Gear Swap Policies & How-To (Updated)

How to Post a Listing

• Create a listing using the “+ Post New Topic” link.
• In your listing title, include: brand, product name/type, condition, and original price.
  • Example: “MLD Monk Tarp (DCF) – Used (Good) – $100”
• Don’t add FS / WTT / WTB in the title — it will be added automatically.
  • FS = For Sale, WTT = Want To Trade, WTB = Want To Buy
• In your post description, include:
  • price
  • condition
  • brand + product name
  • shipping terms
  • options (size, color, variant, etc.)
  • payment type(s) accepted
• Optional (recommended) details:
  • photos of the actual item
  • ships-from location
  • model year
  • damage/wear notes
• You have a 60-minute editing window after your initial post to make changes.
• Buyers and sellers may reply publicly in the listing thread, but offers and transaction details should be kept private using Backpacking Light private messages.

Guidelines

Allowed Items

• Gear Swap is for backpacking-related items only.
• No firearms.
• Do not sell stolen, counterfeit, or otherwise illegal items.

Posting Rules

• One post per item. Don’t create multiple listings for the same gear.
• No “highest bidder” or auction-style listings.
• Please don’t link to or reference outside classified ads.

Bumping, Status, & Visibility

• If you bump a WTS (For Sale) post, you must drop the price by at least 10% to bring it back to the top.
• WTB and WTT posts can be bumped once every two weeks.
• Once your item is gone, click the green MARK AS SOLD / CLOSE LISTING button.

Payments & Risk Awareness

• Be cautious if a seller requests PayPal Friends & Family instead of Goods & Services — scams do happen, and F&F limits recourse.

Disputes & Moderation

• Backpacking Light does not mediate transactions or disputes.
• Fact-based experiences may be shared to help the community.

System Maintenance

• Listings are automatically removed after 90 days as part of routine cleanup.

Known Issue

• If you set filter criteria that return zero listings, the filters may disappear. If that happens, refresh the page to restore the filters.