LOWA Warranty Service II

[Joe Schmo]

After reading the original "LOWA Warranty Service" thread I decided to post this here before making my third email to LOWA. I bought a pair of Tibet GTX boots for last hunting season and loved em, still love em. I noticed this August that the rand was being separated from the leather. I emailed them about this and asked what I should do, I said that I wanted to wait until after archery season. I told them that I bought the boots in early October so I will send them in after my archery hunt. Agreed.

Friday. I filled out the warranty form and sent pics of the rand separating...roughly 6" worth on the front of both boots and up to 1/4" deep.
Today. I received a reply requesting that I send pics of the soles, which I thought odd, but whatever. Also, they wanted to know what treatment products I treated the boots with...which I also thought odd. So I googled "LOWA obenaufs Warranty"... I think we know what I found. http://www.rokslide.com/forums/footwear/57261-lowa-warranty-service.html

Tomorrow I will email back with sole pictures and a pic of obenaufs. Not sure if I should give them background first or not. If I do I will tell them that I'm being honest, I used obenaufs, I saw no warning/direction NOT to use it....
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ALSO!!! The gentleman that sold me on Lowa's over Crispi's and all others told me that he was on the "Lowa Pro Staff" and directed me to treat the boots with Obenaufs!!!!!!!!!
So, I will probably just put everything out there and see what they say, I've no doubt that they're probably great folks but if nothing else perhaps we can get something put in the tag or box of their new boots that says specifically
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"IF YOU USE X, Y, Z OR ABC PRODUCTS TO CLEAN/TREAT YOUR BOOTS, LOWA WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY"

 

[Joe Schmo]

Email to Lowa:

____.
Here are the photos requested, I believe the second one is the one you want. I thought it a bit odd so I did a little googling.
http://www.rokslide.com/forums/footwear/57261-lowa-warranty-service.html
http://www.rokslide.com/forums/footwear/78781-lowa-warranty-service-ii.html

I felt it best to be straightforward even in the face of the inevitability that accompanies an admission to the use of Obenaufs on a pair of Lowa's. First, my Tibets are still my favorite "expensive hunting boots" that I've ever owned.

1. I would like to point out a few things. Most importantly I was told by an employee at the store where I bought my boots that I should use Obenauf's on my brand new Lowas
1a. This employee (____) claimed to be on the "Lowa Pro staff"...he sold me on a few things in regards to Lowa having better leather, etc
2. I see/saw absolutely no warning that using specific products to treat my boots would void the warranty
3. Perhaps a warning that of the dozens of top shelf products for treating boots your company will only honor your warranty if treated with one or two specific products might be helpful for the consumer. Honestly I just spent $380 on boots...if I would have read/known/not been misdirected, I would have bought any product you suggested/required... after $380 what's another 20 bucks??
Thoughts?

 

[Joe Schmo]

Crickets....

 

[Joe Schmo]

I received an email back from Lowa stating they would make it right. Ironically they sent me to the store where I purchased the boots. The same store that has a giant sign that says "All warranty issues are to be taken up with the manufacturer, not in the store" or something to that effect. So I got the story that the rand would in no way effect the performance of the boot, I reckoned that to be true. However this whole deal started when I emailed into Lowa about the rand specifically and was told that the best thing to do would be to send em in...I was just trying to do so.
Anyway, I was told it wouldn't effect performance and I said that I was ready to buy some freesole and fix em up. I was directed to shoo-goo and unfortunately the rand wouldn't stay "gooed" or "glued" to the leather when I used it so I basically caked it on there. I emailed back to Lowa and sent em a picture of my boots all gooed up. They sent me a code for a heavy discount on thier website, so I used it and bought some more Lowa Tibets...I really do love the boots and it's a helluva gesture. They'll be my dress boots for awhile (wife thing) and when I start really abusing em and the rand separates I'll just superglue that baby back on and call it good. Good experience.

 

[dreamingbig]

Same rand separation on two straight pairs of Tibets for me. Both purchased from REI and returned to REI. They better fix this rand issue fast. I would recommend they go back to gluing the entire rand again and not just the top.


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