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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Posts
    1,279

    STP replacement/alternative

    I've just given up on Sierra Trading Post ever regaining a spot where I'd look for cheapish stuff any more. (At least for things other than cute dog water-bowls, or something - and those dog bowls aren't really "cheap" anyway...)

    But I'm not sure where else to look.
    Steep and cheap, but IMO, there's a ton of dross - stuff that's just kind of "OK" pricing wise - but you've got to churn through a ton stuff that's mostly just retail to find the one gem. (I've never spent a lot of time there, so perhaps there's some kind of method that results in better results than I've gotten...)

    I've not needed much stuff the last couple of years, so ebay and the odd "here and there" method has worked ok.

    What's everyone else doing?

    -Greg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Posts
    394

    STP replacement/alternative

    (Deleted)
    Last edited by dub_xion; 02-22-2021 at 09:22 AM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    5,707
    TJ Maxx

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Among Greatness All Around
    Posts
    6,628
    STP is owned by TJ Maxx and the company also owns and runs Marshalls. So sometimes the same stuff shows up at all 3 places. If you have both the stores near you, always worth a trip and walk through to see what they have on red tag or better yet yellow tag clearance in clothing and from time to time gear like goggles, helmets, and other gear items.

    You mention Steep & Cheap- which really is a limited deals web site of the BackCountry , it's sister company. In addition the companies portfolio includes websites CompetitiveCyclist, MotoSport, Bergfreunde, Steep&Cheap and Whiskey Militia.

    Any more it pays to sometimes just Google search the item you are looking for and see if even Ebay or Amazon as well as other sites show up and compare pricing. It really depends on what you are looking for also though, ski gear, snowboarding, clothing, camping or backpacking gear, etc.. Walmart when they purchased Moosejaw and now do just like Amazon where you can use their big box store website of walmart.com to buy and purchase from 3rd party companies that are not Moosejaw or Walmart but end up being shown on their search results, just like stuff on Amazon may not be sold from Amazon or even fulfilled from an Amazon warehouse ever has changed shopping also as many companies wanting you to use them as a go to search engine for the latest purchase you want to make.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    6,749
    Moosejaw on Cyber Monday.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,844
    STP has def gone down a few pegs for me since the coupons stopped flowing. But it still occasionally wins out, esp with free ship to the store that is on my ski commute where I can immediately return if I don't like/fit the thing.

    $200 Liberty Evolv 90s with ActiveJunky cashback were solid pickup. Trail shoes I like at $60 (vs cheapest online otherwise at $90) is solid.

    But yeah, now its 1-2 times a year vs what was probably quarterly before.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Posts
    1,279
    Quote Originally Posted by doebedoe View Post
    STP has def gone down a few pegs for me since the coupons stopped flowing. But it still occasionally wins out, esp with free ship to the store ...
    But yeah, now its 1-2 times a year vs what was probably quarterly before.
    For me it was - "Hey, I need some cheapish mittens." (Never mind that if you type in mittens in the search at STP you get a boatload of gloves. There doesn't appear to be any way to filter so you only see mittens. Gak!)
    So, I'd head over to STP and sort by price. I'd find some reasonable mittens at <$20. They'd be $60, new elsewhere. Sure they were last-years model, or hadn't sold well and were closeout. I don't care. They'll do.

    Or an inexpensive fleece beanie. Closeout adjustable poles.
    All that stuff simply appears to be mostly gone and what's left is not that great of a price.
    (It's kind of like REI - they used to be a serious climbing/gear store. Now, while I suppose they still have quite a lot of gear, it's a lot of t-shirts espresso makers, and camping blenders. I'm sure it makes them money, but that's not why I came to REI or STP.) And it was nice that I could visit (STP) fairly regularly and pick up a pair of shoes and some other odds and ends that I needed at good prices. Now if I'm shopping for one specific big ticket item, I might look at STP, but otherwise it's, like described above, an ebay or google search. (But that's such a PITA for a fleece beanie, for example - stuff under $15-20, say.)

    All that said, I guess I'm not missing anything - I do ebay and google searches on any modestly large items to see what I can find. It's just far less convenient than dropping by STP and looking at the eccectic selection of stuff they used to have. Often there'd be a gem - a top end hard-shell in a weird color and size, that was $150-200 instead of $600. "Ok, I can live with bright orange, and I'm hobbit sized - so that works!" That's the kind of stuff that made me a STP regular.

    Glad to hear any other bright ideas that someone might have stumbled across that I don't know about!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Bay Area
    Posts
    751
    Maybe it's just me, but it also seems like a lot of manufactures are just doing a better job closing out their past season stuff on their own websites instead of shipping it to third parties. I have gotten some really cheap past season stuff direct from OR, Patagonia, etc, but you gotta go to everyone's own website and plan ahead more for what you need next year. No coupons but still good prices.

    Don't have any ideas for hard goods though, stp was kind of unique for that. I miss when they had the "what would Jesus sell" mission statement before they got bought out.

    Sent from my Pixel XL using TGR Forums mobile app

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    the ham
    Posts
    13,370
    Quote Originally Posted by 1000-oaks View Post
    Moosejaw on Cyber Monday.
    And always use activejunky click-through to MJ for additional cash back.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Alta
    Posts
    2,930
    I keep hearing that all these shops in Europe sent back their inventory for this winter. I’ll be real curious to see how that gets blown out next year.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Posts
    363
    Quote Originally Posted by altacoup View Post
    I keep hearing that all these shops in Europe sent back their inventory for this winter. I’ll be real curious to see how that gets blown out next year.
    The euro sites have definitely started their spring markdowns way earlier than US retailers. Most skis you Google right now are showing up a few hundred dollars cheaper over there already.

    Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Alta
    Posts
    2,930
    ^^^
    I’ve noticed that. I’m referring to the rumors I’ve heard that lots of shops in Europe sent inventory back to manufacturers before even opening it. Hence the big brands are sitting on a bunch of stock

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Posts
    363
    Quote Originally Posted by altacoup View Post
    ^^^
    I’ve noticed that. I’m referring to the rumors I’ve heard that lots of shops in Europe sent inventory back to manufacturers before even opening it. Hence the big brands are sitting on a bunch of stock
    Gotcha, yeah that could be pretty interesting for potential summer and next year deals.

    Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    The land of Genesee Cream Ale and homemade pierogies!
    Posts
    2,105
    shopping.google.com - first stop these days.
    “The best argument in favour of a 90% tax rate on the rich is a five-minute chat with the average rich person.”

    - Winston Churchill, paraphrased.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Not in the PRB
    Posts
    32,776
    Quote Originally Posted by RShea View Post
    You mention Steep & Cheap- which really is a limited deals web site of the BackCountry , it's sister company. In addition the companies portfolio includes websites CompetitiveCyclist, MotoSport, Bergfreunde, Steep&Cheap and Whiskey Militia.
    yeah, and don't buy from any of these, fuck backcountry.com.
    "fuck off you asshat gaper shit for brains fucktard wanker." - Jesus Christ
    "She was tossing her bean salad with the vigor of a Drunken Pop princess so I walked out of the corner and said.... "need a hand?"" - Odin
    "everybody's got their hooks into you, fuck em....forge on motherfuckers, drag all those bitches across the goal line with you." - (not so) ill-advised strategy

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    50 miles E of Paradise
    Posts
    15,565
    ^^^I endorse this message

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Posts
    394

    STP replacement/alternative

    Almost worth the convenience of getting a VPN subscription to do searches with EU ip addresses to not have to wade through search results.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Wasatch
    Posts
    7,239
    Corbetts is good and love the love Canada conversion. Found some great deals at campsaver outlet and their semi local. Campmor and evo also.


    Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
    I need to go to Utah.
    Utah?
    Yeah, Utah. It's wedged in between Wyoming and Nevada. You've seen pictures of it, right?

    So after 15 years we finally made it to Utah.....


    Thanks BCSAR and POWMOW Ski Patrol for rescues

    8, 17, 13, 18, 16, 18, 20, 19, 16, 24, 32, 35

    2021/2022 (13/15)

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    Ottawa
    Posts
    801
    The Last Hunt is altitude sports discount site, they’re Quebec.

    https://www.thelasthunt.com
    Quote Originally Posted by jlboyell View Post
    Climate change deniers should be in the same boat as the flat earthers, ridiculed for stupidity.

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