How to Sell Damaged Ski Gear

Damaged ski gear is still worth selling — typically £12 to £88 at For Parts, against £50 to £350 undamaged.

Can you sell ski gear that is damaged?

Yes. Damaged stock has its own buyers: people who repair and restore, people who want the material rather than the object, and people who want a cheaper one and do not mind a flaw. Nobody should be surprised when it arrives.

The damage buyers look for on ski gear

These are the flaws that move ski gear down the grades, and the ones a buyer will check first:

Bindings too old for shops to service or adjust
Core shots through the base to the core
Packed-out boot liners that no longer support
Delaminating skis at the tip or tail

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £22 to £158. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £12 to £88. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.

Working out what you actually have

Establish the flaw properly rather than guessing at it:

Check the binding model and year against the current indemnified list
Run a hand along the edges feeling for rust and burrs
Look at the base for gouges reaching the core

Photographing the flaw

Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:

The full set laid out together
The ski bases, showing gouges and edge condition
The bindings, showing the DIN setting and adjustment
The boot soles and liners, plus the size markings

What to state in the listing

Alongside the flaw itself, buyers of damaged ski gear want these confirmed:

Ski length in centimetres and the ski type
Boot mondopoint size and flex rating
Binding model and DIN range
Base and edge condition, and boot liner compression

Contents and sizes: “Ski Set — 165cm Skis, Bindings, Boots Size 27.5, Poles”. Ski length and boot mondopoint are the two filters. Say whether the bindings will need professional adjustment, which they generally will.

What buyers will ask

Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:

“Will the bindings fit my boots?”

Give the binding model and DIN range and say that a shop will need to adjust and test them. Never suggest bindings are ready to use as set.

“What size are the boots?”

Give the mondopoint number from the boot, not a shoe size. Mondopoint is how ski boots are actually sized.

“How are the bases?”

Photograph them. Gouges and edge rust are normal and serviceable, but deep core shots are not and must be shown.

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where it is cheap and visibly well done — a clumsy repair costs more than the flaw it hides. What lifts the price:

Recent skis and bindings still on the indemnified list
Bases with no core shots and edges with no rust
Boots with liners still holding their shape
Complete setups with skis, bindings, poles and bag

If the work would cost more than the gap between £88 and what a sound one fetches, sell it as is damaged and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

November through February, peaking before the season. Ski gear listed in spring sells for considerably less.

Getting it to the buyer

Long and heavy, so posting means a length surcharge. Collection is usual. Never imply bindings are set for the buyer — they must be professionally adjusted and tested.

WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.

Ready to list it? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full ski gear selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sell damaged ski gear?

Yes. Damaged ski gear typically is worth £12 to £88 against £50 to £350 undamaged, and there is a real market in repair, restoration and craft stock. Bindings too old for shops to service or adjust

Is it worth repairing first?

Only where the repair is cheap and visibly done well. What buyers pay for is recent skis and bindings still on the indemnified list — a repair that draws attention to the flaw can leave you worse off.

How should I describe the damage?

Precisely, with a photograph of the flaw itself. Give the binding model and DIN range and say that a shop will need to adjust and test them. Never suggest bindings are ready to use as set. Vague wording is what produces the message asking for a refund.