Fell for a "steal" on a used backpack at a gear swap - lost $80

I went to a gear swap near Portland last month and saw a Gregory pack that looked barely used for only $80. The guy swore it was water-resistant and had all the straps intact. I got it home, loaded it up for a weekend trip, and the hip belt buckle snapped on the first mile. Turns out the plastic was all dried out and brittle from sitting in a hot garage. Has anyone else gotten burned buying used gear from those swap meets?

3 comments

3 Comments

annaw731d ago

I learned my lesson with a similar pair of boots at a swap in Eugene a few years back. Now before I hand over any cash, I make sure to check every buckle, zipper, and seam carefully. I also ask about where the gear was stored, especially if it's been in a hot car or garage. It's saved me from a few bad deals since then.

craig.john23h ago

Big facts. I always test zippers twice and look for rust spots on buckles now, learned that one the hard way.

joel_hall1723h ago

Gotta call you out a little on the hot car thing. If gear's been in a hot car, that's not always a dealbreaker. I've stored my own stuff in a garage for years and it's fine, as long as it's not sitting in direct sun or extreme heat for months on end. Zippers and plastics can get brittle, sure, but a weekend in a hot trunk won't kill a quality bag. You're smart to check for rust on buckles, that's a real red flag. But I wouldn't toss a deal just cause someone's trunk got warm.