Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Author

Prices of gear in Europe?

adamk

3-Dec-2004
1:11:03 PM

Hi Neil, Jacqui etc who recently got back from Europe. Wondering if you had a look at prices of gear? could u give some idea of prices of ropes, quick draws, wires etc. Dont need specifics just is it cheaper. My girls heading over and wondering if i should burden her with cash and a shopping list?

Wendy

3-Dec-2004
1:38:54 PM

It varies ... Italy was the cheapest place I went, I got a set of 10 ultralight draws for 150euro, plus VAT refund, worked out about $21 each. My ice axe, about $130, crampons, $100 The VAT refund is a bit tedious, but gets you another 13% or so back, you ask for it at the store, you still have to pay it there, but you fill out some forms, take your copy to customs on the way out of the EU, get it stamped, send it off and 2 months later, it's refunded to your credit card.

The best bit about Europe is range and specials. THere's heaps of competition and new stuff coming in, so there are lots of bargains to pick up at the right time, but that's not so easy for sending orders ... Shoes are particularly good for this, you can get quite a lot below 50 euro. You could check out some web sites ....

nmonteith

3-Dec-2004
1:58:32 PM

Italy is the cheapest place. Generally climbing hardware is cheaper than oz by about 20%. Clothing is not cheaper. An good special example i saw was a 70m 9.2mm single rope for less than AU$180. I got my VAT back instantly (as cash) when i went through the airport on the way out. I had to show them the gear i had bought though.

Bernardo

5-Dec-2004
1:27:17 AM

welll...i just happen to be in austria right now..so if youd like some more specific prices..let me know what your lookin for and ill go and check.

climbingjac

6-Dec-2004
1:13:40 PM

Yup Italy was definitely the cheapest. In particular there are a couple of stores in Arco that were very cheap. A couple of examples that I can recall are: A quickdraw: 5 Euros. That's a little under AUS$10 I think. A fixed hanger (for bolting); 90 Euro cents. That's less than AUS$1.80.

kieranl

6-Dec-2004
9:11:30 PM

VAT refund is great if you can find some customs people to collect. Last time I left Europe I flew out from Zurich so had to put in the VAT form while going from France to Switzerland. Took the train over the mountains from Chamonix. Do you think I could find a French customs official at the border? I think they'd taken an extra-long Bastille Day weekend.

climbingjac

8-Dec-2004
4:22:21 PM

If you want to make sure you get your VAT back, then make very sure that the retailer gives you the correct receipt! There were a number of very unhappy little vegemites in my queue at Singapore airport when they discovered they could not get a refund because they didn't have the right paperwork.

Rich

8-Dec-2004
4:34:32 PM

On 8/12/2004 climbingjac wrote:
>If you want to make sure you get your VAT back, then make very sure that
>the retailer gives you the correct receipt! There were a number of very
>unhappy little vegemites in my queue at Singapore airport when they discovered
>they could not get a refund because they didn't have the right paperwork.

is the vegemite cheap over there in singapore jac?

There are 8 messages in this topic.