UKC

Im buying a new rack. Is there anywhere good for bulk buying (i.e. cheaper than Cotswold)? Looking for full set of cams and 1.5 set of wires.

In reply to Jamming Dodger:

America?

In reply to needvert: Useful...

In reply to Jamming Dodger:

Needle Sports have some great deals on cams at the moment.

In reply to Jamming Dodger:

Not exactly what you're asking, but if you phone your local climbing shop and tell them that you want to buy lots of kit they'll probably do you a good price and order in anything they don't routinely stock.

In reply to Nick Russell:

Yeah, and independent shop is likely to give you a hefty discount for a large order. They did for me anyhoo.

In reply to Jamming Dodger: The Outdoor Shop is selling camalots for £37.99 each. I got mine from Go Outdoors with their price match guarantee for £34.19 each and got flamed on here for doing so.

In reply to Jamming Dodger:

Quite a few places sell 'starter' kits:

http://www.cragxclimbing.com/sale/beginners-budget-rack-p-7350.html

http://www.upandunder.co.uk/Outdoor/Climbing/Karabiners-and-Connectors/P---...

If you ring them up, I'd imagine they'd customise one for you and give you a discount.

In reply to mattrm:
I found the starter kits to all be about £50 quid more expensive than if you pieced a rack together from several other places, obviously it's a lot easier to do it this way but buying seperately you get to choose exactly what you want.

In reply to Nick Russell: Thats more or less what I was actually asking
Thanks.

In reply to mattrm: I dont really need a beginners kit as such. I already have biners, slings etc. Just the main bits im missing. Like... err... pro

In reply to Jamming Dodger: Search tinternet then go to Go Outdoors and price match. I once got 10% of the other shops prices toaken off, not sure it was supposed to be like that, I've had 10% of the Go Outdoors price off too.

In reply to Jamming Dodger:
what sort of cams are you after, there is often full sets going second hand on here for about 100 quid (although I'd ask the age of these and account for the life span being about 10 years myself as you can't re-sling them with dyneema slings easily after this and often the springs go around this age...)

If you are after the cheapest functional cams new, the the 4CU at needle sports are unbeatable (28.50 each in bulk), otherwise the outdoor shop are doing a great deal on C4 and joe browns on dragons.

In reply to Jamming Dodger:
as for nuts the old style un annodised rocks can be bought 1->10 for under 50 quid ( http://www.needlesports.com/Catalogue/Rock-Climbing-Equipment/Wires-Nuts/St... )

In reply to Jamming Dodger: Nowhere springs to mind, so the first thing you should do is compile a really detailed shopping list. Next, you can use the Goggle shopping search to find out what is a good price for each item. That then gives you a basic benchmark to work from.

You then, as mentioned by others, have perhaps three basic options:
- buy online from the cheapest retailers for different items, or groups of items.
- go into a large store that advertises a 'price match' (e.g. Cotswolds, GoOutdoors).
- go into your local independent store with a copy of your shopping list and internet prices, ask to speak to the manager and see if he/she is willing to come to deal.

If there is a decent shop nearby, the third option is worth a go. If not, the first option is probably easiest as it is fairly likely that one shop will not stock absolutely everything you are after.

That said it is always worth taking you time and not impulse buying. I always have a long, detailed shopping list and wishlist of gear that I need so that I can take advantage of sales and special offers as and when I see them. Also, at least 30% of the time I end up buying things via ebay or the for sale/wanted forums here.

In reply to Jamming Dodger:

A 4th option is after making the list, spending your money in the shop where they're the nicest and most helpful to you, if not the cheapest.

I tend to flip between chasing bargains and the option above.

In reply to Jamming Dodger: I work in an outdoor shop and our idea of bulk buying is £1000 plus for a customer. If you reckon the total will be anywhere near that then it's worth popping into the shop and chatting with them about it.

In reply to Timmd:

That's my approach these days, I don't really care if they're a couple of quid more expensive. (As long as it's not vastly more.)

In reply to deepsoup: That would be my attitude for a few pounds but I saved over £200 on a set of 7 Camalots by shopping around and taking advantage of Go Outdoors price matching policy.