 Poster: A snowHead
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A few years ago I got some Marker Duke bindings from backcountry.com whilst I was in the USA.
When I was in Japan the bindings broke. Well out of warranty, then I remembered backcountry.com's guarantee:
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| we have an Unlimited Return Policy: we guarantee complete satisfaction and an unlimited lifetime warranty. If at any time -- now, next month, in 30 years -- you're not 100% satisfied, send your gear back for a full refund. No questions asked |
Too good to be true I thought, however I contacted their online chat, who confirmed it was fine. They couldn't send new bindings to my UK address but would happily do a refund.
So I posted the bindings back and 3 weeks later I have a full refund of the price I paid 3 years ago on my credit card!
Note they cannot ship certain things outside the US, I was lucky in that I was in the US when I ordered the bindings.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I suppose they rely on most people using something for 3 years and if it breaks/wears out just writing it off. Can't imagine the policy would last very long if everyone did that!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I think they rely on items being replaced after a few years than actually breaking. It's probably not a bad policy that paints them in an exceptional light without actually causing them to lose much money. Obviously if you sell on your old kit, the second hand buyer can't take advantage of that guarantee.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Alans deep bath, yes I can't see how it works, maybe they have backed it off with insurance or something???
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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That's impressive!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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It's a feature of a particular part of the US outdoor market. REI offer something similar, which reminds me I've got a worn out jacket I should remember to take next time I go to the US and see if they'll swap it. I believe some people have managed to get a pair of hiking boots for life under this method.
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"a feature of a particular part of the US outdoor market"
I didn't realize there're outfits that do NOT do that.
When you're on the Himalaya, you really can't afford to have your waterproof jacket leaks. Or your crampon breaks. That sort of thing. Some of the warranty were actually supplied by the manufacturer as well.
I had some items that last for over 10 years without any sign of it'll ever wear out! So I really can't see how they would lose money...
There's a bit of a difference though. REI only allow the return 1) it breaks, 2) you no longer like it but it's in "re-sellable" condition. So, once it shows sign of use but not broken, you can't return it for a new one. Not sure if backcountry.com will allow you to change your mind after it's been well-used. In fact, I've got several pairs of hiking boots I couldn't return because they've got scratch marks (from rocks). Shoes were fine, my feet changed so they no longer worked 
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abc, But if the welt on the boots started to come apart before the sole was completely worn down arguably you'd be in "broken within intended life" territory. My jacket got premature holes in the back from backpack abrasion and a destroyed pocket zip due to poor design of the storm flap so I might have a case. My understanding is that the big US retailers tend to err on the "no quibble" side of the policy more than UK retailers who tend to be pretty rigid about 12 months only.
Ski bindings are a particular bugbear of mine - for most skiers they might only get 6 days' use a year so a reasonable working life of 120 days (a season) could cover 20 years. In this context a 12 month warranty is pretty useless. A seasonnaire riding hard will almost certainly destroy a pair of snowboard boots within 120 days to get a warranty replacement (& I have no problem with this as manufacturers are knowingly making a shoddy product in the knowledge that they'll sell far more to casuals who'll never warranty them.)
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