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floyd242
11-07-2006, 15:42
I was just wondering if anyone had any useful insight to what retail stores/manufacturers are the best and fastest at replacing or repairing gear on the trail during a thru-hike. I wouldnt mind paying more for some items if I knew I could eazily get them replaced if the need arised.

Thanks!

-
Chris

The Weasel
11-07-2006, 15:51
I was just wondering if anyone had any useful insight to what retail stores/manufacturers are the best and fastest at replacing or repairing gear on the trail during a thru-hike. I wouldnt mind paying more for some items if I knew I could eazily get them replaced if the need arised.

Thanks!

-
Chris
Timberland replaced my boots BEFORE they got the bad ones, once I told them I was on the AT and needed replacements FAST. (Delaminated soles)

REI is pretty good too about it.

The Weasel

Sly
11-07-2006, 16:07
The trail guides have most of the manufactuers numbers. If you see something coming apart give them a call. Sometimes outfitters will replace gear for manufactuers also.

Appalachian Tater
11-07-2006, 17:26
Leki always asks you where you'll be in ten days and send the parts there. So no hassle, but they are slow. They also do not pick up their phone messages. Some outfitters will repair Leki products. Pole tips are NOT covered.

Granite Gear replaces their products quickly and without a problem, but I don't think I should have had to replace my pack body twice at all.

LL Bean had excellent service with returns, shipping and then crediting after receipt of the replaced product.

Backcountry credited me for a flashlight that I started with (and immediately sent home because it was too weak) AFTER my hike was over, 6 months later.

Before shipping anything anywhere except a PO, always confirm that it will be accepted. (Hiker's Paradise in Gorham refuses all packages but that information was not in my ALDHA companion.)

hopefulhiker
11-08-2006, 09:33
The Leki people were really good about fixing the poles at the dealerships.. Except that one dealer on the left side of the rd as you come into Gorham NH.. What a Jerk! He refused to help me at all.. didn't even give me Lekis number.. Made me buy a brand new set of poles from him!! I had been treated so nicely up until then.. It was a rude awakening at the tail end of my hike.....

Sly
11-08-2006, 09:50
didn't even give me Lekis number..

1-800-555-1212 Ask for Leki

Okie Dokie
11-08-2006, 10:45
From my experience, which is limited to only 3 manufacturers/retailers:

REI---excellent service, fast no-hassle replacement shipping to a maildrop of my choosing
Kelty--excellent service, fast no-hassle shipping of pack repair parts (under lifetime warranty) to a maildrop of my choosing
Danner--extremely poor service (reminded me of dealing with an insurance company), substandard in all respects, customer service department not geared to the needs of thru-hikers...replaced a pair of boots only after I had finished to my hike, and then only after a two phone calls and a letter.

Jack Tarlin
11-08-2006, 14:09
Floyd:

There are several Outfitters on the Trail who will happily mail you gear anywhere on the Trail, and you may in fact get better service from them than from some of the manufacturers. (I'm not talking about warranty/repair issues, which need to be addressed to the specific manufacturer; I'm talking about the best way to purchase new or replacement stuff while en route).

In my experience, the best Outfitters on the Trail are:

*Mountain Crossings; Neel Gap, Georgia
*Bluff Mountain Outfitters; Hot Springs NC
*Mt. Rogers Outfitters; Damascus, VA
*The Outfitter at Harpers Ferry (WV)

In addition to being fine places to shop in person, all of these places will happily send gear anywhere you wish, and assuming you're willing to pay the postage, they can do it on VERY short notice (i.e. Overnight Delivery; 2-Day
Delivery; Priority Mail, etc.)

Contact information on all of these places can be found in either the Thru-Hikers Handbook or Thru-Hikers Companion; the 2006 Companion can also be found On-Line at www.aldha.org

Bluff Mt. and Mt. Rogers, by the way, are EXCELLENT places to purchase warm-weather sleeping bags, i.e. many, if not most thru-hikers replace their bags in Southwestern Virginia (Bland or Pearisburg, usually). Both of these stores have excellent selections of bags, and many hikers pick out their new bags when they reach these towns and then arrange to have them mailed ahead later when they no longer need the winter bag they started out with. If you do this, talk to Wayne at Bluff Mtn. and Tom or Jeff at Mt. Rogers as they really know their stuff when it comes to gear specs, etc.

The Trail Days festival in Damascus in May is also an excellent place to talk to manufacturers reps and to have gear evaluated, examined, repaired, and in many cases, replaced for free or at minimal cost. Some of the companies that are always there are Leki, MSR, Osprey, Mountain Hardware, Granite Gear, Gregory, and many others.

the goat
11-08-2006, 14:40
rei replaced shoes for me from the trail, to a maildrop, before they had received the used shoes from me. they understand the ins & outs of thru hiking. i love rei's service.

DawnTreader
11-08-2006, 14:43
The Leki people were really good about fixing the poles at the dealerships.. Except that one dealer on the left side of the rd as you come into Gorham NH.. What a Jerk! He refused to help me at all.. didn't even give me Lekis number.. Made me buy a brand new set of poles from him!! I had been treated so nicely up until then.. It was a rude awakening at the tail end of my hike.....

Interesting...when were you there? I stopped with a hiking buddy at said outfitter to see about a new leki shaft that broke over moody mt. and duder replaced the shaft on the spot, no questions asked.. great service... He didn't have the shock shaft that needed replacing, but he did have another without the shock that he fixed free of charge.... This was in July of this year, so maybe they became more trail friendly after you passed through... I forgot the name of this place.. anybody know?? its not the hardware store that seals gear on the right side of the street, Coming from the Barn, but the real outfitter on the left...right???

Jack Tarlin
11-08-2006, 16:18
I think you're talking about Moriah Sports.

In my experience, the store has been very helpful to hikers.

But it can't hurt for the 2007 folks to remember that after one leaves Hanover, your Outfitter options are limited unless you get way off the Trail:

*Near Hanover, you can catch the free shuttle bus to nearby West Lebanon,
where there is both an Eastern Mountain Sports and an L.L. Bean (Tell the
driver you want the "Powerhouse Mall" stop).

*There are a few OK outfitters in Lincoln, NH, near North Woodstock, but
it's a very busy road and a lousy hitch; in most cases, you'll have to walk
from N. Woodstock and back.

*One can hitch to North Conway (again, several outfitters there) from
Pinkham Notch.

*There are a few shops useful to hikers in Gorham.

*Once you're in Maine, there's not much at all, unless you go WAY off the
Trail. Shaw's Boarding House in Monson maintains a small shop with items
useful to hikers, but it is not a real Outfitter.

I advise the 2007 people to do a FULL gear/clothing evaluation (especially your footwear!) in either Manchester Center VT or in Hanover, and if you expect or anticipate gear/clothing problems, repairs, possible replacement, TAKE CARE OF IT THEN. If anything important falls apart in NH or especially Maine, you've potentially got a real problem on your hands.