Wildlands Gear Exchange

08/25/2026

Quick hours heads up for this week 👋
We’re open today (11-6), and Wednesday’s business as usual too.

But we’ll be closed Thursday, Friday, and Saturday this week — life’s calling and we’re answering. Come see us on **Sunday** if you can’t get in today or tomorrow.

Sincerely sorry for any inconvenience... I lost a couple nights of sleep making this decision. We’ll be back to our normal schedule next week, gear waiting and the tunes on. Thanks for rolling with it, Grand Rapids. 🏕️

08/24/2026

Working to curate good gear for you even on days the shop is closed. This stash comes from a very special canoe builder from St Paul that now lives north of Grand Rapids. It was a honor to hear his stories about a life well lived on the trail.

Granite Gear, Cooke Custom Sewing Portage packs, canoe seat bags and 60L barrels (both with harnesses) hitting the shop floor tomorrow!
🐦‍⬛

08/24/2026

🍂 Hunting season is coming.

Wildlands is now accepting hunting apparel and accessories for consignment.

Think quality layers, hunting-specific clothing, packs, boots, optics accessories, and other useful gear that’s ready for another season in the woods.

A couple of important notes:

* Items must be from brands that represent mid to high end brands such as Sitka, Kuiu, First Lite, Simms, Stone Glacier, Duck Camp, Orvis, FORLOH, Pyke Gear, Final Rise, Filson, Lacrosse, Danner, etc.

* Hunting gear will not be included in our end-of-summer sale—it will be priced and available to consign and buy now through November only. Think of this as a special season that will span the end of our summer season and the beginning of Fall/Winter Season.

* Everything needs to be clean, functional, and in good condition.

* Items will be vetted by a Wildlands hunting advisory committee. (Read: some folks that I know that walk the walk and I’ll buy them pizza for their time.)

* We do NOT consign fi****ms, bows, etc. Only apparel, packs, and accessories.

If it’s been sitting in the back of the closet waiting for another season, now’s the time to pass it on 🐦‍⬛

08/21/2026

💥 Part II: Things for your vehicle that are obnoxious to photograph… that you should know about!

Wildlands has a selection of bike racks and a cargo box available for sale:

🚀 Yakima Space Booster Cargo Box – extra storage for road trips and adventures or a weekend at Bernie’s. NEVER MOUNTED $185

🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️🚴 Saris Thelma 3 – 3-bike hitch rack $215

🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️ Saris Bones 2 – 2-bike trunk rack $100

🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️🚴 Yakima FullSwing 4 – 4-bike swing-away hitch rack $425 (MSRP $700)

08/21/2026

Quite possibly the least exciting thing to photograph and promote is car rack stuff. Seriously, here’s a picture of really expensive (brand new) metal stuff that goes on top of your car or just... ON your car. FOR LESS.

If you’re looking to move your gear to a roof rack but don’t have a house payment to make it happen, check in with the shop.

A: Yakima Showboat Load Assist Rack, NEW IN BOX: $115 (MSRP $300)
B: Thule 43” Rapid Aero Load Bars, NEW IN BOX, $60
C: Thule 40” Original Square Bars, Never Mounted: $30
D: Yakima 48” Original Round Bars: $25
E: Yakima Load Stops (Great for canoes... and lumber!): $25

08/20/2026

08/14/2026

I didn’t grow up in an outdoorsy family. We never once camped, canoed, biked, skied or hiked… unless you count traipsing through Civil War battlefields in the sticky southern humidity as hiking. My grandfather on my mom’s side was quite active in silent sports, so my parents were supportive of my interests in that regard, but I didn’t grow up with my grandfather taking me sailing, skiing, or biking.

My father, however, did instill in me a constant state of curiosity and wonder about the world around us. He, a history buff. Me, a natural history buff. Of all the historical things, including military history, he especially loves space exploration history and the NASA program. I have core memories of loading up in the shop van with his giant telescope to travel to the light-pollution-free countryside just to look at Saturn’s ring at some insane hour of the morning.

He never handed me a paddle or a pair of skis. What he handed me was bigger than that: the idea that the world is worth being curious about. That wonder didn’t stay pointed at the stars. It came down to earth with me, into rivers and woods and trailheads, because once you’ve learned to really look at something, you can’t stop.

So here’s a piece of that legacy that my father acquired, here in the shop for a bit. This flag flew to the Moon and back on Apollo 13, carried by Captain James A. Lovell Jr. himself in April 1970. It says its own achievements should serve as “a continuing inspiration to youth throughout the world” which, frankly, is as

Come see the flag that went further than any of us ever will, and then let’s talk about where you’re dreaming about for your next adventure. I don’t care if it’s the moon or your backyard. 🌖🐦‍⬛

08/13/2026

The pack wall is filling up.

From daypacks to weekend to bring everything but the kitchen sink, there’s a pack for that. Including bringing your BABY on your next hike.

The trail won’t know your pack was used.