Lifetime guarantee

[Berks]

Reading different posts about suppliers providing lifetime guarantees for their products got me thinking. I’m not that hard on my equipment but even so, I’m on my third pair, in less than two years, of Bean’s Rapid River waders. I can say that I’ve had no problems returning waders back to Bean and getting replacements with no additional charges for shipping, etc.

Just wondering who out there has really put any manufacture’s ‘lifetime guarantee’ to the test, or if anyone had specific problems getting satisfaction from the manufacturer.

 

[troutslammer]

berks , how many days a year do you fish ? That my friend is why the bean warranty means nothing to me. My last pair of cheaper simms lasted me 2 yrs. they probably had somewhere arround 250 trips on them and most outing are longer than 2-3 hrs

 

[Tiltaxp]

A lot of the time I upgrade my waders when I replace them if I was unhappy with their longevity... I went from the cheapest breathable cabelas up to their guide series. Their guide series were ok for the most part and I could have stuck with them but only having a 1 year return on them really pushed me away. I have the helix from llbean which is one of their top of the line... for longevity they are sitting in the closet right now and not getting too much use in a while, waist highs this time of year if I even get out. My recommendation is try to get a little bit better of a pair or keep exchanging them. I may pick up a cheap pair of bean waders as a backup pair as there's not too much more annoying as being away from home and not having an extra dry set of waders or someone forgetting theirs.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Berks,

As far as I know only LL Bean offers a lifetime warranty on anything you purchase from them, including waders and products branded by other companies. I'm not aware of any other wader manufacturer that offers a lifetime warranty.

Having said that I tend to view a lifetime warranty as a nice perk to a purchase but I definitely believe that a lifetime warranty definitely expires long before the purchaser expires. Products do wear out, and that is a function of both use and/or care and maintenance.

Three pairs of the same waders in 3 years and having problems with all three sounds more like a manufacturing or quality control problem. In that case a lifetime warranty is mighty handy, but in all honesty a decent pair of waders that aren't ripped, torn, or otherwise damaged should be expected to last a minimum of 2 years, and for many people 3 years.

As far as I am concerned waders that simply "fail" within the first year of purchase aren't worth replacing with the same model. I'd take advantage of a warranty if they failed, but I would find another pair of waders to wear and keep the replacements for a back up.

I've owned 2 pairs of breathable chest waders since 1996, and the second pair just failed this Spring. I couldn't replace them immediately with an equivalent pair so I bought a pair from another brand to get by with in the meantime. I will buy another pair from folks who made my first two pairs once I decide I need to wear chest waders again.

Given the temperatures this season that will probably be about Thanksgiving!

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[Berks]

I'm figuring I get about 30 days on a set of the Rapid Rivers before I'm getting wet. I'll be upgrading to something else unless I see some better results with this last pair.

Troutslammer that's some pretty serious on-the-water time. I'm jealous.

 

[BruceC2C]

Returned two pair , with leaks, of LL BEAN , $99 EMERGER WADERS. With no hassle before getting my first pair of SIMMS.
LL BEANS return policy is better than their product

 

[jchighfill]

I have broken an RL winston, Orvis and reddington rod. None from fishing but from unintentional carelesness. All have been replaced no questions asked. I think are priced so that the premium rods are priced to cover the warrenty