View Full Version : Warranties...
I have a bookbag type Jansport backpack that is 17 years old that I just sent off to their warranty department to have a broken zipper repaired...their packs have a lifetime guarantee. Despite some pretty rough use over the years (has been used as a tackle box for the past 5 years or so), it still looked nearly brand new when I took it out of the washing machine before putting it in the mail.
I know Jansport isn't really the first company you think of when you look for a backpack for the trail, but I do also own one of their backpacks for hiking purposes, and I bought it partly because of their lifetime warranty.
Was just curious what others think about warranties for gear and which companies you are loyal to because of their warranty.
Mt Rogers completely replaced my Pur Hiker water filter in Damascus while I was on the AT, and I still have it today 9 years later.
Mr. Clean
06-30-2011, 04:57
I've been buying L.L. Bean mtn treads boots for many years. My fourth pair developed a blowout near the toe, so I decided that I needed a new pair. I mentioned to the clerk at Beans that this pair "died" quicker than my previous pairs, and he said take them to customer service, you'll probably get something back. After over a year of wearing these things almost daily, they replaced them, FREE! They may cost a bit more than other places, but you just can't beat their customer service.
I've had 4 good experiences in the last year.
- I snapped a section of one my Leki poles and they replaced it for free.
- Komperdell replaced a pole with a stuck expander with a brand new pair.
- ULA repaired for free a torn shoulder strap that was not a product failure.
- REI replaced some sock liners that fell apart in 3 weeks.
L.L. Bean has a good warranty policy, I buy my boots there.
REI has replaced a couple sets of hiking poles for me no problem.
ULA has done some repairs on my P2 for just the cost of shipping.
Cascade/MSR just replaced the sil-nylon fly and stuff bags for my very old Hubba ... Just got the email that has shipped!
Mountain Hardwear has a great warranty/customer service.
Sea to Summit is not that great.
kayak karl
06-30-2011, 17:17
we many times get great use out of our gear. should we really go after these companies. are you so piss poor that you can't upgrade your gear on our own?
TheRaven
06-30-2011, 17:32
Kelty sent a new fly for my Zen after the old one stuck to itself and ripped.
Kayak Karl; yes and no....it I pay good money for something and I take damn good care of it, it should last 20+ years. If a company gladly replaces/fixes something I will stay with that company...if they don't I will shop elsewhere. It's what they call customer loyalty and pay off in the end with added sales.
flemdawg1
06-30-2011, 17:45
Big Agnes replaced 2 Air Core pads for free
Leatherman replaced a Juice multitool for free
Camelback replaced a leaky bladder for free.
Though for each of these I had to pay shipping back to the manf, which is fair IMO.
Kelty sent a new fly for my Zen after the old one stuck to itself and ripped.
Kayak Karl; yes and no....it I pay good money for something and I take damn good care of it, it should last 20+ years. If a company gladly replaces/fixes something I will stay with that company...if they don't I will shop elsewhere. It's what they call customer loyalty and pay off in the end with added sales.
Product life cycles and expectancies do (and should) vary greatly depending on whether it's a tent or a shoe. By all means, if you purchase something and it doesn't hold up to normal wear and tear, (especially early on) you should inform the manufacturer/company and expect them to stand behind their product. In my experience, the majority of the outdoor industry excels at this.
That said, the op returned a 17yr old pack for an exchange/refund. Expecting that all products should last for 20 years or more is a stretch in my opinion. If you've used a pack for that long a period of time, more than likely, it's served its purpose and you are taking advantage of the company's good will by returning it. Most companies do have a limit and will cut you off if abused. Keep in mind that if you truly are taking advantage of a company's return policy, it is not in their interest to do business with you.
Product life cycles and expectancies do (and should) vary greatly depending on whether it's a tent or a shoe. By all means, if you purchase something and it doesn't hold up to normal wear and tear, (especially early on) you should inform the manufacturer/company and expect them to stand behind their product. In my experience, the majority of the outdoor industry excels at this.
That said, the op returned a 17yr old pack for an exchange/refund. Expecting that all products should last for 20 years or more is a stretch in my opinion. If you've used a pack for that long a period of time, more than likely, it's served its purpose and you are taking advantage of the company's good will by returning it. Most companies do have a limit and will cut you off if abused. Keep in mind that if you truly are taking advantage of a company's return policy, it is not in their interest to do business with you.
I called them to inquire about buying a new fly. They allowed that they had a problem with their orange silnylon, and that I should return the fly and all the stuff bags for replacements. I was blown away. They had responded much quicker to my email than I have become used to, and they took full responsibility for a problem they had with their product. I remain impressed by their customer service.
TheRaven
06-30-2011, 20:58
That said, the op returned a 17yr old pack for an exchange/refund. Expecting that all products should last for 20 years or more is a stretch in my opinion. If you've used a pack for that long a period of time, more than likely, it's served its purpose and you are taking advantage of the company's good will by returning it. Most companies do have a limit and will cut you off if abused. Keep in mind that if you truly are taking advantage of a company's return policy, it is not in their interest to do business with you.
If you only use a product a couple times per year and it's a mfg issue not caused by user abuse 2 years or 20 it should still be an option.
Jansport no longer has a lifetime warranty with their new packs sold, I have a older pack that I still use as my primary pack because of the great fit and build quaility.
That said, the op returned a 17yr old pack for an exchange/refund. Expecting that all products should last for 20 years or more is a stretch in my opinion. If you've used a pack for that long a period of time, more than likely, it's served its purpose and you are taking advantage of the company's good will by returning it. Most companies do have a limit and will cut you off if abused. Keep in mind that if you truly are taking advantage of a company's return policy, it is not in their interest to do business with you.
Like I said, the pack looks nearly new when clean, and is solid otherwise...the pack is very well made, and I think it would be a shame to throw it away because the zipper doesn't work...if the warranty dept will repair it for the $9 it cost in shipping, its worth it. Its one of those deals where I use the pack because I already have it, but a new one of the same type now costs $55, and I wouldn't buy another one at that price because I just don't use it enough to justify the cost...I bought it to carry books and don't need it for that purpose anymore...its more of a "let's see, what can I put this stuff in, oh, I'll use that" kind of pack.
It has two zippers that meet in the middle...about 10 years ago one of them failed, so I just zipped that one to one side and used the other one to zip it all the way closed. Recently the second zipper failed. I'm not asking them to give me a new pack, only to repair/replace the zipper, which is probably what they will do when they see the rest of it is in good shape. I paid $40 for this pack, which is a lot of money for a 'book bag' type pack. That was a lot more money 17 years ago than it is today.
I used it almost every day for the first 4 or 5 years I had it, but have used it far less since then. Have I gotten my money's worth? Absolutely. That's why I bought another Jansport pack. Their warranty FAQ defines 'lifetime' as the lifetime of the pack under normal use, not the lifetime of the owner...and this backpack still has a lot of life left in it...and their warranty specifically says they will replace zippers.
Jansport no longer has a lifetime warranty with their new packs sold, I have a older pack that I still use as my primary pack because of the great fit and build quaility.
http://www.jansport.com/js_warranties.php
"JanSport Products are warranted based on their type and intended use: Packs, bags and luggage: Product Lifetime"
If you go to the FAQ at the bottom of the above link it does qualify that statement by saying the warranty is for the lifetime of the product and not the lifetime of the owner, which in my mind allows for normal wear and tear.
I've had 4 good experiences in the last year.
- I snapped a section of one my Leki poles and they replaced it for free.
- Komperdell replaced a pole with a stuck expander with a brand new pair.
- ULA repaired for free a torn shoulder strap that was not a product failure.
- REI replaced some sock liners that fell apart in 3 weeks.
The only bad experience I had last year was with GoLite. I had a zipper fail on a pack and they offered no help at all when I called. It wasn't until I wrote to complain about their service that I found out they have a repair service.
jtbradyl
07-05-2011, 11:48
I sent a backpack to Kelty for repairs and they did a nice job without any problems. Good company to deal with.
I bought a JetBoil Flash from this forum and melted the neoprene on its first trip out. I'm not certain as to whether or not it was my error or product failure. I sent an email to JetBoil and they sent me a brand new companion cup no questions asked within a week, I didn't even have to send in my old companion cup. This was the first time I've ever had to deal with customer service for a product, hiking or non-hiking related, and the only thing I'm worried about is believing that all companies are this easy to deal with.