21 Outdoor Clothing Brands To Sell For Huge Profits on eBay

Sharing is caring!

Kirstie and I were leaving for Washington in 3 days.  Kirstie grew up in the Pacific Northwest and would be at home there, but I knew that I wanted to fit in I needed to do three things, eat lots of granola, get some Chacos, and buy a Patagonia jacket.  I had cruised eBay for a Patagonia Torrentshell (a rain jacket) for weeks but hadn’t been able to find a color I liked in my size.  The few that did come up were selling for over 75% of retail!  Imagine buying a used jacket for only 25% off the new price!  The thing is, I gladly would have paid that amount if I knew it would be there in time.  Instead, I ended up buying from an outdoor website for full price and paying $25 for two day shipping.  If only some eBay seller had come through for me…

As my Patagonia jacket search shows, many outdoor brands are notorious (notoriously awesome that is) for holding their resale value on the used market.  I’ve seen beat up down jackets covered in patches sell for over $100 and even rain shells with broken zippers that were able to bring in $50+  Now all we need to figure out is the best way to get you a piece of that pie!

NON-BRAND THINGS TO LOOK FOR

a If you’re not the outdoorsy type, you may be surprised to find that people pay just as much for outdoorsy clothing as high-end fashion clothing.  Well, maybe not quite.  But $400 snow-pants or $800 jackets are all within the possibilities for finding and flipping from both thrift-stores and places like Craigslist.  Given that, several items that you can find for resale will be valuable no matter what brand they are.  For example, a cute St. John top will always be worth selling on eBay.  A top of the same cuteness made by Merona is worth absolutely nothing.  While brand does matter for outdoor items, it matters far less.  For example, Gore Tex is an expensive fabric.  While a Patagonia Gore-Tex shell will be valuable, so will a Gore Tex shell made by Merona.  So let’s talk about some of the non-brand things and types of items you should be keeping an eye for for while sourcing: 

GORE ITERATIONS

Gore-Tex is a stretched teflon fabric which allows water vapor to pass through but stops liquid.  In other words, it stops rain from getting through but, when you sweat, it allow the fabric to breath so you don’t overheat.  Gore-Tex was a proprietary fabric and had a corner on the market for almost 40 years.  During that time, nearly every brand used Gore-Tex Fabric to create their apparel (The North Face, Patagonia, Marmot, Arc’Teryx, Oakley, etc.) This use was always noted by a large “Gore-Tex” brand logo on the inside of the clothing.  Because Gore-Tex was a monopoly market, clothing using it was very expensive and you should look up anything you see made from Gore-Tex including coats, pants, shoes, hats, etc.  
Now that the main patent has expired other companies have been able to develop their own similar fabrics but many continue to use Gore-Tex as it is recognized as quality by so many people.  Also be on the lookout for other “Gore” fabric types such as Gore Windstopper.

DOWN

Anytime I see a puffy coat or jacket on the rack at a store I stop to check if it is down filled.  With very few exceptions, down filled coats are almost always worth picking up.  High quality jackets are often sold by “Fill Power” which you should be able to find somewhere on the jacket.  Top put it simply, Fill Power is a measure of how fluffy the down is.  High numbers are better.  Flufflier down is warmer while not being heavier.  700 fill down is the standard of high end outdoor gear but you may find fill powers up to 900 if you’re lucky!

PROTECTIVE GEAR

While this might be blurring the line between clothing and hardgoods, protective gear is wearable so I’m going to include it here.  
Any sort of sport specific gear has value but be on the lookout for padded snowboarding/skiing gear, padded cycling shorts and bibs, helmets, etc.

SNOW-SUITS

I can never figure out why thrift stores price snowsuits so low.  I mean, pants and coat in one?  Yes please!  Let’s be honest though, average people don’t wear snowsuits.  So profitable suits fit in one of two categories:

LOOKOUT FOR LOGOS!

For some reason, every company that decides to make promotional jackets for it’s employees chooses an outdoor brand.  At least half of the time we pull a Patagonia item on the rack it has a logo on the sleeve or chest.  While these usually does decrease the items value a small amount, it is rarely a deal-breaker.  We still pick up logo-ed items and just make sure to include “*LOGO” in the title and snap a close-up picture of it.

OUTDOOR GEAR TERMINOLOGY

3 THINGS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR TITLE

More that perhaps any other clothing item, your title is incredibly important for selling outdoor clothing.  You may get away with a title like “Super Cute J.Crew Top Blue *FREE SHIPPING*” normally but that won’t cut it here.  (For more help in writing titles for normal clothing check out this article)  For maximum exposure (and more sales) be sure to include the following in your title.

1. Brand & Style – It seems like it should go without saying but the Brand should be the very first thing in your title.  Outdoor folks are very brand loyal and often want a specific thing.   For example, when I was looking for a rain-shell, nothing but a Patagonia Torrentshell would do (silly I know).  However, after looking at them on outdoor websites I went to eBay and typed in the exact brand and model of what I wanted.  I had money in my pocket ready to spend right then but If someone hadn’t included it in their title, their listing didn’t come up.  Model is included for much the same reason.  People want what they want.  You can typically find the model by either typing a description of the item into eBay and hoping that someone else’s listing has the style name, or by googling the style reference number (typically found on or by the materials tag)
2. Material – Whether you item is Gore-Tex, 700 Fill Goose Down, Merino Wool, or whatever, people want to know about it.  When I was looking for new baselayer (a fancy word for outdoor underwear) before a mountain climbing trip this past year I knew I wanted something made of Merino Wool because of its specific properties.  However, I didn’t really care about brand in this case so I simply wanted the cheapest baselayer made of Merino.
3. Special Features (hood, etc) – By way of another personal story, I hate jackets without hoods.  I know it’s all crazy irrational preference but in my opinion, outdoor jackets without hoods are less useful and just look plain dumb.  So when I was looking for a down jacket this past winter I, of course, needed one with a hood.  Much to my annoyance, most people selling down jackets didn’t include in the title whether they were hooded or not!  So I had to inspect the pictures of hundreds of non-hood-jacket listings to find what I was after.  Whether the item you’re selling has a hood or a pair of pants, think to yourself, what are its selling points?  If something wanted this specific article of clothing, what would they type in that would distinguish it from another item.  The more specific you are the less competition you have and the more likely it is that someone who is looking for what you have will find your listing.

With all this focus on titles, don’t forget to take great pictures!  While pictures are always important however, they are less so with outdoor gear than with normal clothing.  If people are looking for something specific they mainly want to see that it is the correct thing and in good condition.  So spend your time finding great things rather than tweaking your backdrop and ISO!  Speaking of finding great things, I think we’re finally ready to talk about some of the best outdoor clothing brands for eBay.  Let’s do this.

1. KUHL

​Kirstie has got to be sick of me finding Kuhl items to resell.  Every time I come home from thrifting we have the same conversation,
“Hey I found some Kuhl pants today?
“Why are they cool?”
“I don’t know…they’re just Kuhl…” hahaaaa…

Specific BOLO Items:

• Outdoor Pants.  Kuhl pants are some of the easiest outdoor items to find and we typically pick up a couple pair a week.  They retail for $80-90 so don’t be tempted to short-change yourself.  Price them at $30-40+shipping and just wait for them to sell. 

Tips:

• ​Every Kuhl item has a specific model name that will increase its resale value.  You can usually find the model name by searching solds on eBay or (in the case of pants) simply printed on the inside.
  
  Several brands have changed their logos or re-branded at some point in the lives but, in the case of Kuhl, they actually changed their name.  Pre-KUHL they were called ALF.  ALF items are still work picking up but typically don’t have the brand recognition and aren’t worth quite as much as new pieces.

2. BOGNER

Specific BOLO Items:

• Bogner makes some EXTREMELY expensive outdoor clothing.  Look for embroidery, unusual patterns, and bright colors.  While these are difficult ot find, some of these items can sell for $500 or more in used condition.  This past winter we found matching snow pants and coat in a small girls size that sold for just under $300.

3. NAPAPIJRI

We like to think of Napapijri Geographic as the European version of The North Face.  They originally produced casual wear and high quality bags but have since branched out into all types of outdoor clothing.  The pullover above is by far the most common article of their clothing to be found in thrift stores.

Specific BOLO Items:

• Look for fleeces and jackets with a large flag and logo on the front.  The more prominent it is the more valuable the item.  Also look for normal outdoor clothing such as pants, rain shells, etc

4. PEARL IZUMI

Pearl Izumi makes cycling and cycling casual wear.

Specific BOLO Items:

• Look for jackets, cycling jerseys, and cycling bibs (the tight onesies).  Older items are worth much less so make sure to look up anything you find that doens’t feel current to make sure it’s worth flipping.  
• Large sizes are more difficult to find but sell better.

Tips:

• ​Logos or sponsors covering cycling gear can actually increase it’s value.  Even jerseys from specific races can be desirable so don’t shy away form things that are covered in words.
• When picturing bibs or cycling shorts be sure to include a picture of the inside pad (called the chamois).  People want to make sure it isn’t gross.

5. HELLY HANSEN

Specific BOLO Items:

• Look for rain shells, down jackets, and base layers.

Tips:

• ​Like The North Face, Helly Hansen’s rain jackets seem particularly prone to peeling inside.  Before buying, make sure the inner rain lining is intact as any damage to it can significantly reduce value.

6. PRANA

prAna started out life as a small independently owned company that sewed it’s own yoga clothing.  From it’s humble beginnings it has morphed into an outdoor giant that is owned by Columbia.

Specific BOLO Items:

• Men’s Rock Climbing Clothing (mainly shorts and pants)
• Women’s dresses (especially knit ones).  Look for the style name to increase value.
• Button downs and jackets: especially those with plaid patterns.

7. MAMMUT

Mammut traditionally prodced only trekking and climbing gear (such as bags and rope) but their more recent forray into the outdor clothing world has been even more successful.  

Specific BOLO Items:

• Any wool items (base layers, hats, pullovers, etc.)
• Down items (jackets & sleeping bags)
• Any other outdoor items!

8. OBERMEYER

Obermeyer is a German sportswear brands and one of the few expensive outdoor brands that does not hold its value well.  The majority of Obermeyer products can be left right where you find them on the rack.  There are, however, a few highly profitable exceptions:
​
Specific BOLO Items:

• Snowsuits!  We love selling snowsuits and have sold them year round.  Look for vintage suits in good condition, especially in bright obnoxious colors or prints.
  
• Snowpants and bibs, particularly older ones made of wool/wool blend.

9. THE NORTH FACE

Specific BOLO Items:

• Rain Shells (The “Hyvent” line)
• Down items.  Be sure to include the fill power number in the title.  It is typically found on the sleeves cuff of technical jackets.
• Snow pants
• Pretty much anything besides worn out fleeces and women’s t-shirts!

Tips:

• ​Don’t miss out on kids and babies clothes!  They don’t see nearly as much use and can often be had for cheap.

10. ROOTS CANADA

Specific BOLO Items:

• Items from the Olympics made by Roots
• Hoodies & Jackets

11. CARHARTT

Specific BOLO Items:

• Jackets, pants, and hoodies all sell well for us.
• In addition to work clothing, keep an eye for camouflage hunting gear
• Vintage Carhartt can do really well, as can really beat up and worn out jackets
• Unusual sizes: look for large sizes as well as Carhartt’s tall line

12. MARKER

Marker is one of the most bread&butter brands on this list.  There really isn’t much special about their clothing.  It isn’t very interesting to look at, it isn’t unusually nice, but for some reason it continues to sell well for us!

Specific BOLO Items:

• Pretty much anything besides basic shirts will sell.  Look for coats, snow pants, and vests.
• Marker has made Olympic clothing so keep an eye out for it.
• Snowsuits are some of the most valuable items we’ve found from Marker and we’ve gotten $75+ for them.

13. DESCENTE

Descente is Japanese outerwear company that has been making clothing for outdoor adventures (and Olympic teams) since 1932.

Specific BOLO Items:

• Bright and unusual patterns are some of the best sellers.  Descente makes most things is crazy colors but fleeces sell the best for us.
• Look for special olympic items (mainly coats)
• This should come as no surprise….snowsuits!
• While we have found mainly snowgear, Descente also makes cycling clothing, baseball clothing, and motorcycle gear.

14. REI

REI is actually as much of a brand as a store.  They sell a wide variety of brands as well as their own in-house brand: REI.  As with most house brands their items are not considered very high end.  In the outdoor world however, things can still sell well if they serve a specific function or are made out of high quality material!

Specific BOLO Items:

• Sweaters.  Particularly wool blend sweaters and/or those with elbow patches
• Hiking pants, especially ones that convert into shorts
• Down items
• Newer jackets and shells have done extremely well for us.  If something is new enough that you can find it’s style name you can get a much better price for it.  We recently sold a puffer jacket (not down) from REI that we were going to price $40 or so.  Luckily, we were able to find the style name which helped someone who really wanted it to find it and we sold it for $65.

15. COTOPAXI

Even if you don’t find any interesting items to resell, you should be supporting Cotopaxi.  Their “Do Good” motto and dedication to improving the lot of everyone in the world has been inspiring people since their beginning!

Specific BOLO Items:

• Cotopaxi has a reputation for sewing items out of scrap fabric so look for unusually bright pieces made up of several different colors, especially windbreakers.
• Backpacks, sweaters, and jackets all are worth picking up to resell.  The more unusual they are, the better.
  

​
Tips:

• ​The size tag for Cotopaxi items is often in the pocket.
• Be sure to check your Cotopaxi items for logos as several companies near us use Cotopaxi items as their company jackets.

16. MARMOT

Marmot is a well respected middle of the road outdoor company that makes typical middle of the road outdoor items.  In other words, keep your eyes open for anything that would regularly be valuable: rain shells, down, nice shorts, hiking pants, etc.

17. PATAGONIA

Patagonia is one of my favorite outdoor brands to find and wear.  And sometimes sell.  Pretty much anything you find with the Patagonia logo is worth picking up.  Literally.  Like I have sold Patagonia Boxers that I found at the Goodwill Outlet (on Mercari though since you can’t sell used undies on eBay). Men’s, women’s, or kids, it doesn’t matter, it will sell.

Specific BOLO Items:

• Fleece pullovers with crazy colors
• Vintage (out-of-production) items
• Down jackets
• Base-layers

18. COLUMBIA

Columbia is another bread and butter outdoor company.  While they do make expensive things, the majority of things you find at thrift stores will probably sell but certainly won’t be home runs.

Specific BOLO Items:

• Look for hiking shorts/pants, nice fleeces, hoodies, & jackets
• Columbia PFG (Professional Fishing Gear) sells very well, particularly in large sizes.

19. ARC’TERYX

Pretty much any Arc’Teryx item you find can be sold for a profit.  Polo shirt?  Easy $30+  Down jacket that the thrift store is selling for $50?  All day long!
Specific BOLO Items:

• We will literally pick up almost anything from the brand.  I have sold items with large patches, broken zippers, etc.
• T-shirts sell consistently for $20-25 in good used condition.

20. SPYDER

Specific BOLO Items:

• Items with a large Spyder logo.  This are usually older pieces but people love them.
• Items from ski or snowboard teams
• Spyder bibs, snow pants, and snowsuits all do well
• Look for Spyder’s Dermizax label.  Dermizax is their proprietary waterproof material and is a great selling point.

21. Mountain Hardwear

As with several other companies on this list, Mountain Hard Wear is a subsidiary of Columbia.  They make most of the same things at a slightly higher price point and Mountain Hard Wear typically holds its value better.

Specific BOLO Items:

• Monkey Man fleeces.  Made for both men and women, these are thick plush fleeces that are very desirable.  The heavier the better.
• Stretch Down series puffer jackets
• Mountain Hard Wear’s Conduit series of hard and soft shells

So get out of your house….and thrift!

Whether you’re looking into sourcing liquidation or sticking with traditional thrift store flip, I hope you firepower has been increased by learning about some new brands. If this is one of the first Premium Articles you’ve read, check out one of these next: