Alaska Ski Swap Gears Up for Winter with Some Improvements

The Alyeska Ski Club and the University of Alaska Anchorage Ski Team present the annual Alaska Ski Swap Nov. 10 at the West Anchorage High School gymnasium. New this year, the ski swap expands to cover all outdoor winter recreation gear and adds an online registration component for gear that saves sellers money.

The annual swap brings together bargain hunters eager to score a good deal and sellers hoping to recoup some money on their gently used equipment. The swap generates over $100,000 per year, with 70 percent of each sale retained by sellers and 30 percent donated to support youth skiing in Southcentral Alaska. Equipment that has the right sticker price and is in the best condition sells fast.

The event opens on Saturday, Nov. 10. Sellers can bring in modern, good-quality equipment between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. The official swap takes place from noon to 5 p.m. On Sunday, sellers can claim their checks and any unsold items between 9 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. New this year is an early equipment drop off on Saturday, Nov. 3 in Girdwood at the Race Training center.

New this year is the online consignment registry that allows sellers to sign up from home and is expected to expedite the check in process immensely. The new system allows sellers to sign up for an account online and print off price tags with user specific bar codes for the equipment they are selling. This will allow sellers to track the sale of their items via the online gear registration system. By registering gear online in advance, a $5 registration fee will be waived.

Also new this year, the swap will accept more than just ski gear and people are encouraged to bring in other “in good shape” winter gear to sell.

Organizers recommend attending the sale early to score the best deals. Children’s skis and equipment are hot commodities and are often the first items to go. Among the other top sellers include Nordic skis and equipment as well as package deals that include skis, bindings and poles, often sold for around $100.

For more information, including recommended pricing of gear and how to prepare equipment for sale, visit http://www.akskiswap.com.