What’s Old to You is New to Me: GEAR MEET, A Community Gear Swap in Bend, OR
Photos courtesy of The Gear Fix
And many of those millions of tons are still in good condition!
So last month, we hosted our very first Gear Meet in Bend, OR to try and make an impact on this number and keep good gear out of the landfill.
Hundreds of attendees gathered in an unassuming parking lot with this mantra in mind. They swapped gear, learned how to make field repairs, and connected with a diverse range of nonprofits doing amazing work for their community.
In addition to the obvious benefits to our planet, this event also provided many with their first and maybe only opportunity to acquire good gear at no cost. It’s no secret $$$ gear is a barrier to many folks looking to get outside, so providing a space for community members to freely swap and get items they need supports a more inclusive outdoors community too! We hope that the Gear Meet inspired folks to continue to take action for planet, inclusion, and adventure.
This event was inspired by and made possible in large part by Outside’s Gear Up Give Back Program and The Gear Fix. This program offers anyone the chance to send in their old gear to The Gear Fix for them to repair and sell. The money from those sales then gets donated to The Outdoorist Oath. We are incredibly grateful to have been the beneficiaries of this program for the last two years and it has helped us to continue to provide free educational resources and events to our community. We are also especially grateful for our friends at The Gear Fix for supporting our 1st ever DIY Gear Repair Night last year too!
Ready for more action? Remember to follow up and support the amazing non-profits who came and tabled! Major shoutouts to Central Oregon Landwatch, Native Fish Society, Queer Creators Collective, The Environmental Center of Bend, and iFixit for tabling at the event and for their amazing work for the community.
The work can never be done alone, and we are grateful for everyone who came out, swapped gear, and learned something new. Our second ever event in Bend couldn’t have gone better, and we can’t wait to start planning for the next one! 👀
(but wait there’s more!)
One more big thank you to all of the brands that donated to our event to make sure our bellies were full, our thirst quenched, and our raffle prizes STACKED:
