SidelineSwap is a great place to buy and sell new or used skis. We know that packaging skis can be a challenge so we wanted to offer you a few tips to help you ship yours safely.
Materials You'll Need
A telescoping box is the most popular option for shipping skis and is recommended by our Seller Assist Team. A great feature of the telescoping box is that it is height adjustable, which means it'll fit any length of ski. If you can't find a telescoping box, we've also included a way to make your own box. Please read on for more information on how to do just that.
- Telescoping Box (72" x 8" x 8"), available at FedEx or at your local ski shop/hardware store.
- Bubble wrap, available at FedEx or available at any office supply store or general merchandise store (i.e. Target, Walmart)
- Newspaper, old magazines, parchment paper, available at any office supply store or general merchandise store (i.e. Target, Walmart)
- Quality packing tape, available at FedEx or available at any office supply store or general merchandise store (i.e. Target, Walmart)
- As an alternative to a telescoping box, 2 medium sized packing boxes (48" x 6" x 6"), which are available at most USPS, UPS, or FedEx locations.
- Local ski shops are often willing to provide free ski-specific packaging away for free.
Package Your Skis
1. Place newspaper, parchment paper, or magazine sheets in between the skis at the top and bottom and tape in place.
2. Stuff the bottom of the smaller box and the top of the bigger box with crinkled magazine sheets
3. Place the skis in the smaller part of the telescoping box and add more magazine sheets/newspaper if you have extra room
4. Push the top of the box down until it touches the skis. Then tape around the box a few times to ensure that is remains closed while in transit.
5. Attach the shipping label to the package and send the skis to their new owner!
DIY Approach
You can use the same method as above for the DIY telescoping box, however, especially bulky skis with bindings may require an alternative approach.
1. With two thick rubber bands, pull back the brakes
2. Put the tip of one ski to the tail of the other ski, so that the bindings fit into each other with the bases facing outwards
3. Tape the skis in place around the two bases and at the tips and tails
4. Bubble wrap around the skis and tape in place
5. Place the skis in one of the boxes and then place the other box over. If there is extra space in the boxes, add some newspaper or magazine sheets to fill it. Since the boxes are the same size, this will be a tight fit and the box might rip a little. Make sure to tape all around the connecting parts to ensure that the boxes will stay together.
6. Attach the shipping label to the package and send the skis to their new owner!
FedEx/UPS packing service