Getting gear ready for a trip, and I found my barely-used dromedary bag was already leaking. I contacted them regarding warranty, and the automatic response noted, "Please note that we are experiencing a very high volume of requests and it could take up to eight weeks to hear back from us."

Eight weeks. Yikes! Not happy about that, but if you have MSR gear, give it a good check as soon as you can because if you need anything from them, it sounds like you'll be in for quite the wait.

EDIT: This applies to this applies to MSR, Sealline, Platypus, and Thermarest--Cascade Designs is the parent company of all of them and specifically who provided the response regarding warranty service.

Thanks for the heads up. I have a suspicion it won't only be MSR . . .

I received a case number for my flame throwing Windburner stove in late February, and a repair order number and instructions for mailing in early March. USPS shows that it was received in Seattle on March 11th. I have been writing each month for a progress report. Their latest reply was on April 15th:

“Thanks for your inquiry. It looks like this warranty is still in queue to be inspected. We are about 4 weeks out after receiving the item to start the warranty/repair. Looking at when it was received, we should be hopefully getting to this RA in the next few days.”

Thanks......sounds like they're hiring too but when you can get paid as much or more NOT to work right now....them and everyone are short on workers.

I sent a damaged Sealine pack to Cascade Designs earlier this year, which is also the parent company for MSR. My pack was delivered to them on 1/22 and I was finally able to get someone to respond to me last week Friday. My pack is being replaced, but backordered indefinitely. According to the employee I talked to, they're struggling to source raw materials plus container ships are lined up waiting to unload product.

All my gear gets checked about two weeks before a trip. If I find something broken I still have plenty of time to replace it.

If yours doesn't arrive in time I'll loan ya my 2 quart MSR bags or some Camelback 100 ounce bladders.

butthead

I have a feeling that I'll be using a lot of duct tape and rubber cement this season to keep my gear working!

butthead: "If yours doesn't arrive in time I'll loan ya my 2 quart MSR bags or some Camelback 100 ounce bladders.


butthead"

Thanks, neighbor, but in addition to a 40 oz Klean Kanteen, I also have a 2 liter Camelback...oh, and I have a 2nd drom bag that I recently bought to serve as additional rucking weight to help get back into shape and as a backup. Didn't actually think I'd need it as a backup right away. Hopefully it doesn't spring a leak so soon. The drom bags aren't necessary, but when basecamping with a group, it's nice to have a big ol' 10 liter reservoir hanging at the ready.

Savage Voyageur: "If I find something broken I still have plenty of time to replace it. "

2 weeks may be enough lead time in a normal year... this year is a different beast altogether... what I've found with outdoor activities in the last year (bird hunting, deer hunting, turkey hunting, ice fishing, open water fishing), if you don't buy whatever you need at the very beginning of the season when retailers are getting their normal seasonal inventory in, you are going to have a tough time finding it after that.

Thanks for posting this. I have both a Dromedary bag and a Windburner. Neither has been used for nearly 2 years (Damned Covid) but will be in June.
Will check both.

MB

To clarify, this applies to MSR, Sealline, Platypus, and Thermarest as they are all owned by Cascade Designs.

jwmiller39: "

Savage Voyageur: "If I find something broken I still have plenty of time to replace it. "

2 weeks may be enough lead time in a normal year... this year is a different beast altogether... what I've found with outdoor activities in the last year (bird hunting, deer hunting, turkey hunting, ice fishing, open water fishing), if you don't buy whatever you need at the very beginning of the season when retailers are getting their normal seasonal inventory in, you are going to have a tough time finding it after that. "

Right you are. I found this out last December when everything ice fishing related was already sold out. No Otter sleds were available in Minnesota, I checked everywhere. I had to drive a hundred miles away and they had one left. Eskimo shelters were all sold out, 40 volt Strikemaster ice augers were sold out. I was lucky to find a big buddy heater at Fleet Farm.

This is vindication!

The last couple of weeks I've been ramping up on gear prep and organizing for my late August trip. I was laughed at a bit for doing this SOOOOO far ahead of time. In reality, it does not sound like I'm really too far ahead at all!

Great idea. After a short trip earlier this week I can see that I need to put a little TLC into my 20+ year old Whisperlite.

I'm leaving in two weeks, so last weekend I checked my old Whisperlite and even older Simmerlite - they both work just like when they were new! These have been workhorses for me and have never failed in the field.

Well, I'm done with MSR. My brand-new Dromedary bag leaked all over the place before it ever even saw field use, and 8 weeks is a ridiculous amount of time to have to wait just to communicate with someone about it.

FWIW I’ve never had an MSR item fail (Pocket Rocket circa 2001, 2 drom bags, Thermarests, Mini works, etc.). I don’t baby gear and have a piece 20 years old. Their stuff is made to work at 20+ thousand ft down to us sea level dwellers. I trust what I have from them. In my opinion all gear should be tested before trips and all companies have failures. Everything, even myself, has a lifespan.