Price and entry are the 2 most vital limitations to entry into the outside. Possibly you reside in a small city that doesn’t have a gear store or any assets on the place to purchase a climbing harness. Maybe you’re employed a minimum-wage job however nonetheless wish to get outdoors.
Heck, possibly your youngsters are rising quick, and youngsters attire is rattling costly. Or maybe you’re seeking to get into a brand new sport or have to improve your bike or skis however are nonetheless paying off scholar loans.
Regardless of the case, outside gear is much more outstanding when it’s inexpensive. As a result of meaning extra of us (gear junkies and newbies alike) can entry and revel in it.
Listed below are 10 locations to buy in case you’re seeking to purchase used outside gear at an inexpensive worth. On the finish of this text, take a look at our suggestions for purchasing used gear.
I’ve admired Patagonia’s Worn Put on program for a very long time. The model does the whole lot from minor patches and zipper lubrication to totally recrafted merchandise (vests, jackets, pants) from leftover supplies. Or, as Patagonia merely places it, “These are garments constituted of different garments.”
You may store Worn Put on in a few methods: on-line on the Worn Put on web site or on-line or in-store at Patagonia with trade-in credit score. (Yup, you may commerce in your outdated Patagonia attire and jackets and get credit score to buy new gear sooner or later.)
Worn Put on additionally has a cell van that provides restore companies to totally different cities and occasions. You’ll meet with a Patagonia restore professional who can restore free threads, damaged zippers, ripped pockets, and extra. The companies are free. Seize a zipper pull or a tenacious tape patch or two, and embrace your repaired gear.
In 2020, Patagonia additionally considerably shifted its web site to incorporate a “Store Used” button to purchase used gear immediately from the model.
What we’ve discovered: Worn Put on is implausible, and its cleverly “Recrafted” assortment covers a variety of shade and measurement choices. In fact, the one disadvantage is it’s unique to Patagonia-brand gear.
Geartrade is a simple-to-use, nationwide platform that connects consumers to sellers searching for outside gear. The positioning seems to be and browses like a retail web site: You may search by sort of merchandise, model, or in a sale part.
You set your worth (though Geartrade has an algorithm that provides suggestions primarily based on the novelty and high quality of substances). You may even calculate and incorporate transport prices into your itemizing. (Geartrade takes a small fee minimize — 10-13%.)
What we’ve discovered: Geartrade could be a combined bag, however the platform works nicely, and it has fairly an intensive library of listings. The model claims it can save you as much as 90% (primarily based on the worth of the gear listed and bought). Now we have workers who’ve used it for over 4 years now.
An fascinating characteristic? If shopping for, you may provide a vendor under the asking worth and basically barter. When you’re promoting, you may open up all or a few of your listings to just accept “gives.” This is a superb characteristic if you wish to promote particular attire or gear rapidly and are open to purchasing a bit of substances in a specific worth vary.
Seven months into a worldwide pandemic, REI quickly halted its annual member garages (often in-store occasions the place REI members should buy, promote, and commerce gear). Now, along with REI member gross sales, the retailer has one thing higher — its on-line used gear retailer.
Does that sound marvelous? In principle, it’s. You (presumably) are already an REI member, have an account, and like to buy at this retailer, making this one of many best methods to buy and save on used gear. (Oh, and returns, transport, and credit score are all tremendous simple within the trade-in course of as nicely.) In order that’s all superior.
The used gear store (the shopping for aspect) contains attire and equipment like gaiters, sleeping luggage, packs, tents, and bike luggage. It has a ton of superior and intensive decisions. Final yr was the pilot yr of REI’s trade-in program (the promoting aspect). It’s not fairly the trade-in smorgasbord we hoped it might be, however because it’s this system’s first yr, we all know it should evolve.
What we’ve discovered: The client’s aspect is nice, and the trade-in aspect is OK. On the plus aspect, it’s not simply used REI gear however any model or merchandise REI has ever bought, which is large. You may get the whole lot from attire and camp chairs to energy banks and chargers.
The draw back? REI is fairly restricted on the objects it should take again. (You’ll wish to go to the trade-in web page and lookup the merchandise you need to see in the event that they’re eligible. Whereas many objects populate, most aren’t eligible for trade-in.)
Out&Again is newer to the used gear scene (based in Denver in late 2019), however don’t be fooled. This on-line retailer has rather a lot going for it: the extensiveness of substances you may store for. And the pace at which you should buy/promote and commerce.
Like Geartrade, Out&Again gives a platform to purchase and promote used gear throughout 10+ classes and 65+ manufacturers — from camp, hike, and run to bike, climb, and ski. However not like Geartrade, you don’t should {photograph} and craft your personal listings on the location. (I like seeing precise images of the objects listed, however Out&Again’s technique of itemizing by model and inventory images makes the method a lot quicker.)
On the location, you may store by gender, worth level, and model. Every merchandise is labeled clearly with its measurement and the share financial savings.
What we’ve discovered: Out&Again is tremendous user-friendly and hosts in-person trade-ins and popups at varied retailers and occasions. Look ahead to them in Dick’s, Public Lands, and round Denver. (Enjoyable truth: VF Corp was one of many traders that received Out&Again off the bottom.) A cool characteristic of this web site is that you may filter objects by situation — new, like new, or honest, for instance. The financial savings are deep, and extra objects are added every week.
Rerouted is a superb used gear web site. Whereas not as intensive as REI or Geartrade’s used outlets, it’s nonetheless an important useful resource. If you wish to purchase solely used gear or are looking for one thing particular, you’ll wish to bookmark all of those to go looking throughout websites. Rerouted additionally appears to have much more technical gear (skis, shells, tents, and packs) — fairly than tons of attire — compared to different used gear outlets.
Rerouted does require sellers to make an account and an inventory for each bit of substances, however then they’ll ship you a transport label and fear about getting it into the customer’s arms. This store additionally takes a barely decrease fee than another websites (10% for every merchandise bought).
What we predict: This is without doubt one of the few used gear websites I haven’t personally tried firsthand to purchase/promote used gear. An enormous perk of this web site is that it additionally has an accompanying cell app so you may store on the go,
Isella Out of doors has gained quick traction in a number of circles. Firstly, it operates on a consignment construction. You and the vendor get a good worth, and Isella takes a small minimize, which it places towards gear scholarships for others. It’s a win-win-win.
Second, Isella works to fight poisonous gear tradition whereas additionally selling variety. They concentrate on offering gear for girls and nonbinary people. The positioning additionally has an important mixture of attire, arduous items, and picks for gender-neutral and plus sizes. However plan forward to listing and store for gear seasonally.
What we’ve discovered: One in every of our workers tried out Isella, and he or she beloved the platform. It’s simple to listing and discover gear, and founder Mallorie Estenson is continually working to enhance Isella. One caveat: Whereas it had an internet site for some time, the store now lives on Instagram. You’ll additionally want an electronic mail and PayPal account.
Our favourite facet of Isella Out of doors is the “Singles” store, the place you should buy a single glove, pole, and even shoe or ski! It’s a implausible useful resource for adaptive athletes and the remainder of us, too. (Lacking a left-hand liner glove? Isella has one for you!)
The North Face began its Renewed program in June 2018. It’s a group of refurbished clothes remade to discover. The North Face combines returned, broken, or faulty attire to make new and practical objects. Every garment is inspected, washed, and tuned up on the model’s Renewal Workshop.
In 2019, The North Face put collectively a Design Residency to assist increase this system and its choices. The consequence was the Remade Assortment — an extension of Renewed, with a majority of the clothes repaired primarily based on round requirements.
The North Face’s used gear choices embody attire (males’s, girls’s, and youngsters’) and chalk luggage. Like Patagonia Worn Put on objects, The North Face Remade objects are backed by a 1-year guarantee.
What we’ve discovered: Just a few workers members have tried Renewed and located its pricing is superb for used objects. (We’re speaking 50% off the market worth for The North Face ThermoBall jackets.) Like Patagonia’s Worn Put on Program, it’s solely The North Face-branded gear. That being mentioned, the Renewed platform nonetheless has an important choice.
Examine Out The North Face Renewed
Like Patagonia’s decade-old Worn Put on program, manufacturers like The North Face and Arc’teryx have additionally joined the hassle. Arc’teryx’s ReGEAR (and associated ReBIRD circularity program) helps hold used and worn gear in play so long as potential.
Via Arc’teryx ReGEAR, customers should buy used pants, jackets, hoodies, waterproof layers, packs, footwear, and shells. The ReGEAR store carries the whole lot from base layers to fleeces to 850-down jackets. Relying on the merchandise, you will get not less than $100 off the standard MSRP.
What we predict: Sizing tends to be very restricted (one XS or S, accessible, or one XL jacket), as objects go quick. And yeah, a number of the gear remains to be dear. However the reductions are actual.
NRS isn’t as big a model as REI, Patagonia, Arc’teryx, or The North Face. However that doesn’t imply there aren’t stellar financial savings available! NRS’s used gear store gives reductions throughout three classes: used gear, attire, and inflatables.
Inflatables like SUPs, kayaks, and duckies are all professionally inspected by NRS. Some inflatables will probably be from demo fleets, gently used with minor put on, or discounted resulting from lacking an included merchandise (like a SUP pump). In any other case, they’ve received numerous life left.
I at all times ship mates to NRS in the event that they want technical objects — like moist or dry fits or PFDs — and are on a funds. Financial savings are usually upward of 30% off, which is a giant deal when shopping for higher-ticket objects like a dry swimsuit or SUP. I’ve bought used attire from NRS and belief the model.
What we’ve discovered: For river rats and dirtbags, particularly these searching for water and UPF attire, the NRS Used Gear web site is tough to beat. There’s an entire number of objects on there … however the good things goes quick. You’ll wish to bookmark this web site, particularly in case you hope to attain on a used watercraft searching for a second residence.
We don’t have a lot data but, however Christy Sports activities is launching a “yard sale” market platform on its web site someday in 2024. Christy Sports activities, which has over 60+ places throughout Colorado, Washington, Utah, and Montana, makes a speciality of ski and snow gear, attire, bikes, and mountain climbing gear.
In response to Christy Sports activities, the “on-line resale market” will initially concentrate on pre-loved grownup ski and snowboard tools. Christy Sports activities is partnering with Recurate and estimates that it’ll hold over 1,500 models (of apparatus) out of landfills within the first yr.
A pre-loved pair of skis will common round $250-350. Searching for skis, bindings, boards, or poles on a funds? Look no additional!
What we predict: We’re anxiously awaiting the launch of Yard Sale, which is able to decrease the barrier of entry for a lot of people into snowboarding, give individuals nice low cost costs, and hold arduous items out of landfills. We’ve mentioned this earlier than — win-win-win. Plus, “Yard Sale” will probably be a marked enchancment to Christy Sports activities’ present used gear technique: eBay. We all know it’s nice, however instances have modified.
Extra Used Gear Outlets: Don’t Neglect About Ski Manufacturers!
Coalition Skis, Weston Backcountry, and extra: Nearly each ski model sells off- or past-season or demo skis at heavy reductions on the finish of every season. Go on to a model’s web site to see if they’ve a used store or past-season sale objects. Summer season is the time to buy skis and boards.
With ski move costs ever-increasing, it’s price it to avoid wasting on the gear you’ll want on the mountain. Used snow gear could be a super-awesome funding if it’s in good situation.
Professional tip: Take a seasonal strategic strategy to purchasing used gear. Bear in mind to plan forward and store and seek for gear low season!
Suggestions for Shopping for Used Gear
- Store sensible. Do your analysis, search for gross sales, and broaden your search (store a number of websites or discover and store smaller manufacturers). Write down your non-negotiables: sizing, worth, and many others.
- When shopping for arduous items, concentrate. Do search for specifics. When you aren’t shopping for new direct from a model, likelihood is there received’t be a guaranty, so guarantee all elements/features of the gear perform as they need to. All the used gear websites we’ve really helpful already examine objects for that reason (and prohibit “damaged” gear).
- Don’t be afraid to put money into “used.” It ought to go with out saying, however you’re shopping for one thing used! It is probably not excellent. On many websites, objects are even labeled “new,” “gently used,” “nicely used,” and many others., to present you an thought of the standard of the gear. Higher but, the worth tags will mirror that one thing minor like a free thread, damaged zipper, or fading is suitable! Cloth, buttons, and zippers are simply repaired. And in case you don’t care in regards to the newest colours, you’ll save right here, too.
- Be a part of or create a gear swap. Are you aware a couple of mates who’ve comparable attire or shoe sizing? Need to hold your seek for used gear native? Arrange a neighborhood, household, mates, or workspace gear swap. There are dozens of native retailers — outdoors of manufacturers like REI and Patagonia — that additionally settle for consignment gear or exchanges.
- Reap the benefits of the used outside gear community. Do you might have a jacket you’re keen on however it doesn’t match good? Able to promote that spare helmet? Shopping for used gear is simply half the equation — you may promote it too! Be a part of considered one of these manufacturers’ buy-back packages, or go to the websites above to promote your used gear to another person — and provides it a brand new life. A few of the finest selections I’ve made are to promote outside attire and kit I don’t use typically sufficient and use that cash to place towards one thing I’m saving up for.
- Security above financial savings. There are such a lot of nice finds on used gear websites. However you’ll wish to take into account some common sense guidelines and security suggestions from manufacturers: by no means purchase life-saving gear used in case you might help it. This goes for climbing ropes and {hardware} (What number of falls had been on the rope? Was it cared for?), helmets (Is it broken from a crash or fall?), satellite tv for pc units (Is the software program updated? Will it work in an emergency?), and probably harmful gear (like searching knives and weapons). Many retailers received’t settle for these or resell these things for apparent causes. There are simply too many variables with used gear that fall into the “security tools” class.