# How do you get rid of your old boots?



## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

Boots seem to be the worst sellers, personal fit (obviously) and potential smell probably come into play. I even have brand new boots that didn't get a single bid on eBay at 1/4 price anywhere on the net. I see used boots galore on forums, understandable since it's so hard to buy someones foot moulded boot without trying em on. Another issue for me is shipping, boots are bulky and more expensive to ship from Canada.

The local ski swap worked for a couple pairs of super cheap boots I sold but the better ones were past over, people seemed to just want ultra cheap or none at all. All the higher end used boots didn't sell well.

So, maybe a consignment shop? 

I'd really like new boots but I can't seem to unload my current ones. I haven't tried classified ads yet, haven't bothered because I see others' stuff sitting for a long time.

:dunno:


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

I have come to the conclusion that old bbots are only good for 2 things. 1. The garbage. 2. Hooking up a friend who just needs something to ride in and doesn't care about how old or used they are.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

Ya I'm having a hard time selling my kids boots. 
Good boots, only one season on them, the other pair only has 1/2 season as my boy broke his wrist mid- season last year.


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## SnowBum (Sep 27, 2011)

I would try finding a local gear swap or something like that, that is where I will be taking my old boots to try to sell for one last time before I throw them in my attic for friends to eventually borrow. In my experience most of the people who are shopping for used gear (namely boots) are new to the sport and want to save as much money as possible, not fully understanding the benefit of high end boots versus a shiny new pair of Morrows on sale at Big 5. That said, there is always the undeniable funk/gross factor of another person's used footwear...


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## WasatchMan (Aug 30, 2011)

Do everything you can to not throw them away.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

I put my old boots on an ad on the company internal website for free. "They're in my cubicle. First person who takes them, gets them".

Gone in a day. I know, I could have gotten a few $ for them if I'd put in the effort, but fukit.


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## Triplany (Apr 20, 2011)

I decided to keep my old boots (and my kids old boots) we bring friends, family, and the kids friends along from time to time and if the gear fits it saves them some cash. Plus I never know when I might break something on my new pair and need to use my old ones.


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## Rider161 (Oct 12, 2011)

Jenzo said:


> *I even have brand new boots that didn't get a single bid on eBay at 1/4 price anywhere on the net.*


I think people know about Ebay just timing/interest of people looking.


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## Kauila (Jan 7, 2011)

I put my son's used boots nicely next to our garbage can at the front of our house. Still sitting there after a week. Not even the homeless people want them. Maybe there aren't too many homeless people with size 7.5 feet?


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## orangatang (Oct 15, 2011)

I just got rid of them at the local swap.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

My reluctance to list boots on craigslist comes from having looked for used boots in the past. Getting just the right fit is so important in snowboarding boots that unless you are very lucky or know exactly what you want, you're going to spend a lot of time driving around. And if you're selling, you'll get a lot of visitors before you make the sale. I just don't have the time or the patience, not for $50 at most.


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## annabananasplit (Apr 6, 2011)

Most of the time boots around here go to friends of friends who are learning to ride so they have something better than rental boots to wear when they are first going out. My roommate just sold a pair of old boots on craigslist for fifty bucks to some guy who liked that size and style and couldn't find them anywhere else. I guess some of it is luck though


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

I use my old boots when I'm shoveling snow in the driveway...


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

The reason I don't want to bother with eBay is that 90% of my customers on eBay are in the US and it is cost prohibitive and a pain to ship for the tiny money I would make. Also the brand new boots I put up didn't have a single watcher. I sell a fair amount of stuff there but why waste my oh so valuable time on relisting when I know I'll get barely anything. I think I'll use em another season then just unload em next year. I am just tired of having laces and wanted to go back to boa but I can't justify having 3 pairs of boots!


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## AcroPhile (Dec 3, 2010)

I was going to make a sarcastic comment about just throwing them out but then I remembered that I have several pairs of worn out boots sitting in my apartment right now, a couple of which have been but back together to some degree with either duct tape or hot glue gun. :laugh:


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## Tarzanman (Dec 20, 2008)

Tie the shoelaces together and throw them up on some power lines


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## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

Jenzo said:


> Boots seem to be the worst sellers, personal fit (obviously) and potential smell probably come into play. I even have brand new boots that didn't get a single bid on eBay at 1/4 price anywhere on the net. I see used boots galore on forums, understandable since it's so hard to buy someones foot moulded boot without trying em on. Another issue for me is shipping, boots are bulky and more expensive to ship from Canada.
> 
> The local ski swap worked for a couple pairs of super cheap boots I sold but the better ones were past over, people seemed to just want ultra cheap or none at all. All the higher end used boots didn't sell well.
> 
> ...


Eh, unless you get a great price for used boots, its not going to be like spending nothing for new ones. I tend to hold onto them like most said in case of problems. I did break the wheel off on my Boa's on the second to last day of an excellent trip, and was glad I at least had my old boots to throw on rather than renting something. Plus, it is nice for when u bring people without their own gear.

Edit: Plus you can get a much nicer price and possibly better boots than you expected if you can hold off till March/April sales. Always buy my new stuff April or later. Saves quite a bit over buying it in November.


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

Efilnikufesin said:


> Edit: Plus you can get a much nicer price and possibly better boots than you expected if you can hold off till March/April sales. Always buy my new stuff April or later. Saves quite a bit over buying it in November.


Yea good call, I don't "need" new boots atm. I'll try the ones I haven't even used yet. I can't even remember why I didn't use them! I think they dug into my calf (they are those Burton Stumpys that were supposed to replicate 90's boots).

My "mains" are 32 Lashed. Only complaint is the damn laces are ridiculously long, I assume this was for people who like to double wrap their laces. 

I just remember the days of my Salomon Malamutes fondly, nice aggressive boot. I also had DC boa boots I sold, again can't even remember why. The boa seems so nice now though after 2 years of lacing.
The other boots I sold to a coworker, on eBay and one set on forums but they were high end and I lost monney galore on them (the DC boa). And lets not talk about my spouses custom fitted $900 ski boots he wore 2x and decided he wanted to return to snowboarding. :dunno:

In his defence he is extremely pronated (aka pancake feet, flat footed) so we have gone through a ton of boots trying to get a decent fit.


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## bobthegood (Sep 14, 2011)

At my first gear swap, a helpful guy asked me if I wanted to make money, or get rid of shit. If I get enough for a case of beer for an old pair of boots, it's a good deal.


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## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

How do these ski and snowboard shop work ? I always see them but never know how it's done... Is it u bring ur old gear to them they buy it off u cheap then resell to the public for a bit higher ?


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## bobthegood (Sep 14, 2011)

I usually check out two fairly large swap events in my area; one is at a local snowsports shop, and the other a local ski area. Both charge the seller $3.00 per item; and then also get a commission of 15% or 20% of your total sale. What doesn't sell and get claimed by the owner is donated to a local charity.


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## Snowboard_Otaku (Oct 12, 2011)

bobthegood said:


> I usually check out two fairly large swap events in my area; one is at a local snowsports shop, and the other a local ski area. Both charge the seller $3.00 per item; and then also get a commission of 15% or 20% of your total sale. What doesn't sell and get claimed by the owner is donated to a local charity.


So if it doesn't sell u get nothing and u lose ur board ?


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## bobthegood (Sep 14, 2011)

Nope. You have 3 - 5 days to claim any items not sold. If you chose to not claim them, they are donated to a local charity.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

I've given up on swaps and selling to get rid of used stuff and give them away to some newb...at least, perhaps its good for stokeage pow karma.

btw there was this thread...maybe a mod can sticker it in the "buy sell" section

http://www.snowboardingforum.com/snowboarding-general-chat/42343-pay-forward-free-gear-trading.html


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

Snowboard_Otaku said:


> How do these ski and snowboard shop work ? I always see them but never know how it's done... Is it u bring ur old gear to them they buy it off u cheap then resell to the public for a bit higher ?


There's different kinds but the most common is consignment. You put what price you want on them, they put em for sale in their shop. If they sell they get a cut of the price. Same deal with ski swaps, my local ski swap charges you to put an item in, charges 20% of the sale on top. It sucks but there is literally 50 zillion people who go looking for a deal so it is a good way to get rid of stuff if you don't mind giving it away essentially. This only goes for one day a year though.

There used to be a shop that paid cash for items but they went under, that kind of model would depend much more on making sales fast I would imagine. Almost like a pawn shop without the pawn option. Back in my drinking days I sold my gear there to get more booze 



> Nope. You have 3 - 5 days to claim any items not sold. If you chose to not claim them, they are donated to a local charity.


lol, my local swap gives you 3.5 HOURS to get your stuff/money and they don't give it to charity, it becomes the ski club's property. They have to make a crapload of money off it.


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## twin89 (Jan 21, 2009)

shooting range.


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## Jenzo (Oct 14, 2008)

twin89 said:


> shooting range.


My poor babies ....


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## new2boards2011 (Nov 22, 2011)

SnowBum said:


> I would try finding a local gear swap or something like that, that is where I will be taking my old boots to try to sell for one last time before I throw them in my attic for friends to eventually borrow. In my experience most of the people who are shopping for used gear (namely boots) are new to the sport and want to save as much money as possible, not fully understanding the benefit of high end boots versus a shiny new pair of Morrows on sale at Big 5. That said, there is always the undeniable funk/gross factor of another person's used footwear...


I'm one of those people new to the sport that bought some cheap boots on sale at Big 5. 

They are actually Millenium 3, which is cheaper than the Morrows for $49.95 (retail states $90...if in fact anybody buys them for that much). Also...I didn't read the Morrow boot box because I wanted the $49.95 deal instead of the $69.95 deal (Morrows), but the Morrow goggles have a sticker on them that say they are owned by K2. If K2 is putting that sticker on the box, then Morrow may be a little bit better than perceived.

My logic for purchasing the cheapo boots:

1. I've only snowboarded once, and being green I wouldn't know the difference between a good boot or a bad boot. 
2. As you stated, the "funk/gross factor"
3. I bought a used Lamar Cruiser snowboard and bindings (in basically new condition) for $125 -- which means my board is not top quality. Didn't want to buy an expensive board just to mess it up in the learning process. That being said, I don't see a reason to get expensive boots to put on a sub-par board for me to learn on.
4. Once I figure out what I'm doing and feel confident enough to not jack up the board, I'll then consider buying different boots...although....#5 --->
5. I've been reading on these boards that the most important thing to consider when buying a boot is that it is comfortable and snug. The boots I bought are pretty comfortable and are snug on my feet, so according to my limited knowledge they meet the #1 requirement.

Complete board, bindings, boot setup for $175...isn't the best...but if I go out 5 times this season I saved money vs. renting...and I don't have to wear boots that hundreds of other people have worn.

So......there ya go...inside the head of one of those Big 5 boot shoppers.


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## Sasho (Jul 14, 2010)

I just exchanged my old Burton rulers 2008 for 5g Jack Herer - damn good deal if you ask me


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