What Is the Best Time to Buy Camping Gear?


Camping Gear

Investing in camping gear can be a nerve-racking experience, especially when done without prior consideration and planning. Camping gear is essential for a stress-free camping experience, and its considerate acquisition determines how well a camping expedition goes. One of the most important things to consider when buying camping gear is the ideal time to buy the equipment.

The best time to purchase camping gear is during the offseason sales, when stores usually try to get rid of the previous year’s supply and when the new season’s equipment hits the shelves. Numerous discounts are usually on offer, making it a great time to stock up.

Getting camping gear can be expensive, especially if you camp with your family. It is therefore essential to know when and what to buy to make the most efficient acquisition. Read more on the best times to buy different types of camping gear and enjoy a bargain on pretty much everything you need for your camping expeditions.

 

When you’re packing for a camping trip, you should make sure that you’ll bring everything you need. It’s very annoying to discover that you’ve forgotten something important when you’re already in the middle of the woods and nowhere near a store to buy the item that you forgot. To help you avoid this situation, we came up with a list of all the camping items you’ll need for the great outdoors

 

Best Time to Buy a Tent

The best time to buy a tent is when camping season is ending for most people, usually between the late fall and early winter. Around this period, tents tend to go on clearance or substantial discounts. If you live in a place with large seasonal changes, chances are stores look to get rid of their camping 3-season inventory before winter, so that they can display the next season’s products.

Alternative times to enjoy massive discounts on tents is during the holiday sales. In the summer, most retail stores offer special sales during holidays such as Memorial Day, Labor Day, and the Fourth of July. You could easily come across good deals on tents on those days.

 

Your camping tent can make or break your camping trip. Some may think that any kind of tent is good enough for camping but they are mistaken. If you share that sentiment, read our article to know why you need a good camping tent

 

Best Time to Buy Fridges

Fridges can come in handy, especially for front-country campers. It is best to buy fridges around May, when the new models roll out and retailers reduce the previous models’ prices to make room for newer models. Numerous manufacturers also run promotions during the new-release month that result in even bigger discounts.

 

Best Time to Buy Cooking Equipment

The best time to buy seasonal items, such as boilers and cooking racks, is when the appliances get little use. Retailers put seasonal appliances on sale as demand wanes. For example, gas grills prices nose-dive in September and October, when summer grilling lessens. This window is the perfect time to acquire and enjoy cooking equipment at lower costs.

 

Best Time to Buy Toolkits

If your camping expedition requires you to have powered tools for some fun hiking activities, like rock collection, June and December are prime times for you. On days like Father’s Day and national holidays, stores have offers on numerous tools and toolkits in line with trending themes. The discounts and offers make it the best time to acquire such a kit.

 

Best Time to Buy Sleeping Bags

Sleeping bags, beds, and pads are essential if you want to have enough energy to survive until the last day of your camping trip. The best time of the year to get winter sleeping bags and pads is in the summertime when they enjoy low rates, while the best time to purchase summertime sleeping bags and pads is when they are on sale, in the off-season and after the Christmas shopping season.

 

Best Time to Buy Rain Gear and Weather-Appropriate Clothing

April showers bring May flowers. Retailers take the phrase to heart, stocking up on raincoats and sportswear, making sure their pricing is for quick movement. The month of May also proves to be prime time for athletic wear since it finally gets warm enough to camp.

 

Best Time to Buy Boots

Most folks buy boots between September and February. They, however, purchase them at full price. Similarly, people shift their attention to items like bathing suits, shorts, and sandals as it warms up. This makes it prime time to acquire good quality boots up to 70% off. You might not be able to use them for months, but the deals you get make it well worth it.

 

Best Time to Buy Backpacks

If you are on the hunt for backpacks for some backcountry adventures, keep an eye out for stores in August. The demand for bags and laptops is low, summer vacations are winding down, and the back-to-school shopping spree has cooled down. This relaxed shopping leads to great savings and less-crowded shopping experiences.

 

Best Time to Buy Plane Tickets for Camping Destinations

September is usually an excellent time to buy plane tickets. Traversing national parks and additional camping sites can be costly for large camping teams, who also have to purchase equipment. Thus, prior preparation and selecting discounted flights can save you a lot of money.

 

Best Time to Buy Bikes

An important camping activity that spices up adventure is biking. With bicycles’ long life span, it is vital to give some thoughts to the bikes’ cost and quality. For the best costs on bikes, consider October, when retailers try to clear summer stocks. The season, coupled with some traveling deals, makes it one of the best times to focus on bike shopping.

 

Best Time to Buy Recreational Vehicles (RV)

Most people assume that the best time to go RV shopping is when they feel ready to buy one. RVs are, however, seasonal items for which demand fluctuates throughout the year. With most people camping during the spring and summer months, dealerships are usually busy at this time, thus offering minimal discounts.

On the other hand, the slower months for RV dealerships are during the fall and winter. Therefore, the salespeople and dealerships try to get rid of the rigs and make space for newer, flashier releases. October and November witness nose-diving sales, resulting in pretty good discounts.

 

Best Time to Buy Food

Last but not least, you should consider the best time to buy food for your endeavors, as it is an essential step in preparation for camping. Buying it as close as possible to the camping adventure ensures the freshest or newest food. While perishable foods, such as fruits and meats, are best handled right before camping, non-perishables, such as nuts, can be acquired earlier on to clear shopping schedules, if any.

 

These timely considerations for purchasing camping equipment can lead to immense savings, especially for large-team camping expeditions. Off-season purchases may be hectic to undertake, especially since their necessity is not an emergency. They are, however, a simple hack to enjoy quality goods at reduced rates.

 

One of the first challenges that you will encounter when you go camping is setting up your tent. If you don’t want to go through the hassle and stress of this process, we recommend that you try a pop up tent. Read our article to learn more about how a pop up tent works

 

Things to Consider Before Buying Camping Gear

The first few camping trips are usually the costliest as you build on your camping gear set. The more self-reliant you are, the less the trip costs. Once you have built up your gear set, the costs diminish to simply tackling items like food, repairs, and upgrades. Adding new gear when your budget allows make the experiences much more enjoyable.

Here is a curated set of essential camping gear to consider before setting out to buy:

  • Tents – Quality is pivotal in selecting a tent. Going cheap on a tent could easily ruin a camping trip. Tents could break, let in bugs or improperly seal in case of inclement weather.
  • Knife/Multi-tool – From dressing a deer, filleting newly-caught fish, or whittling campfire skewers, knives and multitools come in handy for numerous camping needs.
  • Food and Drink – Trail mix, jerky, nuts, among other imperishable foodstuffs, are essential to include in your packing for the weekend excursion. Bringing along hotdogs and canned foods to cook over the fire can be suitable low-cost options as well.
  • Lantern/ flashlight – A quickly usable light source is important, especially for backcountry hikers sleeping among the stars.
  • Clothes – weather-appropriate wear such as raincoats and boots determine the level of comfort enjoyed at camping locations. Waterproof and durable boots also determine how well a camping expedition goes. Going cheap on shoes could result in injury, get the boots ruined by water, or result in general discomfort.
  • First Aid Kit – Cuts and bruises are no surprise guests at camping expeditions. A small medical kit is an important add-on for anyone looking to venture outdoors for adventure.

Other considerations to include that are not necessarily gear are:

  • Camping fees – There are numerous free camping grounds throughout the US. For tech-savvy campers, many online catalogs and guides exist with information on camping sites and the facilities they offer, such as recreational activities, pet rules, pricing, and directions.
  • Transport – Some camping sites may take hours of travel to get to. It is important to consider the costs for transport to the place.

 

Conclusion

A complete camping gear setup will definitely make your camping trips much more comfortable and enjoyable. But, buying everything at once will definitely not be a good time for you and your wallet. If you want to save money but still buy quality camping gear, everything will boil down to timing. 

What is the best time to buy camping gear? The answer is: during the off season. If you want to score good deals on quality equipment, hit the shops when it’s not peak camping season. Buying good camping gear does not necessarily mean that you have to spend a lot of money. With a little bit of effort and a well planned buying system based on the information above, you’ll be able to complete your camping gear setup without breaking the bank.

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