Reader Reviews

Rating: 5 / 5

Update: They just sent me for free a pole for my old bivy sack, bought in about 1992. The staff helped and spent time researching the old bag to get the right length pole, since it is not made anymore (the bivy that is).

This company provided me with the first UL type shelter about 15 years ago (a bivvy).

You can call and talk to them about a piece of gear 15 years old, with no identifying tags left as to model number or whatever, and they will look through their records to find what you need. I needed a hoop pole for the top end. The person on the phone volunteered to have one sent to me, no charge.

That is service, plus a free pole.

Edited by bdavis on 01/15/2007 19:57:57 MST.

Rating: 5 / 5

Around 2 years ago, a pair of kids gaiters my son was using started fraying, so I emailed them to ask about repairs, since I live in the Seattle area. They instead sent me two pairs of the kids gaiters (one of each size) and a pair of their waterproof mittens for kids the next week. I was pretty speechless, that was a level of service I was not expecting. Very friendly and easy to deal with.

If you are ever in the Seattle area, stop by their store in the Sodo area. They have a fantastic retail store, where often there are bargains galore, and they often have sidewalk sales, where one can find one-of-a-kind prototypes and odd lots of clothing and gear marked down cheap. My GTX Paclite jacket by Wild Roses was bought there for about 40% of retail. And they carry some of the harder to find items like Aquamira drops. The sales staff is very nice there.

Rating: 5 / 5

During the planning for my AT Hike this coming January I got out my old OR Advanced Bivy. I had used it only a few times after I bought it about 10 years ago and wanted to have a good look at it set up. The sleeves that the poles go into were sticky and some of the white material was flaking off. I called OR Customer Service to see what they might suggest I do. They said send it to us and we will see if we can fix it.

A little while ago I received a UPS package from OR.

They replaced my old one with a - NEW - OR Advanced Bivy.

I was shocked and surprised. I called and thanked them several times and had a nice talk with them.

I have a lot of OR products but had never had a problem with any of them. I would not have been unhappy if they had just sent my old Bivy back with a note that said there was nothing they could do. But they didn't and I want everyone to know how pleased I am with them.

Nothing less than a 5/5 from me..

Edited by bfornshell on 12/29/2006 16:50:08 MST.

Rating: 5 / 5

In addition to creating many classic backcountry products and continuing to think outside the box, OR offers something else which sets it apart from the other mass producers. For Seattle area residents, and perhaps others, you can have your gear customized by a senior seamstress named Puerla for modest fee. Turn-around is a day or two. I'm not sure if OR wants this to be nation-wide knowledge, as they're not set up to do this on a large scale. But I've had several standard OR products rebuilt to my long frame or 'hardened,' right in the downtown headquarters where production still takes place. (I get the impression that OR was one of the later big companies to offshore production; I understand that what is made in Seattle today is largely for the booming military/special ops market.) I have been very satisfied with the results, at least when I've been able to talk to Puerla directly about what I'm looking for. When my instructions were filtered through the young people in the company store (who are always very enthusiastic), I haven't gotten exactly what I wanted. Nonetheless, having this option makes the already durable and functional OR gear that much more attractive to me.

Over the years I have purchased OR heavy gaiters, many gloves and hats, tights and jackets, and stuff sacks. All solid, practical gear with few bells & whistles. My most recent OR purchase is the Nighthaven single-walled, semi-floored tent which promises above-treeline light mountaineering durability and complete bug resistance for two long people for 2 lbs. I'll write a review after I spend some mountain time with it.

Rating: 5 / 5

Nothing but good things to say. Courteous and friendly fast service. Willing to make things right.

Rating: 5 / 5

I called about a broken buckle on my snow gaiters. Talked to an associate who knew more than I did about my gaiters, even though the gaiters were over 10 years old. I received the replacement buckle (no charge) in just a few days and also got an extra buckle in case the other one breaks.