Emily Renzini has attended the Annual Outdoor Equipment Sale and Swap for all four years she has been a student. This year, organizing the event as the University of Idaho Outdoor Program intern, she said she has learned things about the event she never knew.
“I never knew all that money went to the ski team,” Renzini said, referring to the proceeds generated by the swap. “I thought it was just a free event.”
The 41st annual gear swap will be held 6-8 p.m. Thursday in the Student Recreation Center. The event will feature several local and regional vendors, including Backcountry Lark and White Pine Gear Exchange and Fly Shop, which will both participate in the event for the first time this year.
Admission is free and open to the public, and students who wish to sell their own gear are welcome to set up their own space for a $5 table fee. Students may sign up in advance or at the event.
Elise Clausen, a UI Climbing Center coordinator, said last year”s event drew over 1,000 people in two hours and attracted vendors from as far away as McCall, Idaho. This year, Clausen said she”s hoping to find a pair of skis.
Renzini said she never attends the swap looking for anything in particular, but always seems to find something anyway.
“I like to do outdoor things, but it”s not cheap,” Renzini said. “They always have really good deals.”
In addition to local and student vendors, Renzini said the UI Outdoor Program will also sell old rental skis because the program invested in new skis this year. In addition, the Outdoor Program will also sell three inflatable rafts – two 17-foot rafts and one 18-foot, Renzini said.
Besides skis and rafts, Renzini said people sell bikes, climbing gear, camping gear, backpacks, hiking shoes and winter gear. Information about season passes to nearby ski resorts will also be available at the event.
Clausen said the event, hosted by the UI Ski Team, will run a raffle throughout the night, with prizes donated by local and regional vendors. Entry into the raffle is free upon admission, and additional tickets can be purchased at the event.
UI Ski Team President Richard Crookston said the gear swap is one of the ski team”s two big fundraisers of the year. The ski team will also host a showing of “Fade to Winter” at 6 p.m. Tuesday at The Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre.
Between the two events, Crookston said he hopes the team will raise enough funds to participate in slalom events in Bend, Oregon, and Red Lodge, Montana, as well as at Brundage Mountain and Schweitzer Mountain.
Crookston said the entire ski team is expected to show up to help with the gear swap.
“The Palouse Bike Collective will be there, and Hyperspud was there last year,” Crookston said. “They were selling stuff really cheap – a lot of skis and boots. There”s really no better place to buy gear.”
Hannah Shirley can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @itshannah7
A previous version of this article contained an incorrect date. The event is scheduled for Thursday Nov. 12.