Interview with owner, Josh Sims
You have a unique business that fills a niche here in Bend. Can you describe what you do?
We are a service-based business that falls into two different categories: consignment and service & repair. The soul of the shop is to keep gear going while also providing the best items to folks at an approachable price, so everyone gets the best chance at a positive outdoor experience. Our service and repair shops fix “all things outdoors” and include bike, ski and sewing services. Our consignment shop curates used gear and clothing and offers as many options as possible, with proven, tested items. From a consignor’s standpoint, we keep it simple—we’ll even fix an item before putting it out for sale. We believe in keeping things local and out of the landfill; we want to show folks that you can buy used and that quality lasts.
What sets you apart from other consignment shops?
We listen. We have conversations. If we don’t know something, we’ll figure it out together. We also support everything we sell. Everything goes through an extensive inspection, and if we missed something in the process, we own it and will make it right. We genuinely want folks to feel good about what they buy, and that’s why we accept returns, which is rare in the used gear business.
Everyone loves Gear Fix. How have you gained such a foothold in the community?
Thank you for saying that. We have made community a cornerstone of our business model—we support Central Oregon-based non-profits, local independent media and we also engage locally by attending fundraisers and volunteering our time. Our team gets reimbursement at their wage for volunteer work, and many of them go well beyond 80 hours (which is the goal). We try to hire people that care and are engaged.
What advice do you have for Bend parents when it comes to outfitting their kids for outdoor pursuits?
Get them the right size, please. If you truly want to set up your child to have the best outdoor experience possible, don’t make it harder on them in the name of saving a couple of bucks. Also, remember that you can resell your stuff. Many shops, including ours, allow you to trade in gear as your kids grow. You can apply that money toward the next setup, then do it all again the next year!
The Gear Fix
541-617-0022
gearfix.com
This article appears in Bend Nest Summer 2026.
MAKE LOCAL JOURNALISM HAPPEN
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
