Tuesday, 18 December 2012

Paramo Repairs - top marks (almost)

Paramo clothing is one of those subjects that seems to split the (UK only ?) outdoor scene and I'll happily own up to be being on the positive side - at least for UK Winter use.  I have a Paramo Aspira smock which I think is the best thing ever for being out in the UK mountains in Winter ...but this is not a review of the Aspira or Paramo clothing in general (maybe a later blog) but of their repair service.

One of the things often quoted by hopeful salesmen is that garments damaged in the field can be sent back to Paramo who will repair at a reasonable cost.  After 3 years of winter use my Aspira, whilst still functioning well, was beginning to show signs of the abuse I give it, with small rips on the shoulders (from shouldering skis), the back and the pocket, which had been repaired with a combination of gaffer tape and gore-tex patches.  So, I decided to give it a treat and try out the service in advance of this winter.

I went onto the Paramo website and found the instructions, printed off and completed a form to describe the damage and sent it off as instructed.  I also added a note asking if they could put reinforcing on the shoulders to protect them from the skis.  Whilst guideline prices are quoted on the website, the first thing Paramo do is send back a formal quote which has to be accepted by phone before they proceeed.  With my quite came a little note saying they could do reinforced shoulders and even provided a material sample for me to check.

Once the quote was confirmed came the least satisfactory part of a somewhat clunky process - the wait.  I was quoted over 2 weeks which was ok, but it took over 4 weeks in the end.  I did receive a phone call just after the due date, apologising and saying the smock would be back within a week, but it was a further 2 weeks before it finally landed back on my doorstep.

However, once I opened the package and checked it out,any feelings of dissatisfaction evaporated as a I surveyed my repaired Aspira:

  • The rips are repaired by replacing the whole panel, so in my case I have a new back panel, two new shoulder panels and a new pocket. 
  • Best of all, the shoulder panels are in the reinforced (black) material which is tougher than cordura and give my garment a customised look:-)  
  • The garment had also been properly washed and re-proofed.
  • Apart from a few general wear marks and the slightly brighter new material panels, it could almost have been a new garment !
So how much did this cost I hear you ask, surely not cheap ? Well, it cost £60 all in from Paramo (inc return postage) plus about £5 for me to send it to them which I think is a bargain for the quality of work and the new lease of life it has given my Aspira.  I now also have confidence that as I keep abusing it, I can get quality repairs at a great price and it will last for years.

So in summary: 
Pros:
  • My Aspira feels almost like a new garment, due to the quality of the repairs.
  • Customisation is possible.
  • Great price.
  • Adds value to the whole Paramo concept.
Cons: 
  • The process of printing off and snail mailing things back and forth is a bit clunky in this day and age, and the time-frame of over 6 weeks feels a long time, so make sure you aren't going to need your garment for quite a while when you send it off.
The pros far outweigh the cons in my opinion and I wholeheartedly recommend the service, but if they could tighten up the process and timing it would be perfect !

No comments:

Post a Comment


Sunny Day on Tryfan