Selling used hockey gear is harder than buying it. Anyone who has tried to move a few sticks, an outgrown pair of skates, or a full bag of pro stock equipment knows the friction. You're choosing between marketplace fees, slow listing timelines, low trade-in offers, and platforms that take a cut of every transaction. There isn't one right answer for every situation, and the marketing copy on most of these platforms doesn't tell you the real tradeoffs.
At Gear Guyz, we built our business around one idea: getting hockey gear that isn't being used back on the ice. We're a direct buyer of pro stock hockey gear focused on getting equipment back in play.
This guide compares the most common options for selling used hockey gear in 2026, with current fees, payout timelines, and honest tradeoffs. Whether you're an individual player with one stick to move, a parent clearing out a closet of outgrown gear, or an equipment manager trying to offload a full team's worth of equipment at the end of the season, the right choice depends on what you actually care about most: maximum dollar, speed, or simplicity.
We'll cover SidelineSwap, eBay, Play It Again Sports, the Hockey Monkey trade-in program, and direct buyers including Gear Guyz, Pro Stock Hockey, HockeyStickMan, Valhalla Sport, and Pond of Dreams.
The Main Options at a Glance
Here's the high level comparison before we go deep on each option.
SidelineSwap is the largest hockey marketplace, where you list your gear, set your price, and wait for it to sell. You handle photos, listing, and shipping. Fees run 12-15 percent of the sale price for most sellers, plus payment processing.
eBay is the broadest auction and fixed-price marketplace, with similar fees and more reach but less hockey-specific buyer demand. Around 13 percent final value fee plus payment processing.
Play It Again Sports is a brick-and-mortar used sporting goods chain that pays cash or store credit on the spot, but at a significant discount to market value.
The Hockey Monkey trade-in program (powered by SidelineSwap) accepts used gear at in-person events for store credit only, not cash.
Direct buyers like Gear Guyz will purchase your gear outright for cash, cover the shipping cost with prepaid labels, and pay on receipt. No listing fees, no commission, no waiting for an item to sell.
Each option fits a different kind of seller. Let's break them down.
SidelineSwap
How it works: You create a listing with photos, write a description, and set a price. Buyers browse and purchase. SidelineSwap sends you a prepaid shipping label after the sale. You ship the item within three days. Buyers can accept or dispute the item once it arrives. Once accepted, the funds clear into your SidelineSwap account, and you transfer them to your bank.
Fees in 2026: 12 percent seller fee for your first five sales, 10 percent after that. Add 2.9 percent plus $0.30 payment processing. If you use the optional "bump" feature to push your listing to the top of search and your item sells within seven days of a bump, there's an additional 3 percent fee. Total fees can easily reach 15-16 percent of the sale price.
Timeline: Highly variable. Popular items in high-demand sizes can sell in days. Niche items, mid-tier sticks, or anything overpriced can sit for months. You're competing against thousands of other listings, including stores like Gear Guyz that list their own inventory there.
Best for: Sellers who have time to wait, want to set their own price, and don't mind handling photos, listings, shipping, and the occasional buyer dispute. Premium items in current models (Bauer Vapor FlyLite or Hyperlite 2 sticks in popular flexes, current model Bauer or CCM skates in clean condition) often perform well on SidelineSwap.
Worst for: Anyone who wants cash fast, sellers with a lot of gear to move at once, or anyone who finds marketplace logistics annoying. Also worst for low-value items where the fees eat most of the margin.
eBay
How it works: List your item as an auction or fixed-price listing with photos and a description. Buyers bid or buy. You handle shipping, returns, and disputes. eBay's protections favor buyers heavily.
Fees in 2026: Approximately 13 percent final value fee for sporting goods, plus $0.30 per order, plus payment processing. Optional listing upgrades add cost. Total fees often hit 14-16 percent.
Timeline: Auctions resolve in your chosen duration (typically 7 days). Fixed-price listings can sit indefinitely. Resolution of disputes can take weeks.
Best for: Sellers with niche or collector-grade items that benefit from a broader audience. Vintage equipment, NHL memorabilia, and autographed pieces tend to perform better on eBay because the collector audience is much larger than the hockey-specific buyer base on SidelineSwap.
Worst for: Standard adult rec gear, current-model pro stock gear (SidelineSwap usually outperforms eBay here because the buyers are hockey-specific), and sellers who don't want to deal with returns or disputes. eBay's buyer protection often favors buyers even on clearly described items.
Play It Again Sports
How it works: Walk into a local Play It Again Sports with your gear. An employee evaluates it on the spot and offers cash or store credit. You can accept or decline. No appointment needed.
Pricing: Per their own published policy, Play It Again Sports typically resells used items for 40-60 percent of current new retail. Sellers receive 30-50 percent of that resale price. Net payout is approximately 12-30 percent of the item's original retail value, in cash or store credit.
Timeline: Instant. You walk in with gear, walk out with cash or store credit the same day.
Best for: Sellers who want zero hassle and don't care much about maximum return. Parents with outgrown kids' gear are the most common use case. Anyone who happens to be near a store and would rather take a small cash payout than mess with shipping.
Worst for: Pro stock gear (most Play It Again locations don't specialize and won't pay competitive prices for higher-end items), team-level volume, or anyone who's actually paying attention to market value. The convenience is real, but the discount is significant.
Hockey Monkey Trade-In Program
How it works: Hockey Monkey runs in-person trade-in events at their stores, powered by SidelineSwap's recommerce platform. You bring used gear, it's evaluated using SidelineSwap's pricing system, and you receive Hockey Monkey store credit.
Pricing: Variable based on brand, condition, and current demand. Store credit only, not cash. Items that don't qualify can be donated to youth programs through the program.
Timeline: Same day at the event.
Best for: Hockey Monkey customers who are about to buy new gear anyway and want to put their old equipment toward that purchase. The store credit only model makes this a "trade up" play, not a "cash out" play.
Worst for: Anyone who wants cash, anyone not near a Hockey Monkey location during a trade-in event, or anyone who doesn't plan to buy from Hockey Monkey in the near future.
Direct Buyers (Including Gear Guyz, Pro Stock Hockey, HockeyStickMan, and Others)
Direct buyers are companies that purchase your used and pro stock gear outright for cash, then resell it through their own channels. There are several active direct buyers in the pro stock hockey space in 2026. The major ones include Gear Guyz, Pro Stock Hockey (Chicago), HockeyStickMan, Valhalla Sport, and Pond of Dreams. Each operates a little differently. Some specialize in specific categories (HockeyStickMan is heavily stick-focused). Some emphasize national reach. Pricing and process vary by company, item type, and volume.
How Gear Guyz operates specifically: You reach out by text, email, or Instagram DM (@gearguyz). We respond within a few hours during normal business hours. We send a cash offer based on photos. If you accept, we send a prepaid shipping label so the shipping is on us, not you. You package the gear and drop it at any post office or UPS location. Payment hits as soon as the gear arrives. For local Twin Cities sellers, you can drop off in person and get paid the same day.
What sets Gear Guyz apart in this category:
Midwest specialization. We travel directly to college and junior programs across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, the Dakotas, and Illinois to buy gear in person and pay by check the same day. Most national direct buyers won't travel for team deals. We do, and it makes a real difference for equipment managers who don't want to package and ship 200 pieces of gear.
Mission. We're a direct buyer of pro stock hockey gear, but the underlying reason we exist is to keep gear in the game. We buy equipment that's going to get used in beer leagues, adult rec leagues, college programs that need budget-friendly gear, and youth hockey across the country.
Personal service. Direct text and email contact with the founder. No forms, no chatbots, no waiting in a queue. If you have questions about your gear or want a second look at an offer, you can ask. We answer.
You can reach us through our Selling to Us page, email, or Instagram (@gearguyz).
A Special Note for Teams and Equipment Managers
Selling team gear is a fundamentally different problem from selling individual gear. You have volume, mixed condition, and a deadline (usually end of season or start of inventory turnover). Marketplaces don't work well for teams because the time required to list and ship dozens or hundreds of items is prohibitive. Play It Again Sports won't take pro stock volume at fair prices. Trade-in programs are designed for individual consumers.
For teams, direct buyers are the realistic option. Several of the direct buyers above will work with teams. The right one for your program depends on geography, what you're selling, and how the logistics work.
At Gear Guyz, our team buying process works like this. For Midwest programs (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Illinois, and surrounding states), we travel to your rink, evaluate gear on site, and write you a check for the full amount that day. No minimum threshold, but the trip needs to make sense for the volume on hand. For programs outside the Midwest, we'll send prepaid shipping labels. You package the gear and ship it. We pay by check as soon as it arrives.
If you're an equipment manager, head coach, or athletic director thinking about how to handle this year's gear turnover, send Alex an email at alex@thegearguyz.com and we'll take it from there.
How to Decide Which Option Is Right for You
Here's the simplest decision framework.
If you have one or two items, you're not in a hurry, and you want maximum dollar: list on SidelineSwap. Accept that you'll wait, deal with photos and shipping, and lose 13-15 percent to fees. For premium items in current models and popular sizes, you'll usually come out ahead.
If you have a rare or collector-grade piece (autographed, NHL memorabilia, vintage): try eBay first for the broader collector audience. This is a different market than the one we operate in.
If you have one item, you don't care about maximum dollar, and you're near a Play It Again Sports: walk in. Take the cash. Move on.
If you have multiple items, mixed condition, or anything pro stock, and you want one clean transaction with cash on receipt: contact a direct buyer like Gear Guyz. For pro stock specifically, the direct buyer route usually beats marketplace listings on time and total hassle.
If you're a team or equipment manager with significant volume to move: direct buyer is essentially the only practical option. Reach out to a buyer who works with teams in your region. If you're in the Midwest, we can come to you. If you're outside the Midwest, we can ship.
FAQ
Where can I sell my pro stock hockey gear for cash?
Several direct buyers in the pro stock space pay cash without taking a commission, including Gear Guyz. The process is always faster than marketplaces and easier than retail trade-in programs. You reach out by email, text, or Instagram, share photos, get an offer, and arrange a pickup date or shipping details. Payment lands as soon as the gear arrives.
What's the best place to sell used hockey skates online?
If you want maximum dollar and have time to wait, SidelineSwap is the largest hockey-specific marketplace and tends to outperform eBay for current model skates. If you want to skip the listing and shipping process entirely, a direct buyer is faster and simpler. For Bauer Vapor, CCM Jetspeed, and CCM Ribcor skates in good condition, both options work. For older skates or beginner models, the marketplace fees may eat most of the value, and a direct buyer or Play It Again Sports often makes more sense.
Who buys pro stock hockey gear besides Gear Guyz?
The major direct buyers in the pro stock space include Pro Stock Hockey, HockeyStickMan, Valhalla Sport, Pond of Dreams, Fanelli Hockey, Top Flight Hockey, and North Pro Stock. Each operates with slightly different specialties and geographic reach. Gear Guyz specializes in Midwest team programs and pro stock gear destined for active play rather than collector inventory.
How much will SidelineSwap take from my sale?
For most sellers in 2026, the all-in fee is around 13-15 percent of the sale price (12 percent seller fee for new sellers, 10 percent after 6 sales, plus 2.9 percent and $0.30 payment processing). Items sold within seven days of being bumped incur an additional 3 percent. Shipping is typically paid by the buyer on top of the sale price.
Does Pure Hockey buy used gear?
No. Pure Hockey only sells new gear. They do not have a trade-in or buyback program for used equipment. Hockey Monkey, a separate retailer, runs a trade-in program in partnership with SidelineSwap, but it's store credit only and only available at in-person events at their stores.
Where can a college or junior hockey team offload excess equipment?
The most practical option for teams is to sell to a direct buyer that specializes in pro stock and team-level gear. Several of the direct buyers listed above will work with teams. Gear Guyz buys from college and junior programs across the Midwest, travels to campuses for evaluation, and pays by check in a single transaction. For teams outside the Midwest, prepaid shipping labels make the process work remotely. Marketplaces and retail trade-in programs are not designed for team-level volume.
How fast can I get paid if I sell to Gear Guyz?
Individual sellers typically hear back within a few hours of their first message. Once an offer is agreed and you've shipped the gear with our prepaid label, you're paid as soon as it arrives. For local Twin Cities sellers, you can drop off in person and be paid the same day. Total time from first contact to payment is usually one to seven days depending on shipping speed.
Do I have to pay for shipping if I sell to Gear Guyz?
No. We send prepaid shipping labels for all direct purchases. You package the gear and drop it at any post office or UPS location. There's no out-of-pocket cost to ship your gear to us.
What gear won't Gear Guyz buy?
We don't buy items in poor working condition that doesn't have any life left in it. If it can be repaired, we will buy since our focus is getting gear back into play. Other than that, we buy a full range of hockey equipment including sticks, skates, gloves, pants, helmets, shoulder pads, shin pads, elbow pads, goalie gear, and replacement steel. If you're not sure whether your gear qualifies, reach out to us through our Selling to Us page and we'll let you know.
Is selling to a direct buyer better than listing on SidelineSwap?
It depends on what you're optimizing for. SidelineSwap typically pays more per item but requires you to handle photos, listings, shipping, and disputes, and you'll lose 13-15 percent to fees plus the time spent waiting for a sale. Direct buyers pay cash on receipt with no fees and no waiting, but the offer reflects current resale potential rather than aspirational retail value. For most sellers with multiple items or pro stock gear, the time and simplicity of a direct buyer wins. For sellers with one premium item and patience, SidelineSwap usually wins on net payout.
Bottom Line
The right place to sell your hockey gear depends on what you care about most: maximum dollar, speed, simplicity, or all three. Marketplaces like SidelineSwap and eBay maximize dollar at the cost of time and fees. Brick-and-mortar shops like Play It Again Sports maximize convenience at the cost of payout. Direct buyers like Gear Guyz, Pro Stock Hockey, HockeyStickMan, and the others sit in the middle, paying cash on receipt with no fees while handling the resale risk and logistics.
If you're a player with one or two items and you want to maximize price, list on SidelineSwap. If you're a player or team with volume to move and you want cash without the hassle, contact a direct buyer. If you're an equipment manager with a season-end inventory turnover, contact a direct buyer who specializes in pro stock and team-level gear, ideally one that can travel to you or send prepaid shipping labels.
At Gear Guyz, we buy pro stock and used hockey gear from individual players and team programs across the country. Our mission is simple: keep gear in the game. To get started, visit our Selling to Us page, email us at alex@thegearguyz.com, or send us a DM on Instagram (@gearguyz). Most sellers hear back within a few hours.
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