Camping Stores

In a previous post we addressed "Camp Stores".  They are the little stores in a campground that usually offer some staples and camping supplies as opposed to larger camping stores, that focus on selling camping supplies and equipment.  In this article we will focus on "camping stores":  stores or stores with departments that primarily sell camping equipment and supplies.

Camping stores might be appropriately applied to any store that regularly sells camping supplies and equipment.  We usually think of places like Camping World, L.L. Bean, and REI primarily as camping stores.  Department stores such as Walmart, Kmart, Target, and Sears usually have large camping sections which qualifies them as camping stores. Sporting goods stores like Big 5, Dicks, Cabela's, and Sportsmans Warehouse are, of course, also good place to find camping supplies and equipment.  Many RV retailers have in house stores that sell mostly RV oriented supplies and accessories, but because camping and RVing are so closely aligned, you often find a wide variety of general camping supplies there too.  You may also find camping supplies at your local grocery store and large pharmacy chains like Rite Aid and Walgreens.  Some auto parts stores stock a limited amount of RV supplies too and sometimes that includes camping items.  You might even find camping supplies in truck stops and travel centers along major highways.  You can even get a lot of basic supplies at dollar stores!

When I'm in the market for camping supplies and equipment, whether for tent camping or RVing, the first place I usually look is ebay.com.  That is, if I can afford to wait a few days for the items to be delivered.  For more immediate needs, I'll head to a local store like Big 5 or Walmart.  I've kept track of my ebay purchases over several years and have found that by judicious choice of purchases I've saved an average of over 50% over retail, even when I include shipping.  But whenever you use an Internet auction site, be sure you know what things will cost through regular local or online retail outlets so you don't over bid.  Remember, to some extent, to win an auction on ebay you must be willing to pay more than anyone else in the world!  Don't let yourself get drawn into a bidding war over something you can get elsewhere.  I've seen bids for items on ebay climb way above the regular retail price at the local Walmart.  For example, I saw someone pay over $17 plus shipping for an outdoor 12-volt RV receptacle that sells every day at Walmart for under $10!  You also need to be aware of shipping and handling costs, which sometime exceed the value of the product.  I guess it might be worth it if you don't have a Walmart near you, but you should be able to order it online at a reasonable price and have it delivered anyway without overpaying for it in an auction.

Thrift stores are not normally thought of as camping stores, but they can often be an excellent source of inexpensive equipment for camping.  People often donate camping equipment they no longer use to the charitable organizations that run thrift stores.  Often the equipment has only been slightly used because it seems we never get to go camping enough.  Sometimes it is even brand new! People tend to accumulate duplicate items over time or receive them as gifts.  You won't always find equipment like tents, lanterns, stoves, or sleeping bags, but they are pretty common and when you do you find them you will probably be able to get them for a fraction of their original retail cost and very often they will be gently used and still in good condition.  Some thrift stores even recondition items for sale.  You can almost always count on finding plenty of kitchen items -- pots, pans, utensils, dinnerware etc.  You can stock your galley or chuck box without breaking your budget.  They usually have a large selection of clothing from which you can build up your camp wardrobe.  Good winter jackets, like ski parkas, can be VERY expensive when new but you can often find excellent used ones at thrift stores that are more than suitable for camping at a tiny fraction of their original cost.  Thrift stores are also a good place to find good used jeans and other comfortable pants for camping.  You may even find some good hiking or snow boots!  (I like to keep a pair of snow boots in my RV.  I call them my "desert bedroom slippers".  They are really comfortable and keep my feet warm and comfortable around the campfire after a day of having my feet confined in stiff motorcycle riding boots. Thrift stores are also a good place to pick up extra linens for camping.  Bedding and towels can take a beating in camp so having inexpensive and expendable ones is always a good idea.  Other good sources for used items include garage sales and local classified ads.  Also be sure to check your your local version of craigslist.

My advice to you is to look for camping and RV supplies and accessories where ever  you go.  Even hardware stores and home centers sometimes have items you may find useful, even if they aren't specifically designed for camping.  I once picked up a 7' umbrella tent for $10 at a side walk sale at a home improvement store!   Our local home center recently had a special price promotion on telescoping walking sticks.  I would have never thought to look for them there.  I've even found unique camping related items at truck stops and travel centers during road trips.  While you might need to be careful about making unplanned expenditures while traveling, you will often discover that you will never have another opportunity to purchase certain unique items.  In general my suggestion is when in doubt, buy it!  I can't think of a single time I've regretted making such a purchase but there have been many times I've lost out by not buying something when I could and definitely regretted it!

A couple of tips for keeping cost down:  1) check to see if you already have some excess or duplicate items you can re-purpose for camping before you spend good money on new ones and 2) keep your eyes open for sales -- watch for clearance and manger special signs whenever you go shopping.  Look over the stuff in your kitchen, attic, basement, and garage to see what you might have stored that you can now use.  One other thought:  stock up on bargains when  you have a chance.  That applies mostly to durable goods and supplies.  Buying large quantities of perishable items only makes sense when you have an immediate need and will use them up before they go bad, such as for a large family or group outing -- or if you have a way to preserve them for future use, such as freezing them.  I had to pay $1.50 for two of the little spring type sleeping bag cord locks when I needed them NOW for a trip.  A few days later I bought about 50 of them in one bag on ebay for about what I spent at my local sporting goods store for two!  It took a couple of weeks for them to arrive but next time I need them I'll be all set.

Dollar Tree isn't really a camping store or even have a camping department per se, but you can often purchase many items you might need for camping there.  Check out my post on Camping Supplies from Dollar Tree.  You won't find tents or sleeping bags but you will find lots of cleaning and medical supplies, kitchen items, flashlights, batteries, tools, and I've even found small solar camping lanterns there!

Some items you might find it useful to watch for and stock up on might include spare parts for stoves and lanterns (generators, mantles, pump repair kits etc), tent pegs, personal grooming items (such a camping mirrors, biodegradable soap, pocket first aid kits, etc), LED flashlights and batteries, fire starters, parts for back packs (those darned little clevis pins have a habit of getting lost on the trail!), sunglasses, and bandages and other durable medical supplies.  RVers or tent campers with a porta-potty will want to stock up on toilet/holding tank chemicals.  If you use a gasoline camp stove or lantern, a couple extra cans of camping fuel would be handy.  Fortunately, the white gasoline used for camping fuel lasts a lot longer than modern ethanol modified motor fuel.  If your have propane stove or lantern, you can save money by buying multi-packs of propane canisters when they're on sale.

Camping stores are an excellent source of new gear.  However, you can often find gently used or even unused camping equipment at garage sales and via classified ads like ebay and cragislist.  Some of my favorite pieces of equipment have come from these places.  Sometimes used items might need a good cleaning but often you'll find things in ready to go condition.  People sometimes end up with duplicates or they upgrade their gear and the excess ends up in garage sales and thrift stores.   It has always surprised and pleased me to find out how frequently I see brand new items at bargain prices.  If you have a strong preference for buying new products, keep an eye out for coupons, clearances, manager's specials, and end of season sales.  To keep your cost down look for year end sales and manager specials to get bargain prices.

Sometimes you might be searching for a vintage item that is not longer available through normal retail channels.  You may still be able to find what you want on ebay or craigslist.  I did that to get an "accessory safe" for my vintage Coleman lantern.  Why some fairly popular items like that disappear from the market is a mystery to me.  I can only assume they didn't live up to the manufacturer's or retailer's profit expectations or the cost of manufacturing them got too high.  Often, the difficulty in finding them may drive up the price, so do shop around a bit before jumping on a "find" but don't wait too long or the price may go up even more or the item you want may be sold!

Shop 'til you drop!