Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Kuiu - never again

Had a very unfortunate experience with Kuiu and thought I'd pass along a bit of info that might help others in the future. If you purchase anything in the Outlet section, Kuiu will absolutely not stand behind the product. You have precisely zero warranty against defects and are simply SOL.

You'd think such an exclusion would be mentioned in the Terms & Conditions section, but it is not. I mentioned this to the Kuiu rep I was "working" with, but the company still hasn't bothered to update that section (it's been two weeks). In any case, wanted to give all of you a heads-up about the complete lack of warranty. Be careful.

In fairness and full disclosure, I was offered the option of shipping back the defective items on my dime for store credit. I was also very clearly told it was an exception being made and that Outlet items have ZERO WARRANTY. I declined the option because I was so disappointed in my experience with the products and the customer service that I had no interest in more Kuiu goods. Just the same, Kuiu did make the offer and it would be disingenuous of me to leave that out.

The belt is the only thing I haven't sent back. First Lite merino makes Kuiu look like Fruit of the Loom. Their sizes are all over the damn place and god forbid you have shoulders.

And the Ultra 6000 was happily replaced by a '90's Terraplane.

In all fairness, I've not tried any outerwear. Cool logo and pretty good marketing. If you like a decent case study.

But damn, stand by your schit....

The link shows the Terms and Conditions of Outlet purchases - one sentence and easy to understand.
Also note their items have lifetime warranty for the original owner if its used as intended.


http://store.kuiu.com/Articles.asp?ID=254

Not even fine print.

+1

I love First Lite. Not impressed with Kuiu

All outlet sales are final and not eligible for return or exchange.

That's precisely what it says, which is completely different from the Warranty section. When I brought this up to the Kuiu rep, he pulled out some other place (not in Terms & Conditions) where the exact same sentence added WARRANTY to the exclusion. Warranty is completely different from returns and exchanges.

I have a few Kuiu products that I own and like, the XXL Vais Guide jacket I have is the first generation *non-dcs* that actually fits a big man with actual shoulders.
I tried the later Chinese version and it is sewn for Taiwanese hunters I would guess.
The gear I own I have purchased USED but as new.
I WOULD NOT, AND WILL NOT patronize KUIU by buying new.

The company censors people who might criticize problem gear.
Gestapo-like business practices that I will not reward with one cent.

Also...you'll see here...they will pimp new gear and avoid addressing back ordered simple gear that any real company would stock...
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/9614332/Re:_KUIU_LIVE_EVENT!_2015_ICON#Post9614332
Of course ZERO response. It is the way they roll...

8snake,
The two terms are different because the intent Kuiu is to stipulate how they are each different. So on one had an originally purchased item is "good for life" and the Outlet item is literally buy at your own risk. Other manufacturers have "closeouts" "one of a kind" stuff that is an "all sales are final" proposition too.
Irregardless of the brand at issue here, you have no case.

I have no dog in the fight other than to correct a portion of this statement.
I have seen man posts critical of some aspect of a KUIU garment or backpack posted on their website.
Many times a staff member will enter in and explain the reason or why something is sewn.
This is why competition is a great thing for the consumer. Not only does it give them options but promotes competition. Its a win/win.

There is a definite difference between returns/exchanges and warranty. The Kuiu rep even said so, while digging up a reference to it in some obscure place that added WARRANTY to the exact sentence I quoted. Of course, that exclusion is not listed in the Terms & Conditions page. If it was, I wouldn't waste time telling people something that was plainly obvious.

If you want to throw money at Kuiu, have at it. I'm not trying a "case" here. I'm warning people who might have mistakenly thought, like me, that Kuiu would stand behind products that fall apart on the very first use. That's a piss-poor way to do business and I will never spend another dime at Kuiu. If you're cool with it, that is most certainly your prerogative.

Kuiu, started with a great hullabaloo and stressed how their gear was made here in Vancouver, BC to VERY high standards of QC.

Hairston, the guy behind it, went on a Stones Sheep hunt here and used this to show himself as one DUDE, man, he can hunt SHEEP in BC, WOW!!!

Shortly after this, he quietly moved all his manufacturing to ASIA, but, some items made there seemed advertised as made in BC, THE sheep country.

This, IMO, was a phony way of promoting just another line of trendy, mediocre gear made in Asia and such behaviour sucks. I know several serious mountain hunters who had Kuiu stuff at the beginning and were NOT impressed.

The finest mountain wear made anywhere is made here in Vancity, it is Westcomb and it is so far beyond Kuiu that no valid comparison can be made.

Soooo, I would never buy Kuiu stuff.

So a fella that buys at full retail the day before it goes on clearance is good to go? Kuiu is a boutique shop with Walmart service....lose/lose.

A warranty isn't about replacing broken schit, it's about making schit you know won't break.

In theory, I suppose. Wouldn't surprise me in the least to find out that wearing the product voids warranty. I know that my chit couldn't hold up for a whole day of mild use without falling apart.

I've never used any KUIU products, but some people seem to be big fans. I have used First Lite products a lot and I think they are good products and good people to deal with.

Kuiu could take a lot of notes from your customer service, Kevin. You've exceeded my expectations more than once and I will happily do more business with you in the future.

Edit: My customer service with Kevin had absolutely nothing to do with product defects, either. I want to clarify that.

True....they are an incredible bunch of guys.

I reckon you guys got the 30% off First Lite Kanab pants email??

Yes sir.....

Easy there, I happen to think Walmart has far better service that KUIU...never had a problem returning anything from Walmart and always have been treated kindly and fairly.
And Walmart isn't built on back-ordered merchandise.

Winner!