Our Gear Swap Is About More Than Deals

Our annual gear swap is coming up soon, and for those of you who have something to sell, we are accepting items at the store from Saturday, October 17 until Friday, October 23. Like last year, we’ll be charging 10% for credit card transactions and administration costs. The virtual doors open on Saturday, October 24. Check out the details here.

Buying used ski gear is an excellent way to upgrade if you’re on a budget, but at SkiUphill, it’s also about trying to reduce our impact. Shiny new equipment always feels so nice, and reselling used equipment that has still tons of life left is a great way of reusing instead of throwing away. Like it or not, trail running and skiing are gear-intensive, and we are trying to be more responsible for the stuff we sell and buy. 

We also try to pass along the benefits to you -- here are a few examples. We’re also looking for better solutions, so if you have ideas, be sure to read our punch list at the bottom. 

Shoe Recycling

Almost all runners have a pile of dead and dying runners in the closet or the mudroom. We work with Clothing for a Cause (CFAC) in Airdrie to recycle our customers’ runners, either by cleaning and fixing shoes that still have some life or by recycling them. According to CFAC, there are many reasons why textile recycling is important.

Next time you come in to buy new shoes, bring your old ones, and we’ll pass them along to Clothing for a Cause. Better yet, we’ll give you 10$ off any full-price shoe in return.

Soft Goods

 We’re always on the hunt for high quality brands that promote sustainability, and one of our favourites, rabbit, sets a high bar. They manufacture their products close to their home in Los Angeles, so they can keep emissions low and quality high. They’re also using more and more eco-friendly materials so that their products don’t add to the landfill.

Hard Goods Recycling

Hard goods are much harder to recycle, so our swap sale is a big part of what we do. Most skis are basically giant epoxy sandwiches, so we always encourage our customers to infuse their cast-offs with some powder love and pass them along to a good home. We’re always on the hunt for hard goods that use new, more environmentally-friendly materials like Pebax® Rnew® which uses oil from castor beans. 

Electricity

We chose Bow Valley Power as our electrical provider because they partner with Green Alberta Energy. By selecting the “100% green energy option”, we pay extra each month to support renewable sources of electricity and offset emissions produced by utilities.

1% for the Planet

We contribute to the Southern Alberta chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) through the 1% for the Planet program. CPAWS advocates for wild spaces across Canada and the Southern Alberta chapter is leading important conservation efforts in our mountains. Join our efforts to Defend Alberta Parks by getting a sign. 

You can help us find better solutions: We’re far from perfect, but we’re always looking for ways to improve. Here are some solutions we’re searching for right now.

• Ski recycling: They do it in Europe, but we haven’t found anything in Canada yet.
• Manufacturing: We’d love to support more quality suppliers who are nearby.
• Commuting: We’re looking for ways to ride-share or take transit to the trailhead.
• Uphill policies: How do we encourage more resorts to establish uphill policies?