Someone recently asked me: Wouldn’t the outdoor industry collapse if everyone bought used?
On Earth Day, I thought this would be the perfect time to answer.
The outdoor industry won’t collapse if more people buy used gear. But it will collapse if we don’t rethink how we consume.
The outdoor industry doesn’t survive on quarterly earnings. It survives on snow. On clean water. On forests, trails, and wild places that aren’t burning or buried in waste.
If we want to protect the places we love, we have to change the way we consume. That’s where used gear comes in. It’s not a threat to the industry. It’s the safety net, and helps protect the industry from rising tariffs.
At Geartrade, our mission is simple:
Keep gear in play. Keep the outdoors accessible. Reduce waste.
We exist to shift the outdoor industry away from the take-make-toss cycle and toward something more sustainable. That mission has never felt more urgent than it does right now.
Here’s why buying used matters:
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It keeps gear in circulation and out of landfills
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It reduces the demand for constant overproduction
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It helps people get into outdoor sports without breaking the bank
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It’s better for your wallet—and for the planet
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It gives gear multiple lifetimes of adventure
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It lowers the overall environmental impact of our lifestyle
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It makes the outdoors more inclusive and accessible
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It helps build a circular economy, not a disposable one
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It sends a message to brands: quality and longevity matter
We’re not anti-new. There’s always going to be a place for innovation and well-designed gear. But not everyone needs a brand-new setup every season. Not every product needs to be replaced after one trip.
Used and new gear are part of the same cycle.
We need both. But we need balance—and right now, we’re way off.
If we keep buying, tossing, and over-consuming at the pace we are now, it won’t matter what kind of gear we have. The outdoors will pay the price.
That’s not fear-mongering. That’s just math.
So this Earth Day, I’m asking you to think about the mission behind the gear. Why we’re out there in the first place. What we’re trying to protect.
The most sustainable thing you can do is use what you already have. The next best thing is buying used.
Thanks for being part of the shift.
– Aaron
Co-owner & CEO, Geartrade