Going the Distance

Friends of igearlist are taking to the desert again this spring to raise money for kids sports and arts scholarships.

This April, Team Good For Kids will be competing in a 7-day expedition length stage race in Western Australia. They race to raise awareness and support for Good For Kids Foundation.

But first, a pit stop: Meet Team Good For Kids before they race off into the Kimberley Desert of Western Australia. Team GFK will be at Sports Basement in San Francisco discussing the expedition length footrace format, sharing their race experiences and showing off their gear. What's it like to dive into a far away desert with little more than a daypack and a pair of sneakers? You'll find out!

Click to learn more about the 2010 Team Good For Kids and Good For Kids scholarships and programs.

Details:
Date: Sunday, March 28th
Time: 4:00 - 5:30 PM
Location: 610 Old Mason St. The Presidio, SF, CA 94129
Included: Slide show photos, snacks, wine, light refreshments and a free-entry raffle for GFK and Sports Basement goods. FREE.

You can also follow Team Good For Kids on Facebook, or keep track of them on their blog.

Where Is That?

We are excited to see that gear has been posted to igearlist from all over the United States. Yeah! Occasionally we see a city that we haven't had the chance to visit or read about...and our typical response is, hey, I wonder where that is?

If you've ever thought the same, we'd like to point out that every listing is linked to a google map of the city that the user indicates in their post. If you click on the tiny "G" icon in the listing view (see picture above), the appropriate google map will pop up, and your question will be answered!

From a practical standpoint, you can use this feature to determine how far away the seller of an item is from where you are (or will be.) This is especially useful if you're looking at a larger piece of equipment like a boat or a bike, or anything that requires a "test-drive" or fitting.

Tents for Haiti

We have been wondering where tents can be donated for Haiti's relief efforts. According to many news sources, tents are needed for those displaced by the recent earthquake. The number of people without homes in Haiti boggles the mind!

I was perusing one of my favorite reads, the Gear Junkie blog, when I found the answer... so I wanted to pass this important information on.

Here are the links for where to donate that tent!

• The American Alpine Club


• The Adventure's Edge


• Blue Ridge Mountain Sports


• Arizona REI stores (both Paradise Valley and Tempe)

Please forward this link along to anyone you think might be interested. If you know of any other places, post them to comments.

Thank you!

-the igearlist team

Ride the Wave

It's been about a year since we re-launched igearlist, and traffic is really starting to pick up. Proof is not only in our numbers, but this week alone I've had 5 separate enquiries about the outdoor gear I have posted for sale (and for free) on igearlist.

If you have a pile o' gear in your garage collecting dust (or worse!) now is a good time to give igearlist a try. Just think - it takes just 5 minutes to post a pair of telemark boots. A few emails and a trip to the post office later, you have a nice installment of funds towards your next pair, or even a nice donation for Haiti.

On igearlist, your ad won't get buried in a pile of irrelevent search results like it would on a bigger site. Not only that, but your ad is live for 120 days and you can edit or delete it at any time ...we'll even promote your listing to our fans on Facebook and to our followers on Twitter.

All is free! So, whattaya got?

-igearlist

Holiday Gift Guide

That time is upon us...and it came up fast. We are down to the last few days of holiday shopping. Without further adieu, here are a few unique and economical gift ideas for the outdoor minded. If you see something that you're interested in, click on the images and links below for more information:

Explore the life of Georgie White Clark, the woman who instigated commercial rafting in the Grand Canyon. This is a fascinating book! By pioneering the use of large rubber rafts, she helped turn an elite adventure sport into a widely enjoyed outdoor activity. Some of the stories in this book are unbelievable and captivating even by today's "extreme sport" standards.


Oooooh, the Planetary Design Double Shot Travel French Press Mug... this product is time tested: durable, easy to use and clean, and makes great coffee. This mug is the mug to have for everything from commuting, to car camping, to expedition rafting. I've even taken this mug backpacking. Love it.

Binoculars are an awesome thing to have along during outdoor travel. Binoculars can be used for scouting climbing, mountaineering, and scrambling routes - as well as rapids. They are indispensable for bird and wildlife watching. And when you are gazing up at a canyon wall and wondering if you see some yet undiscovered petroglyph, binocs can help you confirm your sighting. :)

Protective, colorful and handy for backpacking, day hiking, paddling, or just about any expeditionary trip. Once you have a dry stuff sack to use, you would be surprised at how many things you decide you'd actually like to keep dry!

Just look at this fancy multitool. For the cyclist on your list, this is a solid pick. Out on the trail, having the right tool, and in many cases, just having a tool at all can be indispensable. This is also a great thing to keep in your car or garage for simple bike adjustments at the trail head or before you head out on the road.

Duct tape is universal outdoor equipment. And...nothing says "holiday gift" quite like good old fashioned duct tape. Save your friends from having to wrap duct tape around their golf pencils, hiking poles, and Nalgene bottles for travel. Give them a tiny pre-made roll of their very own. Besides...if you can't duct it...

So, you saw it here first - duct tape on a holiday gift guide. Only on igearlist! Don't forget to come back and sell all of your old gear when the holidays are over and you are out of garage space. :)

- igearlist

Good Things Happen

Good things can happen when you sell your used outdoor gear. Beyond the obvious things - more money in your pocket, more space in your garage - there is an often overlooked side-benefit: connecting with people. Think about it, who are you most likely to have something in common with? Yep, someone who has the exact same outdoor recreation interests. Depending on what you're selling, you might find that the person you're selling to lives in your area, and is the same size or at a similar skill level as you. Pretty cool.

I sold my Alden 16 the other night (yep it was posted on igearlist!) While I was a little nervous in the lead-up (will they find the house? will they want it? who are they?) I ended up meeting two of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet. We chatted about rowing, kayaking, white-water rafting - and one of my favorite topics - rivers. To spend a few minutes talking enthusiastically about the Colorado river on a Tuesday night was totally fun.

And, relieved of a 16-foot open water scull, oars, and rigging, you can imagine how much space was freed up. Now this durable piece of equipment is no longer degenerating in storage - it will be used and enjoyed fully, as it was intended to be.

So, go ahead, post something. While you will always need to follow common-sense safety precautions when buying and selling gear, you might be in for something fun!

-igearlist

Selling off rental outdoor gear or a livery fleet?

If you are in the business of renting outdoor gear, or if you run an outdoor program and have equipment or livery (i.e. rafts and/or kayaks) to sell off - we can help.

We will send you a spreadsheet that you can quickly fill out with descriptions and prices. Send this back with pictures of the gear you are selling (optional) and we will post the items on igearlist for you, for free. Your listings will run for 120 days and we will promote them for you via Facebook and Twitter.

(You'll be responsible for following up with any inquiries, negotiating, and conducting the sales and shipping.)

Please contact us for a blank spreadsheet or to get started!

- igearlist