Favorite outdoor retailer? (could use your help)

[Squatch]

Just doing a little class project and could use all of your help.

Who is your favorite outdoor retailer? Additionally, when you respond, can you please specify the actual company name that corresponds to whatever choice you made?

(For instance, If I chose option #3, I might specify Wild River Outfitters as the store I most often frequent)

Thanks ahead for all of your help!

[slackmaster]

1. Frequent REI shopper, in-store

I actually haven't even looked at their Web site. If I could save California sales tax by shopping via Internet, that might be the best way to go.

[Squatch]

3. Hmm...that's very interesting insight. Thanks a bunch!

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Crap, I voted wrong - REI over Internet, I voted REI in store

So, you'll need to change those two. Sorry!!

[Squatch]

5. OK, noted. Thanks!

[rawtribe]

4. I shop online at

http://www.backcountry.com/

[seemunkee]

6. Split between REI in store and the local retailer

I worked for the local retailer for 7 years while in high school and college and feel somel loyalty. The local company is Hudson Trail outfitters. Now that a new climbing gym opened with a pro shop I'll probably use them too.

[ucmike]

7. voted local/in store.

i try to use our local sporting goods store (effingers, bound brook, nj since 1909) whenever possible. their prices aren't the best, but i like the service and supporting the local guys. if they don't have what i want i will go to a chain like sports authority or ems.

i tried to make my last big fishing gear purchase on line but was frustrated by lack of info and i like to hold what i buy before putting out the cash. i finally decided to buy the stuff from a website and was very pissed when only some accessories items were in stock, none of the big ticket items were. this wasn't revealed until i called customer service to inquire about shipping times. fortunately, i called before finalizing the order. my last venture buying sports gear on-line, i think.

[SOteric]

8. I remember when REI was local.

*sigh*

[ForrestGump]

12. Me, too. First REI I went into was in Seattle.

Now they're everywhere -- actually, I've got one about a mile from here.

If I had to pick one, they'd still be my pick even though a lot of stuff there has gone up in price significantly.

Most of my outdoor activities haven't been incredibly demanding of me buying the kinds of things that REI carries (the last 15 years or so have seen me overwhelmingly marine, rather than terrestrial, in my outdoor activities) so I've mixed purchases from REI with purchases from various online outfits that specialize in travel and outdoor gear (Magellan's is a good one that springs to mind, for travel stuff). My dive gear and so on, as well as related camera gear, is all way outside of their purview.

I'm also very partial to Bass Pro Shops...they're such fun to poke around in, even if you don't buy anything.

[Squatch]

13. I miss the old store off of Broadway

[CrownPrinceBandar]

9. Campmor, via the internet...........

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalogDisplay?storeId=226&catalogId=40000000226&langId=-1

[ET Awful]

10. I usually go with REI, in-store because it's not too far away, and they

always seem to have exactly what I'm looking for.

[Fox Mulder]

11. REI, Cabela's, Gander Mountain, and Scheel's.

:)

I prefer to do all my shopping in the store, not online (because I have no credit card).

[frylock]

14. rei, sport chalet, adventure-16..

A-16 being exclusive to SoCal. A little spendy, but the best equipment available.

[catmandu57]

15. I love BassPro

They're branching out, but they used to have just one store in Springfield Missouri.
I went down there looking for a job about 16/17 years ago and just wandered around like a kid in a candy store for days.