Get those outdoor projects done now before it’s too late!

I recently received my Sitka Kodiak rain jacket from their repair shop in Washington. My zipper was having an issue with separating and essentially turning my knee-length slicker into a frustratingly-extra-long pull over. This piece of gear is a necessity in my bag throughout the year and I’m happy to have it back now before I truly need it.

I know I’ve said this before, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to fix things during the offseason before they become a real problem. Whether that is fixing broken gear or ordering something new, the window to get those things done is closing quickly.

I have a pack frame from Mystery Ranch that is requiring some repairs to the stitching. This is something that I’ve been putting off for far too long and have just slapped Gorilla tape bandaids on for a couple of years. But the functionality and durability are now compromised to the point of requiring serious professional repair.

This is an example of an item that desperately needs to be sent to their repair shop RIGHT NOW.

If I want to have my pack before spring bear season in May, it needs to go in the next week or so. The process to file and review the warranty or repair claim, box it up and ship it from Alaska to the Lower 48 (you know how long that can take), have it be received and placed in a repair queue, have it actually repaired and then shipped back to Alaska is quite time consuming. That’s why this needs to happen very soon.

Most of these outdoor companies require that their items be clean prior to shipping for repair. Some have directions on their website for exactly what they want customers to do to prepare their item for repair. I make sure to shake out the random pockets before tossing my garments in the washing machine, and I take care to thoroughly spray off gear by hand in the shower or soak them in a cooler. The cleaner, the better and I doubt you can get something too clean for the repair shop.

Both of the repairs that I’ve had repaired by Sitka have been completely covered financially. Their online warranty and repair system is easy to understand and it’s efficient. I even had someone from their repair shop email me directly to confirm my shipping address. I hope to find the same kind of service from such a reputable brand as Mystery Ranch and will be sure to write about my experience with them in a future article.

While spring may still seem far away, it won’t be long until the snow melts, the grass begins to grow, the fish begin to feed and the bears come out of their long sleep. Get those projects finished now before it’s too late.