A guy like John should just find a friend who can still get pro-deal. If I can, anyone can.
I usually just pay retail and get what I want when I want it with the least amount of screwing around. That said, I've used many of the above online retailers - mgear, backcoutry.com, bentgate, yada...if the local shop doesn't have exactly what I want.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Nov 20, 2008 - 09:09am PT
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I've bought from BentGate for years, both in person and
off their website. Always good experiences. They are great there.
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justthemaid
climber
Los Angeles
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Nov 20, 2008 - 12:06pm PT
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Ebay can be good or bad. There's plenty of new or nearly new stuff there. Main thing is you should know the retail price and pay close attention to what people are charging for shipping so you don't end up with a used cam that costs exactly the same as a new one once they tack on some outrageous shipping.
I've sold some new and used gear on ebay. I actually have a return policy on used stuff if someone gets it and doesn't like what they see for some reason, but that has never happened.
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Nate Ricklin
climber
San Diego
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Nov 20, 2008 - 01:32pm PT
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I only ever buy new stuff from one place anymore: Moosejaw.
-Free shipping
-no tax
-there's always a 15% off coupon, (I think the one right now is "jibstyle"), there's sometimes a 20% off coupon
-you get 5% back in points for free stuff
-if you go through ebates.com you get an additional 5% cash back.
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the kid
Trad climber
fayetteville, wv
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Nov 20, 2008 - 03:34pm PT
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duece,
You can support my SE old school climbing homies and go to:
climbinggear.com
They are located in Chattanooga and have a great biz and give back a ton to their climbing community.
ks
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Realist
Big Wall climber
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Nov 20, 2008 - 11:21pm PT
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I rate Bentgate, I live overseas and buy from them all the time, I have ordered numerous times and they have not made any mistakes with my orders at all.
Great communication and great follow up service Jes at bentgate rocks.
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