Ripstop Repairs vs Boulder Mountain Repair

Anybody have recent experience with either of these businesses in the Boulder area? Any recommendations?
Thanks, Mark

This is from Ripstop Repairs posted on Supertopo:

"I am an authorized sewing repairs service provider for several gear manufacturers. I’m not set-up to deal directly with the public. If you need a repair done, take it back to the store where the item was purchased. If the store can’t help you, contact the manufacturer."

In short, you are SOL in Boulder as far as I know.

ripstop is great! a bit unconventional, perhaps, but quality all around. for expedited service bring a six pack of your favorite beer. whatever you do, DO NOT CALL AHEAD, the ring of a telephone is the devil in that shop.

This place gets good reviews:

Rainy Pass Repair - Seattle

JLP wrote:Their website suggests otherwise.

What I copied and pasted is a direct quote from the owner of Ripstop Repair who posted it to Supertopo back in 2008. Who you gonna believe?

It is however entirely possible that Ripstop could repair your gear just fine. Jack Roberts was happy with them. Roll the dice.

Ripstop repairs did a good job on my old jacket. New seam seals, new waterproofing, new zippy...it's back from the dead.

For my new jacket which had a busted zipper, they wisely suggested I send it back to the manufacturer, and that worked too.

Plus the chick who does the sewing in the back is cute. I just showed up there one day after dropping off some shoes at Rock-n-Resole.

Andy Kowles wrote:Plus the chick who does the sewing in the back is cute.

she IS cute..

maybe it's the way that she gives you that knowing smile when she sees the sweat beading up on your six pack as you walk through the door..

If the cute chick is doing the repairs, then I think you'll be fine. Drop off some resoles next door while you are at it.

I wonder what it costs to get a pack patched these days.
I left mine at the base of Psychosis last Sunday and even left the thing open for the G%#$ D#$% Chipmunks to see for themselves that there was not a scrap in it.
But they didn't have the courtesy to enter and exit from the same place...
Anyway, now I've got a 2" round hole to patch right in the bottom of my pack.

I finally got around to having our sleeping bags washed at Ripstop Repairs. I was satisfied with the results and would use them again.
Some caveats-
Their focus seems to be on manufacturer repairs, not their walk-in business, so don't expect valet parking, or an effusive welcome.
I made it clear I wasn't in any hurry, which turned out to be a good thing, as a series of equipment problems at the laundry stretched out the time needed to get the bags back. However, it was no problem picking the bags up for a weekend of camping then returning them to the queue for washing.
If you have critical time constraints, you should make those clear and have a frank discussion about whether your timeframe can be met.

The bags came out great. Like new, way fluffier than they have been in years.

Mark

Was that down or synthetic bags, Mark?

Goretex fabric, down fill. Kind of overkill in these temps.

I had some serious pack modifications (stiffening the hip belt, upgrading the frame) and a jacket zipper repair done by Ripstop Repairs about two years ago. The older gent at the counter was so grumpy that I was headed out the door, but he decided to take the work after grousing and the quality of the work was very good. I was completely satisfied even factoring the grumpy service.

Stich wrote:This place gets good reviews: Rainy Pass Repair - Seattle.

This is who arcteryx used to refer people to when their gear was "out of warranty" and still made in Canada. I used them and was pretty happy with the turn around.

I have dealt with both.

BMR did leave Bouldet, moved to Lzfayette and then left there. He does however still do repairs but you have to mail him your stuff with details. So you can't brainstorm with him regarding ideas. Still I think his work is great. And yes it may take a bit of time as he doesn't have a sop anymore.

Now Ripstop Repairs suck!!!! I can't say anything good about them. If you call the message box is full. If you send an email you get an autoreply that pretty much says go elsewhere. And if you go there in person then you have to deal with rude staff that absolutely will not help you. Now if you are lucky enough to meet the owner, then brace yourself..... He is an ass and he doesn't really want your business.

Nonetheless I had to go there a couple of months ago to get a very specific thing done on a backpack. I was told the pack would be ready the following thursday. So I drove down there (3 hours from my house), but the owner wasn't there and the prick working in the back would not help, so I had to drive back home ( another 3 hours). A month later I went to the fabled R&R (who are the greatest people on earth by the way) and luckily the dude was there so I could get my pack. I asked the R&R folk if he is always like this and they all rolled their eyes.

So that is my story!!!! Personally I would find a local seamstress, it will probably be cheaper and the service much better.

Ron is still in business, he changed his business model so he doesn’t have to deal with the public anymore.

Phyllis Grimm at Stitchlines in Denver is only open to the public three days a week, two hours a day. That doesn’t mean she only works 6 hrs/wk, her “real” customers are bulk contract repairs (Patagonia, REI, etc.). Dealing with the public is a headache and a hassle. She only does walk-in repairs as a public service.

Ripstop Repairs does thousands of repairs every year for all the best brands. My “real” customers are bulk contract repairs for member companies of the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) located in Boulder, CO. We have very specialized training, equipment and techniques and only work on better quality packs, tents, sleeping bags and technical clothing. Walk-in repairs are not an important part of our business but we do it as a public service.

Interesting enough, at the same time Mia was writing her spray another customer was writing a glowing 5 star review of Ripstop. The reviewer was very happy and talks about specific details, about zipper gauge, color and type of zipper, matching thread and contrast stitching and the overall quality of the work. This customer came in and with few expectations and left “amazed”. It’s fun when customers “get it” and appreciates our work.

On the other hand, Princess Mia talks about message-boxes and e-mails and 3 hour drives and never talks about the actual work. We are a sewing shop, our only “service” is sewing. This is a factory; we don’t have public bathrooms, we don’t give tours and if you need a lot of hand-holding and special attention (or feel entitled) then go back to Vail.

Most people who sew or assemble are paid on a piece-rate meaning they get a set amount of money when they have completed a sewing task. The “prick” that Mia refers to is paid on a piece-rate and not at all interested in entertaining customers while I was gone (about 10 minutes). Even the “cute chick” that Stich refers to was piece-rate and wouldn’t really chat you up. We make our money the old fashioned way, we work for it.

Oh, and by the way, Rascal (the wiener) likes me more than Mia. If you look at the Illuminati picture, that’s my crystal ball, that’s the bed I made for him in the window and the other picture clearly shows the Burly trailer that I customized for him. He doesn’t like her at all. Not even a little bit.

c'mon jonathan, I should get a T shirt or something

Rascal

Custom Dog Trailer

Princess Mia just has the same perception of at least 50% of the people you have the unfortunate opportunity to deal with face to face in a customer service setting. I heard the same complaint from a friend that used your services. No interest in returning phone calls or e-mails. You're a hermit. Period.

Most of us here don't enjoy throwing our gear into a black hole and hoping for the best. We like someone that can tell us, yes, it will be done at a certain time or no, it will be next week, or we are too busy this month with our wonderful bulk customer's needs. We like businesses that will you know, talk to us. This may just be wishful thinking that this sort of business even exists anymore.

But keep up your own PR writing. It's awesome.

I went to Ripstop many years ago when I had an old VW Vanagon. They made me a custom seat cover for the rear seat in my van. The owner was helpful and even took me into his warehouse to pick out my own fabric. He took measurements and the seat cover turned out great. I had a very positive experience at the shop and his quality was great.

alley jim wrote: On the other hand, Princess Mia talks about message-boxes and e-mails and 3 hour drives and never talks about the actual work.

Calling a customer a "Princess" because they complained? Acting like returning phone calls and e-mails doesn't matter? That was a good sales pitch - for your competitors!

Another "interesting" experience with Ripstop Repair:

I dropped off a pair of pants to have a zipper repaired. After calling and getting no answer, emailing and getting no response, and braving the remarkably unfriendly signs (and humans) at the counter, I drop them off after 20 minutes while they had more important things to discuss in the back.

I was given a date, told to return after then, and not to call or bother them until then. I was told they would not call me to tell me it was done. Okay... not really a problem.

Arrive at promised date, pants aren't ready. Told to return in a week.

Return in a week. Pants not ready. Ask again if they could call when they are ready, pointing out than 15 seconds of their time could save me a wasted trip. NO. Given the "We don't really serve individuals" line.

Third time, more waiting for no apparent reason other than to prove how unimportant I am as a customer, I finally got the pants, and it's a nice repair job, and very cheap. I suppose that's the bottom line. The rest is so excessively bad I find it more amusing than anything else.

There's a good business opportunity here for anyone interested in opening a competing shop...

I learned to sew parachutes in the 82nd Airborne, later sewed at Jrat, Mountain Mend and Boulder Mtn. Repair back when they were at Table Mesa Shopping center. I like the Ripstop dude BECAUSE he's such an innapropriate fucker. God that would be funny if I bought a few of the right machines and opened shop.

FrankPS wrote: Calling a customer a "Princess" because they complained? Acting like returning phone calls and e-mails doesn't matter? That was a good sales pitch - for your competitors!

That's precisely the problem... high demand, little or no supply.
I went in once, was impressed upon by several clues that my stuff would not be a priority and decided not to have the work done there.
And it still isn't done because I dunno who else would do it. Maybe I'll have to "talk shop" with Hank.

Hank Caylor wrote: God that would be funny if I bought a few of the right machines and opened shop.

Sounds like an opportunity. Why don't you? Pack and tent repair isn't like hardware stuff where you have to worry about life-line style liability...