My Arcteryx experience

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redefined_cycles
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My Arcteryx experience

Post by redefined_cycles »

Just wanted to share and if anyone thinks it unfair on them then I'll ask the mods to delete.

Bought my Arcteryx boots from Sportpursuit for less than £120. Maybe £99 I'm not sure. Worth about £250 in real life and I waited about a month until they delivered (I knew this wait already and it was the downside of such cheap price).

Used em (Bora summat with goretex sock sewn in and fully laminated outer) the first time properly on the BB200 in October as they'd arrived in time. Felt lovely and before that I'd done a test of wearing em for 24 hours and indeed they was lovely. Can't recall what that 24h test was. Maybe I rode to London. Eveything was lovely and I was happy. Worked well through the BB20 and kept my feet dry aswell as very very comfy.

Comes March and since I'm not much of a walker (I think I've walked off road on em 2 or 3 times briefly if you dont count anything that's linked to BB rides) I decide to put em to good use on the ward at work. So dedicate em to Covid duties. Now they're being worn indoors for 12 and 14 hours at a time. Along comes May and I notice some delamination on one of the boots.

Email SportPursuit and they tell me to send em back for a full refund and asking on here I realise that the delamination shouldn't affect the Goretex liner. So I continue enjoying em as I'd never be able to afford or risk em at full price. Nor do I wish to contribute to landfill and its one of the reasons I wanted 'the best' in first place.

Comes October and I take em again, now for their sexond major outing in the great outdoors. Bearbones200 of 2020. Worked nicely and got me through a few streams without become wetted out. Second half (I aborted after 20 miles so pitentially hold the record for earliest abort!) and I end up through a storm on some mountain tops adjacent to Glossops Pass somewhere (I think). After gettin back to the car alive I realise theyre sodden and I was wearing some properly proof trousers over em by ME.

Then shortly after I reach out to Arcteryx who are really rather lovely and aks me for pics and then to send em to Swiss-Land. At a cost of £9.50 which I wasnt gonna ask em about as they are a lovely company I'm sure.

Today I get the email that they've found em to not fit the limited lifetime warranty as I've overused em. They're happy to give me a 40% voucher to spend in their store (and dispose of mine in a recyclable fashion!) or send my boots back. I've protested by explaining the above and sent em evidence that they dirst delaminated with 7 months. I doubt they'll agree, but regardless... I don't think I'll be investing in their gear again. Next boots (for next years BB200 walk will be the ones that are custom built around your foot from Newscastle somewhere. I think about £160 and if anyone knows what I'm on about then a link would be great...

Hope that wasn't a waste of a few minutes of your life. Just wanted to share my exp of one of 'the best'...
redefined_cycles
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by redefined_cycles »

Excuse the lack of commas (you'll have to just read the sentences in one breath) and any grammer/spelling mistakes. My bad!
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voodoo_simon
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by voodoo_simon »

The tread will be a good indicator of whether a boot is past its lifetime or not. Have you any pictures of that to show Arcteryx or ask them to look at it.
Lazarus
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by Lazarus »

Not sure tread wear works for a cylcing shoe- though I did manage to wear the tread down on my Lakes after about 12 years of ownership

IMHO what it shows is they are a company who do the " bare minimum" gesture rather than go the extra mile to have a happy customer
redefined_cycles
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by redefined_cycles »

voodoo_simon wrote: Tue Nov 17, 2020 1:11 pm The tread will be a good indicator of whether a boot is past its lifetime or not. Have you any pictures of that to show Arcteryx or ask them to look at it.
The tread was not worn out at all Simon. Can't find pictures just now but I have some on my phone somewhere. Some of the lugs where they'd contacted the pedal pins were worn but they were obviously not worn in the great outdoors (the tread was sharp edges like new).

One assessment I wouldn't disagree with is that they said they found some contamination. That's either the resodue from the wipes we use at workto wipe stuff down or the minerals from the lovely Welsh water...

Will post some pics up on here when I get chance of both the letter aswell all the pics I have of my boots before I sent em yo Switzerland to their repairshop.

Don't want anyone thinking I'm having a go at Arcteryx which I hope can be seen that I'm not. But had I spent the full £250 on these boots and then get told they've been well used in 13 months of minimal outdoor usage and just standing about on the ward with some welsh weather walking in between, I'd have really been gutted
redefined_cycles
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by redefined_cycles »

Lazarus wrote: Tue Nov 17, 2020 1:21 pm Not sure tread wear works for a cylcing shoe- though I did manage to wear the tread down on my Lakes after about 12 years of ownership

IMHO what it shows is they are a company who do the " bare minimum" gesture rather than go the extra mile to have a happy customer
This...

Yes, I really doubt (from what people have found) I'd have gotten the same respinse from (current day) Exposure or (latter days) Hope.
middleagedmadness
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by middleagedmadness »

Had the same experience with lake , bought the boots in December, used them 5 times per week commuting to work and back so no walking in them , took them on the big bear in the April and the sole departed the shoe , sent pictures off with the receipt and was told that had been over used and would happily give 30% off another pair , I politely declined there kind offer , explains that if you pay £160 for a pair off cycling shoes and have realistically only put them through the wringer once they should stand up to it , on another note I’ve had a pair of mammut b2 boots for around 7 years and have been faultless through a ton of abuse , I think it’s a case with some brands you don’t get what you pay for
lune ranger
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by lune ranger »

Best not tell them you’ve been washing them in Chlorox, they won’t like that idea.
TBH it might explain why the bonding is failing on the shoes..... :wink:
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redefined_cycles
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by redefined_cycles »

lune ranger wrote: Tue Nov 17, 2020 1:50 pm Best not tell them you’ve been washing them in Chlorox, they won’t like that idea.
TBH it might explain why the bonding is failing on the shoes..... :wink:
Yes... thats why I'm trying to be as transparent as possible (on here)... :-bd

Have told em that they were used on the shop floor so hopefully if they think it through they might decode that for themselves. Originally breakdown of the bonding was within about 4 weeks of Covid starting and I dont think I had resigned them to Covid duties properly at that point.

Anyway, heres the pics of what they looked like when I sent em on forth :smile:

Image
Image
Image
Image

On a more serious note though, they'd have generally decided about the 'well used' and 'beyond lifetime warranty' after assessing the condition of the soles. As can be seen (these were taken before theBB200 of 2020 so the wear from pins would've been slighlty more profound) the tread is onviously not worn like they've concluded.

:smile: Just for the record, not bitter at all but from them I think I'd have expected slightly more. Even Crikey, how much give better service than that (witnessed it and now if owt from them falls apart I dont bother chasing em as they've proven themselves already... pres and post Walmart).
redefined_cycles
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by redefined_cycles »

Just on a sidenote... The chlorclean or clinell wipes we use. They don't dry and make everything fall apart at work (and we all know that NHS stuff isn't as robust as you'd have expected) and the gear last a fair few years (roughly 10 I'd guesstimate)...
---------
Edit: My Clarks goretex leather boots have lasted well over 3 years (dedicated to the work ward and kept there) without the same delam issues and same wipes used on em. Before that my Goretex Fiveten guide Tennies lasted about 2 to 3 years. Did delaminate and might have been from the cleaners but they'd been through alot :grin: just wanted to get them vital stats out there :smile:
Lazarus
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by Lazarus »

if that is well worn why do they bother with so much grip on their sole ?


Not a very convincing answer from them IMHO and I would be having impolite words with them over the definition of well worn and sending them a lot of pictures of shoes I still own, that work, and look way more messed up than those - they dont even look broken in to me
redefined_cycles
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by redefined_cycles »

Lazarus wrote: Tue Nov 17, 2020 2:44 pm if that is well worn why do they bother with so much grip on their sole ?


Not a very convincing answer from them IMHO and I would be having impolite words with them over the definition of well worn and sending them a lot of pictures of shoes I still own, that work, and look way more messed up than those - they dont even look broken in to me
Jon... They're definelty, most defineilty not broken in at all. Will see what they say (sent em invoice of when I boight em and the discussion with SportPursuits 7 monthe later when they agreed to returning for full refund) but I doubt anything positive coming out of it. Will request them back and wear em in/out and post up some more pics when they're here. Might just resign em to work duties as they are 'oh so comfy.
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johnnystorm
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by johnnystorm »

Being the Devil's advocate here.... if I've read it right they're at least a year old and have been worn regularly for 12-14 hours at a time and two BB200s?

I'd personally feel I'd done alright for my money. I realise not all BB200s are the same (oh 2015, what a joy) but on most of the ones I've done I doubt any shoe would have kept my feet dry before the first 20 miles were done.
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quimarche
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by quimarche »

"the ones that are custom-built around your foot from Newscastle somewhere"

Do you mean Altberg? https://www.altberg.co.uk/
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Cheeky Monkey
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by Cheeky Monkey »

Just looks like relatively minor deterioration from photos which if you've worn them since Covid lockdown started (March / April?) is pretty solid use, even though it is indoors.

Most membrane boots suffer at flex points and if you've been throwing in some odd chemicals etc then I'd not expect great durability.

For something a year old to be offered 40% doesn't seem a bad gesture. Just unfortunate Arcteryx are so expensive so even with that deduction they'll still be £$£$£$£. That's not their look out though.

As for their (high) cost and your expectations - I think it's a potentially flawed assumption. IMO, price can be partly or significantly determined by what the brand can charge, and is rarely a *guarantee* of the product being correspondingly high quality.

Shame though when boots you like die :cool:
Last edited by Cheeky Monkey on Tue Nov 17, 2020 4:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Cheeky Monkey
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by Cheeky Monkey »

I don't think I'd be surprised of wet feet after a night out on the early attempts of the BB200, it was a right old storm.

Did you try them in a slightly more controlled environment (bucket of water?) before sending them back to Arcteryxxz? If not are you sure the membrane was borked?
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Cheeky Monkey
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by Cheeky Monkey »

Well-worn also might just be their catch-all for stuff that is used i.e. is not box fresh or clearly only done a couple of short distance wanders or very limited use. They might have assessed the tread but also the inner, compression of the footbed etc, it's hard to see from those photos.

As for "contamination" they probably just mean "dirty", which is likely to make repairs unreliable and hence their reluctance to do so.

I really should leave this now :wink: :lol: :lol:
redefined_cycles
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by redefined_cycles »

:lol:
I obviously have too high a standard for £250 (original rrp) boots. Altberg, thats the name I was looking for (thanks Quimarche) :smile:
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psling
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by psling »

Cheeky Monkey wrote: Tue Nov 17, 2020 4:08 pm Well-worn also might just be their catch-all for stuff that is used i.e. is not box fresh or clearly only done a couple of short distance wanders or very limited use.
Which is backed up by the use of what appears to be a generic letter which hasn't had reference to the product altered since its previous use [Beta SL jacket] :roll:
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Cheeky Monkey
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by Cheeky Monkey »

redefined_cycles wrote: Tue Nov 17, 2020 4:24 pm :lol:
I obviously have too high a standard for £250 (original rrp) boots. Altberg, thats the name I was looking for (thanks Quimarche) :smile:
You mean your £99 / £120 boots, shirley?

As for the letter, I just put that down to the poor written standards in the population at large :wink: but maybe it indicates they didn't even look at them and are just fobbing Shaf off.

Then again, using dodgy numbers, 40% of £250 is £100 which is nearly what he paid, which kind of makes them free, if he buys something else, or summat :???: :roll: :lol:
Dean
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by Dean »

All of my working/moving around shoes break at this point after a year because my toes are excessively wide and just stress the material to failure, even in wide fitting shoes. I really like the quality of Arcteryx shoes (fully resoleable) but they are narrower than average. The only other person I know with this problem from Arcteryx shoes definitely bought shoes which were too narrow.

I know these boots cost so much because the outer materials are several layers of thermally-bonded TPU-something-or-other which is not exactly a cheap way of manufacturing fabric.
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by Cheddar Man »

I think that what you have there is some shoes that have split at the bend points. That isn't the Goretex delaminating, as the Goretex is actually sandwiched between layer of fabric that you can't see. Goretex is not the outer layer of the shoes, you just have some slightly ripped shoes there.

I would be surprised if the performance of the shoes is actually affected by the small tears in the nylon fabric.

Just keep wearing them and don't worry too much would be the thing to do.
redefined_cycles
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by redefined_cycles »

Cheddar Man wrote: Tue Nov 17, 2020 10:29 pm I think that what you have there is some shoes that have split at the bend points. That isn't the Goretex delaminating, as the Goretex is actually sandwiched between layer of fabric that you can't see. Goretex is not the outer layer of the shoes, you just have some slightly ripped shoes there.

I would be surprised if the performance of the shoes is actually affected by the small tears in the nylon fabric.

Just keep wearing them and don't worry too much would be the thing to do.
I can assure you that the waterproofing had been lost. Won't talk you through the 'lab tests' before contacting Arcteryx... Thanks :smile:
woodsmith
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by woodsmith »

A 10 quid tube of shoe goo will fix that little issue.
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Re: My Arcteryx experience

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Dee bought some Columbia boots via SP a few months a go. The description said "guaranteed 100% waterproof and guaranteed never to leak". Guess what, the left boot started to leak across the top after a couple of months and perhaps 4 short outings (she walks dogs for a charity and wanted the boots for taking them out when the grass is wet).

Had to send numerous pictures to SP but they did exchange them without too much trouble. Saying all that, they were only a few months old and aside from a little dirt on the surface, looked new(ish).

I was once bought some Brasher boots as a present. First time I put them on, one of the lace eyelets popped off. Got them exchanged and within a month both soles had started to fall off. No one was interested in sorting the problem out so I eventually screwed the soles on. They weren't cheap, yet they were perhaps the crappiest boots I've ever owned. My £16.99 Lidl boots are worn every day, all day. They never get cleaned but get worked in, walked in and generally abused, yet I can usually get 8-9 months from a pair before they're knackered.

Price is sometimes only an indicator of how good a companies marketing is, rather than how good their products are. Obviously this isn't always true as my Altberg and Scarpa boots are great.

Sorry for the ramble.
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