Geartrade is an online recommerce site solely dedicated to the second (or third) life of outdoor products. It has given recourse to gear junkies who want to help fund their outdoor hobby, new enthusiasts who don’t want to pay premium prices, and bargain shoppers who like to play outside. And it’s provided this service for over 20 years.
The company has a new owner, and while the platform’s core remains a reseller of used outdoor gear, the how and why have been updated dramatically. From new convenient payment systems to a streamlined interface, the ease of buying and selling used gear has never been easier.
Geartrade has a huge range of outdoor gear — bikes, kayaks, backpacks, tents, clothing, sleeping bags, etc. — and it combines individual user listings with brand listings, so you’ll always find a wide range of gear, colors, and sizes. And they handle all payment interactions and help to facilitate the orders, serving as a reliable middle-man between often-expensive purchases.
But the biggest change is one of ethos, of purpose, and it speaks to the larger environmental and consumer crisis that’s gripping the outdoor industry. In short: make the gear that already exists work longer for more people, and create less waste by doing so.
Geartrade’s UnNew Outdoor Platform
There is a strange fallacy in the world of outdoor gear: products are built to last “forever,” yet we buy new versions often, sometimes every single year. You could ask why, and everyone would have a different reason. But you should be asking, “Where does that used gear go?”
The answer on its best day is to a friend, yard sale, or online recommerce space like Geartrade. The answer on its worst day: to a landfill somewhere.
“We want to keep people in the outdoors and keep gear out of landfills,” says Provine, the new owner. “The traditional manufacturing and retail model is not sustainable. We’ve made great strides in reducing the negative environmental impacts of manufacturing and packaging, etc…yet we’re still pushing a buy more/buy new approach to business.”
UnNew is the clear, bold message from Geartrade’s new owner and outlook. Not only is the second-hand gear resource practical, but it’s environmentally responsible. Every time gear gets a second life it reduces the potential purchase of a brand new piece of gear, which lessens the overall textiles and materials used to create, say, down puffies.
With enough momentum a movement like this could (and hopefully will) influence gear manufacturers to create less models or new iterations because they take into account the second life their gear could have.
Use the gear you have, and find it on Geartrade.
Geartrade has dedicated a heap of articles to UnNew, in which the company discusses how the outdoor industry can be more sustainable in its creation of gear in the first place, and in re-use methods with a site like Geartrade.
A Second Life for Individuals and Brands
You might not have known about Geartrade — now you do. Use it to find the “new” puffy of your dreams, or bike, or shoes, or kid’s gear. It’s literally a giant closet full of gear.
What you probably still don’t know is that Geartrade doesn’t just have listings from individuals. Brands often move their seconds, out of season products, and overstock into Geartrade’s listings. Each listing has a “seller,” and sometimes that seller is the brand itself.
If you are dedicated to bargain shopping you can end up with some of the best deals on outdoor gear you’ve ever seen, just by browsing Geartrade.
This allows brands to further participate in the UnNew vision, as they can more successfully offload gear into the outdoor community.
Check out Geartrade when thinking about buying gear to see if you can find it there first. It’ll be cheaper, likely in great shape (or brand new), and significantly discounted.
And if you’ve got a closet full of gear waiting to go, it’s a great way to make some money. Simply snap a couple photos, fill out the brand, color, size, and condition, and set your price. It will sell, and you can get paid via check, bank transfer, VenMo, or Paypal.
This article is sponsored by Geartrade. Images by Geartrade, all rights reserved.
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