Army Surplus 101 – Essentials you might want to buy at a Military Surplus store

Very few people would automatically think of going to an army surplus store for camping gear, furniture, or tools, but this is probably the best place to shop, especially if you’re working on a tight budget. It is true that this type of store can be a bit difficult to find. Owners hardly settle in shopping malls or other popular places to hang out. But if you know where to find government surplus stores, you might be in for a big shopping spree.

The question many people would like to ask is: what exactly can you buy at a military surplus store? The answer is very simple: almost any object or tool that the army gives to its personnel will be available in said store. This could include furniture, vehicles, and even military standard weaponry. Smaller items may include: clothing, first aid kits, and MREs or ready-to-eat meal packages.

Because these items are considered surplus, prices are typically 10% to 75% cheaper than their conventional counterparts found at mall stores or online merchants. Although the options are somewhat limited, they may fit whatever needs you have at the moment.

The sale of some of the largest and most dangerous items, such as vehicles and weapons, is not usually advertised in local newspapers. But if you want to buy them, it’s a good idea to establish regular contact with a couple of military bases (eg, National Guard) in your area and other organizations (licensed third-party contractors) that specialize in selling military items that need to be liquidated, including scrap and recyclable materials. You may also want to sign up for regular alerts from the government and online merchants so you can access infrequent sales or auctions at certain army bases or camps.

However, if you’re thinking of smaller, more innocuous items, you can check out online and brick-and-mortar stores that carry military surplus items. Smaller items that you can easily buy at an army surplus store include:

1. Protective equipment and military standard clothing. You can buy gas masks, jackets, shoes, and even a full army uniform.

2. Hunting or camping equipment. These are actually the best selling items in the aforementioned stores. You can easily buy quality but discount camping stoves, tents, duffel bags, fleece blankets, etc.

3. Furniture. Army-issued cots and some tables and chairs are also often put up for sale. This list may also include empty ammo boxes.

4. Personal first aid kits. These include: alcohol swabs, band aids, butterfly finger bandages, mini flashlight, pressure bandages, rolled gauze bandages, scissors, space blankets, tension bandages, and triangular bandages. Smaller, more compact first aid kits are also available.

5. Other items include: MRE packs and flags.