The Ultimate Guide for Saving Money on Used Outdoor Gear

Do you love finding a great bargain deals on outdoor gear? If you do then you are well aware that getting quality used gear can save you a lot of money. Saving money allows us to spend more time outside doing the activities that we love so mastering this skill can pay big dividends in the long run. Instead of running out to get the latest and greatest, you can save money by taking your time and swooping on the best deals.

Use craigslist as your personal used gear hunter. 

People often invest in a sport and later realize they don’t have the time or are not interested in it any longer. They now must sell their barely used gear for pennies on the dollar. How do you find it? Set up craigslist email notifications.

Step 1: First create an account at craigslist.com

Step 2: Now let’s say you want to buy rock climbing equipment. Type in rock climbing into your search bar and see what comes up. Maybe a deal, or maybe nothing. That’s okay.

Step 3: On the left side of the screen set your miles from zip to the amount of miles you are willing to drive for used gear. Then set a maximum price. Then update search.

Step 4: Click save search, next to the search bar.

Step 5: Check that you want email alerts for new postings. Done! Now you can swoop on any great deals that come up. Of course you can be more specific with search terms if you only want a specific piece of gear like a rope.

Used Gear Store

If you live in an outdoor town, you might have a shop dedicated to used outdoor gear. I was recently in Moab, Utah and they have a used gear store that we stopped into and found some good bargains. Moab Gear Trader is the name of the shop in case you are in town.

Ebay

This gives you access to a huge selection of used gear. Try and be specific with your search terms and select auction to view used gear. The downside of ebay is you cannot be 100% on the quality by looking at the pictures so make sure to read the description thoroughly. I’ve had great success buying used climbing cams on ebay.

REI Garage Sales

REI now hosts monthly “garage sale” for members at most of its locations. If you live close to an REI and you don’t mind a little of the black Friday vibe than you can save some big money. https://www.rei.com/promotions/garage-sale

Ski Swaps

Local to your area. Use the craigslist tip mentioned above to find out when they are happening in your area. Just search ski swaps in the community section and follow the same steps.

I hope the tips in this guide save you time and money on the outdoor gear you need for living to adventure. 

Have a tip about used gear? Share your tip in the comments below.