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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,844

    Props to...rad customer service / warranty experiences

    Excuse me if I've missed it, but I think it'd be useful to have an ongoing thread to give shout outs to companies we've had exceptional customer service or warranty-help from. Every sort of gear.

    I used to only ever buy bottom barrel shit from STP because that's what I could afford. Recently I've learned how much better top-notch designed gear is, and how awesome it feels when a company stands behind that gear. Reports from mags are always worth more to me than any website copy or other, lesser, random internet bitching.

    Clothing
    FreeRide Systems: Maggot owned and operated. Rad gear. Insanely helpful CS. They even opt not to make products that many of us would buy (hardshell pants) because they can't currently have it both make fiscal sense and provide the sort of warranty/CS they want to.
    Patagonia: The most bomber warranty and CS in the big-gear-company world?
    Trew: Only have one (ongoing) experience but seems very promising, with fresh gear promised this fall after old shit de-lammed.
    Free The Powder: Never had to warranty, but upfront CS has been awesome. Sizing advice, and sending paid return labels with gear makes purchasing less a headache.

    Bikes
    Diamondback: Can't believe I'm writing that. Really like the bike I bought from them but have had a few problems with the rear wheel. Sent me a new hub and paid for local shop to rebuild it. Recently asked for some spec info for rim replacement and instead they sent a whole new wheel.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    SLC
    Posts
    5,846
    I've had expectation-exceeding experiences with both BD and MHW actually.

    I basically got told to sod off by G3, which was disappointing.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Down In A Hole, Up in the Sky
    Posts
    35,358
    Kuat. Face melting customer service.
    Forum Cross Pollinator, gratuitously strident

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    SW CO
    Posts
    5,588
    Alpine Threadworks. Neil (the owner) saw a photo kevino posted on instagram and sent us an email saying the dyneema he used to make our packs was a bad batch. He offered to issue us a full refund for the packs or replace them with tried and trusted 420D dyneema and refund us the difference between the nylon and dyneema fabric.

    Pretty well known that Outdoor Research has a infinite, no questions asked warrantee, as well.
    "Alpine rock and steep, deep powder are what I seek, and I will always find solace there." - Bean Bowers

    photos

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    slc
    Posts
    17,889
    Osprey's warranty is top shelf.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    12,609
    Smith, I have had 4 pair of the same shades, the rubber thingies just wear out. Wish they'd just send new ones, but they replace the entire frames and three pairs of lenses every time.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    3,711
    Outdoor Research: It's not something I normally do, but last week I warrantied a $350+ gore-tex jacket with a broken zipper that I bought off of SAC in 2008 for $80. I sent them a photo of the broken zipper and a new jacket arrived within a week. (I also think OR has the best value-to-utility ratio in the biz.)

    BD: I've warrantied a tent, and they've helped find a replacement shaft for an older whippet. Good folks.

    REI: This one's fairly obvious, right? They've tightened up their return policy, but I've still found them to be great. Great car-camping gear and good-value backpacks, too.

    Backcountry.com: Great customer service. Not sure if I've warrantied anything directly through them, but I assume they'd be very good.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Fraggle Rock, CO
    Posts
    7,766
    Dynafit took really good care of me on a warranty replacement when I blew a zipper out of a pair of their shorts. Shipped me the new ones super fast and made the whole process smooth and easy.
    Brandine: Now Cletus, if I catch you with pig lipstick on your collar one more time you ain't gonna be allowed to sleep in the barn no more!
    Cletus: Duly noted.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Couloirfornia
    Posts
    8,871
    Black Diamond.
    Patagonia.
    REI.

    All excellent. Marmot was pretty good too.

    My experience with MHW was less-than-stellar. Wanted to replace a tent that had absurd delam issues and the gave me a credit that was much less than the cost of a new tent (because I had to buy from their website at full retail). Ended up ordering sleeping bags for my kids and some random softgoods, and buying a BD tent at a discount.
    Quote Originally Posted by Ernest_Hemingway View Post
    I realize there is not much hope for a bullfighting forum. I understand that most of you would prefer to discuss the ingredients of jacket fabrics than the ingredients of a brave man. I know nothing of the former. But the latter is made of courage, and skill, and grace in the presence of the possibility of death. If someone could make a jacket of those three things it would no doubt be the most popular and prized item in all of your closets.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Park City
    Posts
    5,013
    Cascade designs. Had a sealine drybag, like 20 years old break a non replaceable strap piece. No receipt. I told them straight up it was old and abused, if they could fix it great...happy to pay.

    One week, brand new bag, no cost.
    I rip the groomed on tele gear

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    3,723
    Outdoor Research has always been the best to deal with. Walk into the Seattle store with an issue and walk out with a new product. Agree with AK Bruin on best price/value ratio.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Mexico 2.0
    Posts
    818
    I sent a photo of me voiding my Sol Ti warranty (melting snow) to the folks at Jetboil/Johnson Outdoors. It featured an MSR branded fuel can and the silver-Sharpied "X" of the REI returns department. I then told them an unrelated story about how I had lost the two-piece metal rod in my French press accessory on a climbing trip in Squamish, and asked if I could buy this part. They sent me a new French press accessory for free.

    A few days later, I found the metal rod in the bottom of a cardboard 6-pack holder.

    Other great CS: BD, Dynafit, CAMP-USA, REI

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    Hokkaido Japan, or Hotham Australia
    Posts
    165
    GoPro: Two years ago I warrantied my gopro with gopro itself (not warranty through a store) and they were super awesome about it.

    Arc'teryx: pretty much told me to piss off when I tried to warranty a jacket that had worn completely through on the shoulders because of a backpack.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Looking down
    Posts
    50,491
    I posted about this last year, but, I'll repeat. I sent a 26 year old Patagonia jacket back to them last year when the lining disintegrated after a wash, and they gave me, essentially, a new jacket, by way of a 350 dollar credit. I was stunned. It wasn't the first time they bent over backwards for me, btw. Customer for life.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    6,749
    Yakima went above and beyond for me. My first rack from them had unplated steel hardware, which started rusting away in no time. Also the silver paint job was thin, and started rusting even here in CA. One email with photos of the problems, then me emailing proof that the old rack was destroyed, and a brand-new rack with plated hardware and powder coating arrived on my doorstep.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    NorCal
    Posts
    530
    Quote Originally Posted by doebedoe View Post

    Free The Powder: Never had to warranty, but upfront CS has been awesome. Sizing advice, and sending paid return labels with gear makes purchasing less a headache.
    They sent me an email (because I purchased a particular model) saying they would replace for free (even though I experienced no issues) due to a few issues w/velcro attachments. No exp. on replacement. A++

    Also, Marmot (even though their styling is ho-hum). Sent in a 10 year old gore tex shell w/seam tape delam and they have me a full credit to buy whatever I wanted.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Posts
    15,779
    My best Patagonia story: I've got an old but bomber pair of ski pants - Primo, I think - that I love. Tough material, full zip, good fit, etc. but the suspenders were all stretched out. I got in an online chat with Patagonia and asked them if maybe they had a pair of replacement suspenders lying around that I could buy. They had to get some tag numbers and such, and searched, but they couldn't find any. So they had the trim department look up the specs in their archives, make a pair up, and they sent the fuckers to me, no charge.

    That rocked.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Central OR
    Posts
    5,963
    20+ year old Granite Gear compression sack started to fray on a couple seams. I emailed to see what similar product they had to replace it, as their sizing had changed, and they sent me a brand new one for free. Impressive.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    WA
    Posts
    2,524
    The good:
    Thule
    Patagonia
    ArcTeryx
    Gore Tex
    Outdoor Research
    Dynafit
    North Face

    The Bad:
    Tyrolia
    Giro
    Crank Brothers

    The "Meh":
    Salomon
    Dalbello
    Volkl
    Keen

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Juxtaposition
    Posts
    5,733
    Praxis Skis.

    The guy wants his skis on snow under skiers who are skiing. I think it really matters to him. Seems eager and willing to do what it takes to get it done. All skiers of all types are treated equally, with no attitude or judgment evident in emails from what I have heard. Deals are great. Pre-sale and post-sale service sets a high bar for competitors/alternate brands in the hand-made ski sector.

    Quote Originally Posted by auvgeek View Post
    Alpine Threadworks.
    Yep. Pretty much what I said for Praxis, but replace "skis" with "backpacks".
    Last edited by neck beard; 08-26-2017 at 01:13 AM.
    Life is not lift served.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Behind the Potato Curtain
    Posts
    4,042
    We all know Smith rocks but today surprised me. Sent a busted pair of Rx sungalsses back, well out of warranty. Brand new pair showed up on my doorstep. Despite all the changes there they still have the warranty part dialed.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    I-70 West
    Posts
    4,684
    Cabelas - always stand behind their gear, that matters

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    In the shadow of the wasatch
    Posts
    4,116
    St Croix Rods. Pataguch has been good. Smith/Suncloud are always on point. BC.com before they sucked

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using TGR Forums mobile app
    Bunny Don't Surf

    Have you seen a one armed man around here?

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
    Posts
    30,879
    Anything I bought thru MEC in Canada seems to get warrantied reasonable or not, they replaced a delmaed kokotat gortex dry top, 3 pair of OR mitt all questionable

    Pretty happy with Arcterxy they have replaced a soft shell pant with a delamed crotch , replaced the shoulder harness on a bora 40 pack, fixed a zipper in a beta shell but at this point after 15+ year that beta shell is completely worn out and I wouldn't try to scam a warranty claim, so if I am fortunate enough to completely wear out a product as opposed to it failing I don't expect warranty
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Central OR
    Posts
    5,963
    Pattagucci. I sent some of the original guide pants in to get the knees patched and the side pockets sewn back on. I expected a new pair or a credit, but since they don't make this style anymore, they fixed them and sent them back for free. I'm happy.

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