We all enjoy camping in the great outdoors but what if you can’t or don’t want to spend a fortune to do so. Well, luckily this article is all about the best ways to find discount camping equipment.
If you are patient and willing to do a little searching you will be amazed just how much you can save off the retail price for camping and outdoor gear. Using the below techniques don’t be surprised if you save 25%, 50%, or more off of MSRP for your camping and outdoor supplies.
Best Places to Find Discount Camping Equipment Online
There are many great places to find discount camping gear which are divided into two main categories including online and brick and mortar stores.
Let’s start with great online avenues first and then take a look at those physical stores that might be right around the corner from you.
The most important thing to remember online is the Google search bar is your best friend and will be an invaluable tool in finding great prices on discount and clearance camping items. To use this technique simply use the formula “Discount (and then the item you are looking for)”. This will literally bring up hundreds and thousands of websites with discounted, sale, and clearance items of the product that you are searching for. Some other seed words to use in this formula include clearance, sale, and cheap.
In addition, there are a few individual websites that we like to search on as well when we are trying to locate discount camping equipment.
Of course the most obvious would be amazon.com you can literally find everything on the website and usually at a good price. However, don’t assume that just because it’s on Amazon that it’s the best price. One of the best ways to ensure success when searching for discount camping equipment is to exercise those fingers online and legs in the real world to comparison shop and make sure that you are getting the best deal.
Some additional sites that always have discounted camping equipment is overstock.com, cheaperthandirt.com, campmor.com, and of course walmart.com
When you are on these sites use their search bar or categories to find the discounted camping item you want and then use they’re built in filter to sort by price, so you can see the cheapest camping gear they have to offer. Oftentimes these sites have a clearance or closeout page on their website that are worth a look as well.
One final tip that many people often forget about is looking for second hand options instead of buying all your camping gear brand new. Sites like cragslist.org or letgo.com are treasure troves of discounted and cheap camping equipment and gear.
Honestly, unless you feel like you need your camping equipment to be brand new this might be a great place to start when you are looking for discount camping equipment. Oftentimes you can find gently used camping items for a ⅓ or ¼ of the cost compared to what you spend for the items brand new.
Best Places to Find Local Discount Camping Gear
Don’t forget when looking for discount camping equipment at physical stores some of the best practices online still apply offline. For example, comparison shopping is still an invaluable tool when looking for discounts offline, but instead of searching for different websites, you search for different local stores that sell camping equipment.
Some stores that we like for cheap or discounted camping equipment include Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Outdoor Sports Academy.
However in this day and age where big box stores reign supreme don’t forget to look for discount camping equipment where you might least expect it. For example, we have found great deals on camping equipment at Sam’s Club as well as Target.
When you are in the stores of course start in their respective camping and outdoor sections looking for sale and discount items but don’t forget to look around the store as well as most stores will have discount bins and shelves spread throughout.
Also always keeps an eye out for sale adds and in store end caps where sometimes you can find deeply discounted items called loss leaders. In essence loss leaders are items the store has chosen to sell below their own cost to get you into their store, in the hopes you will buy additional items while there that have better margins for them.
Things to Consider When Buying Discount Camping Equipment
When you are looking for cheap camping gear don’t forget to keep these points in mind.
- Comparison Shop for the Best Deals
- Don’t be Afraid to Ask for a Discount or a Sale Price
- Shop for Outdoor and Camping Items off season
- Look for Second Hand Deals
- Be Patient When Searching for Cheap Camping Gear
What to Avoid When Purchasing Discount Camping Equipment
Although its great and oddly satisfying to save money on items that you are looking for, it is also important not to get carried away or have blinders on while looking for the elusive unicorn deal to end all deals, for your next piece of camping gear.
One of the most important things to keep in mind is not to sacrifice quality when searching for discounted camping equipment. It’s not really that much of a cost savings if you buy such a cheaply made products that you have to replace them every other camping season as opposed to buying quality made items that you use for a lifetime.
Also, there is a safety factor to consider as well when considering discount camping equipment. The items that you are buying will oftentimes be used in harsh climates and conditions, so never sacrifice on quality when safety or health could be in question. Always make sure that you are purchasing quality made items that will stand up to harsh climates and adverse outdoor conditions. When the weather turns nasty or the terrain gets tough you don’t want to regret pinching pennies when just a few more bucks would have bought a product that was more reliable and comfortable in the great outdoors.
Don’t be afraid to occasionally splurge on items when you feel that they will offer immense value or save time while you are camping. For example, if you are looking for a cheap camping tent it’s never a bad idea spend a little more for items such as better materials that will last longer or convenience items such as quick setup and tear downtimes.
We suspect you love camping because you enjoy relaxing in nature, spending time outdoors with friends and family, and getting back to a simpler life. Not because you like spending countless hours searching for the best camping deal online or visiting store after store searching for your next deeply discounted camping item.
The point being don’t let your search for discount camping equipment become more important than the enjoyment of camping itself. Also set a limit on how much time you will spend looking for discount camping equipment, because at a certain point it is far better to spend that time in the great outdoors which is where you want to be anyway.
Off-Season is your Friend
The cardinal rule when looking for cheap camping equipment is to buy camping items at the end of camping season or completely out of season.
Not to say that you can’t find deals during the middle of camping season but it will certainly be far more challenging than if you were looking during the off season.
So thinking ahead before camping season is upon you will help you save a ton of money, especially on large ticket items like tents, sleeping bags, cooking gear, and camping boots.
Happy Hunting
We hope that you found this guide on how to find discount camping equipment useful and informative.
One of the great things about camping is that you don’t need much to get out there and enjoy nature. However on the camping gear, you do need, why not find a great deal. Happy hunting!