Should You Buy Used Sporting Goods?

When someone in your family gets involved in sports, one of the first things you will find out is that there are a great deal of sporting goods you will need to buy.  Of course, they will need clothing, such as shoes and jerseys.  They will also need protective gear and practice gear. 

For example, in baseball, you will need sporting goods such as cleats, jerseys, bats, baseballs, helmets and gloves.  When you start adding that up, it can be quite an investment before you’ve even hit your first ball.  You can find sporting goods that are used for better prices, but you must ask yourself if purchasing used sporting goods is better than buying new.

For the most part, the answer to this question will have to do with the seriousness of the family member.  If your child is playing a sport to see if he or she likes it, then used sporting goods will definitely suffice until they decide whether or not if they’re serious about the sport.

However, if your child is playing sports in high school with hopes of continuing sports in college or even going into the professional leagues, then investing in new sporting goods is a must, simply because the new items will be more durable and dependable for the many hours they are likely to practice.

Items that should never be bought used include protective gear such as cycling helmets – you never know if they have been in a previous bad impact and may fail you in an emergency – and wheeled sporting gear such as rollerblades.  Anything that can hurt you if a part fails is usually best avoided.

When you are choosing sporting goods for your family member, you will really need to decide whether new or used will work best.  Much of this will depend on the level of sports your child or family member is at, and how long they expect to play.  If used sporting goods will suffice, then you can save a great deal of money.