You can do better from local guys than at frag swaps, but you don't get all the variety in one place. Most of our local guys do the swaps and we have a couple that really have the rarer zoas, which is what I like. Since I go to every swap most of the local vendors know my face and will cut me deals if I'm buying a few things. It also helps that I try and buy everything with cash, so they are even more willing to cut deals. Except for Aquashella and Reefapalooza there are is little to no hardware available. I normally don't even pay attention to the hardware except for Dirk's, I always check out his stuff. I still kick myself for not buying the Corals of the World bookset he had a few years back at Aquashella. I really miss the VIP they used to do for some of the swaps that would allow you to come the night before when a lot of the vendors were setting up. There would be a lot of drinking and I would get some great deals. The last 2 times I went to the VIP I ended up not the day of the swap because I spent all my money the night before.
The swap a few weeks back the vendors had really nice gold torches for $150, some that were splitting and he said no one was buying. Even the vendors that had rows and rows of $15 to $30 frags weren't selling.
My biggest problem with the big shows is I want to walk around and check out all the booths before I buy anything. Nothing worse than paying $50 for a zoa and then seeing the same one a few booth away for $25. The problem is I see things I say I will come back and get and then I forget about it and remember once I left or I go back and it is already gone.
