The next few weeks may be the best time all year to outfit yourself or your family in new ski, snowboard, skijor or ski kiting gear as swaps spring up across Southcentral Alaska. If you're outfitting the family, they can be a blessing. Or if you're looking to earn a few bucks for gently used gear, the timing is right.

Tamra Kornfield of Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage and Eric Helmbrecht of Powder Hound Ski Shop in Girdwood will discuss ski swaps at 2 p.m. (repeating 9 p.m.) Oct. 23 with Charles Wohlforth on Alaska Public Media's "Outdoor Explorer" program.

• Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage Ski Swap: 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Kincaid Bunker, with 400-500 people expected. Mainly cross-country and backcountry equipment. Gear drop off is 7-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, and 1-3 p.m. the following day, and Alaska Pacific University coaches will on hand with suggestions on pricing gear at the drop off. Association takes a 20 percent fee.

• Eagle River Nordic Ski Center Ski Swap: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Oct. 18 at Beach Lake Chalet. Gear check 8-9 a.m. Rentals and waxing available.

• AK Ski Swap: Noon-5 p.m. Oct. 25 at UAA Alaska Airlines Center. Register gear 5-9 p.m. Oct. 24 and 9-11 a.m. day of sale. There's an "early-bird special" in which people who buy a book of Alyeska Ski Club raffle tickets ($20) get into the ski swap 15 minutes early. Details on how to register: http://www.akskiswap.com/

• Kachemak Nordic Ski Club Winter Gear Swap: 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12 at Homer High School.