Getting warranty help? Sometimes you do well, sometimes not so much….

Richard Charpentier Gear Review, Photography 2 Comments

Weeks ago on the trip to Hole in the Rock Road I ran into a few problems.  Exhaust system issues, tent issues, monopod issues, and more.

After the trip I sent out a contact to the folks who make Turbo Tents to inquire about the issues I had with the zippers on my Turbo Tent Escape 5.  When I first purchased the tent I had a problem off the bat with the upper zipper, so I only used the lower zipper on the door.  Then, while in Utah the lower zipper stopped performing as well.  Big bummer.  The bigger bummer?  Thunder storms were coming in and we couldn’t close the tent.  Ugh!

Last year I’d done a quick write up on the Turbo Tent.  Overall, loved it.  My one complaint at the time was the top zipper going screwy so early into ownership.  Given the fact that the trip was only my third with the tent I was a little concerned.  Now, with both zippers toasted I don’t know what to do.

I sent an e-mail inquiry into Turbo Tent last week regarding the zipper issue.  Currently the tent isn’t usable due to the issue.  It’s been a week now, and still no response from the manufacturer.  Very disappointing.  Not even a suggestion as to how to remedy the tent issues myself.  So, as of this moment, thumbs down on the tent.

In contrast, I have tents from my AT hike back in 01 that still work to this day.  Backpacking tents, not car camping ones.  But the tents survived tons of weather and living on the trail for months on end.  Snow, mud, dogs, dirt, storms, etc.  The tents have held up to the test of time.  And the zippers are pretty darned industrial!  I wonder if I could put new zippers on the Turbo Tent?

Don't ask me how this happened. I literally just came off.....

 

Switching gears, I also contacted Manfrotto regarding the monopod’s top breaking off.  The plastic literally separated and the nut inside came out.  Pretty bad.  Luckily it happened as I was setting up a photo in the Coral Pink Sand Dunes.  The 5D Mark II along with the ball head tipped off to the right and I caught it as the camera headed for a dunk in the dunes.  Disaster averted, barely.  Would hate to have had $5K worth of camera equipment hit the dunes…..

Now, to be fair to Manfrotto I had forgotten to register my monopod with them.  I have registered my tripod and ball head with them, but yeah, blanked on the monopod.  And yup, owned it two years.  You’d think they’d at least get back in touch to tell me I’m out of warranty or something.  So far, no response at all.

So there ya go.  Two equipment failure stories, and customer service failures as well……

 

Comments 2

  1. When Tandy leather was around, they would sell high-quality heavy duty metal zippers by the foot. You paid extra for the stops and the head (?). Maybe then you could find a tent and awning shop to sew a new zipper in place. I hate the plastic zippers that are “self-repairing.” They are designed to fail. I have replaced zippers in sleeping bags that separated.

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    Author

    The duffel that the tent comes in has this amazing zipper, just like my Osprey backpack. That’s the zipper I want. 🙂

    I’ll be updating on this post, as they got in touch yesterday. I’ll be shipping the tent back to them and getting credit towards a tent with more “industrial” zippers than the current. Ah, blogging this stuff does help!

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