The topic of clothing warranties came up on a recent group ride coffee stop, and it was really interesting to hear other’s experiences with different OEMs. I have never checked the warranty policy on any item of clothing before purchasing. Ever. But, given the cost of many of these items (it’s pretty easy to drop $200 on a set of bibs), maybe I should be…
- Pearl Izumi: As you can probably tell from the photo above, I have personal experience here. The zipper on my jacket broke, I called up Pearl Izumi, they authorized the repair, I shipped it, a few weeks later it came back fixed. Perfect. The official policy is generous for defects, but doesn’t cover wear and tear, crashes, or misuse. So depending on the issue, it could get complicated, but I imagine as long as one is reasonable about replacement it should be fine.
- Castelli: I wasn’t able to find their policy online, but I do have it in writing because I’ve had to use it (stitching came undone on a set of bibs). It is incredibly generous (emphasis below is original):
We process warranties a few ways:
- For warranty inquires, we generally recommend working with the retailer from where the product was purchased from, as this will be the fastest method to do a warranty review and replacement. Your online retailer can help you swap out your defective piece with a warranty replacement.
- You can also visit ANY local authorized Castelli dealer to help with warranty inquiries (if even you don’t have a receipt, if it’s been worn, or if you didn’t purchase from the shop). They can inspect your item and can either replace it on the spot if they have stock in store, or they can contact us to send a warranty replacement. Feel free to print this email and bring to your retailer. If they have any questions, please have them call me!
- Alternatively, our Warranty Department is happy to receive and inspect your bib shorts.
The second option is amazing. Unfortunately, there aren’t any dealers super close to where I live, so I opt’d to mail it back to the retailer I bought from, but I do know that the take-it-to-any-dealer works because a friend has taken advantage of it.
- Rapha: I don’t have personal experience here, but everything I heard was good. Whether it’s crash induced (“please wash the blood off first”), or a defect; Rapha covered the item or offered a substantial coupon off future purchases.
- Gore: Up until this point, all the experiences have been positive. Here’s were we start with the not great stuff… Gore’s business is weatherproofing, but oddly enough when a friend complained about the waterproofing (or more specifically, the lack thereof) they didn’t cover it… Not really consistent with their “GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY™” promise.
Obviously not a complete list, so please do share your experiences either in the comments section or via email.