View Full Version : Backcountrygear.com on the level?
mr. dribbles
02-08-2007, 08:51
I bought a GG vapor trail before Christmas on sale at BackcountryGear.com. It was back-ordered for a while but now it's back on their website. Their reps say the website doesn't correspond to their inventory and they have no idea when it may ship.
Has anyone else had problems with this company? Is it time to pay the extra bucks and order it from REI?
troglobil
02-08-2007, 09:30
I also had problems with them. I ordered a close out item at a good price and was told I'd get an email with tracking info when shipped. After a week I contacted customer service and was told item went to ups. Was told they would check on it. They called later and said sorry it was not shipped no longer in stock. They either lost my order or did not care about notifying me it was sold out. I wont buy from them again.
Footslogger
02-08-2007, 09:43
I bought a GG vapor trail before Christmas on sale at BackcountryGear.com. It was back-ordered for a while but now it's back on their website. Their reps say the website doesn't correspond to their inventory and they have no idea when it may ship.
Has anyone else had problems with this company? Is it time to pay the extra bucks and order it from REI?
=========================================
I have bought several things from this company and have never had an issue. Most of the things I have purchased are smaller items and I wasn't in a huge hurry to get them. Maybe that has something to do with it. That said, if there is ever a question about my order or delivery I have received a personal phone call from a CS rep and the rest was history. I shop them regularly and would not hesitate buying from them in the future.
'Slogger
troglobil
02-08-2007, 09:50
Yea well I've been known to cut off my nose to spite my face. My pet peeve is poor customer service. I'm sure as a rule they are a good company, but I may never know.
i ordered a big agnes tent that was on backorder from them. they had no idea when it was going to be shipped. i called them and canceled the order. you can call them and cancel, if it has not been shipped.
shiningpathb4me
02-08-2007, 11:13
With all of the company's online that do care about service, there isn't much point rewarding those that don't. Lowest price plus poor service means low profits plus a shrinking customer base. Usually, that means they'll be out of business sooner than later.
Ridge Rat
02-08-2007, 13:19
While their service may be bad and everything many people buy things from them every day even from this site. Backcountrygear.com is also the owner of SAC. I have never actually bought from them directly, but I have jumped on SAC deals quite a few times. Take it for what it is.
While their service may be bad and everything many people buy things from them every day even from this site. Backcountrygear.com is also the owner of SAC. I have never actually bought from them directly, but I have jumped on SAC deals quite a few times. Take it for what it is.
I think you may be mistaken. It's backcountry.com that owns SAC and they're out of Utah. Backcoutrygear.com is out of Eugene, OR
While their service may be bad and everything many people buy things from them every day even from this site. Backcountrygear.com is also the owner of SAC. I have never actually bought from them directly, but I have jumped on SAC deals quite a few times. Take it for what it is.
backcountry.com is the owner of SAC
they also have an outlet website called backcountryoutlet.com
troglobil
02-08-2007, 14:33
Damn, now I'm confused. It may have been Backcountrygear that ticked me off. What do I do now?
troglobil
02-08-2007, 14:34
I am confused that last post should say Backcountry.com.
I guess I should donate so I can edit.
As I am no longer sure which store is the point of this thread I'll comment on both.
I order from Backcountry.com all the time, no problems. I have also ordered a few times from BackCountryGear.com and have always received prompt shipment on stuff. They have some nice sales from time to time.
rswanson
02-08-2007, 18:06
I've ordered from backcountrygear.com before and not had an issue. I palced the order because they had a great selection of quality stuff like Western Mountaineering bags on their site. Since that time, I've at least one story similar to yours. The advice I've heard has been to place your order over the phone and have them check the quantities, which is what the guy who took my order did. He actually picked my order as I read it to him. But it appears that stock levels on their website sometimes do not match current inventory.
In any event, waiting over a month for a mass-market item like the Vapor Trail is too long. If they couldn't give me a date, I'd cancel. I hear backcountrygear's policy is not to charge until they ship, so it shouldn't be a big hassle to cancel the order.
Whistler
02-08-2007, 19:07
Backcountrygear.com is great. I've never had problems with them or with Backcountry.com, for that matter.
-Mark
NINpigNIN
02-08-2007, 20:07
I got a great deeal through them for my Jansport Carson 90 Tall external frame pack. About 50% off MSRP. Shipped quickly and arrived great (though the box was beat to heck but I can't blame that on them). I've not purchased anything else through them but I wouldn't hesitate to if the need arose.
I've dealt with both and posted about it here in the past. I ordered some Golite shirts from Backcountrygear.com in 2003 and after 2 months of numerous calls to them where they would tell me the order had just shipped THAT morning and I never got anything I canceled the order. In the meantime they had charged my credit card the same day I placed the order, and it took an additonal 2 months after cancelling the order and more calls to get my money back. Never again. Backcountry.com on the other hand I've never had an issue with.
I don't have any experience with either of the 'backcountry' sites, but I do with Campsaver.com and I see they have them in stock. They were running a sale just a few days ago, but looks like that's over, although they are now offering a free GG pack cover along with free shipping.
Hana_Hanger
02-08-2007, 23:46
I have ordered from all the above mentioned as well with no troubles...but make sure it was not backcountryexperience.com
my sleeping bag arrived but took forever!!!
mr. dribbles
02-09-2007, 09:39
Thanks for all of the responses. Compared to other service industries, the backpacking equipment suppliers seem more upstanding than most. I like the idea of checking the inventory at the time the order is placed (my wife ordered this as a gift).
I agree that a common item like the Vapor Trail should be fairly easy to obtain. Perhaps they could have offered to throw in a lid or rain cover to retain my order.
These days I tend to just "vote with my feet" rather than get frustrated with customer service. REI has one in stock...
Happy trails.
For what it's worth... I did a search on bizrate.com before ordering my Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone a few of weeks ago. One of the best prices was at this place (http://www.modernmountainman.com/). I'd never heard of them before but everything worked out fine. The pack was shipped (for free) within 48 hours of my order, and arrived about a week later.
Footslogger
02-09-2007, 10:19
Just got an e-mail from Backcountrygear.com. Huge clearance sale !!
'Slogger
Ridge Rat
02-09-2007, 10:39
I think you may be mistaken. It's backcountry.com that owns SAC and they're out of Utah. Backcoutrygear.com is out of Eugene, OR
:confused: Hmm, you're right. I got the two confused too similar of a name I suppose. I was thinking backcountyoutlet.com when I wrote the post. Sorry about that.
OntheRoad
02-10-2007, 14:41
Speaking of the devil, I placed an order with backcountrygear.com 3 or 4 days ago. Someone named Steve actually called me last night to inform me that the Smartwool lightweight shirt I ordered wasn't in stock, but that they still shipped everything else I ordered. He then told me that he was pretty sure they had a Smartwool microweight shirt(which is what I originally wanted), so he ran back to the warehouse to check and said it was in stock and shipped it out ASAP.
So, to answer the original question: No, I have never had a problem with backcountrygear.com apart from them not have an item in stock, but they fixed it right away. I have ordered from them many times and will continue to do so. They are a great company.
mr. dribbles
02-10-2007, 21:26
I've spoken to Steve (and Don). He also called us to say the pack was backordered. The last time we talked was yesterday when I cancelled my order. The pleasant women at REI checked the inventory and the pack should show up next week. Either the sale price of $124 was too-good-to-be-true or it was a case of you-snooze-you-lose and we called too late.
Boat Drinks
02-10-2007, 21:35
For what it's worth... I did a search on bizrate.com before ordering my Granite Gear Nimbus Ozone a few of weeks ago. One of the best prices was at this place (http://www.modernmountainman.com/). I'd never heard of them before but everything worked out fine. The pack was shipped (for free) within 48 hours of my order, and arrived about a week later.
No worries with them either.
Toolshed
02-11-2007, 10:48
I was going to take Terrapin's advice (imagine that :D ) and order from these guys, but it was the same price (Montbell Super Stretch Down #2 Long sleeping bag) as backcountrygear.com ($260) and BCGear offered free shipping.
I placed the order online last night and will post when I receive it..
Moon Monster
02-11-2007, 16:25
My experience with backcountrygear.com has been all positive for three orders over the last 4 years. Just had a backorder notice from them for a Western Mountaineering bag with a story that WM does not fill the shells with down until an order is placed so it might be 3-5 weeks before it would ship. But, it turned out that I had it across the country in just 1 week. Kudos to both companies. The web site was a great option for ordering the exact WM bag I wanted (model, length, zipper side etc.) when I have no local outfitters who would stock or even order a WM bag for me.
I was going to take Terrapin's advice (imagine that :D ) and order from these guys, but it was the same price (Montbell Super Stretch Down #2 Long sleeping bag) as backcountrygear.com ($260) and BCGear offered free shipping.
I placed the order online last night and will post when I receive it..
Yes please make sure to post when you get the Super Stretch. If you could give n initial report. I've been curious about those since they appear to have the widest girth.
sly, i loove my super strech! no more feeling like a stuff sausage...
sly, i loove my super strech! no more feeling like a stuff sausage...
Yeah, I've heard good things about them. I wish they had a 6' size but I guess with the foot baffle cord one a little longer shouldn't make much difference.
it's also a good place to keep shoes/boots(plastic bag),fuel if you don't want to sinch it.
I bought a Sleeping bag from them then decided I didn't like it after I had it a month. They took it back with no hassles. Guy on the phone was great. They also don't charge for shipping on orders over 50 bucks. REI is nice but they get shipping charges on all orders
REI is nice but they get shipping charges on all orders
If you have an item shipped to the store and pick it up, there is no shipping charges. Hopefully you have a store close by.
thejackal
12-06-2008, 11:42
i was pretty frustrated with backcountrygear.com recently. i ordered a 20 degree golite quilt for $180 with free shipping. it took 3 phone calls, a couple unanswered emails, and a month to get it.
that being said, they do have some deals. whenever i decide i'm going to buy something, i search for it on froogle. backcountrygear.com is always up towards the top with the cheapest price.
if you do decide to buy something from them, take the advice of previous posters and order over the phone.
i've ordered probably 6 decently priced things from backcountry.com and/or S&C. haven't had a problem yet. in fact, all of my things arrived earlier than projected. i also enjoy browsing their site better than most other ones (something about the format)
thejackal
12-07-2008, 14:53
yeah, backcountry.com is completely different than backcountrygear.com. i too like the format of backcountry.com. the format, ordering, etc. on backcountrygear.com is terrible.
I've ordered from Backcountry.com several times with no problems. I have never done business with Backcountrygear.com.
saimyoji
12-07-2008, 16:39
Never had a problem with orders from backcountrygear.com. In fact they're having a kick ass sale right now.