Looking for a spot to get some high-quality gear for a more affordable price? Or a spot to find a new home for a great piece of used equipment?
According to Josh and Lindsey Haring, if that sounds interesting, The Switchback is the place for you.
The couple has owned and operated The Switchback since August 2023 in conjunction with running The Mountain Air—just two buildings down in the same shopping center—after they took over the business in 2020.
“The Mountain Air is a single-door specialty outdoor retailer. Our heritage is in the ski side of things, so we mainly specialize in that, but we also have stuff for snowboarding, backpacking, and hiking,” Josh said. “Any outside adventure is one we pride ourselves on getting locals and our entire customer base involved in.”
So it only made sense to give local outdoor enthusiasts a chance to sell their old—but still high-quality gear—while also providing a slightly more affordable avenue for new adventurers.
“I think used gear was something that we were interested in for a long time,” Lindsey said. “We have always had customers asking if we had used gear or if we were interested in buying back used gear, as it’s a pretty common thing in the outdoor industry.”
Both she and Josh felt that the opportunity was right when a space became available near The Mountain Air last August.
“We knew there was community demand for it,” Lindsey said. “And the fact that it was just two doors down from The Mountain Air was beyond convenient as staff can go between the two stores, and it just makes the whole thing easier to manage.”
Part of managing those items is having thorough specifications on what The Switchback can carry in terms of used gear.
“People come in and constantly compliment how good the quality of the gear is despite being used,” Lindsey said. “A lot of that comes from how specific our guidelines are for our buy-back program that helps keep the stuff in the store seasonal and in good shape.”
Sellers who meet the used gear specs can enjoy either cash or store credit for either The Switchback or The Mountain Air.
“In just a few months, we already have 400 buybacks of gear that became part of our inventory,” she said.
More than anything else, both Josh and Lindsey feel that being able to give high-quality used gear a second life increases accessibility to outdoor gear.
“We have a lot of carry-over customers from The Mountain Air, but we also have found that a lot of younger people, especially college students, really like the appeal of The Switchback,” Josh said. “It’s accepted and almost part of this specific aesthetic where they look at the used gear less as used and more as a trophy.”
Hiking boots, ski equipment, snowboarding gear, jackets, sleeping bags, tents, boots—you name it, he said reminders of old adventures can be the start for new ones.
“What’s great is that you can use everything you get on day one,” Josh said. “It’s great to be able to give that piece of gear a new adventure while also continuing that legacy of just going outside and seeing what nature has to offer to us.”
This article appears in Get Outside – Winter/Spring 2024.
