Shopping for Gear in America

[ULWalkingPhil]

Depends on the vendor and their system for registering articles and dispatch. Ive found that some can take a week or two to get moving, once underway they seem to take a week or so, for some reason doing a ping pong between melbourne and sydney on the way. What vendors?

Warbonnetoutdoors.com And whoopieslings.com

[Snowzone]

It's easy to work yourself up into a lather when you're waiting for things you've purchased on line (we all want it yesterday). Unfortunately part of the deal in purchasing goods os is a longer wait for that retail satisfaction! I've found that the best thing to do is to buy and then try and forget about it (easier said than done I know). If you get too obsessed about it, you end up spending energy worrying about nothing. (Try putting it in perspective, much worse things can happen in life than a slow to arrive parcel!).

As Gaye says: "Patience is needed along with an appreciation of what it has to go through, red tape wise, to get to you".

Cheers,

JB

But I want it NOW!
I placed my first OS order with Moontrail on July 8th which according to usps is currently in transit to Aus. And yes I'm busy checking for updates each day but sadly there has been no change since the 13th July when it went through the Chicago sort centre.
Its hard to remain patient when your so excited about a new Tent.

[ninjapuppet]

Yeh you just gotta chill sometimes.

Ordered a jetboil 5 weeks ago from Moontrail but still not here. Emailed them but they said to wait up to 60 days for it with the the "international letter" postage. It usually turns up in the end and you you just got to be preapred to take that risk, otherwise buy it locally.

I had to order from the US because Titanium jetboils arent available here yet.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Same here, what I've purchased from overseas are not available here.

[nolmos]

I've been buying gear from the US for years - even before our dollar was so strong. I've just been told about a new Australian web site that supplies top quality DAC lightweight stuff with free express delivery. They've got DAC J stake tent pegs (the only pegs I use) for $4 and some very sharp lightweight trekking poles. It looks like there will be a whole range of super light weight stuff later. This might be the way of the future - straight from the manufacturer to the user through a local web site. That cuts out all the agents and importers etc that add all the extra costs, and it avoids the shipping problems by having a local web site. The site is [link removed by admin - same product mentioned in 3 out of 4 first posts, including after private message]

[ULWalkingPhil]

I've been buying gear from the US for years - even before our dollar was so strong. I've just been told about a new Australian web site that supplies top quality DAC lightweight stuff with free express delivery. They've got DAC J stake tent pegs (the only pegs I use) for $4 and some very sharp lightweight trekking poles. It looks like there will be a whole range of super light weight stuff later. This might be the way of the future - straight from the manufacturer to the user through a local web site. That cuts out all the agents and importers etc that add all the extra costs, and it avoids the shipping problems by having a local web site. The site is http://www.helinox.com.au

A few of our club members own these trekking poles, they are very light. One of our club member has some problems with his, something about the connections, He contacted the company and they have replaced the poles with a newer version, which appear to be a lot better than what he had before. I had a good look of the trekking pole today and they are much better than the ones he had.

[Dale]

For those suffering from waiting times for gear from the US, inbound postal items increased 28% in 09/10 and no doubt will keep trending upwards:

2-08-2011 4-30-14 PM.jpg (22.58 KiB) Viewed 10784 times

The difference between online and in-store prices should be no surprise and I'd say camping gear could give books a run for their money...

2-08-2011 4-34-31 PM.jpg (26.92 KiB) Viewed 10784 times

[roysta]

I've used Shipito half a dozen times in the last year and they've been right on the button.
Brands like Arc'teryx, Cascade Designs/MSR and The North Face can't be shipped outside the US.
Set up an account at Shipito and get them sent there and then to Australia.
I've saved a lot of cash.

[ninjapuppet]

Just a heads up, that I have noticed quite a few shops lately reducing their prices drastically, and showing the new reduced prices as the normal RRP prices.

one example is the Steripen Opti from paddy pallins. I'm sure it was $269 not long ago, then ive seen it for $229 in May, and today I saw them for $130 at normal price!
RRP for this in the US is $100, and at these prices, it makes perfect sense to buy locally!
http://www.paddypallin.com.au/steripen-opti.html

About time they stopped gouging customers like they have in the past...
** (with "they", being retailers in general. not paddy pallin specificall)

[flatfoot]

one example is the Steripen Opti from paddy pallins. I'm sure it was $269 not long ago, then ive seen it for $229 in May, and today I saw them for $130 at normal price!
RRP for this in the US is $100, and at these prices, it makes perfect sense to buy locally!
http://www.paddypallin.com.au/steripen-opti.html

It's good that prices are becoming more reasonable! I've always avoided Paddy Palin because of their high prices.

I just bought a new pair of sunnies via ebay from a USA-based outlet. The shipped price was around $135. These retail for $306 in Australia.

[Dale]

Umm... USPS facing insolvency - that might slow down our packages !

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/co ... 885070.htm

[ninjapuppet]

oh crap!.

That might explain why i'm still waiting for 58 days for my package from mooontrail to arrive.
i was already suspicious after 2 weeks and alerted them, but they told me to wait 60 full days before they could take it further... hmmmmmm got me thinking now.

[Dale]

According to the article they don't run out of cash until the end of this year and it's up to Congress to continue their funding. So they should still be delivering. The situation does blow my mind. Is existing through borrowed money a national past time now in the States ? Reminds me of my favourite Oscar Wilde quote, said when he was ill and dying and couldn't afford to pay for the treatment he was receiving: "I am dying as I have lived. Beyond my means."

[Rob A]

Just a quick heads up on Postage from US, particualy for anyone struggling with delivery.

We placed an order on 17 July.
From the box markings and documentation;
Dispatch was 19 July and confirmed by US Potal Date.
Arrival Sydney 03 August.
Arrived at our post office box today, 23 August. We are approximately 120km as the crow flies from Sydney/Mascot airport.
Customs papers were in order. Original box seals were unboken, AFP havent been hunting through it for heroin or diamonds.

Normally stuff from Sierra Trading takes about a fortnight to reach us.
To their credit, Sierra Trading IMMEDITELY RE SENT the order when their (apprx 4 week USPS) should be arrived by date had passed.
Sierra Trading also IMMEDIATELY REFUNDED difference between the original order and stuff they were unable to resend.
As far as I can determine they have done all the right things in looking after their customers

We now have two boxes of gear, with the short one payed for.

We placed an order with Hong Kong trader 01 Aug.
It arrived in our post office box 19 August.
Normally China/Mainland stuff has been arriving within a few days. Record I think was Tuesday order arriving Thursday.

There seems to be something mucky happening at Australia Post. Maybe the dollars strength/post volume is the problem.

[etrangere]

Just recieved Integral Designs Bugaboo eVent bivy $315 from BaseGear.com. 4 weeks delivery with USPS

4 - 6 weeks is what they have stated on delivery times and have always found Basegear.com really easy and efficient to deal with

[Dale]

Delivery times right now seem to be a cr*p shoot. Received a Moontrail order recently via USPS within a week.

[JohnM]

I reckon Oz Post hold onto them.

A colleague and I each placed a moontrail order 9 days apart, left Chicago 9 days apart, arrived in our Melbourne office on the same day.

As our American friends would say, go figure.

[Franco]

Some parcels are delayed by custom, not Australia Post in my experience.
I can track USPS so I see when the parcels arrives and leaves custom.
Usually Australia Post will deliver it the same day or the next day.
( I am not that far from Custom and the PO depo...)
Franco

[andrewbish]

( I am not that far from Custom and the PO depo...)
Franco

Well then - would you mind just popping over to Customs and grabbing my next OS order for me, Franco?

[johnw]

Some parcels are delayed by custom, not Australia Post in my experience.
I can track USPS so I see when the parcels arrives and leaves custom.
Usually Australia Post will deliver it the same day or the next day.
( I am not that far from Custom and the PO depo...)
Franco

Not in my case Franco. I could clearly see the tracking details and Customs was only 24 hours or so. The subsequent ~week long delay was by Australia Post alone. When I ultimately rang them to find out where it was the woman on the phone seemed to imply that it really should have been delivered already, but was unable to (or wouldn't) explain why it hadn't been.

[Lindsay]

If Customs decides to examine your package they will simply open it, look at the contents and all being well seal it up and put it back in the postal stream. If this occurs near the end of the Australia Post shift it may add 24 hours to delivery time. What AP does with it after is anyones guess. I ordered some books from the UK that were dispatched on 03 August. Arrived today.

[ninjapuppet]

After 2.5 months, my jetboil finally arrived, via USPS "international letter". I'm assuming this means via sea
This is well and truly the record I've had for the longest time to reach destination. tracking is very inaccurate since it still says on the USPS website that its only left its sort facility in the US.
The previous "international letter" package I received took 5 weeks.

Really stoke to find that the sea to summit cup fits on top of the jetboil perfectly so I can leave the pot lid at home.

[johnw]

I ordered some books from the UK that were dispatched on 03 August. Arrived today.

Book Depository UK? I ordered a travel guide from them on 17 Aug, says despatched 19 Aug. First time I've used them. Will be interesting to see how long it takes. Supposedly typically 1-3 weeks. Their prices were too good to ignore. Retails here for $46-00 and their price was $21-15 with free shipping.

[michael_p]

Interesting to read the range of delivery times people have experienced.

I have purchased a range of bushwalking and cycling items from the US, the UK and Hong Kong/China and never really had a problem with delivery times. Best delivery time was from the UK, ordered on the Friday picked up from my PO Box on the next Wednesday. Worst would have been 3 weeks from China. Maybe I have just been lucky.

Only retailer I have had a problem with was Campsaver. One of the items I ordered wasn't in stock and they didn't bother to email me. Waited a couple of days and emailed them, all sorted shortly after and parcel received in due course (7-8 working days if I remember correctly).

I don't think that I have seen this mentioned yet but some US e-retailers use "drop shipping". This when they are just a web based front-end and use another company to do the order fulfilment. I have read complaints on overseas forums about delays in fulfilment and shipping when buying from drop shippers.

Thought I would mention this, Bearpaw Wilderness Designs (aka Bearpaw Tents) sells bits and pieces through an Ebay store: http://myworld.ebay.com.au/eastie2117. They recently had a Cub Den 1 in silnylon at a pretty cheap price and at the moment have a number of tarps and canopy tents for sale. I bought a Minimalist 1 Bug Bivy some time ago via their Ebay store and it arrived in a little over a week.
Also, I have been led to believe that this is Zpacks (as in Hexamid maker) Ebay store: http://myworld.ebay.com.au/zpacks!.

My 20 cents worth.

Cheers,
Michael.

[Stibb]

I ordered some books from the UK that were dispatched on 03 August. Arrived today.

Book Depository UK? I ordered a travel guide from them on 17 Aug, says despatched 19 Aug. First time I've used them. Will be interesting to see how long it takes. Supposedly typically 1-3 weeks. Their prices were too good to ignore. Retails here for $46-00 and their price was $21-15 with free shipping.

A few years ago I needed a book for uni (Australian book published in Australia!). Went to the uni bookstore (@JCU), they could get it in but it would take ~3weeks minimum. I got it from Book depository in UK within a week for 1/3 of the price, including shipping, I was quoted at the uni store (where I had a 10% (IIRC) student discount) *&%$#! ripoff.

[Lindsay]

I ordered some books from the UK that were dispatched on 03 August. Arrived today.

Book Depository UK? I ordered a travel guide from them on 17 Aug, says despatched 19 Aug. First time I've used them. Will be interesting to see how long it takes. Supposedly typically 1-3 weeks. Their prices were too good to ignore. Retails here for $46-00 and their price was $21-15 with free shipping.

Yes, Book Depository. The best online booksellers I have found. I've used them a couple of times previously and the wait was about 2 weeks. This time was a week longer, maybe they are getting very busy with orders from Australia?

[JohnM]

Well, BD's just been acquired by Amazon. So I guess we'll see how sharp their pricing continues to be. Their key benefit (IMO) is the sweet deal that they've got going with Royal Mail, allowing them to offer free international shipping. Wonder if they'll still ship for free, when their parent company doesn't offer this?

[Dale]

Well I'm a very happy customer of Prolite Gear http://www.prolitegear.com ordered some icebreaker shirts and a titanium pot Tue and arrived this morning. Shipped via Fedex for $42. I'm thinking Fedex make quite the difference if you want it quickly. At $35 / shirt the Icebreaker Superfine 150 Tech T Lite merinos is a bargain and one of my favourite bits of clothing.

[jacko1956]

I have had mixed bag in deliveries. Most US deliveries are received within 1 1/2 to 3 weeks. My worst is a couple of T shirts from Zazzle that is 3 1/2 weeks and still not here. My best experience is from Ireland. Ordered a neoair from an irish Ebay shop at about 8:00pm WA time on a Friday night and it was delivered the following Tuesday to our home in Perth.
Re the USPS problems Australia Post is struggling too. I am also convinced that at least one day every fortnight our postie doesn't even come around the suburb. We are relatively inner suburban on Perth standards.

[johnw]

I ordered some books from the UK that were dispatched on 03 August. Arrived today.

Book Depository UK? I ordered a travel guide from them on 17 Aug, says despatched 19 Aug. First time I've used them. Will be interesting to see how long it takes. Supposedly typically 1-3 weeks. Their prices were too good to ignore. Retails here for $46-00 and their price was $21-15 with free shipping.

Yes, Book Depository. The best online booksellers I have found. I've used them a couple of times previously and the wait was about 2 weeks. This time was a week longer, maybe they are getting very busy with orders from Australia?

My book arrived today! 7 days after they despatched it. Very happy .