defective warbonnet blackbird and problems with warbonnet customer service

[sara82]

Hey all, I am new to hammockForums and a first-time hammock user. I decided that a hammock would be my home of choice for hiking the oregon section of the PCT this summer.

After many hours of internet research, it was pretty obvious that the warbonnet blackbird was the best hammock out on the market. I opted for this over a less expensive hennessy hammock because I enjoy supporting small businesses who practice ethically (ie, made in the US.)
I received my hammock, the blackbird single layer 1.7, about a month ago after a brief, helpful exchange with Brandon about how fast orders are typically processed.

I finally got a chance to get out of NYC to the trees to set up my hammock this past weekend. I set up the hammock as instructed. I got the webbing and carabiners since this seemed idiot-proof. After setting it up, all seemed well and I was quite enamored with how comfy it was to lay in. However, upon climbing into my hammock the 3rd or 4th time, I heard a tear, and was promptly on the ground. The gathered end of one side of the hammock had opened and resulted in small tears of the bugnet and hammock. Additionally, I couldn't figure out a way to reattach the hammock to the ridgeline. Again, new to all this and not confident in any sewing skills.

I was less than two weeks out from my trip when this happened and I quickly sent an email and some photos of the damage. Brandon immediately responded with:
"It looks like you removed the suspension and then re-installed it incorrectly...the Ridgeline is not supposed to be connected to the buckles like that" and told me I should ship it back so he could assess the repair and potential cost.

I responded that I had not made any adjustments to the hammock besides attaching carabiners and webbing to trees and that being new to hammocks in general, I had no idea how to even go about reinstalling that, nor a reason to do so. And I sent a picture of both sides of the suspension in the case that the one side was somehow faulty.

I hadn't heard back Monday morning, but needed to ship the hammock before leaving for my flight to Oregon. I spent $60 dollars for 2-day shipping and hoped that Warbonnet could reimburse this partly, in addition to covering any repairs under warranty, despite the previous email from Brandon.

About an hour after shipping it, I received an email from Brandon saying that he received my photo of both sides of the suspension, "but I have to say, there's no way you got it like that from us."

At this point, I was pretty disappointed two-fold: one) the way that warbonnet/Brandon was handling this seemed really atypical of the excellent customer service I had heard about; and two) it didn't sound like Brandon was going to honor the warranty or reimburse part of my expensive shipping.

I'm thinking to just cut my losses and let Brandon keep the hammock. Getting it in time for my trip would require an additional $35 to pay for express shipping and a $15 repair for something that was out of my control. Adding up my shipping to get the hammock there ($60), I'm coming close to the full price of a new hammock.

I'm pretty surprised and disappointed that I had this experience. I'm wondering if maybe Warbonnet doesn't deal with total newbie hammockers often or if I was just the edge case here...but either way I feel pretty misled and am opting to go with the Kammok I bought as backup during this whole ordeal.

Here are links to the damage that I sent over to Warbonnet: http://imgur.com/a/Fv6OC

[KiwiMark]

Maybe wait until Brandon has the hammock and has the chance to check it out properly?
It seems that you are jumping in way too quickly before even giving it a chance.

[Otter1]

I"m sorry about your issues!

I believe you handled it correctly by going to Brandon. And, given that you didn't reach your goal with the transaction & that your trip is soon, I understand coming to HF with your concerns.

You are correct about Warbonnet's and Brandon's reputation - it is well-deserved. Raising three kids, I also know that sometimes "there's no way" situations actually had "a way" - and not thru ill-intent or negligence. (we parents do the same thing still ) Not saying one way or another here, as I have no way of knowing.

Hopefully things work out to be mutually satisfying. Best of luck to you and enjoy your trip.

[mountainhanger]

I have to admit it's hard to tell by your pictures that it came that way from warbonnet, not saying it didn't if he had someone new helping him maybe? But the buckle part is looped thru the channel before it is whipped and has a pull tie attached. The Ridgeline is larks headed over the buckles and suspension loop. By your pictures it looks like the buckles are larks headed to your ridgeline. Definetly way out of the norm. I am wondering if you got this off his promotion page and maybe somehow no one caught it ...sometimes people will return things not saying anything about modifing them. Also looking again I see that there is no pull tie to secure the whipping which is from my experience not the way they are made. Just a fyi.
Please keep us informed as Brandon is known for his work and his service. Again not saying one way or the other but it is hard to see it leaving warbonnet that way in original production.
Good luck on your trip!

[Foxpoop]

[QUOTE=sara82;1641774]

"After many hours of internet research, it was pretty obvious that the warbonnet blackbird was the best hammock out on the market."
Ummmm...
It's a fine hammock, but it's NOT "obviously the best on the market." There are simply better hammock materials now than regular 1.7 ripstop nylon. That said, if that hammock came to you rigged like that, it would probably be the first one ever. Maybe you have terrible luck.

I'm sorry that you had a bad experience and hope that it doesn't turn you off to the hammock community. Brandon has earned his solid reputation.

When you have time, spend more time on the forum and research other sub forums such as DIY, Dutchware, ripstopbytheroll, etc. That's not to say that other vendors haven't had their bad days and some difficult transactions. Customer service is not an exact science. Most of these guys are pretty much cottage vendors with families and regular life issues.

Good luck with your section hike.

[OneClick]

What is that black cord/loop on the amsteel? I have a 4-year-old BB so maybe that is something new?

[Mtn hanger]

Have have bought stuff from Adam and I had to return one item and I felt that Adam handled the issue fair.

[Intimidator]

Have have bought stuff from Adam and I had to return one item and I felt that Adam handled the issue fair.

Might be wrong company here...

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[novasquid]

maybe i'm not seeing it properly, but the OPs pictures look exactly how a warbonnet BB buckle suspension is supposed to be set up. if you imagine a BB hanging, then visualize the hammock's gathered end removed from the suspension, then you'll end up with what you see in the 2nd pic and the right side of the 3rd pic. the ridgeline's end loop is threaded through the center of the gathered end, and the continuous loop portion of the suspension that contains the buckles is then threaded through the ridgeline's loop that's poking out of the gathered end. if that's how it's set up, then i would argue it's set up properly and there's fault in the material. but i also can't imagine a gathered end slipping through something like that once set up properly. so strange.

the black cord appears to be the portion on the bugnet that's reinforced and is the cord that loops onto the toggles at the gathered ends.

[HillbillyHanger]

What is that black cord/loop on the amsteel? I have a 4-year-old BB so maybe that is something new?

I wondered that as well. I wondered if it's the edge-binding that Brandon talks about in his 'swapping suspension' videos. In the video, he stresses to make sure the new components is threaded through this loop. I have an XLC, but I have never taken the suspension apart. No offense to the OP, but the clarity of the pictures make it difficult.