Academy vs. Bass Pro

S

spacecoast

New member
I noticed last night that they are nearing completion for an Academy Sports & Outdoors store in our neck of the woods. Bass Pro arrived about a year ago. How do they differ, which do you prefer and why?
 
In my area the Bass Pro has a far larger hunting and fishing department along with boating. There is also a nice restaurant. The Academy has a far diverse field of sporting goods other than hunting and fishing.

The displays of huge fish tanks and mounted game is real eye candy for adults and children alike in Bass Pro.

Personally Bass Pro gets my vote, but I am not looking for jogging, volley ball, football, basketball, golfing and etc. gear.

I also have a Gander Mountain in the same vicinity. The sheer variety of firearms is greater than Bass Pro, but there is no reloading supplies. I still prefer Bass Pro over Gander Mountain. :)
 
lamarw has it right about the greater diversity of Academy. I tend to find the prices to be better at Academy, but for shooting/hunting gear, the selection will be better ats BPS.

Regardless, as a consumer, it's nice to have options.
 
Academy is sort of like a Wal-mart of sporting goods and Bass Pro is more like a Nordstrom's.

Academy is my go-to store for general hunting and other sports gear if I am not shopping online. Bass Pro has some better stuff.

The cost of maintaining a giant fish tank and other ambiance isn't in the prices of Academy.
 
In my experience Bass Pro has a wider selection of hunting/fishing/shooting supplies, but I’ve actually found the prices on firearms better at Academy.
 
Bass Pro here is a bit better than Academy. They are both clear on the other side of town from me. Not an issue when I was working, as it was a shorter drive. Now it's a good twenty miles one way for this old retired guy.
I order online mostly. Let the BBT do the driving.
And only one smaller snobbier shop here has handloading stuff - he is also across town..... :(
 
If I'm just looking to kill time, then Bass Pro is the way to go. I could wander around and look at fish and mounted game animals all day.

However, in my experience, Academy has better prices on most everything.

And a nice thing about academy, to me anyway, on one trip I was able to secure new thermals, a discounted box of ProV1 golf balls, and Nike soccer socks for my little sister along with a decoy bag, which was the original purpose of the trip.
 
Locally we have Academy Sports & Gander Mountain, and I go to any Bass Pro Shop I go by on travels (nearest BPS is about 70 miles away).

Ditto to all above comments. I've found that ammo prices are better at Academy. Both AS & GM are smaller (less variety of items stocked) than BPS. And neither AS or GM carry reloading supplies at our stores.
 
Academy has the best prices on guns and ammo, but usually smaller selection.... I've bought all my handguns at academy... No one had better prices...

They didn't raise prices during the panic either
 
There are better prices. The Saxet gun show and GT Distributors will usually beat Academy. But I agree for a store - they are pretty good compared to Cabelas, BP or Gander.
 
Bass Pro has more of the stuff I like than Academy. I seldom visit Academy stores even though there are two in my area. So, I guess I prefer BP. Gander Mt is about the same as Academy. I prefer the fishing department in BP. Gander Mt finally opened a store last fall in my area. Visiting BP has always been sort of an event. But they are building a BP and Cabelas in my area now. Things are changing.
 
Academy,
Mainly for one small thing. They carry a little reloading supplies where bass pro does not.

Still not a great selection, but they are working on it. They have projectiles, presses, and primers.. and they are receptive to carrying it.. so I add them to my "I'm looking for this" list, and see if they do.


I have had discussions with managers at bass pro about carrying reloading components and am always given the same response..we can't get a,b,and c to which I reply back, I understand, but that has nothing to do with x,y, and z.

So after a year of having this conversation with them, I just quit going there.
 
Academy,
Mainly for one small thing. They carry a little reloading supplies where bass pro does not.
Click to expand...

The BPS stores I've hit in FL (Orlando and Ft. Meyers) both carried reloading supplies.
 
I have a Academy Sports here and a Bass Pro 2 blocks down the road from Academy, but I prefer Academy. Academy has better prices on guns, accessories, and ammo but Bass Pro has a better selection. Academy's sale prices on ammo are often the same or cheaper than ordering it in bulk on the internet. The Academy here also seems to be keeping .22 ammo in stock but still limits the amount you can buy.

Speaking of .22 ammo, Academy, Bass Pro, and Dick's Sporting Goods all opened here within a couple months of each other and all had plenty of .22 in stock for the first few days after opening. This was also at the height of the ammo panic buying. If your still having a hard time finding .22 ammo where you live, you may want to be sure your there opening day.

One other thing I like about Academy is the price and quality of their Monarch brand of ammo. The Monarch Brass is made by Prvi Partizan and the Monarch steel case is made by Barnaul. Two manufacturer's ammo that has always worked well in my guns.
 
The new Academy Sports opened a couple of days ago and I stopped by there for a few minutes today. Decent selection of ammo, although I didn't see any .22LR (maybe it was behind the counter). My general impression of prices was that they are pretty much standard retail, maybe a little cheaper than Bass Pro and similar to Wal-Mart.

I was able to purchase a new Hogue Handall for my P95 and replacement batteries for my red dot with the $10 coupon I got in the mail and only had to throw in a couple of bucks.
 
What part of the Coast are you on, spacecoast? The only BassPro I know about when I head southward from my area ( NE Florida ) is the one in Orlando.
And my own experience is that Academy usually has better prices on guns as well - but the one near me in JAX keeps the locks on the guns when I've looked at them there.
BassPro gun prices are overpriced - that's what I've seen. But about 2 or 3 years ago, I did score an Uberti Chisolm ( all steel version of the Cattleman ) at the Orlando one for about $300 - last one in the store, and I was told it was the last one at that price in ANY of the BassPro shops. It was retailling elsewhere I think, for about $450 + at the time. So I thanked lady luck, and took it home with me.
 
Our first Bass Pro opened near me (50 miles is close around here)and rather than hurting sales at the local LGS, it has helped them. It makes the prices at their stores look good and their knowledge of the guns is better than people thought. You go to Bass Pro if you don't know better or don't care what something costs.
 
spacecoast and steelbird, if you're ever at the Academy in Southside Jax, feel free to come visit me behind the gun counter.

I do work at Academy so I'll stay out of the question :D
 
Bass Pro for me. I just enjoy going to BP more. Academy is more like visiting Gander Mountain but with better prices. I seldom vist Academy Sports. In my immediate area (50 mile radius), we have: Sportsmans Warehouse, Academy, Gander Mountain, Dicks; and Bass Pro and Cabelas stores are under construction.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top