Prices here and on ebay.....what do you notice/think?

There is reason for the price increases, which are not necessarily justified. As we know, both Covid and the war in Ukraine have slowed both supply chain and production of new components. Major shippers are also regularly backed up due to resource constraints, and shipping prices are increasing because of the inflating cost of gas. Combine all of these with manufacturers who are trying to retain their profit margins, and it results in a hefty price increase in new gear.

I knew of one manufacturer whose units were backed up for months due to shortages in aluminum of all things. Having to seek different sources led to delays and added costs, and factor in the lack of sales as a result, then they likely need to profit more on each piece to make up for it.

Dealers as well, over the last few years now need to be more careful to either collect sales taxes in their listings or embed the costs into the product as selling across states has become more strict. So consider 5-10% going into that if buying used from a dealer.

Because of all this, the used market has also skyrocketed, as people are now basing the value of their goods on demand and listing items for more than they would before because manufacturers have raised their prides considerably more than when the user initially bought the item.

All of this is in line with inflation, but combing that with gear that was already expensive to begin with is making it more difficult for anyone to be able to access it.