14ers.com

BillMiddlebrook wrote: ↑Fri Nov 08, 2019 5:04 pm

curt86iroc wrote: ↑Fri Nov 08, 2019 2:42 pm more updates:

https://gearjunkie.com/backcountry-fire ... ationships

Nope. Bye... I spent years displaying their logo to the Colorado hiking community but no more. Their contrition falls flat in my opinion and, as a relatively small company, they should have been all over this before the sh!t REALLY hit the fan. Nope. Bye.

Well played Bill...thank you. I have sent several emails to them about this crap.

Mike

This is how I would expect and hope a responsible outdoors company would operate. Kudos to Backcountry magazine.

https://backcountrymagazine.com/stories ... -lawsuits/

Eric

I don't want to buy from them either. Their litigation threats amount to bullying. The word "backcountry" is in the common domain, and I doubt they'd ever win in litigation. But the threat works, unfortunately. That conduct is despicable.

But here's the dilemma: their prices beat almost anyone's.

I check reviews on outdoorgearlab.com before purchasing any significant gear. That site lists the manufacturer's price and the price at a couple of resellers. Backcountry is usually listed, and almost always offers 25 percent or more off the MSRP. How do you pass that up? (I wonder how they do it, but that's a different conversation.)

The reseller that comes closest to Backcountry is Amazon. I'd like to go with Amazon, if it has a good return policy. If anyone has tried to return items (especially clothing) to Amazon, please post your experiences.

I agree re backcountry.com’s prices. I’m upgrading the drivetrain on my road bike and they are $100’s cheaper than anybody else even other online retailers. Like you I have no idea how they do it. And I like Amazon but got burned once on their return policy which at the time (and might still be) was strictly 30 days. Got something as a Christmas gift which was ordered a few weeks before Christmas and by the time I attempted the return it was beyond the limit.

Backcountry.com took a beating for their aggressive litigation around the trademark on "Backcountry." Personally I felt the blowback was rightfully deserved, as I thought their actions were a stretch, as "Backcountry" is a term that was in use long before they came upon the scene.

While I am not advocating for people to start shopping from them again (I will let everyone make their own personal choice), I do feel everyone should who blasted them for their unsavory actions, at least consider what they have done since then to remedy the situation.

https://coloradosun.com/2020/11/23/back ... -bullying/

It does sound like the new management has really made a concerted effort to repair their relationships with vendors and outdoor groups who were threatened by their over-zealous legal group's actions. The follow through hasn't been 100%, but I think worth watching to see if they continue to make amends.

Interesting article.

I think it's good they're trying to make amends. Likely much more driven by the extreme backlash rather than genuine remorse other then the "sorry I got caught" variety.

But still, better than nothing. I think their company will survive and ultimately it's capitalism, so prices, supply, selection, efficiency will win the day.