Scarpa NA customer service

**laseranimal** · 01-23-2007, 09:29 PM

so Saturday I was at Mt Slow with the mini animal ripping up the bunny hill. Due to a variety of reasons among them being our late arrival and the general PITA that is attempting to carry 2 year old in ski boots + his skis + my skis I decided to go light (F1's, Dynafits, and TM:X's) so there'd be less weight to deal with. Besides it's not like Mt Snow's bunny hill has mandatory 40 footers that require alpine boots and 18+ DIN metal binders.

Plan was working to perfection until midway through the day when I noticed that there was a whole lot more slop in the left boot then the right. Figuring I just hadn't engaged the ski/walk lever properly, and the boot must have popped back into walk mode. No biggie right? Well turns out that at some point in the day the little bar that fits in the groove had either snapped or worked loose so the boot will not lock into ski mode.

I return home on Saturday night and fire off an e-mail to Scarpa NA explaining the problem and how it occurred. I ask nicely if there is simply a replacement pin or if I have to replace the entire latch assembly. Late Monday morning I receive a reply that they believe they have a replacement latch that they will send me, so I'm stoked, but they want to know how long ago I purchased the boots. The second part of the e-mail worries me, because it can only mean a couple of things, none of which are good. I bought the boots secondhand and I'm pretty sure they're from the years that BD was the distributer. I'm betting the second part of the e-mail means that either they're not going to warranty them because I'm not the original owner or they're going to weasel out and pass the buck to BD because they weren't the distributer.

I send an e-mail back saying that I bought them in October, and I think they're either last year's model or the year before. I also ask if there is any difference in the model year(which would necessitate the asking of the "what year question") I get no response to my second e-mail by the end of the day Monday, I figure I'll get a response some time Tuesday morning.

Well after waiting most of the day Tuesday I decide to get on the phone to see whats up. Talk to one of the warranty reps, and apparently my names not even in the system yet. I'm vexed, rep says he'll get in touch with the rep who e-mailed me and someone will give me a call ASAP. At 3pm I get an e-mail from the original rep saying that I can send my boots to Scarpa and if they deem it to be a worthy of warranty they'll fix it, otherwise its gonna cost me $75 for a new lever because I can't just replace the pin.

I'm over a barrel here because I'd planned to head up to the ADK's next weekend and really need the boots so the thought of sending them to Scarpa and waiting for them to decide in all probability that they won't warranty them and I'll be out the $75 plus whatever the shipping winds up being. So I decide to sack up and just eat the $75 and make sure the part is here(plus I need an extra pair of TLT classic shims so it'd make sense to get it all at once). Call up Scarpa and explain the dilemma, ask why I have to send my boots back when its just a tiny little pin and what kind of abuse could I have possibly inflicted upon it that would irregardless of warranty cause Scarpa not to stand behind the craftsmanship of their boots that such an important mechanism could fail within the lifespan of the boots. I tell the rep that I'm sure they won't warranty them due to the circumstances of my purchase and it'd just be easier to have a 3rd ski/walk lever around to cannibalize for parts should "anything else fail".

He understands my plight and for my hassles offers to sell me the ski/walk lever at cost and throw in the two shims. Fair deal, so credit card # and shipping addresses are given and the part should be on its way tomorrow AM so I'll have it in time for my trip.

I get home tonight to find an answering machine message from Scarpa
"sorry we don't have any ski/walk levers" give us a call tomorrow morning

to be continued.....

**wardog** · 01-23-2007, 09:40 PM

Laseranimal, did you see this on the Couloir forum?

"I broke mine in Dec. and was quoted $55 for that little pin. Turns out a 10d framer (common nail used in framing guns) is an exact fit. Bend the end over w/ pliers, snip off the extra, and it's fixed."

BLOOD SWEAT STEEL · 01-23-2007, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by wardog

Laseranimal, did you see this on the Couloir forum?

"I broke mine in Dec. and was quoted $55 for that little pin. Turns out a 10d framer (common nail used in framing guns) is an exact fit. Bend the end over w/ pliers, snip off the extra, and it's fixed."

That was pure poetry. A 10d nail solves a $75 warranty frustration.

**RootSkier** · 01-23-2007, 09:52 PM

Cue long ass thread about what 'penny' means.

**laseranimal** · 01-23-2007, 09:54 PM

nice

that solves that problem

**Kya** · 01-23-2007, 10:47 PM

Yeah, I had some issues with the walk/ski switch too. Scarpa took 5 weeks to fix it

However, they gave me a good deal on new boots, so that helped. Now I have a back up boots, that aren't alpine.

**laseranimal** · 01-24-2007, 06:12 AM

Originally Posted by Kya

Yeah, I had some issues with the walk/ski switch too. Scarpa took 5 weeks to fix it

However, they gave me a good deal on new boots, so that helped. Now I have a back up boots, that aren't alpine.

are you kidding? good thing I didn't decide to send them back

**pepperdawg** · 01-24-2007, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by wardog

Laseranimal, did you see this on the Couloir forum?

"I broke mine in Dec. and was quoted $55 for that little pin. Turns out a 10d framer (common nail used in framing guns) is an exact fit. Bend the end over w/ pliers, snip off the extra, and it's fixed."

The real value of internet msg boards....nicely played.

**Free Range Lobster** · 01-24-2007, 07:28 AM

So service took a nose dive eh?

My cant adjusters on my old T1's ended up sticking and crapping out.
When Scarpa was still Scarpa/BD they sent me full sets for both boots no charge/no questions.

That makes me a sad panda since Scarpa will be supporting NTN from the get go, and I have a Scarpa foot.

**Dam Skier** · 01-24-2007, 08:11 AM

As far as the nail fix goes, try to use a "common" nail, it is silverish, slightly thicker than a "sinker," and has a better shear strength. The brownish sinker or a nail from a strip will bend from the torgue of the boot. I have done this several times, and currently have a hardened steel screwdriver jambed through there.

carry a spare nail.

**laseranimal** · 01-24-2007, 12:54 PM

still sucking

put a phone call in this morning asking for someone to contact me

as of 1:50 Eastern I still haven't heard anything back. I've managed to cob together a repair with a wire coat hanger and duct tape that seems to be holding up fairly well and I'm going to give the nail solution a try but in all honesty, I'd just like to have the part.

this experience is making me reconsider purchasing Scarpa in the future, which sucks for them because I was really digging both the Hurricane/Tornado and the Spirit 3

**smitchell333** · 01-24-2007, 01:01 PM

My Scarpas had a very similar problem. I was able to get them warrantied through the retail shop where I bought them last year. Took like 8 weeks - I waited till late summer as I did not want to be out of commission for weeks/months until the snow was gone.

I found there was a temporary solution with my boots. If I took a ski pole grip and banged on the walk/ski mechanism I could get it back into place and then could lock it into ski mode. When I then switched into walk mode the mechanism would slip back out and I'd have to repeat to ski. Hassleville, but it worked for the 2 months of early summer and I was able to keep skiing.

**Professor** · 01-24-2007, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by laseranimal

this experience is making me reconsider purchasing Scarpa in the future, which sucks for them because I was really digging both the Hurricane/Tornado and the Spirit 3

Playing devils advocate here, but you did buy them "second hand". Technically there is no warranty. If you had bought new ones, you could work with a shop to get the problem solved.

**Rascal King** · 01-24-2007, 01:40 PM

What's the problem here? You got boots, they fucking broke, you ordered a 75 dollar replacement part and they told you it was out of stock. Show some fucking patience. Not everything is in stock.

**Jax** · 01-24-2007, 02:14 PM

Don't forget the reps and honchos for Scarpa are all at a trade show right now; it is a very busy two weeks for them, as well as any other ski-related manufacturer. You probably got someone who might not know the ins and outs of dealing with warranties smoothly because the go-to guys are all tied up in meetings. Larry at Larry's Boot Fit IS Scarpa NA Warranty; I'm sure he's pretty slammed right now, too. Most big manufacturers take around 6-8 weaks in peak season to get something warrantied- that was my experience as a ski shop manager.
At least you fixed it yourself, thanks to this board.
YMMV

**dk_alaskan** · 01-24-2007, 02:29 PM

you could probably even try to use a needle bearing, just make sure you bugger the end a little so that is doesn't come back out

**rippah** · 01-24-2007, 04:03 PM

If I understand your problem correctly I've had the same thing happen with the walk/ski mode on my T1s. Though the other suggestions are awesome I have a couple of things to add...

I used a concrete nail. The fluting of the sides helps hold the thing in place and it seems to be very resistant to side load. I'm not sure how that compares to the "common" or "sinker" types discussed but it has worked well for me. You just have to trim it to the proper length.

I eventually ran into problem of the replacement pins backing out. Probably some ovalizing of the hole due to skiing them broken plus the repair process. I just heated up a screwdriver and melted the plastic over top of the hole.

Finally, I'm done fucking with this shit. My T1s are currently at the local shoe/boot fixer and I'm getting them to rivet the cuff to the bottom shell. I rarely use the walk mode anyway and it drives me nuts when it flips to walk mode in the middle of a run.

r.

**Professor** · 01-24-2007, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by rippah

Finally, I'm done fucking with this shit. My T1s are currently at the local shoe/boot fixer and I'm getting them to rivet the cuff to the bottom shell. I rarely use the walk mode anyway and it drives me nuts when it flips to walk mode in the middle of a run.

Just an FYI, I have been riveting the cuff to the lower shell for 2 or 3 seasons in the red t-1s. I recently switched to new t-races and decided to check to see if the rivets has done their job. I took out the pins and neither were broken, which was nice, both were bent at about a 30 degree angle. I am really hoping that the block system on the new white and red T-races solves this problem, but we will find out.

**laseranimal** · 01-24-2007, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Professor

Playing devils advocate here, but you did buy them "second hand". Technically there is no warranty. If you had bought new ones, you could work with a shop to get the problem solved.

Originally Posted by Rascal King

What's the problem here? You got boots, they fucking broke, you ordered a 75 dollar replacement part and they told you it was out of stock. Show some fucking patience. Not everything is in stock.

To be honest I never asked for them to be warrantied, I fully expected to have to pay for the part. My problem is that nobody bothered to check whether they actually had the part before telling me that it should be on its way. And that nobody at Scarpa's spare parts/warranty department seems to return phone calls or emails within what I would consider a timely manner, which has made what I feel should be a simple transaction a minor sized headache. Will I cut them some slack that its SIA? Sure but that doesn't mean that somebody couldn't take 5 seconds out of the day to drop me an email telling me that "holy shit we're swamped with crap to do but we're working on your problem". Thats all it would take to keep me happy. Notice I didn't title the thread Scarpa NA's customer service sucks rascal kings sweaty goat testicles. Is Scarpa the worst CS department I've ever dealt with? No, but I'm not going to say that they're even in the same ballpark as Black Diamond or Smith Optics, and that because of that if given the choice I would have second thoughts about purchasing their product again.

Thats all I'm saying