Dont Let your Mom shop at Eastern Mountain Sports Alone!$$$ sleeping bag!

[trainfinder222]

My well meaning mom baught a 0 degree EMS bag and when I went to go back to return it they said that it would be ) degrees if ---you got the special pad-50.00--you baught the special insert-50.00--you wore the special clothing-100-120.00 and where inside there tent 150-300.00.
EMS seems to be staffed by oogles who maybe get out once a year. I like Dicks Sporting Goods in Buffalo and Binghamton and whereever they are in semi rural working class hoods theey cater to working class folks who hunt almost every weekend. they still have there original shop in the N end of Binhamton NY . They have better buying power and better prices. Seems that Eastern Mountain Sports is located in high end hoods where they can rob the ignorant who have credt cards and maybe get them killed in the procces. Dicks was founded as hunting and fishing where EMS was a ski and bike store

 

[trainfinder222]

Now if it were up to me I would take Mom down to the Army Navy surplus store. They are getting to be far and few between these days though.

 

[Tude]

Alas I too have returned a couple of articles of clothing to EMS - via presents from a well meaning Mom. Was rebuilding my winter bicycle riding clothing and Mom purchased a couple items but didn't realize what I really wanted/needed and she didn't realize the difference between water/wind resistant versus water/wind proof. And they are on the high side of expensive. Dick's is up there too - but they have a bigger variety - and variety of prices. I've purchased some stuff at Dick's, but find more of what I want (for bicycling anyway) on-line.

I haven't been to an army/navy surplus store in years. Next time I head out to old boyfriend's place to do some house rehab - I'll ask to stop there. Some good things to be found there!

 

[trainfinder222]

Army Surplus is heavy for biking but it works.. I am a trainhopper so bulk but not weight is a issue...Did you know that the average US infantry carrys 120 lbs of gear?

 

[Tude]

120 lbs is a lot!~!! I don't do Army surplus for biking - I like it for other stuff - like camping and working outside and stuff. I put a link into your other post about where to find Army surplus stores in the NE btw.

 

[Deleted member 20]

I think EMS, REI, Bass Pro,LL Bean, Cabellas, Dicks has good clearence deals that need to be discovered randomly. I have had great luck with all the high end outdoor stores buying off season stuff at really affordable prices, from camping gear to coveralls & base layer polypro. I think LL bean, REI & EMS have lifetime exchange policies still that may not even require a reciept. I havent scoured the thrift stores for exchangeable items in awhile but It was possible at one time, maybe still. Surplus gear has no warranty & just because it looks rock solid, often times its not. I have a few items that were put into military service with lil wear & are falling apart. I also bought a pair of boots from a closeout store; since the Marines rejected millions of pairs from govt contractors. ​

​

I do outfit myself from mostly military surplus & I am a former US Marine Infantryman. What they may not tell you when they mention the average weight of a combat loaded soldier is how long that load lasts in battle & what long term effects on your knees & back. I only use current issue surplus & try to keep my pack between 50-60lbs! I carried vietnam leftovers in the 1990s while serving, & want whats best available to american soldiers now. ​

​

I too am a avid cyclist & have had some luck at REI & EMS finding a few rare high end cycling accesories & random pieces of clothing on the clearence rack. I am in Mass & have about a dozen Army Navy Stores to choose from within a few hundred miles. Even so I am forever searching for the best deals. It helps to know the correct termination that those in the military & surplus community use. Its good to keep a finger on whats out there & the retail prices they are going for. I dont suggest paying full price for anything but walking through stores & browsing catalouges & online stores helps determine a good sense of actual value. Military surplus is much trickier since some A/N stores charge out the nose. I know how much time I have spent researching gear & wouldnt allow my mom to buy anything for me. It would be way too expensive & probably the wrong item.​

​

I suggest using craigslist often because there is wiggle/haggle room on currencies & prices. I use keyword searches to find specific items of surplus being sold by returning Iraq/Afq veterans. 9 times out of 10 they are much more reasonable & have been screwed over by surplus stores in the past & wont sell to them. Its not uncommon for a soldier to loose a piece of gear stateside & be finanically responsible for it & need to go to a A/N store to replace it. They have prob seen so much camo lately that they just want it all gone! That is, until they drop off the map & start traveling or living off the grid too.​

​

Semper Fi​

 

[BrownStone NY]

My well meaning mom baught a 0 degree EMS bag and when I went to go back to return it they said that it would be ) degrees if ---you got the special pad-50.00--you baught the special insert-50.00--you wore the special clothing-100-120.00 and where inside there tent 150-300.00.
EMS seems to be staffed by oogles who maybe get out once a year. I like Dicks Sporting Goods in Buffalo and Binghamton and whereever they are in semi rural working class hoods theey cater to working class folks who hunt almost every weekend. they still have there original shop in the N end of Binhamton NY . They have better buying power and better prices. Seems that Eastern Mountain Sports is located in high end hoods where they can rob the ignorant who have credt cards and maybe get them killed in the procces. Dicks was founded as hunting and fishing where EMS was a ski and bike store

Did the Eureka Outlet store n Bingo ever reopen after the flood in 2011?

 

[trainfinder222]

The Sleeping Bag is a Big Agnus
https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/SleepingBags