New Scout Buyer's Guide, Part II Local Camping/Backpacking Outfitters - "Where to get it."
Note: This Handout is for Informational Purposes only; the statements made herein are my opinion, and do not represent endorsement of any outlet or product.
These are most of the "true" camping outlets in our area. Some initials comments: If you're planning to buy anything major (i.e., expensive), it makes good sense to bring along a few catalogs (especially the Campmor catalog) for price comparisons. Don't be afraid to ask the staff for advice; in most of the camping outfitters listed, the staff is more genuinely interested in assisting (as opposed to fleecing) you. Always bring your son's Scout card and ask for the standard 10% Scout discount - even for those places I've listed as no discount; it never hurts to ask! Note that the 10% Scout Discount never applies to Official Boy Scout Equipment, no matter where you go - these are set by BSA-National and individual retailers are not allowed to deviate from the "Official" prices.
With one exception (Ranger Surplus Plus), most of the local military surplus outlets generally carry only lower quality gear and lots of clothing - little in the way of quality equipment; lately, they're more interested in servicing paint-ball warriors versus campers. `Real' camping equipment should be purchased from the genuine camping outfitters, i.e., Casual Adventure, Appalachian Outfitters, R.E.I. and Eastern Mountain Sports - these are the places where most Scouts and Scouters shop.
1) Annandale Surplus [Annandale] - Moderate sized surplus center; sells usual array of new and used military gear, very limited camping equipment; 10% Scout discount; bring your Scout Card! Owners (Conway and George) very friendly to Scouts; reasonable prices.
Directions: Take I-66 to I-495 S to 236 E (Little River Turnpike); go 4 lights; left onto Annandale Rd.; 2nd building on the left (4220 Annandale Rd).
2) Appalachian Outfitters [Oakton] - Excellent Outlet; in general, higher quality gear, slightly more expensive than similar outfits; very good annual Father's Day sale where used rental equipment is sold; a similar sale is held the weekend before Thanksgiving. Rentals, replacement gear (hip-belts, tent poles, etc.) and repair services are available. An attached (but separate) facility concentrates on boot sales, emphasizing heavy-duty backpacking boots. No discount to Scouts. Staff includes several present and former Scouts and is, in general, very knowledgeable, but doesn't like working with novices. An excellent visit for experienced Scouts.
Directions: take I-66 W to Exit 16, take right hand fork (Oakton) off the exit, go 4 lights, located on the left hand side about one hundred yards past the (right-hand side) 7-11 (2938 Chain Bridge Rd.). Worth the Drive.
3) Casual Adventure [Arlington]- Excellent outlet; 10% discount for Scouts; bring your Scout card! Lots of clothing and boots, moderate selection of packs, tents, etc.; has a small Scout shop included. Staff includes several current and former Scouts, and is experienced and knowledgeable; owner (Neil) and manager (Dave) are both very friendly to Scouts. Ongoing Sales throughout the year, including a "Scout Night Sale" (20% off everything) on a mid-March Wednesday night (call for exact date), plus a special "Tent Sale" the weekend before Memorial Day (more than just tents on sale), and a "Christmas Sale" the day after Thanksgiving. Will mail-order anything you want which they don't have in-house. [This is the closest outfitter for Troop 111].
Directions: Take N. Washington Blvd. towards D.C. from Glebe Rd., located about 3 blocks past Washington and Lee H.S. on the left hand side (3451 N. Washington Blvd).
4) Eastern Mountain Sports (aka: "EMS") [Tysons I and Fair Lakes] - Good-to-Excellent Outlets. Wide selection of moderate to high quality gear; seems to be more emphasis on clothing than camping gear. Reasonable prices, but numerous sales in progress on selected items. Notably, both stores hold a "club sale" - 20% off everything in the store to members of any outdoor organization (including Scouts) - on the last Thursdays of May and October; bring your Scout card! If you put yourself on their mailing list, you'll receive notices of all major sales. There are two EMS outlets in the Area, at the Fair Lakes Center in Fairfax and at Tysons I; the Tysons I store is the closer for Troop 111.
Directions (Tyson's I): Take I-66 W to the Dulles Access Connector (Rt. 267); take the "local exits" (right hand lanes) at the Dulles Airport Only split. Just before you hit the Beltway, take the second VA 123 exit (123 S to Tysons Corner); move to the left hand lane, just after you pass under the Beltway, take the left hand exit into Tysons Corner Mall; cut to the left as you enter the access road. Enter the Mall to the right of the Movie Theatres; climb the first set of Stairs (by the C.P.I. Photo Finish); located at the top of the stairs (opposite corner).
Directions (Fair Lakes): Take I-66 West about 15 miles to the Fairfax County Parkway (Exit 55-B, "to Herndon/Reston"); at first light, turn left onto Fair Lakes Parkway; at the next light, turn left into the Fair Lakes Center. Store is located to the right of the "Uptons" outlet.
5) Hudson Trail Outfitters, Ltd. [Fairfax, Fair Oaks, Springfield, and Tenley Circle (in DC)] - Excellent Outlets, but priced beyond most Scouts. In general, top-end (i.e., expensive!) equipment; staff knowledge/experience varies. Occasional limited but excellent sales; a "Warehouse Sale" - with spectacular discounts - is held each April "around Tax-Time" at the Fairfax SuperStore; requires pre-site surveys and camping out overnight for specific super-bargains (some close-out items as much as 75% off.) If you put yourself on their mailing list, you'll receive notices of all major sales. No discounts to Scouts. Except for the "Warehouse Sale," not recommended for Scouts.
There are four outlets in the area: Fairfax; Fair Oaks Mall (385-3907); Springfield Mall (922-0050); and Tenley Circle in the District (202 363-9810.) The Fairfax Superstore is the closest drive for Troop 111, but Tenley Circle (a new SuperStore) is conveniently accessed via the METRO (Orange Line inbound, transfer to Red Line/Shady Grove outbound.)
Directions (Fairfax Superstore): Take 495 South to Rt 50 West, go 4 miles to the Fairfax Circle intersection (very large traffic circle), go straight through the circle, see Fairfax Circle Center (a large strip mall) on your immediate left, located in the Mall (9683 Lee Highway).
6) Ranger Surplus Plus [Vienna (Tysons area), Wheaton, MD] - The best of the Surplus Outfits. Moderately sized, but with a surprisingly broad array of camping equipment and other "neat" outdoor stuff. Limited selections in each category, however - only about half a dozen backpacks, sleeping bags, stoves, etc. Best selection of duffel bags (all styles) in the area. Very sparse staff. Reasonable prices; some clearance items available. Tysons area store has no formal Scout Discount, but manager ("C.J.") indicates he'll give a 10% discount on "camping equipment" to Scouts "if asked." The Wheaton store has a Scout Shop included, and also has a standard 10% Scout Discount (bring your Scout Card), but Wheaton's a long haul from Arlington by car - try the METRO.
Directions (Tysons): Located in the "Pike 7 Plaza" on Rt. 7 about a half mile west of Rt. 123 (i.e., Tyson's Corner). Look for the "Evans/Gold's Gym" sign (on the left heading west from Tyson's); store is on the far right hand side of the strip mall (8393 Leesburg Pike.)
Directions (Wheaton, MD): 2549 Ennalls Ave., Wheaton, MD (across from Wheaton Plaza.)
7) R.E.I. [Arlington (Bailey's Crossroads) and College Park, MD] - Excellent Outlets. Very wide selection of medium to high quality equipment, including "house"-brand gear. Staff knowledge varies widely, but you can usually track down a genuine camper if you ask (and you should ask!) Largest selection of replacement parts in the area. R.E.I. is a cooperative; you must pay an initial $15 lifetime membership fee; a rebate (credit voucher or cash) on your purchases is offered at the end of the year. Regular prices on certain items are better than many other stores' sale prices. Five major sales a year, each lasting 5 - 10 days:
If you put yourself on their mailing list, you'll receive notices of all major sales. No discounts to Scouts. The Bailey's Crossroads outlet is by far the closer for Troop 111.
Directions (Bailey's Crossroads): Take Glebe Road South (towards Rt. 50); just as you're passing the Ballston Commons Mall, turn right onto Carlin Springs Rd.; take Carlin Springs nearly all the way to Rt. 7; located in the mini-mall on the left hand side just before Rt. 7 (3509 Carlin Springs Rd.) Worth the Drive.
Directions (College Park, MD): 9801 Rhode Island Ave.
8) The Scout Shop [Bethesda, MD] - Small selection, no sales, often quite crowded (avoid lunchtimes like The Plague!). Has only a partial inventory of "Official" BSA Equipment, but can mail-order any item you want out of the BSA Catalogue. Only place around with a full complement of Scout Uniforms, awards, books and insignia, etc. - much more than the "Scout Shops" at the various camping outlets. Staff cordial and very helpful if they're not overwhelmed; they'll be happy to show you specialty Scout items not present at the usual camping outlets.
Directions: Take the Beltway across the Cabin John Bridge to Wisconsin Ave. exit, turn right (inbound) onto Wisconsin Ave,; go 0.7 mile, located right after Good Will Industries on the right hand side (9190 Wisconsin Ave.); careful, the entrance sneaks up on you, and traffic on Wisconsin Avenue is fast and unforgiving!
9) Sunny's Surplus [Alexandria, 3 outlets in the District, and Rockville, MD] - A smallish Army/Navy surplus store (very tight quarters); the usual non-bsa type stuff, an occasional bargain or unusual find. No discounts to Scouts. There are two Sunny's Surplus Outlets in the immediate area, in Georgetown and Alexandria; both stores have small Scout Shops in-house. The Georgetown outlet is the closest for Troop 111; however, the Alexandria store is preferred.
Directions (Georgetown, DC): Right across Key Bridge in Georgetown. Take your first available left hand turn (after Eagle Liquor) up into Georgetown proper, park - legally, unless you want a ticket from the ubiquitous DC Parking Vampires - and walk back down to M St.; try Sat. mornings to avoid the "Georgetown Scene" (3342 M St. NW).
Directions (Alexandria): Take I-395 S to Duke St. E (236 E), continue east about 1 1/2 miles, look for the Fox Chase Shopping Center on the left hand side; located between the Rite Aid and the Sherwin-Williams outlet (4513-A Duke St.). [Note: The Alexandria Store will be moving in late April, 1996, to one of three locations (as yet undetermined) near the Landmark Mall.]
10) The Sports Authority [Fair Oaks, Potomac Mills, Springfield, Vienna (Tysons area)] - Surprisingly wide selection of gear, although the emphasis is - surprise! - slated towards equipment pertaining to sports, hunting and fishing. Prices on "industry standards" are comparable (or better) than most camping outfitters, but staff knowledge/experience is generally pretty poor (and I've never found a staff person specifically assigned to camping equipment, which tells you something.) Sales on "real" camping gear are infrequent; no discounts to Scouts. The Tysons area store is the closest for 111.
Directions (Tysons): Located in the "Marshall Plaza" on Rt. 7 to the immediate West of Rt. 123 (i.e., Tyson's Corner). From the 123/7 interchange, get into the left-hand lane of Rt. 7 as quickly as possible, look for the "Wendys" outlet (about 100 yards); turn left at the next light into the strip mall (8355 Leesburg Pike.) Very close to Ranger Surplus Plus (next strip mall over).
11) Last but not necessarily least - Most of the large "Department Store" chains in the area (notably: K-Mart, Montgomery Wards, Price Club, Sears and Wal-Mart) have small to moderate-sized "camping" sections. Selections, quality and prices vary all over the map; staff experience is generally laughable (if in fact you can even find someone)! If you're looking to do things on the ultra-cheap and don't need knowledgeable help or service, you may want to look into this option - but remember, you get what you pay for.
For minor rips and tears in valuable tents, packs or sleeping bags which do not have factory warranties, try either Appalachian Outfitters (see Number 2 in the Camping Outlet List) or Bea Maurer, Inc.; for Bea Maurer, you can either mail items for repair, or (if you prefer) deliver them in person (in either case, call them first to discuss the problem). DANGER! - be prepared for severe "Sticker Shock!" [Also Note: In general, repair of cheap gear isn't worth it].
Directions: Take I-66 W to the Dulles Connector; continue down the Toll Road to VA Rt. 28 North (Sully Rd.; costs 85 cents total). Take 28 North to VA Rt. 606 (Old Ox Rd.); turn left onto 606; take the fourth right onto Cedar Rd., then the next left onto Executive Dr. Go to the end of Executive Dr., look for the second # 113 Building - Suite 107 (113 Executive Dr., Suite 107, Sterling, VA 20166).
(B) Bea Maurer, Inc., has moved to Sterling, VA. They will also now take in items for repair via mail.
(C) Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) closed their Landmark Plaza Store, and opened a new store in Fair Lakes Center.
(D) Hudson Trail Outfitters closed their Manassas Mall and Tysons II stores, and opened a new "Superstore" in Tenley Circle (in DC, easily accessed via the METRO.)
(E) Ranger Surplus Plus has opened in the Plaza 7 Mall (Rt 7 just west of Tyson's Corner); not just another surplus outfit! - actually has a reasonable array of real camping equipment. This is the only new camping outlet to open in Northern VA in the last 5 years.
(F) R.E.I. dramatically expanded their Bailey's Crossroads store, and now carries their full array of gear (no need to travel to the College Park store anymore.)
(G) Sunny's Surplus added a Scout Shop to their Alexandria Store. In addition (although it hasn't happened as of this printing), their Alexandria Store is about to move to larger facilities (April/May, 1996.)
Other changes - Per many requests, I have included store hours. In addition, I have included the dates (some approximate) of each of the major camping outlets' primary sales; in general, you're never more than 3 - 4 months away from someone's major (i.e., at least 20% off) sale - certainly something to keep in mind when considering an expensive purchase (or purchases.) Finally, I have deleted most of the Maryland and DC outlets from the guide - a survey of local Scouters indicated little interest.
Thanks to everyone who had comments or suggestions regarding this guide. Future comments and/or suggestions are welcome; please call me. Last but not least - and to answer a surprisingly persistent rumor/question: This guide is not copyrighted, nor do I receive, ask or expect any monetary contribution for its use. You are welcome to use, copy and/or freely distribute it among fellow Scouts and Scouters. I hope both you and your Scouts find it useful and informative. Yours in Scouting...
- Dr. Bob, Scoutmaster
(1996 edition)
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