How Americans Are Getting Military Gear Cheap

Given today's date, I'm treading carefully :)

I know that in the past, one could find a surplus store on just about every corner here in the balmy, sultry, South... but that's becoming rare. These days, a set of 'woodland' BDU that you could've found for a couple bucks, will cost you almost as much a "boutique" clothes. Boots? Gee whiz...wanna take a guess at what a "Woobie" costs?

I'm a eBay hound, and occasionally find some good stuff there...but mostly, I'm just wondering where all of that good stuff is going (given we change uniform patterns like socks), and why it's so dang $$$$.

I used to go to government auctions that were specifically disposing of surplus items. I bought a lot of power tools and building materials, for personal use. (Example I bought two unserviceable Stihl chainsaws for $8. I cannibalized one to fix the other. I put another $10 bucks into some additional parts. Then sold what was left to a repair shop for about $5. The same chainsaw new would have been about $100 new)

Then all the "get rich quick" auction seminars pretty much destroyed the potential. The auctions went from 4 or 5 bidders looking for something specific. Usually the first bidder was the only bidder on a given lot. They trned into circuses with 100+ bidders, usually paying more than if they went to the hardware and bought new. But I'm fairly sure this isn't the same thing, or maybe this guy is buying in wholesale quantities, at auction then "retailing" the merchandise.

My kids got it for free. They raided my closet