Lifetime Products Warranty/Customer Service

[TroutRinger]

Just wanted to give a shoutout to Lifetime Products...makers of everything from banquet chairs to kayaks. They are the makers of a kayak I purchased for my wife: Emotion Temptation 11 SOT. We bought it this year and used it about five times. On the last outing, my friend who is about 155lbs, leaned back in the chair, and the buckle adjustment strap broke. It wasn't a trip altering issue as we just used the extra strap to tie a knot and hold the backrest in place. The kayak comes with a 5-year warranty. 

I called the warranty number and was speaking with a human in about three minutes. I explained the problem and also mentioned that the retention clip on the pivot joint at the base of the backrest was flimsy. He asked for my address and said they would mail two extra adjustment buckles and two mount assemblies in case that retention clip ever breaks. He also sent me two other spare parts for a different part of the seat just in case those had issues. 

He did not ask me where or when I bought the kayak...who I got it from...was it new or used when purchased...how it broke. He just fixed the problem. That is how warranties should be handled. 

I know there is a huge market for budget kayaks. After this experience, if I ever buy another budget yak, it will be made by Lifetime or Emotion (they probably have other brands) because I know they will take care of any quality issues that you risk with lower end products. 

I guess I should add that I had a similar experience with Bass Pro on my Ascend D10T about four years ago. I bought it off craigslist is new condition in the winter, used it once early spring, and noticed several of the pop rivets were loose. I drove it to the store and told them how I got it on Craigslist, but hoped they would help me out since it was only used once. They walked out to the truck with me, looked at the kayak, saw the rivet issue and that it was basically in new condition, and said they would swap it out for one in stock...no receipt...nothing. I guess since they are the exclusive distributor, there is only on place it could have come from so receipts aren't super necessary.