Aspen (c91) News

Ski Swap Scene

Trade Up, Swap out and Get Ready

By Bob Berwyn, 10-17-06

Late October is in-between time in the high country, and along with snow-covered pumpkins, many ski town residents are looking forward to the annual ski swaps in their communities. Far from simply being fundraisers for local junior ski teams and other worthy causes, these swaps are a hallowed autumn ritual and a chance to find that ever-elusive ski treasure that you never even knew you needed.

It's a chance to add to an almost endless collection of ski-related items that fills multiple bins and threatens to avalanche out of the closet at the end of the hall every time you open the door. Hey, you never know when you might need that miscellaneous single ski pole basket or an old CB windbreaker with a busted zipper.

Sure, you could go high-tech to an online swap, but shopping live is also a fascinating exercise in people-watching. The first customers are the specialists, They line up at the door hours before opening and they'll be looking for the spare lens to replace the cracked one in their 1980s-era Uvex bubble goggles, for tiny springs to repair their vintage 1969 Look Nevadas or Marker explo-do-mats and for that padded Spyder racing sweater they always wanted in high school but couldn't afford.

Then there's the families, trying to outfit their rapidly growing brood for another season without taking out a second mortgage -- not an easy task when you consider that brand-new skis and boots are starting to range upwards of $700.

My favorite ski swap character is the guy who roams the floor in a hooded sweatshirt and fuzzy apres-ski boots wearing a walkman, clutching a pair of bamboo poles, all the while making little grunting sounds as he digs through piles of smelly used fleece and fuzzy headbands.

If you're a seller, make sure you bring several cardboard boxes filled with scrap pieces of ski wax and P-Tex, single safety straps and mismatched ski pole grips. Hardcore swappers will dig through your stash thinking they'll find what they want. They won't, but they will end up buying your half-used Chapstick-on-a-string, pom-pom hat or a one-legged Power Ranger. (Hey, how'd he get in with the ski stuff, anyway?)

Vintage trail maps, patches, badges and old ski magazines are a sure thing, too. For sure, there are collectors out there who are willing to pay Big Bucks to complete their set of Powder magazines from 1975-2000.

You've got to be ready to haggle, too. You may have some sentimental attachment to those old Lange liners you wore when you skied your first black diamond run. That old Burton board with fins might be an iconic touchstone in your life. You may think ir's worth 20 bucks, but our advice is, be prepared to take a dollar, a quarter ... whatever. Take our word for it, you'll end up ahead - remember, people are paying YOU for the privilege of hauling away your moldy junk.

My only real beef with swaps is that in recent years, some have devolved away from what once was a non-commercial, family-style scene with a real preseason carnival feel. Now, it seems big-box retailers have taken over to some degree, trying to unload last year's dogs at still-inflated prices. Steer clear and head for the mom-and-pop tables, where you still might find a hand-knit Peanuts scarf mixed in with the bright red earmuffs and stretched-out knee braces.

Buying used stuff from a private seller has another advantage. Every item comes with its own story. You're not just buying a pair of skis or boots. You're buying a legacy, something with karma already built in. And that, as they say, is priceless.

One of the biggest swaps in Colorado is coming up Oct. 27 and 28 in Vail, benefitting the local ski and and snowboard club. Nordic swaps, with great deals on tele gear, as well as classic and skate X-C stuff, are coming up at the Breckenridge and Frisco nordic centers in Summit County, Colorado, in early November.

The big Jackson Hole ski swap is Nov. 4, while Eugene skiers and riders can look forward to Oct. 27.

Post a comment below, tell us about your favorite ski swap score and let us know the date of the swap in your town and stay tuned to the New West ski blog for dates and time of upcoming swaps in the Rocky Mountain region.

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