New York Sportsman’s Expo 2023 Discussion

**Upstate Nerdneck** · January 26, 2023

Anyone going to this, or been to it before? Thinking of making the drive. Looks more like an outfitter expo than anything else.

Event RSVP/signup:

**Otto** · January 26, 2023

I’m planning on going Saturday. We went last year and it was just ok. Took about an hour to fly through. Ended up spending the rest of the afternoon at Bridge Street Tavern. Planning on same agenda this year too.

I did get an email from Kuiu that they will have a booth where you can try on all their gear to be sure you get the right size.

**Upstate Nerdneck** · January 26, 2023

8 minutes ago, Otto said:

I’m planning on going Saturday. We went last year and it was just ok. Took about an hour to fly through. Ended up spending the rest of the afternoon at Bridge Street Tavern. Planning on same agenda this year too.

I did get an email from Kuiu that they will have a booth where you can try on all their gear to be sure you get the right size.

Oh, that seals it, I'm going then. I was a good boy last year and didn't buy hardly anything from them. Might need their whitetail jacket and pants this year.

**dbHunterNY** · January 26, 2023

i've been thinking about going to this since it started. never seem to make it with working schedule and young kids. been years since I've met up with Tim Andrus. Busy guy there I'm sure.

**Otto** · January 26, 2023

January 27 - 29 → Meet the gear specialists at KUIU͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌ ͏ ‌

From the E-mail marketing blast:

The KUIU Ultralight Tour is on the road! Here's your chance to try on and purchase gear with KUIU team member consultation. Join us at an Ultralight Tour Event and be a part of KUIU Nation!

EXPLORE

New York Sportsman’s Expo 2023

January 27 - 29 | Syracuse, NY
New York State Fairgrounds
Friday: Noon - 7pm
Saturday: 9am - 7pm
Sunday: 9am - 5pm

Showroom & Corporate Offices - 1920 N. Lincoln, Ste. 101, Dixon, CA 95620
©2023 KUIU, All Rights reserved

**Robhuntandfish** · January 26, 2023

I haven't been in a few years. The last time I went it was mostly outfitters. Used to be some good deals on lures there but they don't offer much for tackle anymore. Went there one time and some PETA protesters were outside and yelling etc. My buddy spied a pretty gal in the midst and yelled over them "would you like to go out with me?" They all got quiet and just stared at her for a response and she just blushed. He didn't get a date we walked away. But I think if she answered yes he prob would've took her out. Lol.

**nywaw** · January 26, 2023

Added to the calendar. I'm probably going to redirect this forum to the calendar. Conversations can happen in the Event comments just like Topic replies behave and will appear on the Recent Activity

**Robhuntandfish** · January 26, 2023

4 minutes ago, nywaw said:

Added to the calendar. I'm probably going to redirect this forum to the calendar. Conversations can happen in the Event comments just like Topic replies behave and will appear on the Recent Activity

whereabouts is this calendar? thanks

**mowin** · January 26, 2023

15 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

whereabouts is this calendar? thanks

If on a mobile, it's at the bottom of the page under upcoming events. I believe it's on the right side column on a desktop.

**nywaw** · January 26, 2023

25 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

whereabouts is this calendar? thanks

It's the Events menu item :up:

**phade** · January 27, 2023

The show itself really isn’t good IMO. Amongst the worst I’ve been too. I don’t know if it’s the time of year, competing shows, etc but it just doesn’t bring in the vendors and companies that in turn get crowds. I will say that Kuiu being there is solid. I’d go for that alone to try on their gear. Got an overnight planned with the wife this weekend so it is out of the cards.

The pricing for vendors is also really high for that show attendance count. That venue is really nice and may be a cost factor. Going to state level shows such as the Ohio version, and it’s no comparison. The venue isn’t as nice, but the vendors and manufacturers are much more of a draw.

**Otto** · January 27, 2023

Spot on Phade. This show is a shadow of the show from 10 years ago. There were different owners then and it was held in the Center of Progress building. Much bigger venue, but not as nice as the new Expo Center. I know one of the vendors from the old show, he was there every single year for many years. He told me booth prices for the new show are ridiculously high and there was no negotiating.

That said, there’s not much else going on right now, so might as well go browse around, see some old friends, watchtower the dogs jump off the dock and grab a beer afterwards. Not a bad Saturday, although I’d rather be ice fishing!

**Ogee** · January 27, 2023

Interesting looking at the website.

It doesn’t have a vendor list?

**grampy** · January 27, 2023

Hunting partner and I will be going on Saturday. Just to get away for the day. Never been to this one.

**phade** · January 27, 2023

9 hours ago, Otto said:

Spot on Phade. This show is a shadow of the show from 10 years ago. There were different owners then and it was held in the Center of Progress building. Much bigger venue, but not as nice as the new Expo Center. I know one of the vendors from the old show, he was there every single year for many years. He told me booth prices for the new show are ridiculously high and there was no negotiating.

That said, there’s not much else going on right now, so might as well go browse around, see some old friends, watchtower the dogs jump off the dock and grab a beer afterwards. Not a bad Saturday, although I’d rather be ice fishing!

I looked into a booth there; I have a friend who has one each year at that show. He does really well because he sells items that are more typically sold after trying them out (blinds) and are $1-2k each. So it works for him. For things that are more shippable or online accessible and available you really need a big sales weekend to even break even. I find that it’s hard for items where they do the Best Buy treatment. Go in, check out the item, not buy it there, then go online and price search for lowest cost and then buy. Even if the items is priced competitively on site.

All in cost for a small booth at that show will run $4K after travel, room & board, food, etc. for two ppl. And that doesn’t include wages. Sales-wise you’re needing to flip significant amounts of merchandise if your margins are less than 40-50%. The blinds…he doesn’t have to stock because they’re ordered in, which is great. Nothing tied up in inventory. His experience though is the exception to the rule.

The cost of these shows for vendors is partially driving the reason why people don’t find as many deals there as they used to. 10-15 years ago it was indeed much different. This one and Harrisburg are the ones with the biggest amount of change negatively. I wish I had some ideas on how to lower costs but I just don’t and as a result do not do the shows as it’s not a positive ROI.

I certainly agree if nothing is going on it’s a good time to get out and about but again, it’s like tire kicking. I don’t go there planning to spend money most instances myself.

New York Sportsman’s Expo 2023 Discussion

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