Arguably one of the most important aspects to buying pretty much anything these days is customer service. In the case of premium products, people want to know that the brands themselves stand behind the quality of what they sell. Today we’re going to look at my recent journey through the repair process with Patagonia.

Why did I get in touch with Patagonia repair?

I’ve had my Patagonia Reconnaissance pants since 2015 and they’re one of the most – if not THE most – used snow / ski / touring pants in my arsenal. While they’re not made any more, these pants are something I’d like to keep around as long as I can. So imagine my dismay when, about halfway through this most recent ski season I found myself with a bit of a draft just behind the crotch. 

Now, I’ve known about the Patagonia repair program for quite some time but I’ve never had the need to use it. Now was my chance. Being that one of Patagonia’s main missions is to minimize environmental impact from it, many of their customer service initiatives are focused on maximizing the use of a piece of clothing or gear. 

Step-By-Step Patagonia Repair

Step 1

The first thing I did was to head over to the Patagonia repairs page on the company’s website. It’s worth mentioning right up front that you need to have a Patagonia account so that their customer service team can properly document the case. 

While on the repairs page you’ll notice that not only does Patagonia customer service begin to walk you through the process of mailing back your product to one of their repair techs but they also give you a link to DIY repair guides via iFixit. Also on this page, you’ll notice that there is a way to send you gear in for repair even if you didn’t order it through your online account.

Step 2

Once you initiate your return you’ll arrive at this form:

On this form, you’ll be able to give as much detail as possible to make your clothing repairs easy to understand for the repair technicians and customer service team. At this point you’re also able to let Patagonia customer service know if, in the event that your gear is NOT able to be repaired, whether you’d like your item back without being repaired or if you’d like the company to recycle it for you and give you possible merchandise credit.

Step 3

On clicking through to the next page following the detail of your requested repair, you’ll arrive at this page for shipping information. This is needed because Patagonia will issue you a standard shipping label for a flat $5 fee which will whisk your repair away to their facility. 

Step 4

 After you’ve paid for your $5 shipping label, find a properly-sized box, slap the label on it and pop it in the mail! That’s it!

How long does a Patagonia repair take?

On the Patagonia website it mentions that the average repair turnaround is typically 10-15 weeks. Now, before you go getting all bent out of shape at that time frame, let’s have some perspective and realize how much you’re paying for this repair cost by Patagonia themselves. Literally the best repair experts!

In my case, I feel like I really lucked out on the turnaround time! I tossed my pant into the mail on April 11, 2022. On May 10, 2022 I received an email letting me know that my shipment had arrived at the product repair facility:

Literally only THREE DAYS LATER I got another email letting me know that my repair assessment and the repair itself were done and that my much-loved Patagonia Reconnaissance pants were on their way home to once again grace by butt.

No repair fee. No unnecessary shipping fees. Turnaround time WAY ahead of expectations.

Other ways to handle damaged Patagonia repairs

The environmental cost of just throwing away a piece of gear from a premium brand (or any brand, for that matter) is one that doesn’t really need to be incurred. Patagonia stands behind their products and encourages you to beat the hell out of them. After all, that’s why you paid for a high-end outdoor brand.

If a particular repair cannot be done because it involves complicated repairs or because the gear in question has simply reached the end of its useful life, Patagonia will help you in recycling it. Additionally, they actively encourage you to return use gear for credit toward a new replacement through their Worn Wear program. In addition to helping you replace your beloved gear, Patagonia Worn Wear is a fantastic way to get your hands on gear from other people that was returned for any number of reasons at a fantastic discount.

Overall

Here’s the thing; do I need to have repairs of outdoor gear made? Probably not. I’ve got lot’s of amazing clothing that I can mix and match to me heart’s content. However, the ability to get my used, loved and temporarily broken gear in action again is a big deal. Patagonia made this return and repair process simple and much faster than even they advertise. I already tell people about Patagonia Worn Wear and their recycling programs and this is one more thing I’m excited to share.

View More: Patagonia, Patagonia repair, Patagonia repairs, Patagonia worn wear