Gander Mountain is pretty "meh" if you ask me. Their gun & fishing prices are pretty high, but 3/4 of the store is usually dedicated to clothing.
Now sure I'm a little biased (much more on fishing), but Bass Pro is even worse. Gander tends to be a little more competitive in firearms prices than Bass Pro. I actually hated that the Huntsville Gander got rid of its on-site gunsmith. Gander sells used firearms.. another plus.
Bass Pro is much less on tackle hocking its own store brand shit & run of the mill stuff, and focusing more on total caricature of southern life shit. It's garbage that I can't walk in there and find a Lew's reel or night fishing lights, much less newer tackle items.. yet I can get camo headrests for a truck and fudge. WTF...
I wish they'd build a Cabela's up here, but there is decent fishing near Eufalua/George Reservoir down in Dothan. To me.. for pricing, broad spectrum of tackle available, etc.. Academy is good. I use tacklewarehouse.com and Cabelas.com a lot though if I'm actually looking for something hunting/fishing wise. To mirror another comment though, for guns? Gander>Academy (both tend to throw some competitive sales though here and there). I will say though.. ammo, Academy seems to be a smidge cheaper.
I can't comment at all on Gander, and I agree on Bass Pro shops. It's very difficult to nail down the tackle/equipment you are seeking for particular type of fishing...in my case Salmon and Steelhead.
At least with Cabela's they clue in to the area and offer product relevant whether it is fishing or hunting. Plus, they put on free clinics. It's a bit of a drive for me. Locally, we have a Sportsman's Warehouse and Dicks. Typically, I shop Dick's for sporting equipment, shoes and athletic apparel over outdoor stuff. The Sportsman's Warehouse in Salem offers a great selection for the types of fishing and hunting we have in the PNW plus the employees partake in those activities and are a big help.
REI is my go to store for clothing, backpacking and general camping gear. You can get great stuff during their sales and through membership privileges. Again, many of those employees have used the gear and their recommendations are solid. Additionally, REI's brand is often highly rated. I have shopped REI for 18 years and I trust their selection.
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