When buying sports equipment, you may notice that the price range can vary drastically. For example, the average cost of a tennis racket can be anywhere between $30 and $300. What impacts the price? When should you be prepared to spend more? And what are some tricks to save money on sports equipment? This post answers all these questions by examining five factors that affect price.
Use/condition
Brand new sports equipment typically costs more than used equipment. For example, brand new entry-level hockey sticks start at $22, whereas you can buy used hockey stocks online for as little as $5. It’s important to consider the condition of used equipment. While more heavily used equipment can be cheaper, it’s often best avoided if you want to take a sport seriously – such equipment is more likely to fall apart, negatively affect performance and may even be unsafe to use.
Material quality
The quality of the material used in an item of sports equipment can have a big impact on the price tag. For example, different types of wood can be used to build a cricket bat – cheap bats are typically made from teak or sal wood, while more premium bats are made from slow-growing English willow due to being lightweight and impact resistant. Better quality materials can result in more durability and better performance. However, it may only be experienced athletes that appreciate the difference.
Manufacturing process
The way in which sports equipment is manufactured can also affect its price. Some types of sports equipment are built using a simple mold, while others hand-made or built using elaborate technology. A greater amount of quality control may also be carried out when manufacturing certain equipment, which can also affect the price. For example, high-end golf balls are weighed, x-rayed and manually inspected before being sold. Always research into this manufacturing process when buying higher priced equipment to make sure that the cost is justified.
Brand reputation
Well-known sports equipment brands are often able to get away with selling equipment at a higher price tag because of the demand. While many of these top brands are renowned because of their high quality craftsmanship, it is often possible to find equipment of the same quality from lesser known brands at a cheaper price. If you’re playing a sport at an advanced level and need higher quality gear, consider doing your research into these lesser known brands. Reading reviews and comparison guides can help you to find more affordable high quality equipment.
Rarity
While some models of sports equipment are mass produced across the world, other types of sports equipment are manufactured in much smaller batches and are therefore rarer. Such equipment is often more expensive because it’s more highly sought after. Certain footballs or boxing gloves may even be considered collectibles. Bespoke sports equipment can also often come at a higher price because it has to be individually made, although it depends if you’re just having a name printed on it or getting equipment crafted to specific dimensions (the latter is often much more expensive).
