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  1. #1
    Senior Member ^shane^'s Avatar
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    Apr 2009
    Location
    Arlington, TX
    Hammock
    WL Light Owl/Dangerbird
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    WBBMJ Spinn+doors
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    Thumbs up Businesses just don't do this... Thanks Dale!

    I have had some great experiences since finding this crazy place. Great experiences out in the creation. Great experiences with new friends. And great experiences with some of the friendliest business people I've ever dealt with.

    I bought an Incubator from Adam and Jenny a couple of years ago. I was having trouble with a little CBS, and Adam was fiddling with designs, so HE contacted me, and asked me to send my Incubator back. He was "upgrading" me to a new prototype Incubator. He didn't have to do that. I've never had CBS since. I'll always buy from Hammock Gear.

    Well... I'm a believer in Tree to Tree Trail Gear and the hammocks that those boys make. Hammocks are as individual as people, and some of the other, more popular hammocks just didn't work for me. It took one time in my Light Hiker to know I'd found a great fit. It's still my favorite hammock. When Dale announced a 1.1 dbl Switchback, I immediately grabbed one of those too. I wanted to try a netless hammock, so when they became available I bought a 1.9 SL netless Switchback to finish the TtTTG collection.

    When the WL Lite Owl came out, I grabbed one of those just to try something different. I liked it well enough that I could let my netless Switchback go. Here is where the story begins. Quite an introduction.

    I took the netless Switchback to the fall Texas hand at Fairfield this last November, and A LOT of people gave it a test drive. Enter USER ERROR. Without naming any names, I let some try it out that probably tested the limits of the hammock. It never seemed to budge - bombproof. Alas, no one wanted to buy it. That really isn't bad news. I'd just try to sell it here on the forums, or just keep it. You can't have too many hammocks.

    Enter USER ERROR again. I listed the hammock and HobieCat did his best to whittle me down on price, but finally gave in. I sent it, and he said "Shane, this thing has issues." I said "Send it back." No harm no foul. I should have looked over it before I listed it. Turns out the hammock had a spot on one of the sewn channels where it had been stressed and, for lack of a better work, ripped.

    Enter Dale @ TtTTG. I contacted Dale about a possible repair of the hammock. I explained that in no uncertain terms, the cause of the damage to the hammock was user error - too much load. Dale said "Send it back and I'll just send you a new one." Whoa. I tried again. "Hey Dale, what about I pay for a simple modification? Cut off the damaged end, re-sew the channel, and it'll just be a netless SL Light Hiker?" Dale just said "Let me send you a new one."

    Today, when I got home from work, a package was waiting from Dale. It's a brand new 1.9SL netless Switchback. Dale's only request was that I pay it forward someday. I'm still trying to figure out how best to do that. I just wanted to take a couple of minutes to post this here. Some already know about Tree to Tree and how they go out of their way for their customers. This is for those of you that don't. Businesses just don't take care of customers this way any more.

    Dale, you have a customer for life, or for as long as you are in business. Thanks buddy. I hope I get a chance to hang with you some day.
    "One of the best things you can do in this world is take a nap in the woods." ~ Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry

    "While it may be a lot of work, the view is best from the summit." ~ an anonymous staff member of Philmont Scout Ranch

    Enjoy the day
    Shane

  2. #2
    Senior Member G.L.P.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Schuylkill Co. PA
    Hammock
    DIY,WBBB,DutchBridge
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    Cuben,Superfly
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    Quilts :P
    Suspension
    Dutchware
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    5,018
    I got to meet Dlae last year at Mahha and he is a Stand up guy,very nice and a Joy to hang with .... i hope to see him again at spring Mahha
    It puts the Underquilt on it's hammock ... It does this whenever it gets cold

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Spring, TX
    Hammock
    WB Ridgerunner
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    WB Superfly
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    1,530
    Nice!
    We need a LIKE button.

  4. #4
    Senior Member dragon360's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Toronto, ON
    Hammock
    WBBB/TR, DIY, HH, SB DL, GT UL
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    ID/OES/WB/WL
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    HG/WB/Go-Lite/WB
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    Whoopie/Straps/DW
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    1
    A fantastic experience to have! Some really great vendors here.
    The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering. - St. Augustine

    Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.
    - Bob Marley

  5. #5
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    White Mountains, New Hampshire
    Hammock
    DIY, WBBB & Switchback
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    HG cuben,OES Spinn
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    DIY 3/4 UQ/TQ, UGQ
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    Dynaglide / Dutch
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    10,950
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    39
    It's been my experience that cottage manufacturers like Dale and the other vendors on our forum have a different business model than the rest of the universe!

    I believe that one of the reasons we are so passionate about our gear is because we feel like we know the people that made it.

    Thanks for sharing that well deserved praise!
    Mike
    "Life is a Project!"

  6. #6
    richtorfla's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Clearwater,Florida
    Hammock
    Warbonnet BB, Ridgerunner
    Tarp
    AHE Toxaway:UGQ WD
    Insulation
    UGQ,KAQ,Tewa
    Suspension
    strap/buckles
    Posts
    1,965
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    1
    Nice story Shane. I agree with MAd777, They really treat you right or go way above more than they have to.That kind of service always breeds the customer loyalty. Good luck when you decide to PIF!

  7. #7
    Senior Member backpackingZombie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
    Hammock
    DB 1.1
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    CCS 8'x10'
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    Arroyo & Jarbridge
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    Whoopies + toggles
    Posts
    300
    that is a pretty sweet story
    When it seems like the night will last forever
    And there's nothing left to do but count the years
    When the strings of my heart start to sever
    And stones fall from my eyes instead of tears
    I will walk alone by the black muddy river
    And dream me a dream of my own
    -Jerry

  8. #8
    MacEntyre's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Trouble Ranch on Troublesome Creek, NC
    Hammock
    Molly Mac Gear
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    7,617
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    6
    I am not surprised at all to hear your story, Shane!

    - MacEntyre
    "We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." - Ben Franklin
    www.MollyMacGear.com

  9. #9
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Albany, Western Australia
    Posts
    60
    Nice outcome.
    I had a similar sort of experience with Hennessy Hammocks.
    I ordered a hyperlite A-sym and associated fly.
    When I received it, the fly was stuck together very badly like it had been subjected to heat or something. I could "unstick" it but it was taking 10 minutes each time. Eventually I put it away and just used an ordinary tarp for local trips etc.
    Anyway, about six months later I was heading off camping overseas to a tropical location and thought the HH would suit my purposes but didn't want the added weight of a standard tarp.
    About two weeks before, on a whim, I emailed HH and told them what had happened. Without hesitation or question another was underway that day.
    Now HH is in Canada I believe and I am in Australia. It could have been too easy to put this in the too hard basket and told me to go on my merry way.
    Instead I received the fly just before I left and made good use of it for about three months while we were away. It was awesome. Even my mates tried to pinch it whenever I was away.
    That's service hard to beat.
    Cheers
    Bloffy

  10. #10
    Senior Member Womble's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Geneva, Switzerland
    Hammock
    DH Darien / WB RR
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    DW Dyneema/UGQ WD
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    EE RevX / HG Inc.
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    ENO Atlas / Mantis
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    Its good to see that - in times of Globalization and TSR - cottage manufacturers and clients keep up with good old business concepts. Gives me hope for the future of my children. Keep it up, guys ! I wish we had more of your type of cottage manufacturers in Europe.

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