You have a shell in your closet that cost $650 three years ago. You wore it maybe a dozen times. It is in perfect condition. You listed it on Facebook Marketplace for $200, got three lowball offers and one person who never showed up, and eventually took the listing down.
That jacket is worth more than $200. You just listed it in the wrong place, to the wrong people, without the context that makes premium gear make sense at a real price.
what premium gear actually holds
The outdoor resale market is not like selling furniture or electronics. A five year old Arc'teryx shell in excellent condition regularly sells at 55 to 70 percent of its original retail price when it reaches the right buyer. A Western Mountaineering sleeping bag, properly stored, holds similar value. Scarpa and La Sportiva boots move at prices that would surprise most people who have only ever tried to sell gear to a friend.
The reason most people undervalue their gear is that they are pricing for the widest possible audience instead of the right one. The person who knows what an Alpha SV is worth will pay for it. The person scrolling Facebook Marketplace at midnight is not that person.
a rough guide by category
Technical shells from Arc'teryx, Patagonia, and Mammut in excellent condition: 50 to 70 percent of current retail. Down sleeping bags from Western Mountaineering, Feathered Friends, or Katabatic: 45 to 60 percent. Climbing shoes from La Sportiva or Scarpa with life left in the rubber: 40 to 55 percent. Packs from Osprey, Mystery Ranch, or Granite Gear: 40 to 60 percent depending on condition and model.
Budget brands, heavily worn pieces, or gear without provenance: significantly less, and sometimes not worth the effort to sell individually.
the part nobody tells you
Condition matters less than you think for premium brands and more than you think for everything else. A well-loved Arc'teryx piece with minor cosmetic wear but perfect function is still a premium piece. A lightly used piece from a brand with no secondary market following is worth almost nothing to anyone who knows gear.
The other thing nobody tells you is that the work of selling is worth accounting for. Photographing, listing, answering questions, packing, shipping, dealing with returns. That is real time with a real cost. Consigning with someone who handles all of it is not a luxury. It is math.
Bring your gear to AIC. We will tell you exactly what it is worth and handle everything from there.
