To: Kingstonians: Army Surplus & Adventure Outfitters = Good or bad?

[danhay]

I just happened across this long dormant thread and had to post a comment.

I am quite amused to note that the policies at the store (now called SAS) have not changed. I used to work there but ended my employment over safety concerns; one of the staff members chose to fire airguns (of any description) in the store with no regard for either employee or customer safety. In the time I worked there I observed the same staff member (who was/is a self-professed airgun expert) to break a number of airsoft/pellet/BB/whatever guns and then have the owner send them back to the distributor because they were 'defective'. The most amusing instance was this 'expert' bringing in real firearm lubricant containing a gunpowder solvent and up-selling it with airguns - only to have dismayed customers returning to the store with non-functional paperweights wondering what the hell happened.

I'd personally recommend steering clear of that place and instead choose to deal with knowledgeable dealers/retailers.

[oniwagamaru]

Hey dan is this the guy they were calling a gun expert? When I went to go buy goggles over there, they were calling this dude I've never seen before a gun expert lol.

[Szevin]

Boneheads... businesses selling airsoft with no knowledge or interest in the sport itself and only in the profit they make really bothers me.

[Crunchmeister]

Well, in general, the practices of SAS can be a tad on the questionable side. From stupid and dangerous (like keeping their airsoft guns on display both loaded and with battery connected) to just plain dishonest (misrepresentation of products) to despicable (the pricing hike Kokanee described on the boots). I do feel for the employees who have to uphold this against their wishes.

[MidnightX]

Greetings! Although I am new to the sport of airsoft, I am not new to the sport of finding good shops for tactical gear, and would like to make a couple of suggestions. They aren't in Kingston but they are fairly close. The first is One Shot Tactical in Trenton. They have some awesome milspec gear there and the prices are fairly decent. No airsoft guns, but that is to be expected as they usually cater to competitive shooters and law enforcement types. http://www.oneshottactical.com/

The second is Hero Army Surplus in Oshawa. Hero's is more on the paintball side of things but still worth checking out. The only really big problem with Hero's is that I get in there and don't want to leave... like ever. http://www.heroarmysurplus.com

I hope these places are helpful for you if they haven't been posted already.

Cheers

Midnight

[kalnaren]

Originally Posted by MidnightX

The second is Hero Army Surplus in Oshawa. Hero's is more on the paintball side of things but still worth checking out. The only really big problem with Hero's is that I get in there and don't want to leave... like ever. http://www.heroarmysurplus.com

Hero's is run by a nazi asspirate who's business practices go between "slimy" and "borderline criminal". I went in there ONCE, and all the dudes working there were arrogant douchecocks out to screw the customer.

[MaciekA]

Originally Posted by kalnaren

Hero's is run by a nazi asspirate who's business practices go between "slimy" and "borderline criminal". I went in there ONCE, and all the dudes working there were arrogant douchecocks out to screw the customer.

Whoa there buddy... to put it mildly, this is extremely harsh and does not jive with my experience.

Myself and several members of my team have been down to Hero about a dozen times in the last six months and I have ordered from them online twice. If there is a surplus/tactical gear store with a better selection in the GTA with a staff that isn't batshit crazy, then please kindly inform me of it.

I have dealt with 3 employees from Hero. The main guy with the longer hair, the thin guy with the blonde hair, and the older guy that works the desk. They were all absolutely fine and unlike the employees at 3 of Toronto's downtown surplus stores, they didn't cling to me. At no point did I perceive them to be "Nazis" (you know what that term means to some of us right?). They answered questions about stock and variations of sizes when I asked. They didn't push anything on me at any time. About a week ago I went in the blonde guy checked if something was in stock for me and was super helpful when we needed to test the fitment on a plate carrier. The main guy with the longer hair made some "remarks" about Toronto Airsoft and how they're eating into his airsoft gun trade, but a little trash talking between retailers is fine as long as it doesn't cross the line.

I've tried all the little surplus stores downtown, which don't really have much of interest and have employees that act, for lack of a better description, insane at times (AAA, Central, and the little place on Church and Jarvis fit this description. They're okay if you are in-and-out of there in 5 minutes though). I've tried Beavers Army Surplus up on dufferin. Those guys are a class act and super friendly, have some Propper and Condor stuff (which I buy), but overall have a very very small selection compared to Hero. So Hero it is... especially if you want to load up on Condor stuff and the like. Their airsoft selection is growing quickly, I've noticed more and more glass cases dedicated to it with each visit.

I'd try Army Issue in Port Credit but the website seems sparse/incomplete and they didn't answer my PMs when I've asked about stock, so I haven't got around to visiting them yet. It's clear from the forum that the main guy from Army Issue is a super-helpful / nice / community-oriented guy though, so it's only a matter of time until I become his customer

You need to be careful when going overboard in accusing retailers of being criminals or nazis (or using slurs like "asspirate"), especially when many of us are regular customers and look to foster good relationships between our local vendors and the airsoft community in hopes of being treated well and having the things we buy available in greater supply.

You also need to be specific when making such accusations, so that people can weigh your evidence against that of other people like myself and the rest of my crew, who have had great experiences with them.

[danhay]

Originally Posted by oniwagamaru

Hey dan is this the guy they were calling a gun expert? When I went to go buy goggles over there, they were calling this dude I've never seen before a gun expert lol.

Yes it was very likely the same guy (tall, bald, loud and brash).

If you do every feel the urge to visit the store, ask to deal with Vanessa. She is a real-steel shooter, extremely knowledgeable and about as genuine a person as you will ever find.

[kalnaren]

Originally Posted by MaciekA

Whoa there buddy... to put it mildly, this is extremely harsh and does not jive with my experience.

It jives with many other people's experience.

At no point did I perceive them to be "Nazis" (you know what that term means to some of us right?).

You need to grow a backbone and spend some more time on the Internet.

You need to be careful when going overboard in accusing retailers of being criminals or nazis (or using slurs like "asspirate"), especially when many of us are regular customers and look to foster good relationships between our local vendors and the airsoft community in hopes of being treated well and having the things we buy available in greater supply.

Do a search for Heros on ASC and have a read.

I don't give a shit if he has the best airsoft gun selection in Canada. I will never, ever set foot in that store again. Ever.

You also need to be specific when making such accusations, so that people can weigh your evidence against that of other people like myself and the rest of my crew, who have had great experiences with them.

See above line about doing an ASC search.

Heroes is a well known pirate who screws customers every chance he gets. Maybe he's cleaning up his business practices after the cops raided his store for the 10th time... I don't care. I still won't go there.

[Szevin]

Meh.. No beef with Hero's from me. I've ordered from them, and spoken with them on the phone and through emails. I was quite happy with the help I received and the quality of the experience as a whole. I will shop with them again. Everyone has their own opinion though, and that's fine. I don't doubt some people will have a bad shopping experience at any given store.

No matter how much time you spend on the internet, or any other given space, virtual or real; it will never change the meaning of "Nazi" to some. Perhaps yourself or your Kin's lives have not been touched the way other peoples have. Comprehending the pain an anguish associated with this loosely used term could be difficult. Or most likely it's more upsetting to see this word given to something as mundane as a tired shop keeper and it diminishes it's actual memory and meaning in history? I dunno, just a thought. No beef.

[MidnightX]

Kalnaren; I'm sorry that you've had such a bad experience with Hero's! I have only been going there for about a year myself, but I don't deal with the owner. As a "retiring" paintballer, I deal with only those folks I know. Bad Reverend in Hero's has never led me astray. I did a search on here to find some proof of what you were talking about and did find a post from 2006 about a sour gun trade. An unfortunate piece of business for sure.

What I do find disturbing is the following; this is my second post here and I must admit that the entire reason I am here is because I wish to leave paintball, due to lack of proper tactical play, lack of realism in weaponry and gear, and the simple fact that there are now too many paintballers who throw around similar terms you used while at the same time not providing proof to back up their usage, when applied to retailers, gear and even other players.

At this point I am hoping the money I have already spent on setting up to try airsoft this spring was not a wasted venture.

-MidnightX
(Posted via iPhone -Translation- Spelling/Grammar Mistakes are the duck of AutoCorrect!)

[Gato]

Originally Posted by MidnightX

The second is Hero Army Surplus in Oshawa. Hero's is more on the paintball side of things but still worth checking out. The only really big problem with Hero's is that I get in there and don't want to leave... like ever. http://www.heroarmysurplus.com

I hope these places are helpful for you if they haven't been posted already.

Cheers

Midnight

Hero army was TRASH until Viperfish got involved there, after that, I had no issues with them. A short time ago he quite at Hero Army due to the bullshit that got them a bad name in the first place, he can hardly be blamed. Now that he's gone, I will not be dealing with them, the only thing that kept them on the ball was Viper, now with him gone, I suspect that their service will degenerate into what it was before. And a heads up, with fish gone, airsofters will resume their place as the least important customers there.

Originally Posted by MaciekA

Whoa there buddy... to put it mildly, this is extremely harsh and does not jive with my experience.

Harsh? Maybe, but completely valid and true, just go back and look at their reputation prior to Viperfish getting involved

Originally Posted by MaciekA

I'd try Army Issue in Port Credit but the website seems sparse/incomplete and they didn't answer my PMs when I've asked about stock, so I haven't got around to visiting them yet. It's clear from the forum that the main guy from Army Issue is a super-helpful / nice / community-oriented guy though, so it's only a matter of time until I become his customer

One of the best surplus guys I have EVER dealt with, simple as that and many here will confirm this.

Originally Posted by MaciekA

You also need to be specific when making such accusations, so that people can weigh your evidence against that of other people like myself and the rest of my crew, who have had great experiences with them.

Go look up past dealings with these people and you'll see specifics

Originally Posted by kalnaren

Heroes is a well known pirate who screws customers every chance he gets. Maybe he's cleaning up his business practices after the cops raided his store for the 10th time... I don't care. I still won't go there.

Every bit here is true. As for the "Cleanup", as stated, was the work of Viperfish