McHale Super Critical Mass Alpine II Bayonet

Price Paid: $659 at McHale Packs

Summary:

Worst gear purchasing experience of my life!

I was very excited when I received my new McHale Super Critical Mass Alpine Bayonet II in the mail. I had e-mailed Dan McHale back and forth for a few weeks to get the measurements just right. And I had also tried out one of his demo packs.

I tried out my new pack on a short 3-day backpacking trip in the Snowy Mountain Range in Wyoming. Actually, I had planned on a 6-day trip, but I had to cut it short due to pack problems. I experienced the most severe shoulder and hip pain ever. I was carrying about 45 to 50 pounds of weight, which should not have been a problem. I have been backpacking for over 5 years--not an expert, but not a novice either.

When I e-mailed Dan with my problems that I had experienced with the pack on my trip, he sent me a number of angry, bizarre, and abusive e-mails. After I received these e-mails, I asked for a refund. He did finally refund most of my money, but he kept $130 for what he called "shipping costs" and for "wear and tear" on the demo pack. Both packs that I sent back to him were clean and in perfect condition. In addition, I had already paid for the shipping costs.

I know that his packs have received great reviews on this site. Furthermore, my McHale pack was a solid pack. The stitching and materials used were top notch. It was a strong and well-made pack. And I let Dan know that. But the pack just did not work for me.

I am not recommending his packs to my friends or family due to the difficulty I had with mine, and for the poor customer service.

When you spend $659 for a custom pack, you expect the company to stand behind its guarantee. You also expect that the company will treat its customers with respect and professionalism.

Customer Service:

Very poor!

Similar Products Used:

Dana Design Glacier and Kelty Slickrock 6000. My Kelty pack is actually more comfortable than the McHale pack I returned.

This is a post in regards to Mike's review of this pack. He has been giving his opinion all over the net. In my dealings with Dan he has always been great and helpful. If you are interested in his packs you should check this thread out where Mike put in his review and Dan also responds. All the subsequence e-mails are also posted.

http://forums.backpacker.com/viewThread.jsp?thread=10863&forum=4#-1