Best/Worst Customer Service

[bigjohn58]

rrt wrote:
If you're discussing brand names, my biggest recent disappointment is with Simms waders. I sent a pair back that leaked, and their solution was to offer me a cap or a T-shirt. I told them that I wasn't going to wear a logo piece of apparel that represented inferior products.

I have, though, had good luck with Orvis brands, and I have had really good luck with Scientific Anglers fly lines. I cannot imagine my buying any other fly line brand than SA.

I even broke down and bought a Sage fly rod, and I really like it for dry-fly fishing on larger streams. I must admit that its price was outrageous and will probably not afford another. Still....

Glad to see I'm not the only one with bad experiences with Simms. My wader situation I sort of understand (they were older with tons of days of use) BUT for $500 I really expected more and better service and at the very least a discount towards a new pair. My boot situation was even worse since they decided to keep my money and force me to make another purchase with Simms! Their boots failed me and could not withstand what I was putting them through. They couldn't offer me a solution since the warranty pair even fell apart worse. They should have just given me back my money but they refused no matter what and would just offer store credit! I'll say this my Korkers Wraptrs are holding up just fine. I think Simms is getting too big for their britches...

 

[dryflyguy]

Orvis has always been great with me.

I've been somewhat disappointed with Simms wader warranty.
Every time I've returned a pair that sprung a leak, they offered to repair them for a charge. Or sell me a new pair.
Seems to me that they just assume the problem was my fault.

Worse yet - they have a policy that on seam leaks, if you try to seal it yourself, you void the warranty (for what it's worth anyway).
I usually like to try patching something myself first, before dealing with a warranty policy.

 

[sgrim]

Best ... I tend to forget the good experiences because I expect to be treated fairly and respectfully no matter what I do, but I agree with other comments that Orvis has been pretty good to me. The guy who runs my local shop is consistently great to work with.

Worst ... hands down, Cabelas. I've had quality issues, return complications, inaccurate charges, ignorant staff. I rarely shop them anymore. My shopping is limited to burning off a Xmas gift card now.

 

[rrt]

Of Note: The Simms waders I returned were less than a year old. I now buy a pair of lightweight Bean waders every year or two, and so far none have leaked, except when I scrape my way through some brush that around here usually includes some multiflora rose. I can usually manage to find the leak(s) when i stupidly do that. That's not what happened with the Simms waders: They just sprung a leak.

Once had a Cabela's rod that broke. I tried to get it fixed, but its lifetime warranty didn't extend to me, since I bought the rod second-had from another guy. I couldn't even get a tip section to replace the one that I broke. Perhaps "lifetime" meant for the lifetime of the rod, not my lifetime.

 

[Swattie87]

rrt wrote:
Of Note: The Simms waders I returned were less than a year old. I now buy a pair of lightweight Bean waders every year or two, and so far none have leaked, except when I scrape my way through some brush that around here usually includes some multiflora rose. I can usually manage to find the leak(s) when i stupidly do that. That's not what happened with the Simms waders: They just sprung a leak.

That's what I do too. I have a pair of lighter weight, beater cheapo waders for small stream fishing that I treat as disposable. I'm not brand loyal for that pair...I typically just buy whatever is on the best deal on Sierra Trading Post at the time. Typical cost is in the $75 range, up to perhaps $100 at most. These get used hard, through thorns/brush and the seams get stretched from all the hiking and climbing over stuff. On average, I'd say I get about one year out of these before the leaks become overwhelming. I just toss them, and buy a new beater pair.

I have a nice pair of LLBean Kennebec's that I wear for fishing bigger streams. I'm on my second pair of these, and have another brand new one stashed that I bought on a big sale recently. These are $250 range sticker price, and I got 3 years out of the first pair. Second pair are leak free (other than a couple of repaired pinholes from some unexpected multiflora rose climbing back up to a road grade) at about their second birthday.

Pinholes, or even acute small tears are generally easy to fix, and respond well long term to repair, as long as they're not on seams. When the seams start coming apart and leaking, it's a losing battle. DIY repairs with Aquaseal can buy you time, but generally just a handful more outings before the leaks become overwhelming in my experience.

 

[Moosehead_Belle]

I've had Excellent customer service (above and beyond what could be expected or deserved) from Simms, Sage and Orvis. Winston came through with a replacement blank section for a rod out of production for $50, 1/3 of original price 20 years ago).
Cabela's would not replace a pair of waders that leaked after two years of light use, but pro-rated them giving me 85% of purchase price (very fair) then I found the same pair on sale in their fishing department for 20% off. You figure?
I try to buy the best equipment I can afford at the time and expect the vendor/manufacturer to stand behind it, considering time and use. I've never been disappointed when it came to fishing.
Edited to add.
Would also put Korker's on the list of Excellent customer service companies.

 

[salvelinus]

Chota replaced my STL Plus wading shoes and Hippies because of a defect in the shoes. All I had to do was send them some photos. You can't get better service than that.

Conversely, I had a Fishpond wading staff that used a twist lock mechanism. The sections froze and could not be extended to a usable position. Jonas at the Feathered Hook said it was a known defect and that Fishpond should replace it. I contacted Fishpond and they said tough sh!t, it was over a year old.

 

[CRB]

FishUSA, Orvis and Sage tops in my book.

 

[RLeep2]

>>FishUSA, Orvis and Sage tops in my book.>>

FishUSA, yes.. I've always had good luck with them, although I suppose it doesn't hurt that I can be nose to nose with them with a 20 minute drive. But overall, really quite good. I even go over there with a printed 3 page order of more than 30 items and they send it out to the warehouse to be picked while I sit on my can in the shop and wait. I think that's pretty good.

I've always had good service with Orvis as well. When I have an issue, I just write them a nice letter, explain things and they've always responded well. Orvis has given me a couple of new tip sections for my older Far and Fine, which was pre-25 year warranty. No charge either time. I think the nice letters I write them help, but that could be my imagination..

Another time, Orvis actually searched me out 2 years after purchase by using a credit card slip and offered to replace at no charge a pair of faulty wading shoes from a bad lot. I had long since thrown the shoes over in the corner and bought new ones from Beans, but I took the refund from Orvis and that more or less paid for my Bean shoes. Unless they go too highbrow on me or change hands away from the Perkins family, I'll always be an Orvis customer. Then again, "always" for me really isn't that much longer, I guess.. Another 10 years or so under my own power and maybe another 5 years or so on crutches or with a standby nurse after that...

 

[rrt]

Geez, RL2, I try not to think too often in those age terms. But, I do know where you're coming from. Take Monday, for instance. If it rains, I'm not going deer hunting. At one time, I "always" had to be out there. Not anymore.

Back to topic: I'm going to look up FishUSA. Sounds like a good outfit.

 

[Millsertime]

I live in Blakeslee and am fortunate to have 2 ma/pa fly shops within 10 miles. One I love and the other I hadn't gone to for about 8 years. I went there this year and experienced the same cold/bothersome behavior. Will be interesting to see if I go there again in 8 years....likely not.

WRT to brand, I've had great experiences with Orvis, Rio, Echo, and even Cabelas. The only bad experience I can remember is from Cortland but it had to do with a Sth reel so technically it wasn't there fault but they inherited it when they bought the company.

 

[fishbaithohaha]

Hook and Hackle is a superior company. Purchased a cheaper 2wt at a Fly show. Summer after the show, broke 1" of the tip off retrieving a fly from a tree. Totally my fault. Hint: place the rod on the ground, careful not to step on it, then pull on the line.

Visiting H&H booth at next show casually mentioned my ineptitude. They said there was a lifetime warranty and offered to replace the rod free of charge. That service!

Replaced guide, rod catches fish. Would have been embarrassed to accept replacement rod.

 

[Brandonjseyfert]

I second hook and hackle. Have always been great to me.