Ode to Kelty

[kmrice]

I've carried my 5 year old Kelty Redwing 3100 well over 1,000 miles. While on the Camino Frances last September, I found a large crack in the waistband buckle one morning. It was large enough that I'm sure I would have noticed it had it been there the night before, so I believe some pilgrim (could have been me!) stepped on it.

I found a gear shop where the owner did not have a replacement, but insisted on painstakingly taping the cracked buckle, which worked well enough to get me most of the way to Santiago. (He refused to take a penny for this, not even to pay for the tape. Just handed it back and wished me, "buen Camino!")

When I got home I tried an REI replacement, but it only adjusted from one side (the original adjusted from both sides) and it slipped a bit. I had to tighten it every few minutes, which I think would drive me mad on the Meseta.

The Kelty site didn't list a replacement part, so I emailed them, asking if I could buy a replacement. The email I got back opened with "Karl-Thanks for the email. Let’s get those buckles replaced free of charge for you. Please provide me with the following information and I will send you the parts you need. Cheers!

They asked for a photo of the broken part, as well as some other information. I couldn't provide a photo since my old buckle was in a trash can somewhere, but I sent the rest of the information.

A brand new buckle arrived this week, free of charge. Same as the original. Works perfectly.

What great customer support! The pack is 5 years old, the old buckle did not fail, it was broken by being stepped on or something, and I would have been perfectly happy to pay.

So, Kelty has earned my gratitude and loyalty.

Karl

 

[t2andreo]

I had an identical experience with Osprey customer support. Somehow, one half of my chest / sternum strap got separated from the shoulder strap of my Osprey Kestrel 48 rucksack. I told them that I lost it in Spain while on the Camino de Santiago - true - well at least it got lost somewhere between Santiago and home. I think it happened on the bus to Madrid.

Anyway, they asked no questions and they promptly mailed me a complete replacement.the replacement was identical to the original and free. Now I have two whistles...

I think the message is that, if you buy a quality product fro a reliable manufacturer, they will stand behind their products. Or, put colloquially, "you get what you pay for."

 

[kmrice]

Or, put colloquially, "you get what you pay for."

That may be true, but this was not an expensive pack - lower end, really. My impression is that with Kelty (and, it seems Osprey) you get great service regardless of what you pay.

Karl

 

[t2andreo]

Whether high or low end, both Kelty and Osprey are not known for making junk. Their products typically cost a little more across the product line than what you might find at a discount retailer. The extra expense, paid up-front, usually pays for itself in reliability, or in our respective cases, when you need them to stand behind their product.

The same is true for other "premium" level rucksacks made by Gregory, Deuter, Altus, etc. I have never heard a bad story about any of these lines.

 

[peregrina2000]

I had a similar experience with Mountainsmith. I've been carrying the Mountainsmith Ghost for about a dozen caminos. The pack has been replaced by a new version, alas.

On this last camino, one of the supports broke through the exterior of the pack. When I got home, after a call to Mountainsmith, I got authorization to return it for a free repair. And voila, I believe the pack is good to go for another dozen years! (Hope I am, too).

 

[xin loi]

While packing for Camino trip next month, I broke a zipper on a NF pack. No one wants to sew packs anymore! Took a bunch of calls before I finally found someone who would sew in a new zipper . Good reason why most military packs do not use zippers.