What? No FREE Boots?

[midger]

I have to give Kudos to Patagonia for their excellent customer service (again). Previously they sent me a new pair of waders after my Watermaster II waders were deemed terminal. That was great and unexpected.

I recently had a seam blowout on my rubber soled Riverwalker Boots. I called them and they had me send them in. These boots were 2009 Model boots, but I didn't purchase or wear them until 2012 or thereabouts. They probably had 30-40 days on them and I didn't much care for the sticky rubber soles--they wear fast and they aren't sticky enough when it comes to wading on granite rocks. I did many a fish dance while wearing them.

Anyway, Patagonia deemed these terminal as well. While they didn't replace the boots, they totally refunded what was paid for them with an e-card which I'll use to buy some felt sole boots. That's what keeps us buying Patagonia items.

[silverlaker]

Ive been pretty happy with their customer service too - its so good I almost feel guilty. They just sent me my second pair of replacement waders because of a seam leak. I had a nano puff with a pulled stitch that I bought maybe three years prior. I was wearing it in the store and they gave me a new one. Crazy. The word on the street is they are going to update the Men's waders and fishing gear this winter. I know I have their cheapest waders - but the seam bummed me out. Otherwise I'm very happy with their products. I also like to support a SoCal based business doing good stuff.

The CEO has her "city" house around the corner from me. Just after it was built I walked through it and couldn't believe how poorly detailed and constructed it was. Something tells me they aren't going to give her a refund or build her a new one. Oh well. I felt kind of bad for her - but hey, it has curb appeal and something tells me the investment will work out just fine for her.

[BrownBear]

A couple of times in the past I've been given a box of Patagonia products for testing, both existing models and prototypes. Instructions were to use them normally for a year and send them back. I liked one item so much I offered to pay for it so I could keep it. Nope. I was welcome to go buy another if I wanted one so badly. But the point of the whole exercise was to beat heck out of them, then let their engineers evaluate the results.

How can you beat a company that cares so much about their products?

[flybob]

Mike, good for you!

I still have my Simms goopy sole boots that caused my concussion! And another pair that just plain fell apart on the water! They put an end to a great fishing day and I had to walk 2 miles back to the truck on a thin piece of inner liner! I have them in a box with the intention of sending them back to Simms with a big nasty-gram! Just keep waffling about it, maybe it is time?
For what it's worth, I am not yet sold on "Politically Correct Boots"!

[John Harper]

I just shipped off my nearly new Marmot sleeping bag for zipper replacement, or hopefully, a new bag since I've only slept in it about 5 times. It jammed up at the LO and broke out a tooth, what a nightmare it was to even get it loose.

Let's see how their customer support goes. Reportedly it's like Patagonia.

EDIT: I just got an email my bag is done and on it's way back.

John