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Christmas shopping, where are all the SAK's and why so much Bear Gryls?

B

billym

Joined
Jan 8, 2006
Messages
2,116
So as I holiday shop I was going to both buy my nephew another SAK and possibly impulse buy one for myself. As I travel through the world of retail I noticed that the available variety of SAKs has shrunk and everywhere I go they are stocked to the gills with Gerber's Bear Gryls line. Sad days for sure.
 
Yeah, it's impossible to beat the variety you find online vs. in the store. The Bear Grylls stuff has its own fancy cardboard stands with his face on them because...for some reason it seems some consumers can't resist buying something from 'someone they know'.
 
Gerber spends a lot of money on advertising, and although I'm not a fan of their knives I think they do a damn good job at promoting their products. Sak must spend virtually nothing on advertising and probably have the widest selling cutting tool in the world, they sell themselves to people who already know hoe great they are.
 
I had two guys hand me Gerber Bear Grylls folders to "show off" this week. Not bad EDC's for the average guy who wants a bright orange BG knife, I just hate the combo edge only blade choices.

Last I checked, my local Meijer had the best selection of non-tacticool classics. Even there the Grylls line has weighed down the racks.

I sometimes take for granted how the internet has enabled my addiction. :D
 
Try looking in camping or outdoor recreational sports stores, because they stock a few models. However, the selection is dropping rapidly. The local Army/Navy has a small display case with a half-dozen models, but they put a mark-up on them. Swiss Army knives are out of fashion now, so the stores don't carry them. The pendulum will swing the other way soon enough.
 
Most people (referred to by many here as sheeple) don't need to fondle,flick,ogle,or display their knives.
They don't care about steel , scales , or patina.
They just use them for everyday tasks.
 
For SAKs, there is an online SAK store with free shipping on any order and frequent sales. I have never tried buying a SAK over the counter.
 
Believe it or not, my local Target store has 6-7 different SAKs on the rack in the camping section.
 
The local Army Navy store has a great selection of SAKs. Problem is, they're about 20% higher than what I can find on the interwebz.
 
I tried educating some outdoorsy types here and I succeeded with most and they all got rat-1's. The one guy really wanted a BG knife, got it and doesn't use it. :)
 
True Value has a good SAK (& Leatherman) selection! The nearest town with more than a gas station and a Bar is 80 miles from me so I got some X Mas SAKs from GPknives.
 
I'd buy toilet paper online if it was feasible. I hate shopping locally. In fact, every single thing I bought for Christmas this year was online.
 
Yes it looks like most large retailers have decreased their SAK selection and increased their BG Gerber displays. When I searched retailers on the Victorinox website they listed a lot of Target and WM stores. Of the Target and WM stores I visited they had little to no SAKs and a lot of Gerber. REI still carries a variety of SAKs as do many smaller retailers.
I prefer to purchase on site rather than online besides it is too late for Christmas.
I don't know if SAKs are, or will ever fall, out of fashion but it does look like Gerber has done an amazing job of selling their BG line to the Big Box stores.
Used to be I could walk into many stores an run across SAKs for sale, too bad that has changed. I have an urge to give a few as gifts this year.


And you can buy TP online!!
https://www.google.com/search?sourc...........0.zvbimlpaeIs#q=toilet+paper&tbm=shop
 
Sadly I end up buying online most of the time if I can not find what I am looking for at the gunshow or Cabelas. All of today's propaganda.
 
I've already given two SAKs this season and will give five more this week. Haven't had a problem finding them. I've had them awhile though. I'll buy them here and there beginning in January for next Christmas season.
 
Monofletch said:
Believe it or not, my local Target store has 6-7 different SAKs on the rack in the camping section.
Click to expand...

Our local discount department store, the "K" one, had a selection of Wenger knives last time I looked. Although I'm happy to support a local business when they have fair prices, for pocketknives I'd still rather purchase from a reputable online dealer. :thumbup:
 
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