March 12, 2010

Patagonia Waders and Boots


I bought the Watermaster-light waders from Sierra Trading Post last fall. I mistakenly got a Large-King instead of a Large-Long, but they seemed to fit just fine. These waders were defiantly light, because after only about 8 trips out they had leaks. The material seemed to just rub off, exposing my chicken legs to unwanted cold moisture.
I bought a pair of Riverwalker Sticky-sole boots the Fall of 2008. I was impressed by how light they were. After only a few trips, they were broken in and super comfortable. I really enjoyed how well these boots performed in and out of the water. But after 1.5 years of hard use, the stitching began to come loose and the sole of one of the boots began to delaminate.

I sent the waders and boots into Patagonia about 6 weeks ago. I asked for them to repair the boots and asked about the chance of upgrading to a more durable wader. I included my Credit Card info and hoped for the best. Patagonia's website said the turnaround time for repairs was at least 6 weeks.
One of the main reasons I bought Patagonia was their reputation for great customer satisfaction. But with all the stories I heard of Patagonia making it right for the customer, i never expected what came in a brown box last Wednesday. A Brand new pair of Riverwalker Sticky-sole boots and a brand new pair of Watermaster (not light!) waders. Total charge...$0!

2 comments:

  1. Patagonia is a great company and your experience is what keeps all of confident about being decked out in their gear.

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  2. I might look like a pompous ass decked out in Patta-gucci (Simms is much more pompous). But I'll take the abuse for this kind of customer service.

    ReplyDelete