What is your "product loyalty" level?

[JeffG]

I have heard from other hunters, things like "It'll always be a Winchester."  But we all know some product lines are not giving us what we want....new untested gizmos that just don't work.   How loyal are you to the name on your bow?  When do you just say "That's it!" and switch to another brand?  Show what is the most likely solution to having a piece of bowhunting related gear FAIL you.

[Lawdog]

I started out 40 plus years ago like most kids back then with Ben Pearson fiberglass bow and wood arrows.  Then as my funds grew I switched to Bear Archery equipment, a Bear Kodiak Magnum that I still have and use.  Problems with different bows came about with the introduction of compound bows.  I didn't get one for years because of all the horror stories that were flying about.  Got my first compound bow in the 1980, a Oneida Eagle.  Why, because it looked like my old Bear Kodiak, a classic recurve.  I have never looked back.  The problems came from getting bows for family members.

The PSE my son bought that they gave him the run around about on the wood grip that kept falling off.  Their solution was to tell him to glue in back on a brand new bow.  Took him almost two months to get them to fix that bow then he traded it in on an Oneida Areo Force.  No problems there.  The Browning the wife got because of it's short length(33") that was a royal pain to try to tune and wouldn't stay in tune no matter what.  The dealer sent it back to the factory and after three months he gave her a refund even though he hadn’t heard from Browning himself.  Set the wife up with an Areo Force too.  I'm sure that both PSE and Browning a good companies and that they must stand behind their products or else they wouldn't still be in business.  Still, if a company burns me once I don’t give them a second chance.  Remember the old saying, “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me”.  No second chances.  Lawdog

[JeffG]

Ain't that the truth!  

[bigpapascout]

when I find a good piece of equipment I will stick with it until it is worn out but most everything that i have is still in perfect working condition. If it dont work the way that is supposed to I will go and exchange it for the same item to give the company the benefit of the doubt but If it fails me twice I will exchange it for another brand and I will warn others against buying that particular piece of equipment.
not the company its self but the particular product. :bye:

[Arrroman]

The most exspensive, painful, and potentially embaressing thing you buy in this lifetime is an education. What ever you are looking for take a little time, ask a few questions and read as much as you can about something before you get it. After all, its your choice and your money when you come right down to it. Don't be afraid to be the judge when you look at something for the first time. If something isn't finished properly or doesn't work properly to begin with don't get it. If something works for some people and doesn't for others get the pros and cons straight before you make a decision. Don't rely on the summary judgements of those who may not understand how something works, because if something does work, they don't have a clue and their opinion is useless. If someone does have good results with something you are interested in find out why, because at one point they may have been in the dark too, and they will be eager to share their knowledge with you. In the end you are the judge, I hope these few hints will help you to judge wisely.

[S.B.]

My trouble with polls is, the options nevers seem to fit my true feelings. But, if it's junk I'll definately tell everyone I can get to listen. Sporting goods equipment is far too expensive to let it go if it's junk.

[Bowhunter57]

JeffG,
I'm torn between choices #2 and #3. I usually give the company a chance to make it right, BUT it depends on the type of malfunction that has occured with the equipment.

I've been shooting a long time and have seen enough equipment breakdowns at the competitions to determine if it was just plain poor workmanship of the manufacturer or negligence on the shooter's part.

So, for me, it depends on the type of malfunction as to whether I sell it and purhase another brand or attempt to have it repaired and keep it.

Good hunting, Bowhunter57

[JeffG]

In this age of "upgrade", replace, and "new and improved, I find that just about the time I break something, I see some product I think may be better, and go buy it.  I never seem to wear anything out.  But I have a whole box of "maybe I can use this someday "gear...

[Skipper]

I don't like cheap made stuff.  If I break it that's one thing, but if it breaks with what I think should be normal use, I'm usually not happy, and will tell everyone I know.  Its kinda like the water I got in my Diesel Fuel this weekend.  The BP station in South Corbin is on my bad list.

Skipper