9 Things You Probably Shouldn’t Buy Secondhand
If you decide to buy a pair of previously owned downhill skis, Christine cautions that you may have to replace the bindings.
“Bindings are ‘indemnified’ by the manufacturers for only a few years, and after that point, any ski shop that works on them — such as adjusting them to fit your boot — would be taking on all the legal liability. So they usually won’t work with them at all,” explains Christine.
In other words, once the indemnification period expires on a pair of bindings (about 10 years after the year of manufacture, in general), the shops are no longer protected, and therefore they may refuse to service the older bindings.
Sometimes, Christine adds, you might not even be able to find a new pair of bindings that works with the secondhand skis. And on top of that, there is a limit to the number of times that you can install bindings on a pair of skis.
While thrifting can be a smart, sustainable way to save money, not every item is worth the risk, especially when safety is involved. With a little extra scrutiny — and a willingness to skip the occasional too-good-to-be-true deal — you’ll be able to shop secondhand in a much smarter and safer way.
This article was edited by Megan Beauchamp and Maxine Builder.
