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Painted Turtle
04-14-2006, 08:37
I live in CT and am trying to find a store that sells the Golite Perspective and the Galaxy. No one seems to carry them. I check Golites web sit eand they say EMS does. They DO NOT. I contact Golite. Their customer service stinks. I ask if they can give me a store within 100 miles of Hartford,CT. Now this cover most of Mass, VT, NH and a very good part of NY, not to mention alll of CT. They say they have no one and I should mail order the pack I want from them. I don't want to. I want to see, feel and try on the pack. They say I have to mail order. What is Golites problem?????

Does anyone have any feed back on the packs I want to look at or on Golite?????

HELP Please

RITBlake
04-14-2006, 08:45
ya....its a weird relationship between GOLITE and EMS. On the golite website they list EMS as there #1 distributor but few if any EMS stores have them in stock. Sure they can order them for you, but what good is that. You can do that yourself

I'm thinking your best bet might be to place a call to the boston or framingham REI store. They DO carry GOLITE gear but call ahead to make sure they have the pack that you want. If they dont ask them to get it there in a week and they will. REI is good like that. The two big outfitters in CT (Kent backcountry and Trail blazer) do not stock GOLITE.

I'm going through this same problem now in upstate NY, the only thing close to a gear shop doesnt carry golite, but the guy did try and sell me a 7 lb arcterx pack, no thanks gov'na!

I should add that since my thru hike, I get some sort of strange pleasure by walking in to gear shops and letting the sales people try and sell me all the ridiculous crap some folks carry on the trail. A lightweight 6 lb tent, tell me more!

canoehead
04-14-2006, 08:59
hey
I have a golite speed pack ( 05 ) its nice, but the stiching sucks around the straps. i orderd mine on line but i have seen them at rei framingham mass


tim

RITBlake
04-14-2006, 09:00
hey
I have a golite speed pack ( 05 ) its nice, but the stiching sucks around the straps.

i've read that about other golite packs. Apparently it was a bigger issue a few years ago but they have been reenforcing that particular spot.

Painted Turtle
04-14-2006, 09:04
Thanks a lot. The two new packs that they have look interesting and I would really like to check them out. I live near the Kent store and they stopped about two years ago carrying real backpacking stuff. They have turned into a real yuppie store. REI is on my list to call today. Also is a place down in Old Saybrook called North Cove Outfitters.

I have a 5500 Lowe that weights 6.5lbs it is getting to big for this 59 year old body and I still have about 1500 miles to go. The main problem I see is that there are just not enough of us to support a big industry and for stores to carry this type of equipment.

Wow only 7lbs for a pack I am impressed.:)

RITBlake
04-14-2006, 09:11
ugh, as much as I hate to steer business towards the corporate outfitter, REI does have a pretty amazing customer service program. And as you know, there arn't many other options in CT.

We stopped in an REI on the trail and mike had a leaky platypus. They didnt even carry the platypus brand anymore but they gave him a brand new camelback bag instead. I was stunned. smart business plan.

Yah, unfortunatly most gear stores are still hell bent on selling folks the biggest and bulkiest gear, namely packs. Majority of people dont know better and the downward cycle continues. We need more Mt. Rogers Outfitters, and more Front Royal Outfitters, and places like that in this world.

neo
04-14-2006, 09:15
I live in CT and am trying to find a store that sells the Golite Perspective and the Galaxy. No one seems to carry them. I check Golites web sit eand they say EMS does. They DO NOT. I contact Golite. Their customer service stinks. I ask if they can give me a store within 100 miles of Hartford,CT. Now this cover most of Mass, VT, NH and a very good part of NY, not to mention alll of CT. They say they have no one and I should mail order the pack I want from them. I don't want to. I want to see, feel and try on the pack. They say I have to mail order. What is Golites problem?????

Does anyone have any feed back on the packs I want to look at or on Golite?????

HELP Please

here ya go,links to both packs:cool: neo

http://www.ccoutdoorstore.com/golite-perspective.html

http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/packdetail.cfm/GO1009

RITBlake
04-14-2006, 09:17
Painted Turtle have you tried
Outdoor Sports Center
80 Danbury Road
Wilton, CT 06897
(203) 762-8324

(http://maps.google.com/maps?q=80%20Danbury%20Road,%20Wilton,%20CT,06897&spn=0.018770,0.034450&hl=en)

RITBlake
04-14-2006, 09:17
here ya go:cool: neo

http://www.ccoutdoorstore.com/golite-perspective.html

I think he wants to try it on, not just buy it blindly off the net.

Painted Turtle
04-14-2006, 09:21
I am wondering. Is there another pack out there that is around 4500, has pockets (yes I am org freak) light weightand not 7 lbs light more like under 4 lbs, and has a sleeping bag compartment? Or am I asking to much?:) I really got a bad feeling with Golite after trying to deal with their Customer service. It has been two days and they have not answered my last e-mail. I guess once they got it through their head that I was not going to order one from them they just gave up.

Painted Turtle
04-14-2006, 09:24
Having trouble keeping up with the posts :) My problem. Thanks on the Wilton lead I will put them on my list to call. Both REI and North Cove don't open till 10 so I will wait till then and give them a try.:banana

RITBlake
04-14-2006, 09:25
I am wondering. Is there another pack out there that is around 4500, has pockets (yes I am org freak) light weightand not 7 lbs light more like under 4 lbs, and has a sleeping bag compartment?
haha, uhh ya, I can think of many

try poking around on

http://www.ospreypacks.com
http://www.granitegear.com
http://www.mountainsmith.com/msmith.html
http://www.gregorypacks.com/

just to name a few. I used an osprey on my thru. It was light, held the weight perfectly and was incredibly durable. Besides the smell you wouldnt know that this pack went 2175 miles.

Painted Turtle
04-14-2006, 09:25
Your right will NOT buy on line. Have to try on and put gear in and walk around. Backcountry is on my approve do business list used them in the past very good.

Painted Turtle
04-14-2006, 09:29
I was just there and they don't even list the Golite Galaxy boy am I barking up the wrong tree http://www.ccoutdoorstore.com

RITBlake
04-14-2006, 09:30
are you sure you didnt make up this pack in your sleep??? :) ;)

Painted Turtle
04-14-2006, 09:41
:) :) :) :) http://www.golitestore.com/store/NS_proddetail.asp?number=PA5119

hikerjohnd
04-14-2006, 09:55
Maybe it is just me, but if you are having problems with cust service now, what will it be like once you have the pack and need attention? Cust service is in my top 3 criteria when selecting gear. If the service is bad before the sale, they obviously do not want your business.

Painted Turtle
04-14-2006, 10:04
Maybe it is just me, but if you are having problems with cust service now, what will it be like once you have the pack and need attention? Cust service is in my top 3 criteria when selecting gear. If the service is bad before the sale, they obviously do not want your business.


You are right. I am getting that so called bad feeling.

Painted Turtle
04-14-2006, 10:18
Painted Turtle have you tried
Outdoor Sports Center
80 Danbury Road
Wilton, CT 06897
(203) 762-8324

(http://maps.google.com/maps?q=80%20Danbury%20Road,%20Wilton,%20CT,06897&spn=0.018770,0.034450&hl=en)

They don't have the packs but very very cooperative. Going to take a ride and check them out.

RITBlake
04-14-2006, 10:24
ironically, I got their number off the golite website.

Kevin A. Boyce
04-14-2006, 10:43
Painted Turtle...

Hi ya! We chatted on the AT a few weeks back, along the Hoosy just North of Kent, I was heading SOBO...

Have you tried Campmor? It may be too new for them, but it is worth a shot. Also just south of Campmor on Rte 17 in NJ is Ramsey Outdoors, I have not been there in years, but you may want to Google them for a phone number and see if they carry GoLite products. Maybe a local in NJ can check as well... They are a few miles apart from each other if you ever went over there.

Good luck on the search...
KevBoy

vipahman
04-14-2006, 11:23
I have the Golite Dawn, Jam and Trek packs. Great packs. No complaints. Buy them off the net from a store that offers cheap or free shipping. Return the pack you don't want. It's a small price for checking out UL packs.

vipahman
04-14-2006, 11:33
Have you tried Campmor? It may be too new for them, but it is worth a shot. Also just south of Campmor on Rte 17 in NJ is Ramsey Outdoors, I have not been there in years, but you may want to Google them for a phone number and see if they carry GoLite products.
Both in my backyard. Campmor lists only the Golite Dawn, Intuition and Perspective backpacks on their website. But it's a HUGE store and worth the visit. Lots of variety and very helpful sales people. They also have good customer service and the most lenient return policy.

Ramsey Outdoors does not carry Golite backpacks in their Ramsey or Paramus stores when I last checked. Besides I bought a Western Mountaineering Highlite from them. It had a defective cordlock and they gave me hell for it. Can you believe that they told me it was incorrect usage. Yeah right! After camping for 20 years, I need a lesson in how to operate a stuff sack cordlock. :eek: POS customer service. BTW, after contacting Western Mountaineering directly, the owner apologized and said they did had a defective bunch of cordlocks and sent me a new one. :banana

Whistler
04-14-2006, 19:32
Sorry you had some rough correspondence with GoLite. In several sets of conversations and e-mail, I have had nothing but excellent customer service from them, and I have found their gear well-made and well-suited to the niche they market to. Keep in mind that GoLite is not an industry giant, so they simply do not have the shelf space and retail penetration that others do. It will be more difficult to find them to touch and feel.

For the 4500ci range, you might want to consider the ULA Catalyst (http://www.ula-equipment.com/catalyst.htm)--by all accounts, a great pack by one of the industry's quality and customer service leaders. Too bad that you're not willing to shop online. While it can be time-consuming and you miss your money in the short-term, any retailers and manufacturers worth dealing with will let you return items in good condition. That extra investment can make a difference in getting the product you really want.

My 2¢
-Mark

Painted Turtle
04-14-2006, 19:35
ironically, I got their number off the golite website.

Well I took the 1.5 hour ride one way just to see what they had. Carru mostly Osprey nad the salesman tried to sell me a 7.5 lb pack. Does that sound familiar?:) So still looking.

Shutterbug
04-14-2006, 20:35
ugh, as much as I hate to steer business towards the corporate outfitter, REI does have a pretty amazing customer service program. ...

Technically, REI isn't a "corporate" outfitter. REI is a coop -- owned by the members. That annual dividend comes in handy.

RITBlake
04-14-2006, 21:11
Technically, REI isn't a "corporate" outfitter. REI is a coop -- owned by the members. That annual dividend comes in handy.

true true, but when comparing REI to your local mom and pop outfitter, it looks and feels very corporate.

Tin Man
04-14-2006, 23:05
If you are open to other options than Golite, try Campmor. They have a wide variety of packs in the store, give excellent advice and their customer service and return policy are very user friendly. I returned a cracked fiberglass pole recently on a new family tent, no questions asked. And their catalog is fun to read in bed at night when you can't take your WB laptop to bed. ;)

Palmer
04-15-2006, 15:46
I'm sorta in the same situation as you, Painted Turtle, as I'm looking for a lighter weight pack to (perhaps) replace my JanSport D-3. I was out shopping the other day and stopped by the local backpacking store to try on an Osprey Aether. It's a nice pack, and I know a lot of people really like Osprey products. I didn't like the sales guy though, so I didn't buy the pack. On my way home, I stopped by Bass Pro Shop on a whim. To my surprise, the guy in the pack department was at least as knowledgeable as anyone I've dealt with at EMS. He suggested the Kelty Shadow 4500. 3lbs. 10oz., sleeping bag compartment, lots of pockets. It sounds like it might work for you.

I didn't buy the pack because I wanted to get some comments on it if possible. Anyone have any thoughts?