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, and condition.
- Example: “MLD Monk Tarp (DCF) – Used (Good)”
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:
- ORIGINAL (starting) 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.

How to Set Used Gear Condition Ratings

Poor - Heavily used. Significant wear, damage, repairs, missing parts, degraded materials, odors, stains, delamination, zipper issues, seam issues, or compromised performance. Still may have salvage value, but buyer should assume repair or parts use.

Fair - Functional but visibly worn. Noticeable cosmetic wear, stains, abrasion, small holes, patched areas, worn coatings, reduced loft, minor hardware issues, or aging materials. Usable, but with clear limitations or shorter remaining life.

Good - Used and functional with normal wear. Cosmetic signs of use are obvious but not excessive. No major defects. Minor scuffs, trail dirt, small stains, light abrasion, or modest loss of loft/performance may be present. Ready to use as-is.

Very Good - Light to moderate use. Fully functional with only minor cosmetic wear. No meaningful damage, no required repairs, and no performance-limiting flaws. May show small scuffs, light dirt, or minor fabric wear.

Excellent - Minimal use. Very clean, fully functional, and close to new condition. Only faint signs of handling or field use. No damage, stains, odors, repairs, or functional concerns.

Like New - Essentially indistinguishable from new after close inspection, but technically not new because it was owned, unpacked, tried on, set up, or used briefly. No visible wear, dirt, odor, modification, or damage. Original tags or packaging may or may not be present.

New - Unused and never field-used. Usually includes original tags, packaging, or manufacturer condition. No wear, modifications, dirt, odors, setup marks, or handling damage.

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.