DECORAH, IOWA ~ You know that kayak you haven’t used in two summers?
The bike somebody outgrew?
The tent folded up in the basement?
The backpack you keep saying you’ll use again someday?
Well…
Decorah has a place for all of it.
The 5th annual Decorah Gear Exchange is coming September 26~27 at Pulpit Rock Brewing Co., and the whole idea is wonderfully simple:
Sell outdoor gear. Buy outdoor gear. Explore more.
But there’s a little more to it than clearing out the garage.
One Person’s “We Don’t Use This Anymore”…
…might be somebody else’s first canoe.
Or first pair of skis.
Or the bike that finally gets their family out on the trail.
The Gear Exchange brings together gently used outdoor recreation equipment ~ things like kayaks, canoes, tents, backpacks, bicycles, fishing gear, lifejackets, camp stoves, outdoor clothing and more ~ and gives those items another chance to be used instead of collecting dust.
And if an item sells, at least part of the proceeds goes back into the community.
The event benefits Decorah Parks and Recreation, helping expand recreational opportunities and resources in the Decorah area.
That’s the part we like.
Because a used bike can leave one family’s garage…
and help support the trails the next family may ride it on. ❤️
In Decorah, Outdoor Gear Has Plenty of Places to Go
Decorah sits in the Driftless, surrounded by hills, rivers, trails and bluffs.
The city alone has hundreds of acres of park and recreational land, more than 20 miles of off~road single-track trails, and access to the 11~mile paved Trout Run Trail.
So this isn’t just a yard sale with camping stuff.
It’s a way to help people get outside without necessarily having to buy everything brand-new.
And for families trying to outfit growing kids?
That matters.
Because apparently children insist on getting taller…
whether your bicycle budget approves or not.
A Pretty Good Second Life
There’s something satisfying about seeing useful things stay useful.
A tent doesn’t care if it belongs to its first family or its third.
A canoe doesn’t know whether it came home from a fancy outdoor store or from a community gear exchange.
It just wants water.
And a bicycle?
Well…
it mostly wants somebody willing to pedal it uphill.
So if you’ve got outdoor equipment gathering dust, or you’ve been wanting to try something new without buying everything new…
Decorah’s Gear Exchange may be worth a look.
Sometimes the best adventure gear isn’t new.
It’s just new to you.
Decorah Gear Exchange ~ Year 5
Saturday, September 26: 9 a.m.~4 p.m.
Sunday, September 27: noon~2 p.m.
Pulpit Rock Brewing Co.
207 College Drive, Decorah, IowaWord ’Round Town recommends verifying event details directly with organizers prior to attending, as information may be updated.
Official Decorah Gear Exchange information
Deliverance Hope ~Word ’Round Town | word-round-town.com
Keep Goin’ ‘Round Town
There’s always another story waiting just around the corner.