[gk]

Just polling other's ideas. I like sporstmans warehouse for the selection, price and customer service. Gander Moountian for their hands off approach to looking at fishing reels, even though they have a decent customer service, but a low selection and higher prices. Bass Pro is a nice place to visit with all the mounts, they have good customer service but a slim selection on a few things, with mixed prices.

 

[Walking Eagle]

Hey I actually understood that cryptically encoded title. I must be getting smarter.

I kind of split my business between Cabela's, BPS and Sportsman's, but I don't actually go in person to Cabela's/BPS; I just read their catalogs and order on-line. Sportsman's I have to go to in person because their web site totally sucks swamp water.

When I compare prices, BPS usually has a slight edge on the others, but Cabela's often has just what I want when the others don't.

 

[don broeren]

Gander has a low price guarantee. They will match the price and give you the difference up to $50. Let's just say that you find an item that Gander sells for $110 for $100 at Sportsman's Warehouse. Gander will match Sportsman's price of $100, PLUS give you the difference of $10. That means you get the item for $90. How can you go wrong?

 

[NeWcS]

A few weekends ago I went to all 3 and I have to say SW is going to be my pick. Ive said this time and time again; The service at GM is top notch. I still will goto GM to by line and to goto classes. I also enjoy talking to Don at GM(See above)


[me=Jay_In_Parker] [/me]

 

[Guest]

I like the selection at SW especially for trolling and trout. BPS has many items that SW & GM don't carry but a poor selection of some tackle. GM has a great selection of spinner rig builiding supplies that the other two don't and they have some great clearance sales, not to mention the price match deal. I think I joined the 10k club at Cabelas here lately also, I like Cabelas website alot and have a ton of Cabelas brand equipment.

I donate my paycheck regularly to all four, I don't have an over-all favorite really because each one has its own positives IMO. I like to have all my gear purchased prior to the fishing season so I can just go fishing when Spring comes around.  

 

 

[Guest]

I think I joined the 10k club at Cabelas here lately also, I like Cabelas website alot and have a ton of Cabelas brand equipment.

LOL! Do you get the hardcover catalog yet? I cut back on spending there when they started sending it to me about 5 years ago. I think I've spent more there than anywhere else. I even have their credit card (and I love using it at BPS and SW).

I shop at all four but I tend to do a lot of shopping at the (few) independents around town. Prices are higher at times and prices are way lower at times. I fish with a lot of wierd stuff and you never know what you're going to find. I hate being at the mercy of a corporate buyer that buys for the latest trends and then having to be at the mercy of a department manager that tailors his department to the style of fishing s/he likes.

 

[Guest]

I've been getting the book for too long!

corporate buyer that buys for the latest trends and then having to be at the mercy of a department manager that tailors his department to the style of fishing s/he likes.

Boy is that the truth.
I was looking at a fishing reel at one of the local stores and the salesman told me it was the best out there. I asked why and he said because "Bill" (Dance) was using it on his show that morning.

Hmmmm.

 

[GMCO45]

Isn't it great that we can even have this topic. Not that long ago that the choices would have been pretty much limited to K-mart, Wal-mart or Garts. Rather than rehash this topic every few weeks, enjoy the fact that we have the opportunity to locally shop all three. The only one I have a problem with is Cabela's. Apparently the Denver market wasn't important enough for them to build a store here (last I heard was maybe October of 2007). I haven't spent a dime with them in nearly
two years as I feel that the stores here appreciate my business more.

 

[troutaholic]

Cabela's hands down has the best return policy I think of all of them, especially on higher priced items. I returned a new rifle scope I bought in the summer and used in the fall I didn't like and they had no problems doing this on a $400 purchase. There have also been many other things I have returned after long periods they had no problems with returning. Customer Service/Satisfaction is #1 with them.

Sportsmans= 30 day return exchange and that is it period...
Not for me. Not sure on Gander sounded like 90 days there.
I have not purchased much from Bass Pro as I always deal with Cabela's for the above reason.

The Denver Store is slated to open in 2007 for the last post that had a problem with them. I don't think it is Cabela's fault, it is all the legal BS dealing with all the local governments getting everything ok'd to make everyone happy.

 

[GMCO45]

I am sure that BPS, GM and SW had local governments, and legal BS to deal with. They just got
a head start on Cabela's.

 

[Neal/CO]

Just redeemed a gift certificate about 15 minutes ago from Cabelas's. And as usual they were back ordered on half the stuff I wanted? Every frickin time! I find I use Cabelas alot less now than I used to.

Gander has great service! And Bass Pro shops has always been my favorite! Now I can just go to the store and not catelog shop as much!

 

[Guest]

Cabelas had an organized community against them, BPS and the rest did not. Cabelas really did have a political nightmare to deal with.

Cabela's hands down has the best return policy I think of all of them, especially on higher priced items.

Can't be any more closer to the truth. My experience has been the same.

 

[McFish]

I like them all. I feel like a slut.

 

[NeWcS]

LoL



[me=Jay_In_Parker] [/me]

 

[Derajaman]

Like everyone has really said, all three have their advantages and disadvantages. I like SW the most since I'm in Fort Collins most of the time so its the closest in the way of a good selection of fishing gear that also will most of the time have a better price then Jax. If it was my choice I would shop more at BPS since I can usually find exactly what I'm looking for there and at decent prices. GM I actually just shopped at a few days ago for a new soft tackle box that was a really good deal for $15 and I like the fact that they have the option of doing an "a-la-carte" on some soft plastics, meaning getting a few of these grubs in this color, a few in this color, a worm of this, a jig head of that, and really getting all that you need for no more then buying a bigger pack of one type/color.

As to the issue with Cabela's, they are also, like BPS did here in Denver, making it their Flagship store in the nation. That right there will get just about any resident in the area that wants to have a decent neighborhood and not be in the middle of a giant shopping center want to have a problem with it. And yes Cabela's did run into oppostion from locals about them building their store, but also from the local government that has been discussed above. The big issue they were running into as to where the store was gonna be built was the traffic flow and parking. Cabela's won't be the only store in the area, it is going to be with a bunch of other stores like a giant Target for one, and some clothes stores, restaurants, etc. The CDOT was very worried about traffic flow in this area considering the amount of traffic they are going to get when this shopping center is up and running. The same issue was happening with BPS as it was being built so they were having to also work on this issue when building the roads but they also had more room to work with since BPS had more area around it.

 

[striper_fly]

I defiantly like Cabelas the best... I have used there products for years and find they last longer and perform better then Bass Pros items... Plus they carry more of the brands that I like to use... Hands down it Cabelas for me. The only complete is most items are on back order but I would be willing to wait to get what works… ;D

 

[flybynight]

I bought a pair of breathable stockingfoot waders from Cabelas three years ago. The seams where the breathable material was attached to the neoprene booties started to leak (not an easy area to fix). I called Cabelas and asked if they could fix them for me, and they said without hesitation just send them back and we'll replace them for free (this was after 3 years of hard use). Now that's customer service.

 

[epic]

I'll go to which ever one Im closest to.... I can spend hours and all kinds of money in all 4 of the stores. since I live in the Springs Sportsmans gets most of my attention.

 

[jamiehughes]

i too myself have had great customer service with cabelas, i shop mostly at sw in town(aurora) didn't care much for bass pro shops. i'm sure i will get stuff there just not the bulk of my stuff, sw has really started to crack down on their return and defect policy(store credit only on def merch after 30 days???) that kindof sucks (might be their downfall with so much competition) but i still seem to find most of what i'm looking for there. cabelas definetely has the best customer service and i havent really had a problem with them being out of whatever i order, it does happen but their backorder system has always worked awsome for me. i have 4 pairs of waders(the cabelas brand) and i haven't had a problem with any of them yet,going on 3 or 4 years.

 

[liquorbox]

I am like a kid in a candy store at all of them but I like the small places like bennett's in Berthod. I throw money his way as often as I can he has been in buisness as long as I can remember and has always got minnows. tackle selection is good and once in awhile he has best price on somethings.