Bad experience at Feathered Friends

[goatboy]

There are two separate (though inter-twined) issues here.

 

One is the substance of the disagreement itself, pitons at Index (about which there may have been a misunderstanding).

 

The other is the quality of a customer's experience in interacting with store employees.

 

I personally love Feathered Friends and applaud their ethics and values on local climbing areas and conservation. I also wonder if they might not have achieved all of that (item #1) while better understanding the customer's intentions and leaving him with a better impression of being respected (item #2). It is possible to achieve both.

 

I also think that these things happen and Eddie's response is exemplary, opens the door for more dialogue, and deserves respect and support.

 

If I ever decide to buy bolts or pitons, I'll buy them from FF!

[featheredfriends]

They've been cocksuckers at feathered friends since atleast the late 70's. Who cares buy the shit from europe where the standards are established and maintained.

 

I guess, since we started in 1972, we have a few years under our belts of not being (what he said above). Sweet!

 

Unfortunately I was just in Europe where climbing gear was usually 30-50% higher in cost than in the U.S., but if you sneak a climbing trip in with it and eat Ramen for dinner it might be able to break even. Good times.

Edited January 28, 2011 by featheredfriends

[Jon H]

They've been cocksuckers at feathered friends since atleast the late 70's. Who cares buy the shit from europe where the standards are established and maintained.

 

I guess, since we started in 1972, we have a few years under our belts of not being cocksuckers. Sweet!

 

Unfortunately I was just in Europe where climbing gear was usually 30-50% higher in cost than in the U.S., but if you sneak a climbing trip in with it and eat Ramen for dinner it might be able to break even. Good times.

 

Handled with grace. Eddie, I applaud your efforts.

 

I highly doubt any of the internet tough guys would walk into your shop and call you a cocksucker to your face. The internet is a magical place where pretty much everyone has a Napoleon complex....

[Hugh Conway]

Oddly I always find the cocksuckers in these threads to be the customers. Featheredfriends may not be the most welcoming store on the planet, but they've been a nice dependable store in my experience, and I've spent $$ there and will again.

[RaisedByPikas]

I had great service at feathered friends when my wife and I got our AT setups during their preseason sale. Also it always feels nice to use REI's parking when going to FF.

[ryanb]

Feather friends has one of the better rock shoe selections in town for people who actually want shoes that are useful for free climbing and there staff has always been helpful with my obsessive shoe trying on though I only end up buying anasazi.

 

I've actually tried to purchase a drill there but they didn't have one ... either that or they thought I was a chump who was going to grid bolt the LTW.

 

Mark,

 

What route/pitches are you talking about? Bits of Snow White have gone free for years and p1 with slight variations is a fixed sport route (Dwarf Tossing...it is even listed on mountain project). I don't know about the upper pitches and I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt as far as intentions but it sounds like you may be working from out of date information and I can understand if someone thought you were going to nail a free route.

 

 

[bucketz]

If I ever decide to buy bolts or pitons, I'll buy them from FF!

 

thats why we hope you dont put up any routes...hardware is a construction trade and not some pasty douche who got told by some other douche that one thing is good...

 

redheads for life!!

[rob]

I took my newb girlfriend to featheredfriends and she basically tried on every pack in the store, trashing the place. They were super helpful, and way less snobbish than most other climbing shops. They even tore out hip belts from other packs in order to get a perfect fit.

 

I've never had a bad experience there.

 

 

[DPS]

I took my newb girlfriend to featheredfriends and she basically tried on every pack in the store, trashing the place. They were super helpful, and way less snobbish than most other climbing shops. They even tore out hip belts from other packs in order to get a perfect fit.

 

That's because your girlfriend is super hot.

[DavidW]

"There aren't very many places around here to climb, and each location has its own set of ethics."

 

True enough about the ethics but really? There aren't many states with MORE scope for climbing than here in Washington!

 

Wanna hammer some steel? Just read all you can and then wander off into the woods somewhere lonely and have a bash at it! Sure, you won't get to pound your chest about sending badass routes at Index but you can learn all you need to know fairly near your car and no one needs to ever know, hear or see where you went. All it takes is some imagination!

[denalidave]

I took my newb girlfriend to featheredfriends and she basically tried on every pack in the store, trashing the place. They were super helpful, and way less snobbish than most other climbing shops. They even tore out hip belts from other packs in order to get a perfect fit.

 

That's because your girlfriend is super hot.

[featheredfriends]

True enough about the ethics but really? There aren't many states with MORE scope for climbing than here in Washington!

 

Ha...you're totally right David. Should've been more clear and said, "There aren't many places within a short drive of Seattle where you can climb on clean granite. Just Index and Renton."

 

 

Edited January 27, 2011 by featheredfriends

[RuMR]

I care. You came to buy gear and you got an unsolicited lecture.

Same dude would probably sell you loads of hangers, quick draws and drilling jive to use for damage wherever you dang well please!

 

I find it's best to do your own research before you go into a shop. There's no guarantee that "the guy in the green vest" or whatever has any useful knowledge or experience (unless he's the owner of Pro Mountain Sports). I know of at least one Feathered Friends manager who is registered on this site. Hopefully he'll read this and respond on or off-line.

 

you'r commenting on unsolicited lectures?? W T F! now i have heard just about everything!!!

[pink]

i love fucking with snobby climber shop dudes, it's just takes to much energy to be that rad

[denalidave]

I care. You came to buy gear and you got an unsolicited lecture.

Same dude would probably sell you loads of hangers, quick draws and drilling jive to use for damage wherever you dang well please!

 

I find it's best to do your own research before you go into a shop. There's no guarantee that "the guy in the green vest" or whatever has any useful knowledge or experience (unless he's the owner of Pro Mountain Sports). I know of at least one Feathered Friends manager who is registered on this site. Hopefully he'll read this and respond on or off-line.

 

you'r commenting on unsolicited lectures?? W T F! now i have heard just about everything!!!

... Pot/kettle black...

[Raindawg]

I care. You came to buy gear and you got an unsolicited lecture.

Same dude would probably sell you loads of hangers, quick draws and drilling jive to use for damage wherever you dang well please!

 

I find it's best to do your own research before you go into a shop. There's no guarantee that "the guy in the green vest" or whatever has any useful knowledge or experience (unless he's the owner of Pro Mountain Sports). I know of at least one Feathered Friends manager who is registered on this site. Hopefully he'll read this and respond on or off-line.

 

you'r commenting on unsolicited lectures?? W T F! now i have heard just about everything!!!

... Pot/kettle black...

 

A predictable personal attack. You might wish to conisder that nearly any response on a bulletin board such as this, can be construed as a "lecture", if you choose to do so. On the internet, you can see the name "Raindawg" or whoever and scroll on by and avoid their comments or perspective! You freely chose to read and comment with the above quotes. In person...you can walk away, or in the case being discussed, shop elsewhere if you don't like the aggressive advice from the sales-dude.

[Water]

to the original topic was it best form that nobody who was selling or renting anything to these bozos said anything?

 

if you'll recall that report, that is 6mm static utility cord, tied with a noose to either end, with quick-draws from belay loop to the rope (pretty sure just clipped loose for the middle folks). wooohoo! from my tell of it those look like REI rentals. there must be a line somewhere with speak/discuss what they're doing with what you are selling/renting. these folks were 'surprised' they had the 'summit' to themselves at 10am on a late august morning on hood.

[bucketz]

water- so who cares what those bozos stye is. doesn't affect you ..and you are not required to ehlp "aid" in anyone of need either. but i bet you offred no on hand advice, just took a picture and now can be snarky about what you see with no real help to anyone. tho i did learn something from this..you are an office working douche bag!

[G-spotter]

to the original topic was it best form that nobody who was selling or renting anything to these bozos said anything?

 

august morning on hood.

 

They see me strollin'; they hatin'

[Water]

water- so who cares what hose bozos stye is. doesn't affect you ..and you are not required to ehlp "aid" in anyone of need either. but i bet you offred no on hand advice, just took a picture and now can be snarky about what you see with no real help to anyone. tho i did learn something from this..you are an office working douche bag!

 

you may be correct about the latter but surely I did not take the photo. they presented this endeavor for the forum to enjoy: Mt Hood in early September

I am just saying if your job was renting/selling the gear, is there some line where you may discuss what they're going to do with it? or No? I guess, maybe its just a job so who gives a rat beyond your paycheck--that is a fair approach too.

 

No I don't care personally what those bozos style is, though as a compassionate human being I would not want to see them needlessly get hurt or needlessly place SAR crews in harms way due to questionable judgment. but i don't climb mt hood in august and september so I wasn't there to positively interact with them.

 

btw i have enjoyed your petulant style since you have started posting, you're quite the iconoclast.

Edited January 28, 2011 by Water

[dfrost]

Two thumbs up, Water. Great point, and most of us got it:

 

"there must be a line somewhere to speak/discuss what they're doing with what you are selling/renting"

 

Too bad this implies a certain level of knowledge on the part of the salesperson, in an industry where specialty shops can't make enough money to pay employees much more than minimum wage, and only very occasionally, health insurance. Why this is the case is another conversation entirely.

 

It sounds like Mark's interaction at FF is a situation where everyone would have benefited from taking a breath. Mark was not able to communicate exactly what he was going to nail up (& still is, from reading subsequent posts), and the salesperson didn't listen well enough to realize Mark's good intentions. Of course, if I heard "Index" and "pins" in the same sentence, my brain might turn off too.

 

For this story, I've heard at least one other about every other shop (REI included) in town. As a consumer/shopper, if you can't get the information you want from a salesperson, or get directed to someone who CAN answer your question, then maybe you're asking the wrong questions... or maybe you're expecting them to read your mind.

[Dane]

This is an interesting read.

 

I likely know the sales person pretty well. I know the original poster too.

 

I have seen and had similar conversations here with Eddie @ Feathered Friends when we mutually disagreed in a generally friendly manner.

 

Seems to me there is a HUGE gap in communication left untouched.

 

Some where retail has decided to "define" how their products are used and by whom.

 

Retail customer has every right to bitch about their personal experience.

 

And I have the privledge of shopping where I prefer......which is generally some place other than where the management or sales staff uses the word "cocksuckers" in a public forum.

 

Call me old school.

 

And the local retail stores wonder why they lose sales every day to the Internet.

 

Ya, there is a disconnect for retail....any retail. The CUSTOMER is always right. Once you forget that your business is on the way to the grave. Enjoy the ride

 

Hey Mark, I own more pins than FF and REI combined has on the wall. You want to climb something on Index that requires a pin and a hammer not only am I happy to sell you what you need but tie in with you to use them. May be not everyone's game but just how hard was that people?

[wdietsch]

And I have the privledge of shopping where I prefer......which is generally some place other than where the management or sales staff uses the word "cocksuckers" in a public forum.

 

I'd have to agree .. even realizing it was a quote from a previous post, it did change my perception of FF, at least that of the retail shop

[Raindawg]

guess, since we started in 1972, we have a few years under our belts of not being c@#ksuckers. Sweet!

 

And I have the privledge of shopping where I prefer......which is generally some place other than where the management or sales staff uses the word "c@#ksuckers" in a public forum

 

What Dane said!

[eldiente]

I'll second (er third) what Dane said. You've got to be careful what you say when you're on the clock even if it is just CC.com.

 

-Nate

Edited January 28, 2011 by eldiente