Reader Reviews

Rating: 5 / 5

I recently busted a hole in one of my MSR Denali Ascent snowshoe binding straps and after contacting MSR/Cascade Designs (who are here locally) received a free replacement strap in the mail within one day. Pretty good customer service!

Rating: 5 / 5

Around 1980 I heard about Thermarest pads. Air mats had a bad reputation then, but after testimonials from the American K2 expedition I purchased two "seconds", supposedly cosmetic blemishes.

After a year or so of frequent use one of them leaked. I brought it to the Cascade Designs factory in Seattle and they fixed it within about 10 minutes (they resealed an imperfectly sealed edge).

A few years later plastic valves replaced the brass ones, and they sent me two free replacement kits.

About 20 years after purchase, having mainly been used for car camping with kids, one leaked. The internal coating near the valve wore out. I shipped it back and received a brand new one a short time later...mine was not repairable.

About 25 years after purchase the other one started leaking in the same way. We were in Seattle a few days before our two-week Wonderland Trail hike, so I brought it to the factory. They said it would take a few days to look at it and repair/replace it. I said we had no time.

They then just gave me, FREE, a pad they had just repaired to use on our trip! And a few weeks later a brand new pad arrived at my home, replacement for the now 25-year old pad that was not repairable.

Folks, customer service doesn't get much better than that!

Edited by ewolin on 01/30/2008 14:36:40 MST.

Rating: 5 / 5

When MSR/Cascade Designs bought out Moss I was a little concerned about the lifetime warranty on our winter tent, a Moss Little Dipper.

Well, one of the poles got a hairline crack in it and we were leaving in 2 weeks. Not only did MSR honor the warranty but they overnighted the replacement pole section instead of making us wait for the pole to be returned to them for repair/replacement.

They also did a follow-up to ensure that we got the pole and that everything was to our satisfaction.

It was above and beyond what I had expected.

Edited by Laurie_Ann on 07/10/2008 08:46:49 MDT.

Rating: 3 / 5

My older "Pro" 3/4 length pad delamed. It was not heavily used, tho it was about 10 years old. I had previously repaired the seam area, where the seam failed. The delamination was not near the old repair area. The pad was an early model of the current "Pro-Lite 3" pad; made with a slightly heavier fabric, and square on the corners. Cascade Designs said they'd warranty the pad, just send it in.

I received a new, "cosmetic blemish" pad as a replacement, but it was not of like-kind- it was a heavy pad from their "Trail" series. I was very disappointed. I assumed their replacement policy was to give you whatever was the cheapest pad. I spent several weeks agonizing over the replacement pad- kicking myself for not accepting the fate of my pad and buying a new pad from another manufacturer I am interested in trying.

I called Cascade Designs customer service to see if I could return the pad and pay the difference for a Pro-Lite 3 pad- the true replacement pad for the one I sent in. Customer service stated the pad I sent in was an in-between type of pad (it was not) and they chose to replace it with the "Trail" series. They would exchange it. I had to return the pad with a note asking for a Pro-Lite 3 pad. I returned to "Trail" pad and received a new "cosmetic blemish" Pro-Lite 3 pad.

Customer service would have gotten a "5" if they sent the correct replacement pad the first time. They had good turn-around time- I estimate they had a replacement shipped 3-4 days after receiving my pad.

I give them a "3"- Due to the cost of shipping twice, the anguish of deciding what to do with the inferior pad, the guilt of "looking a gift horse in the mouth" - calling to complain about a warranty replacement.

In the end, I could have spent a little more and bought the pad I was interested in and had fun cutting up the old pad and modifying it into a small sit-rest/foot pad like the Mont-Bell system.

Make sure you specify the replacement pad you want when sending in your warranty.

Rating: 5 / 5

I had been having a problem with my MSR Hyperflow for the past two months of owning it. i have had the pump for 2 years. the red one way valve went out twice. i emailed them and they mailed me out a few extras! great company to deal with.