As we have written, the inspiration for this blog really stemmed from a desire for cheaper climbing holds. Truth be told, we desire pretty much everything cheaper. That has inspired creating our own products, or searching for bargains. Call us cheap, but honestly I think my forced spending habits from being in college will persist.
In an effort to spend as little as we need to, while enjoying the same hobbies and sports we love, I have put together a list of places I go to in order to find my outdoor gear:
ebay - This is likely no surprise to you. If you've done any amount of online shopping, you've probably run into ebay. I've found some good bargains on ebay over the years. A word to the wise. Be careful with what you buy on ebay. Climbing rope, safety equipment (like helmets and harnesses), and carabiners should never be bought used. There is no telling what kind of life that kind of product has had before getting to you and you don't want to risk your life saving a few bucks!
Steep and Cheap - This is a good one to keep bookmarked. It is a closeout site for backcountry.com. One item at a time is sold until time or stock runs out. There are sister sites as well for more specific sports. Chainlove is one focused on biking. I got my Shimano MTB shoes from here for 60% off. It's great if you don't have a specific product in mind, because there is no telling what will come up. They also have a pretty amusing daily email which hints at some upcoming deals.
The Clymb - This site is relatively new. It is an exclusive site which you need an invite to see the deals (don't worry the link is actually an invite from me). Nice brands have been on the site - Chaco, Solomon, The North Face, etc. Currently (as of 3/8/12) there is a sale on Gibbon Slack lines for up to 50% off. It's worth checking out!
REI Outlet, Department of Goods (another backcountry.com site), Moosejaw Outlet, etc. Basically all of the major online retailers will have some sort of clearance site. They're great if you have something specific in mind but don't mind rocking last years model. I got a discounted year old Camelbak Mule a few years back from the REI outlet I believe.
Promotive is a great option on current products. Unfortunately it's for outdoor industry employees only. So if you can prove you work in the industry in some capacity, you can likely join promotive and get access to pro deals.
I hope this helps! I'll try to keep this list up to date if I find any more sites worth sharing. Where do you get your gear? Is it all online? I know local shops often have clearance or even swap meets to protect your wallet. Let me know in the comments below if your favorite site didn't make my list.
-Jonathan
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