Buying a Used Snowboard Is a Smart Move (+ How)

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Snowboarding is an expensive sport. A new premium snowboard could cost anywhere from $600-$900, enough to make a grown man cry. Is it worth buying a used snowboard instead? Many avid snowboarders will shout a resounding “yes” over the mountain tops, but only after making sure of a few factors.

Buying a used snowboard can be a worthwhile investment and half of the cost of a new one. Pre-inspection before buying a second-hand board is crucial, as you want it to last for a while, without the need for repair work. Finding a board in mint condition, and paying next to nothing, is priceless.

Finding a used snowboard that will provide you with lots of mileage, value for money, and fits your riding style like a glove is the name of this game. If you spend low amounts of money on boards that only last for a couple of months at most, a better option would have been to buy a new snowboard. Let’s discuss what you need to look out for when buying a used board.

I would say that buying a second-hand snowboard is very much worth it. If you stumble onto a board that’s in pretty good nick, the right size, and your bindings attach easily, bob’s your uncle.

Add the fact that fewer dollars are flying out of your wallet puts the proverbial cherry on the snow cake.

Why Buying A Used Snowboard Is Worth It

Money. Purchasing a new snowboard will always be more expensive than investing in a used one. Think about it, you can easily save up to 50% or more on a board, compared to when you buy the same board brand new.

Snowboards, bindings, and boots are designed to be durable and tough, and when used daily, they should last for a full season and more. Unless you are a professional snowboarder or live right next to the mountain, snowboarding equipment rarely sees this much action.

For example, buying a second-hand setup that is three, even four years old, that has only seen snow during annual vacations will have plenty of life in them. Paying a reduced amount for snowboarding gear that’s in excellent shape is a win-win situation.

Any snowboarder would agree to the fact that it’s safer to have more than one board in your quiver, as you never know what can happen to a board on a ride out. 

Buying a second-hand board to compliment your new board is financially feasible. Owning only new boards will mean that you have spent thousands of dollars on boards only, and you still need to buy gear as well.

People stop snowboarding for many different reasons and seeing that snowboards are hard to store, many ex-snowboarders are looking to offload their former passion. The good news is that it results in good-quality snowboarding equipment floating around on the market.

There are some pretty awesome used snowboard deals out there; you need to know where to find them and what to look out for before parting with your hard-earned cash.

Where To Look For A Used Snowboard

There will be instances when you can simply buy a second-hand snowboard from a friend or fellow snowboarder; other times, you will have to do some searching yourself. 

Using the following resources available to you, finding your next snowboard should be fairly easy.

Craigslist 

Rated as one of the best private party resale commerce sites on planet earth, buyers and sellers alike have scored a great deal many times by using this website. As a seller, there are no fees to pay when a successful deal is done, which leaves room for a little negotiation from the buyer’s side.

Craigslist is a modern-day twist on what we older people used to call “the classified ads,” and you can find anything from snowboards to snowboarding gear on this site. 

Finding offers can be as easy as:

• Typing in the model’s name or size of the specific snowboard you search for.
• Typing in “snowboard” and see what comes up.

A friendly hint or two when it comes to purchasing a snowboard from Craigslist:

• Look for snowboards sold in your area, as you would need to inspect the board before purchasing it.
• Making a buying decision based on images placed by the seller is not recommended, as you won’t see potential damage.

If you live in an area not close to the snow, you might have to take a road trip to the closest seller, which is not ideal. However, pre-inspection is a crucial part of buying a used snowboard.

Haggling is expected and encouraged on this site, so the potential of saving even more money is a real possibility, depending on your bargaining skill set.

eBay

Another e-commerce giant, eBay, is a great platform to source for a used snowboard. On this platform, you might find a board that is up for auction – the highest bid gets the item – so it’s easy to stay within your budget when shopping here.

You might have to pay a small sales tax amount on certain items, and again finding a seller in your area is critical for the inspection part. 

Backcountry 

When searching for any outdoor sports gear at a discounted price, start your search here. This online store is one of the internet’s biggest discount online retailers, where finding a snowboard is as easy as one-two-three. 

Make sure to search by discount rate:

• 10 percent
• 20 percent
• 30 percent
• 40 percent 

Here you will find new snowboards at discounted prices, and if you manage to find one of their products on another site at a better price, Backcountry will match it, less 5 percent. Buying from them will ensure that you don’t have to worry about quality or inspect the goods, as it’s new goods.

If you are unhappy with the snowboard purchase, they have a 100 percent return guarantee policy.

Steep & Cheap 

Backcounty.com had a child and called it steepandcheap.com; here you will find amazing discounted deals on:

• Snowboarding Apparel
• Snowboarding Gear 
• Snowboards 

Technically not a site for used snowboards, but given that some discounted prices range between 40-75 percent on some items, you are essentially buying a new board at second-hand prices. 

The House 

The House is another great online shop to source for heavily discounted snowboards. Some boards you can pick up for 50 percent less, essentially making them second-hand in price. 

They stock some of the more popular and best snowboard brands:

• Burton 
• Lib Tech 
• Arbor 
• CAPiTA 
• Never Summer 
• GNU
• Rome Snowboards 
• Ride 
• K2
• Jones 

Snowboard Shops

If you live close to an outdoor sporting goods shop, you can inquire if they sell any old snowboards. Typically, some snowboard shops sell off selected inventory at a discounted price at the end of the winter season. 

Many outdoor sports retailers buy second-hand boards from customers who buy new boards from them. These retailers won’t buy a busted board, as they will typically do a thorough inspection themselves, so some of them will stock decent used snowboards to sell.

How To Inspect A Used Snowboard

When you find a suitably priced used snowboard, only one part of the buying process is complete. It’s crucial to do a manual inspection of the board yourself. Please do not rely on images or photographs; they never tell the full story regarding the overall condition.

1. Check The Sidewalls Of The Used Snowboard

Inspect the sidewalls of the board, and look for any splits, cracks, or any other visible damage. If the sidewalls appear to be in poor shape, it’s indicative that the board has probably been beaten up pretty well, and your money should rather stay in your wallet.

Sidewall separation is another no-no. Look at the board from the side angle; if you see any gaps between the sidewall and the edge, your “Spidey” senses should be tingling, as it’s a dangerous sign. Water tends to get into these types of areas and can damage your “new” old board quickly.

2. Check For Core Damage On The Used Snowboard

If the sidewalls check out, your next inspection is to look for any core damage. Core shots can be identified by looking at the base of the board. Don’t worry too much about scrapes and scratches. They are cosmetic and won’t affect the board’s performance or durability.

If you spot any repair work done to the board’s base, turn the board around, and inspect the top of the board for any bumps or raised surfaces. Some minor cracks in the top sheet are acceptable, as they naturally occur when the board flexes. 

Deep gouges that reveal the wood underneath, odd colors, or clear sections indicate that a base repair has been done. If it’s your board, there’s nothing wrong with doing some base repair, but as a potential buyer, rather steer clear of such a purchase.

Core shots often result in the board’s integrity being compromised, which can cause the board to perform poorly. A damaged core will only get worse the longer you ride the board. Should you spot some repair work done, ask the seller to explain; this can save you time and money.

Lastly, place the snowboard on a flat surface, making sure the board’s nose and tail make contact – the middle of the board should have ground clearance.

3. Check The Bindings Of The Used Snowboard

Happy the sidewalls, base, and top sheet? Onwards we go, the next stop is the bindings. Inspect the binding inserts first – these are the threaded holes that the bindings screw into. 

When the bindings are mounted, try reefing on them hard by using a twisting motion to see if any screws are loose, loose screws are a sign of an owner not looking after their board.

When checking the bindings:

• Remove the bindings and see if any cracks or dings are hiding under the bindings.
• Inspect all over both frames/baseplates and ensure no cracked sections.
• Check the high back for cracks.
• Inspect the binding holes, test the screws, making sure they are not damaged or threaded – nothing worse than finding out after you bought the board that your bindings can’t be attached due to damage to the screw fittings.
• Examine all the straps, and see if the ladders are in good shape (the teeth shouldn’t be worn out, although this is an easy fix.)
• Make sure to check under any stickers, or stamp pads, as it might hide some damage.
• Scrutinize for odd-looking hardware – if something was replaced with non-factory hardware, it could indicate a shoddy fix – original-looking hardware indicates that replacement/repairs on straps or parts were at least done using factory parts.

4. Check The Edges Of The Used Snowboard

Scanning the metal edges around the snowboard, see if they are in good condition; any rounding is fine. Rounding can be easily fixedby sharpening the edge of a snowboard ; however, gouges cannot – you should probably avoid snowboards with heavy gouges.

Unless the board is close to free, extreme edge damage, delamination, or messed-up inserts aren’t worth fixing. Minor base gouges and scratched top sheets should not be a big deal when buying a used board. Bindings should be in really good shape. It’s a no-compromise area.

Negotiating The Price Of A Used Snowboard

A decent price for a used snowboard will range between $100 to $400, depending on the board’s make, design, and general condition. A second-hand snowboard will have imperfections, so don’t set yourself up for disappointment when inspecting a used board.

When you are happy with the board and your physical inspection revealed nothing alarming, it’s time to start haggling. A listed price is rarely set in stone unless, in mint condition, the seller usually expects to drop his price.

Should there be some repair work required, and you are willing to get it fixed, this should reflect the overall price. Here is a list of possible prices that can be charged for snowboard repairs. 

Conclusion

It’s worth buying a used snowboard. You will save money in the process, and you find one in good condition, it will last you for quite some time, at maybe half the price. A thorough physical inspection of the board is required to ensure that you get value for your money.

Most people selling a snowboard do so for several reasons, and the quality of the boards out there is remarkedly in good shape due to under usage. Who doesn’t like paying a reduced price for something that still has a lot to offer?

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