With ski season underway, two Colorado-based outdoor gear startups are joining forces to offer outdoor enthusiasts a more sustainable way to shop.
Denver-based Out&Back, an online marketplace to buy and sell new and used outdoor gear, acquired Telluride-based gear exchange startup The Locals Sale this week.
Financial terms of the deal were not made public.
The Locals Sale’s online marketplace sells new and used outdoor gear sitting in a professional’s closet or a brand’s warehouse, according to its website. Items on its site range from jackets and snow pants to skis, snowboards and backcountry equipment.
Out&Back primarily sold soft goods for biking, climbing, winter sports, running and backpacking prior to the acquisition. This ranged from clothing and shoes to sleeping pads and backpacks. Now that the two companies have merged, Out&Back’s inventory of hard goods, such as skis and snowboards, has expanded.
“Having access to quality gear in a manner that minimizes waste in the outdoors is a win for the planet and consumers’ wallets,” The Locals Sale founder Jake Cohn said in a statement.
He said being acquired by Out&Back allows his startup to grow and continue to recycle outdoor gear while making winter activities more affordable.
“Winter sports come with a hefty price tag and often pose a significant entry barrier,” Cohn said. “I’ve always held the belief that when more individuals can afford the sports they love, it increases the chances of safeguarding our precious outdoor spaces.”
Under terms of the acquisition, The Locals Sale is now a portfolio company of Out&Back. Cohn will serve as the joint company’s director of winter sports business development and events.
“I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Jake over the years and seen firsthand how influential he’s been in making outdoor gear more accessible to all,” Barruch Ben-Zekry, founder and CEO of Out&Back, said in a statement. “We look forward to having him and his team join Out&Back, bringing their fresh perspective and knowledge of our industry, and are excited about the growth that will come from this acquisition.”
All The Locals Sale employees joined Out&Back. The joint company now has about 20 employees, the company told Colorado Inno via email.
The two companies will operate out of a 3,500-square-foot hybrid office and fulfillment center at 3869 Steele St. All orders will be processed at this location and the company’s other center in Salt Lake City, according to a company statement.
Out&Back was founded in 2019 by Ben-Zekry. Last year, the startup launched an in-store buyback program with Dick’s Sporting Goods and retailer Public Lands. It has since expanded this program to allow potential sellers to make an appointment and bring their items to Out&Back’s Denver headquarters.
This acquisition comes as the re-commerce and used goods industry continues to gain traction, with 85% of shoppers saying they buy or sell secondhand items, according to an August report from online marketplace OfferUp and data analytics firm GlobalData. By 2028, the market is expected to reach $276 billion and outpace the overall retail market.
The re-commerce market has seen momentum in Colorado. Denver-based GoodBuy Gear raised $14 million earlier this year, averaging a 186% growth rate year over year.
