February Gear Roundup: A few of our favorite midwinter things
It’s the very middle of winter, and we’re reveling in our favorite cold-weather sports. Resort skiing and riding is game-on, backcountry touring is green-lit, winter trail running is gorgeously frosty, and ice climbing is in full swing (if you’ll forgive the ice-tool pun).
All this winter stoke isn’t limited to our
Geartrade team, either. Sales are hoppin’, with people listing lots of UnNew gear as well as taking the E-Z route and sending it in for us to consignment-list for them.
Here are a few of the categories bursting with great gear, should you feel inspired to list something or snap up a great deal on something you could use!
Puffy jackets for every occasion
There’s nothing like a great puffy jacket to protect against even in the chilliest conditions. And there is a puffy for absolutely every occasion. You can get an about-town puffy parka that looks super sharp, or a huge belay puffy to protect you even in frigid alpine conditions, or a midlayer puffy that fits under your ski shell. There are even “tech puffies” that strategically place insulation around your core but use breathable panels at your underarms, sides, or back to let sweat evaporate away. You can even get a puffy skirt, which is worth much more than looks—it can keep you much warmer on a day of trail running, hiking, ski touring, or ice climbing.
Do your research as far as whether a down or synthetic insulation puffy is best for your purposes. Down is extra warm, but loses that warmth if it gets wet, and it also needs to be washed in a very particular manner to re-invigorate the feathers’ loft. (It’s also good to do research on a brand’s down sourcing practices to affirm they’re humane and ethical.) Synthetic, meanwhile, is a little less insulating (but many brands are crushing it with very fancy synthetic-fiber technology that does pack a ton of warmth). It also maintains warmth in wet conditions, too.
Men's
Women's
Warm winter layers to make any sport that much more comfortable
Do a mid-winter inventory check on your clothing layers. Are they smelly and falling apart from many seasons of use? Are people declining to carpool with you due to your personal scent? It might be time to re-up on UnNew layers that look and feel (and smell) fresh.
We have a plethora of of breathable, quick-drying tops and bottoms in supply right now, including a massive boatload of high-tech wool from Ortovox. You can also find superb layers from brands like Smartwool, Obermeyer, Helly Hansen, Odd Molly, Newland, and Hot Chillys. The layers come in all weights, thicknesses, and levels of warmth, including tops with deep zippers for ventilation during cardio-intensive sports like ski touring, running, and cross-country skiing. Replenishing your base layers and tights can go a long way in making the rest of the winter comfortable.
Men's
Women's
Gloves and mittens to fend off the frost
Our gloves and mittens take a beating, and every once in a while, it’s time to swap them out for a newer pair. If you have a gander at the latest gloves and mitts on Geartrade, you’ll find a great selection of gently used and barely-touched items that would be a big step up in keeping your hands warm. Mittens are great if you get super cold and don’t mind compromising on dexterity a bit, and you can also pick up a pair of glove liners to slip under for added warmth.
There’s even an occasional pair of heated gloves or mittens listed on the site, which is a godsend for people with truly chronically cold hands.
Ski and board boots for optimal shred
Ski and snowboard boots are painfully expensive brand-new, which is why we always look to UnNew items first. But if you’ve had your eye on a particular model or brand, you might want to check what’s on Geartrade at the moment.
Even if you repair everything you can on your boots and replace the liners when they pack out, boots do have a finite lifespan. So scope the listings on Geartrade, where you can find ski and snowboard touring boots, resort boots, boot liners, and even kids’ boots. We have lots of oversupply from beloved brands right now, plus plenty of listings from individual sellers looking to unload their gently used boots.
Ice climbing is a gear-intensive sport, and warm-clothing-intensive sport, too. But now that the season is up and running, take an inventory of where the gaps in your gear arsenal are. Is your helmet super beat up? Do you need warmer mountaineering boots? How about lighter tools or better screws?
While you’re at it, you can beef up your warm-layer kit and get the right breathable layers for a good warmth-to-ventilation ratio while you’re climbing. It’s a perfect time to pick up water-resistant softshell pants or jacket, gloves with good dexterity, fluffy mitts for between laps, and a nice light helmet.
That’s the latest from our mid-winter gear roundup. There’s still plenty of time to list and sell your cold-season gear, clothing, and accessories. Buyers are looking and sales are hot! So post your listing or just mail stuff in for us to list for you, consignment-style. Happy gear-trading, and see you out there!
Beth Lopez is a seasoned writer and creative director who loves to tell tales of adventure and discovery—and finds writing a powerful way to give a voice to people, causes, and places. Beth runs amok in the Wasatch mountains when untethered from her computer. She believes there’s no such thing as a bad ski day and considers animals her favorite people. Don’t tell her mother about her Instagram mountaineering photos.
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