Poorly Made Black Diamond Approach Shoes / Failed Warranty Attempt

I recently attempted a warranty on a pair of BD missions. Despite being within their warranty period, BD rejected this as “normal wear and tear” when the entire seam is separating on both shoes. Pretty disappointed in the experience and am going to be avoiding them for footwear moving forward.

Those things look hammered ... you definitely got your money's worth. 

I think it's hard to make a compelling case when the top of the shoes look so beat up and as though they've been dragged through bushes. If all of those rips and tears weren't there, I imagine you'd have had better luck

Ha fair enough, perhaps I should’ve included more detail. While the photo above makes it look like the shoes are toast, you can see below where the leather is separating from the black cloth. The green fuzz, visible in both photos, is the thread that was either poorly sewn, or poorly designed, causing this seam to fail. The black cloth is fully intact so it’s not like this is a tear in the fabric. The rest of the shoe, sole and otherwise has heaps of life.

Since when does Black Diamond stand behind its products?

This is why shoe goo / barge cement, etc exist.

Your second photo also makes them look hammered. Well used shoes - nice work putting the miles in. 

This is almost as bad as people taking 10 year old ski's back to REI and crying that they didn't get a refund. 

It might be worth sharing a picture of an area other than the blown seam. What does the tread look like? You are only showing pictures of the problem area, and people are judging the shoe based on that.

I'll echo Jon's experience: tried to warranty a pair of tennies after both soles completely delaminated after taking them out of the box and jugging 2 pitches. BD told me to kick rocks. 

Meanwhile Sportiva asks no questions and sends a replacement when there's a slight seam separation or a small hole forms from a leather defect.

I'll go with the company that stands by its product.

Alex R wrote:

It might be worth sharing a picture of an area other than the blown seam. What does the tread look like? You are only showing pictures of the problem area, and people are judging the shoe based on that.

Not new of course, still lots of life in these suckers.

I know it’s not shoes, but the lower tie in point on my Solution Guide blew out after a year of use and they also told me that it was normal wear and tear. It was a gift, so I did not have proof of purchase.

The seam hasn't blown, you've a abraded it. Thread doesn't spontaneously snap, if a seam fails it's either an improperly set up machine (it does happen but this fails immediately), or the fabric around the seam fails, neither has happened here. 

Particular wear can cause premature death of a shoe, aid shoes don't die because the sole wears out they die because the toe is ground into dust. 

Camdon Kay wrote:

I know it’s not shoes, but the lower tie in point on my Solution Guide blew out after a year of use and they also told me that it was normal wear and tear. It was a gift, so I did not have proof of purchase.

I don't see what's worn out, the keeper webbing, that little loop, is that what that is? If so, someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but it still looks functional in it's job of keeping the leg loops somewhat centered. And if you're tying into that loop, and causing that abrasion, you can stop. Just tie into the swami and leg loops, above that loop not thru it or below it, if that's what you're doing, not sure how else that would have that kind of wear.