Let's not kid ourselves, snowboarding can be expensive. We start with the equipment, say $400 for a beginner board, $170 for bindings, $170 for boots, and another $100 for a helmet. Then comes the clothing, $250 for a jacket, $200 for pants, $100 for accessories, and you don't even have a technical base layer at that price yet. Roughly speaking, you should be prepared to pay close to $1,400 before taxes, and you don't even know what slalom is yet. You might get lucky and find all these items at a good price, say 30% off. So, $980 plus taxes. Now you have to go to Valinouët or Mont Édouard, spend $10 to $15 on gas, buy a $35 lift ticket, have dinner for $15, and of course grab a beer at "L'après." In short, it's not for the "broken," you might say. Last year, in Chicoutimi, a concept that existed in 1995 resurfaced. The flea markets and Echo Sports of this world are back. These places where you can get used snowboarding or ski equipment at a fraction of the price.
As a specialist, experienced and passionate snowboarder, I would like to share my opinions and advice if you are considering buying used equipment. And these tips are also good for bazaars, flea markets, Kijiji and also for your cousin Julie's equipment.
First, know that the difference between a new $400 board and a new $800 board is not the graphics but the components. New $400 boards are often built for a beginner snowboarder and $800 boards for an experienced snowboarder. Second, also know that it takes several years for an advisor to really understand a brand and its technologies, and specialty shops often have several snowboard brands that all have different technologies. You're wondering where I'm going with this? So here it is: having already been to a few bazaars and flea markets, it is impossible for the seller/advisor to know all the technologies and components of each used board that Mr. Tremblay and Mrs. Bérard came to trade for a bike for their grandson David. So without knowing it, you, Simon, leave the shop with a used board that you paid $100 for when it was worth $850 new. You're thinking: what a deal! What you don't know is that you just bought a board with two carbon "x" rods in the center and TriAxial fiberglass when you, Simon, have never set foot on a board. It will then take you 2 or even 3 times longer to learn how to ride a board because it is built for an experienced snowboarder, which will therefore reduce the FUN factor of the sport by 10 times. Third, the boots. My problem with buying used snowboard boots is that the normal lifespan of a mid-range boot is around fifty days of riding. The used boot you buy at the flea market may have been ridden for 60, 70, 90 days. You might as well go snowboarding in your Sorel boot.
On the other hand, I'm in favor of this kind of business because buying used equipment can allow everyone to practice the sport I love so much. In addition, I believe that if your 12-year-old son asks you to go snowboarding, you wouldn't want to spend $1,000, only to have the whole thing sit in the garage all winter like a BMX. At Homies Chicoutimi and Jonquière, we can be part of your used equipment purchasing process. We do this regularly and in the end, you mix used and new items, which will fit well with the type of snowboarder you are.
WELCOME TO HOMIES!
