Selling Outdoors Equipment

Nick

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When it comes to outdoors gear, I'm a textbook hoarder. I still own pretty much everything I've ever used in the past when it comes to tents, water filters, stoves, sleeping bags, etc. There's been a time or two where I lent it out to someone and it made me feel good about hanging on to it, but I think I'm over that and it's probably about time to get rid of some stuff. @Jen had mentioned good luck with a consignment shop in Cottonwood Heights called The Gear Room so I was thinking about taking some stuff there. But then I looked a little deeper and now things don't seem so clear. Local classifieds seem like a waste of time for small stuff, but maybe eBay would be better? It's hard to imagine that my old backpacking gear will move that fast in a little shop in Cottonwood Heights that I would never think to shop at.

How do you guys get rid of your old stuff?
 
Get rid of stuff?? Who does that?
I am a hoarder also. Recently my wife said it's probably time to dump some sleeping bags. I have no idea what that concept is.
 
Get rid of? I'm not even sure what that means. I probably have enough stuff to outfit the whole forum membership. And within limits, color coordinate people, as well. Kayak? Canoe? Little "boats" to take to a mountain lake? Got 'em. Stoves? Filters? Tents? Packs? Stuff sacks? Dry sacks? Longies? Weird little things that seemed like a good idea at the time? I've got it all. Just not in orange. I don't like orange.
 
I used to hoard all my gear as well and my garage plus my shed was full of all camping and outdoor related gear.
When I moved to Hawai'i, I had to sell about 80% of all my gear. It really hurt a lot to let it go as there were many memories involved with a lot of it.
I sold most of my gear on Facebook at the local Facebook yard sale. For some reason, I sold everything pretty fast. Just take some pretty pictures of your gear and add a nice description. back then I still had my old studio where I took all my shots with a nice setup and nice lighting. It worked perfectly for me. For most of my stuff, I got a really good price and ended up selling everything I needed to.
 
Count me in the hoarder club. Maybe we all have a bit of a prepper in us. I don't know why, but every time I look at the gear I hardly or don't ever use anymore, I say to myself..."but if the zombie apocalypse or something like that hits the fan, then I'll have extra gear for family and neighbors." Seriously though...sleeping bags, stoves, backpacks, etc...I have more than I really need and use, and often think its probably time to say bye to much of it, but then again, I think about extended family members and friends who've benefitted from me having extra gear to spare. I even had a colleague at work wanting to borrow some gear to take his whole family up in the Uintas for a short distance overnight backpacking trip just to have that experience. I felt good when I was able to outfit most of his family and they had a good experience because of it.
 
I'm deliberate enough my gear purchases that I don't really tend to accumulate stuff I don't need. So I have two sleeping pads, but I use both of them depending on season. I most often just use stuff until it's completely worn out and not worth even donating.
 
I'm deliberate enough my gear purchases that I don't really tend to accumulate stuff I don't need. So I have two sleeping pads, but I use both of them depending on season. I most often just use stuff until it's completely worn out and not worth even donating.

Ha! You make it sound like we don't think through our gear purchases! I think maybe you're just not on the same level of gear junky. ;)
 
Now personally so much of my gear is old gear that have been using for years and years. Now I do have a small storage unit and am sort of a hoarder also when it comes to some of my old old gear. I just can't throw old gear away. And if able I will use some of that old gear for years and years. And I will rather use some of that old gear then run out and but some new stuff. And one reason is that am cheap and always looking to save a few dollars in my simple life. And guess am a little like LarryBoy here as when I do have to buy some new gear, it is a very very deliberate choice.

For instance my backpack is a Gregory 'Cassin' which hasn't been made in many a year. But it is a good backpack and carries a good load. Maybe it is not in the best condition after multiple years of use, but is still usable. I still have an old Svea Stove that first used back in the late 70s.
 
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Ha! You make it sound like we don't think through our gear purchases! I think maybe you're just not on the same level of gear junky. ;)
That is probably a fair statement :)

The other thing is, and I don't mean this as a slight on anyone's age or experience, I've only been collecting outdoor gear for 5 or 6 years. If I had two decades to collect stuff I'd probably have a lot more extra items.
 
I'm deliberate enough my gear purchases that I don't really tend to accumulate stuff I don't need. So I have two sleeping pads, but I use both of them depending on season. I most often just use stuff until it's completely worn out and not worth even donating.
I don't like to spend money on myself, so I research anything I buy obsessively. However, I tend to get cheap used gear first and really test it to it's limit before I decide if I want to upgrade, so I always have stuff. However, I am known by my non-backpacking friends as someone who is very organized (actually OCD) with camping and backpacking, so I get a lot requests to take people on trips so they can learn. For this reason, I tend to hold on to stuff.

When I do get rid of it, I think a specific forum (like hammock forums for anything hammock or light weight) is the ebst for resale value. If not that, then Craigslist. In southern California, Craig's list sucks because people waste your time so much more then the other two areas I used it (PA and AR).

A lot of times, I just give it away if it's easy to sell for a high enough price. A friend who is getting batter at backpacking is more valuable to me then the 20$ I get from some dude that was difficult to line up a meeting with.

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For instance my backpack is a Gregory 'Cassin' which hasn't been made in many a year. But it is a good backpack and carries a good load. Maybe it is not in the best condition after multiple years of use, but is still usable.

@Kmatjhwy , I think I finally have to give up on my Gregory Snow Creek, built in the same era as your Cassin. The belt has been failing for a couple years and on my trip last fall a few more rips developed in the suspension system. I replaced it with a Denali a year and some ago but decided to stay with the Snow Creek until it failed completely. Thirty-four years and well over 1500 nights of trips. Not bad. Sad to hang that one up.

When I contacted Gregory about replacing the belt a couple years ago, they said that their current belt designs were too different so they would not be able to replace it. They DID offer to give me a new pack free to replace my pack. I explained that my Snow Creek was around 32 years old and had received a lot of use, and I could not, in good conscience, let them replace it free. The guy at Gregory insisted that it was what they would do, regardless. I will have to send in my pack in order for Gregory to replace it. I used it almost 2 more years and I may just hang on to it just because.
 
Outdoor Fool, Now do hear what you saying! It seems like losing a old piece of gear that one has used for years is like losing a real good close friend. At least it is for myself. Maybe you can find someone where you live who will be willing to do some custom sewing on your old backpack to get it back in a good shape again? This might be worth looking into since it is only February.

Now I have liked my old 'Cassin' and it has been with me for how many good long hikes and summers. Do think it was Colin Fletcher who said it was his most favorite backpack ever. It certainly has held up in my years of hiking. As for myself, do think am more old fashioned and do seriously wonder if some of this 'New Technology' is maybe not for the best. It seems some of this new stuff wears out much more quicker then some of the old stuff would possibly. It is more like planned obsolescence, for the gear will work a few years then fall apart. Afterwards you will have to get some new gear. I like just using the old gear as much as possible till it just wears out I guess completely.

Wishing You the Best with your old Gregory 'Snow Creek'.
 
Hoarder... And I give stuff away to my little bro and young friends who show up in need..
 
@Kmatjhwy , I have thought about having the pack repaired locally as you mentioned. I need to really assess the condition and see where it sits in that regard. We have a great outdoor gear manufacturing/repair shop in town (Apocalypse Designs) but my gosh they are expensive! It seriously could cost me the price of a new pack for a few simple repairs.

I agree with your comment on modern gear with bells & whistles that are destined to fail. Gregory packs in the early 80's were so simple and so bombproof!
 
Outdoor Fool, now several years ago when my Gregory 'Cassin' pack was showing some wear ... i thought on getting another pack. I got the pack Denali by Gregory. It did not hold up at all ... I had sooooo many problems with the hip belt with being made out of plastic and other things. It eventually fell all apart and just threw it away and went back to the old 'Cassin'. Like you said, those old Gregory packs were like bombproof .... now I know my old pack is like that after what it has been thru on all of my epic adventures. Good to bring this subject up ... guess time for a little sewing on my pack also since it is only February. Again Wishing You the Best!
 
Since I camp out of my car a lot with three dogs, I can't carry a lot of extra gear. The only exception is sleeping bags. When I want to replace something, I've found that friends are usually happy to take my old gear off my hands. But since I like to try new stuff, my old gear usually isn't all that old. I've also given gear to homeless people, which makes me feel like I've helped someone. I just went on a purge and gave away a nice hundred watt solar suitcase with inverter, a tent, and a nice water filter. I'm kind of the opposite of a hoarder, and I'd rather buy stuff then pack it around forever and not use it. But if I had a big house, things might be different.
 

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