Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

I spent most of the winter stockpiling outdoor gear and restocking.

I've been ordering online from Backcountry.com. (Someone did ask. I forgot). You think Woolies is expensive, wait until you buy outdoor stuff.

If you ordered a few boxes you get the goods in days and you still saved on Little Burke Street prices for the named brands. (Kathmandu and Anaconda still have their moments and use. Actually Kathmandu does not have much use and it's worth pointing out that their gear is heavily marked up and always on sale).

Last week I checked an item for a down jacket for a bloke at work to discover the UPS shipping had trebled - putting the whole US online idea in jeopardy and beyond economy.

A Marmot down bag is now 180 dollars to ship! 2 weeks ago when I got mine it was only 60 and that was delivery via Hawai over the weekend. Their slower shipping was only a few dollars less. (If 60 sounds expensive I was still dollars ahead).

So....back to the drawing board.

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

The biggest problem with Australia: the lack of choice.

I tried to get a replacement plate amplifier for my subwoofer a couple of months ago. In Australia I was quoted $1200. I got a better replacement from the US for $350 AUD. $400 inc postage.

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

It's not the biggest problem. There are far more. (It's only a problem because I DON'T have a Tesco attitude to certain items).

As long as you can identify a source it is OK. My problem is that a source has been removed.

(Actually I could ship free to a US address - but that involves negotiations and involvement with family and they might have better things to do after all).

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

Have a look at this:
www.hopshopgo.com

I've just placed my first order through them - so will see how they perform.

As for Anaconda, they have a huge sale on this weekend. I bought a mountain bike from them yesterday - was $2300, paid $920, 60% off. I reckon that counts as a good bargain.

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

Good. Thanks mate. As it happens I read this somewhere earlier on in the week and it did not register.

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

How much gear do you need for a weekend in the Dandenongs?? :lol:

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

Depends on whether it is raining or not. And whether it is below 10 degrees or not. Basically.

Joking aside - however me old mucker :p I plan to do some alpine walks on snow-covered Feathertop and the like (twice the height of Mt Snowdon which puts it in perspective and where the Water Minister Tim Holding went missing a year ago).

I had to have a telephone interview with the walk leader to be allowed on to this particular sojourn! I got tipped off by a mate that you had to basically show you had some sort of experience and sure enough I was grilled on my equipment... I've never had to do that before...it was probably a near thing :-)

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

Surely there are others :

http://www.rei.com/

ships internationally.

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

We get most of our outdoor gear from these guys and if they don't have something on their website it's worth sending them an e-mail to see if they can source other stuff for you:

http://www.e-outdoor.co.uk/

We used to shop in ones of their stores in the UK and they had excellent customer service, couldn't be more helpful. Plus as shipping rates from US have gone up so much recently, the prices are becoming more competitive.

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

Without having used them I have always thought this mob based in victoria look reputable with some handy add ons like insurance to cover the price of returning a faulty item to the USA and the ability to redeem USA cash back offers on your behalf: http://www.priceusa.com.au/

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

Do you know anyone who's used them?
I recently had the misfortune to roll my mower down the rather steep slope we live on. I survived with a few cuts & bruises, the mower deck was badly twisted. It's a Craftsman, made by Sears in the U.S. To buy the replacement cutting deck here in Qld the price is $968. To buy the same deck in the states is $136 U.S [$148 Aussie] problem is UPS etc won't ship it as it's to heavy/bulky for normal shipping prices
That sounds like a decent deal @ + 5%
I buy gear from the U.K & the U.S often as price wise the Aussies just can't compete, unpatriotic? nope just a conscientious consumer.

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

These third party agents offering to masquerade look interesting and I'll have to check them out. I'd rather do my business direct.

Luckily I got all my stuff before the hike with my last purchase only days before!

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

I'd rather do my business direct too, but sadly many many US based suppliers are suspicious of shipping to Australia and refuse to do it. I don't understand why this is - I have said before that maybe our money isn't good enough for them.

Anyway, Re. PriceUSA, many contributors on the Whirlpool.net forums use them for sourcing cheaper mobile handsets from the US - notably over the last year was people using them to supply Google's Nexus 1 phone. Check out some of the threads. The woman who runs the outfit is a Whirlpool contributor, and seems reasonably open re. contact etc.

Alternatively, there is also ComGateway.com who my office chums use to ship all their climbing gear over here with. Looks like it suffers from the same problems as your outdoor gear - Very over priced on the local market.


S

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

:rofl: They aren't "suspicious" of shipping to Aus. The reason that they don't, is simply because it is a major pain in the backside.

Re: Choice...you can't get this, you can't get that..blah blah.. (outdoor gear)
 

All the extra effort of sticking on a customs declaration and some extra stamps you mean? I do feel sorry for the poor over worked Americans!


S