Sports are an incredibly popular pastime in the United States, and individuals often must rely on equipment to keep them safe while playing sports. Earlier this year, Specialized Bicycle Components announced a recall of about 12,200 bicycles because the steerer tube in the front carbon fork could break. Other major bicycle brands have issued recalls similar to this one in previous years. If a carbon bike or part fails suddenly, the rider may suffer serious injuries.
Yesterday, the CPSC announced the recall of another sport-related product. Mervin Manufacturing is recalling GNU Snowboard Bindings that were sold at sporting goods stores such as Speciality Sports Inc. and REI in addition to online at www.backcountry.com and www.mervin.com from August 2012 to March 2013. The bindings, which were manufactured in Slovakia and imported by Mervin Manufacturing of Seattle, WA, were sold for between $125 and $310. Approximately 6,800 pairs are being recalled in the United States with another 1,200 units being recalled in Canada.
According to the CPSC, “[t]he ankle straps can break posing a fall hazard” on men’s, youth, and women’s sizes of the affected snowboard bindings. Consumers should immediately identify whether or not the recall affects their snowboard bindings, as the company has already received 30 reports of the binding straps breaking. GNU listed the recalled SKU numbers on their website, and owners can check the original packaging’s model sticker for the SKU number to see if their bindings are affected.
Consumers should immediately stop use of the bindings to avoid the potential of an unsafe fall hazard. Mervin Manufacturing will ship free replacement straps to owners of the recalled snowboard bindings. Consumers can contact Mervin Manufacturing at (800) 905-0551 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday or online at www.mervin.com. More information on the recall can be found by clicking the “consumers” section of the recall notice posted at the top of the website’s home page.