Thanks for visiting! We are Switchback Gear Collective: a community in the Chicagoland area that envision a future where everyone is able to access the outdoors.

About Switchback

Switchback was originally founded by eight women with a passion for increasing access to the outdoors for all. Our founding chapter is in the Triangle area of North Carolina, but we recently expanded and have a new chapter in the Chicagoland area!

Mission

We are a community-based non-profit outdoor gear exchange program. Our mission is to reduce barriers to outdoor activities by providing

1. Equitable access to low- to no-cost outdoor gear, 

2. Opportunities to gain knowledge and skills in outdoor recreation and safety,

3. Build community around the importance of movement for physical and mental health, and 

4. Promote sustainable outdoor recreation in the Chicagoland area.

Vision

Switchback Gear Collective envisions a future where experiencing the outdoors is accessible, inclusive, safe, and affordable for all people.

Donate Gear

Got any outdoor gear gathering dust in your attic? Give those items a new home! Our team is collecting any outdoor gear related to camping, hiking, water sports, outdoor sports… the list is endless! The only gear we cannot accept is climbing ropes and harnesses, knives, bikes, cooking stoves or gas canisters.

We offer a variety of convenient ways to donate:

1. You can drop off items at one of our partner locations. You can fill out the form below to let us know, but no need! Here are our current locations:

Sketchbook Brewing in Skokie (4901 Main St. Skokie, IL)

2. If you have a large or highly valuable item that you do not want to place at a drop off, or need a more convenient drop off location, please send us an email to chicago@switchbackgear.org.  

All outdoor gear collected will be redistributed to community members in the Chicagoland area at our next secondhand gear pop-up sale, using a pay-what-you-can model. Thank you so much for your donation!

Get Involved

We are always looking for more passionate and mission-driven volunteers and Leadership Team members to join our team! Check out the graphic below to learn more about the other ways you can get involved with Switchback, then fill out the member interest form to apply. We are so grateful to our community, and we would be nothing without the dedication of our passionate volunteers!

Contact Us

If you have any questions, send us an email at chicago@switchbackgear.org or follow us on Instagram @switchbackchicago!