recommendations for deals on western mountaineering bags

WM don't allow their dealers to advertise discounts. If the dealers do, WM can terminate all business with the retailer. Most storewide 20% type sales will specifically exclude WM.

Your best bet is to find an independent bricks and mortar retailer that stocks WM, and find out when they will have a sale. If they don't advertise heavily, then the WM bags might be discounted. I snagged an Ultralite for my wife this time last year at a 20% discount, and it was purely by chance. Right place, right time. Good luck.

As Stuart said, some sites have 20% sales, but only a very small handful include WM.

I bought a WM bag for 20% off from Neptune Mountaineerings's website about two years ago.

It happens from time-to-time, but it's certainly not common. It might happen a couple of times a year from smaller sellers, and they usually don't have a wide selection of bags, sizes, and zip sides.

…is BPL Gear Swap!

I've got 2 of em here so far, and i sleep in em almost every night…i've even got my teen daughter hookd on sleepin in down luxury…quilt-style, not mummified mind you.

Power to the Down Junkies!

;)

An example of the brick&mortar store that offers discounts is Mel Cotton's in San Jose, CA. They periodically offer (offered?) a 20% off coupon good on just about anything in the store, including WM. I used one to buy my Badger 18 months back.

They are online, but I think their coupons are only good in-store.

http://www.geartrade.com/item/326862/highlite-sleeping-bag-35-degree-down-one-color-6

On the EMS web site. You can get 20% on any one item for joining their email club. Discount works on everything on the site. Even on WM stuff. This is unusual, as most sites exclude the top names from their discounts. Especially the larger discounts like 20% on up.

This is about the best deal I have found on a Western Mountaineering bag. But, it can only be used one time, on one item. So, as Yoda would say: "Choose wisely my young pada-wan".

As a bonus, you will also get club points that translate to discounts on future purchases from them. Nice way to save almost $100 on a great bag and a little more on something else later on.

Note on 5/31/13:

It appears that the 20% off deal was a limited time only thing. I just checked and it is no longer on their site.

+1 on Gear Swap.

After I bought my Ultralite last year, I was searching for something else entirely and found this website: http://www.masseysoutfitters.com/

They had a WM Ultralite on closeout for 334$.

As other members have noted, most 20% coupons exclude WM. If you're not in a big hurry, keep searching, and you'll find a good deal.

is it just me, or does EMS not stock WM online?

I just purchased a Alpinlite last week from them online.