Tips and tricks to remember while at the Mt. Spokane Ski Swap this weekend

This weekend is the annual Mt. Spokane Ski Swap.

Close to 4,000 are expected to descend upon the Spokane County Fairgrounds and dig through the roughly 25,000 new and used items for sale. Everyone will be looking for killer deals.

It can be an overwhelming experience.

Luckily, swap director Kevin Voss has some tips and tricks that should help you optimize your efforts.

First, he said, the ski swap is a great resource for parents.

“One of the best ways to use the swap, year after year, is for kids’ gear,” he said. “Even my own family, I think for probably seven years we traded in boots or skis every year and upgraded to the next size.”

Voss said he’d sell the kids’ gear for “pretty much what we bought it for.”

“If you take good care of your stuff, you don’t have to lose a lot of money upgrading your kids’ stuff,” he said.

But that requires some foresight. He encourages parents to have their children try on winter clothes well in advance of the swap to see what is needed.

If you’re buying boots, bring your kids with you.

Second, he said it’s vital to get there early. Every year, he said, there are nearly new thousand-dollar skis sold for a fraction of the price. Those kinds of killer deals don’t last long.

Sometimes it pays to wait. If it’s Saturday afternoon and you’ve found something you like, it might be best to put it back and get it Sunday morning. That’s because most items will be 25 percent off Sunday.

He also recommends people ask for help. Ski swap volunteers can save you time by directing you to where you want to go.

Finally, he reminds people that the ski swap has much more than just downhill skis and snowboards.

There are also great deals on apparel, Nordic skis and backcountry skis.

Selling gear

If you’re planning to sell gear, many of the same tips apply.

Arrive early on Friday. The earliest you can arrive is 3 p.m. Between 6 and 8, there is usually a crowd.

If you’re selling gear, figure out how much you want to sell it for before you arrive.

“If they can look them up on eBay or get some idea of what they’re worth, it saves some time,” Voss said.

That being said, there are volunteers who can help you price things, if you get there early enough. Sometimes they’ll talk you into a lower price and sometimes they’ll talk you into pricing something higher.

“If they really can’t price something, there is always someone there who can price things,” Voss said.

Remember, you may not be able to sell old skis with bindings. The ski swap can only sell bindings that are certified safe by manufacturers.

Finally, Voss recommends hooking your items together in some way.

“I you’re selling boots, make sure they’re hooked together,” he said. “If you’re selling a pair of gloves, make sure they’re hooked together. We get a lot of orphaned items.