Repair Microspikes or Return?

[Driver8]

On my third use of them, a brief use at that - about 0.1 down a steep slope on the highly shaded north side of Whiting Peak near Mt. Tom in Mass - the microspike on my right foot busted, the chain breaking through the rubber frame near the front. Fortunately they both remained adequate for the minimal task at hand, saving me a spot of bother.

Should I:

1. Return/exchange them where I got them, which I think I can do? or
2. Attempt a repair? I was thinking of something involving thin wire and duct tape, but as a gear neophyte am open to ideas.

I want to use these guys again this weekend and maybe after out in CT, Mass or VT on the trail, if not CT, so I need to resolve this soon. I want to try a fix and would like any inventive suggestions, unless it makes no sense. Thoughts?

[canoehead]

I'd use some 9 wire (mechanics wire) or regular rubber coated wire for the hardweare store and make a couple of loops from the last piece of chain to what ever rubber is available. I don't know the warrenty on these, I've had mine 2 years and I just run a file on them once in a while. Good luck soon you won't need them and you'll have all season to work on them.

[peakbagger]

If you have katohla microspikes, they reported are very generous on repairs. Viewfromthetop.com had a thread on it a while back. Use the search function

[Rain Man]

If you don't return them, the manufacturer will never know of the failure. Then the next guy will be told (rightly?) "no one else has had a problem, so you must have abused them."

By all means, return badly made products.

Rain Man

.

[leaftye]

This is the second failure like that I've heard about. Return them.

[mudhead]

Unless I kicked/stepped on sharp rock, those things would be in the store right now.

Make sure you have the right size.

[STICK]

It seems that a lot of people have been very happy with them and that they last for quite a while. This being the big difference between them and the Yak Trax...Anyway, sounds like you got a bad pair and I would definitely take them back. If they already broke once, they will surely do so again and next time they may not make do...

[camper10469]

This is the 3rd complaint I've heard of this happening. I'd get in toutch with Katoola. Everyone that has had similar problems did, and each one was taken care right away with a new pair. They have very good customer relations.

Be sure to give us a follow up?


.

[Driver8]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Will take them to REI momentarily. Will say in their defense, partly, that this was a combination of:

1. Steep and slick - hard-pack M-M/New England Trail on north slope of Whiting Peak near Mt. Tom, melting, slick and residual trail hard pack on April 2. There wasn't much bail-out option (soft steep muddy slope downhill to right, daunting). The snow/ice was slick and had give in places. In one such my right foot slid right and forward maybe 6", causing the chain to tear through the rubber.

2. I plus pack weighed about 320.

But in my defense, I was taking small steps, gingerly down the slope - had tried the first 25 feet of this stretch in my trail shoes and thought better of it.

As to fit - I believe right size, not 100% sure. Men's XL, and my shoes, Merrells (not boots) are size 11.5.

Anyhow, off to return. Thanks again!

[adamkrz]

They have a 1 year warranty- You have the wrong size, you should have had the large- Maybe a reason why they broke.

Also I don't think youll need them this year, at least not in CT or southern Mass.

[Driver8]

They have a 1 year warranty- You have the wrong size, you should have had the large- Maybe a reason why they broke.

Also I don't think youll need them this year, at least not in CT or southern Mass.

Just saw this. My mistake - I had large, not XL. Most stuff I buy is XL or XX, so in my mind I defaulted to XL. All they had left in store was small. If I head out to Greylock or points north, I'll have to grab some at another store.

[Amy@kahtoola]

Hi,
I work at Kahtoola in costumer service, and returns. I just wanted you to know that these will be replaced with a new pair. The only time warranties are refused is if the warranty is over. Give me a call I will be happy to help you (866)330-8030. You can also take them back to the store you bought them from. If there is any problem please let me know.

[Chomp09]

Now how about THAT for customer service!?!

[kayak karl]

i gave up on all of these. went with http://www.icespike.com/ 200 miles this winter an not a problem.

[Driver8]

Hi,
I work at Kahtoola in costumer service, and returns. I just wanted you to know that these will be replaced with a new pair. The only time warranties are refused is if the warranty is over. Give me a call I will be happy to help you (866)330-8030. You can also take them back to the store you bought them from. If there is any problem please let me know.

Hi Amy:

Thank you for contacting me. I returned my pair to REI, who will return them to Kahtoola, I expect. I like the product and they worked well. I consider it a bit of bad luck that the one on my right foot broke and likely will buy a new pair when I need them next. Good news is, even after the break, they got me down some treacherous, slippery terrain safely.

Thanks again!

Cheers,

Chris/Driver 8

[WingedMonkey]

Hi,
I work at Kahtoola in costumer service, and returns. I just wanted you to know that these will be replaced with a new pair. The only time warranties are refused is if the warranty is over. Give me a call I will be happy to help you (866)330-8030. You can also take them back to the store you bought them from. If there is any problem please let me know.

Do you people have online radar? I've seen it before where a company comes out of no where, and signs up. How'd you know?

[camper10469]

They're watching us.... shhhhhhh

WOW that is wonderful!

I love my Katoolas!

[eric1981]

Sounds like this was taken are of already. The same happened to me this winter. Combination of a size too small and kick stepping into hardpack/ice. I managed to fix them by connecting the link to an unbroken portion of the rubber. REI replaced them.
They do work great when used to reasonable expectations. But maybe Kahtoola should consider re-enforcing the connection points on the toe area?

[STICK]

Hi,
I work at Kahtoola in costumer service, and returns. I just wanted you to know that these will be replaced with a new pair. The only time warranties are refused is if the warranty is over. Give me a call I will be happy to help you (866)330-8030. You can also take them back to the store you bought them from. If there is any problem please let me know.

I almost got a pair of these with my REI dividend, but figured it would be quite a while before I needed them now. So, I got some other stuff that I could use now. However, I still fully plan on getting some of these. And now, with this comment I am likely to be sure I get them! Customer service rocks...

[Chop]

I had one rip out earlier this year after a couple years of use. Simple fix was to take a soldering pen and 'poke' a new hole in the rubber just above where the previous hole was,, pull apart the last link, fit in the hole and put together last link...has worked quite well.

Now if I could only get them to stay on a pair of Keen boots straight.