Schnee’s Quality Control Issues?

[checkerfred]

I bought a pair of the Timberlines on sale during the holidays. On the first pair, the black leather near the eyelets was bunched up forming a roll. I sent them back and 2 weeks later got a replacement. On the replacement pair, the liner is sagging in the toe box and you can feel it while wearing them. I’ve tried to call several times now and can’t even get anyone on the phone. Has anyone had any quality issues like these? Doesn’t really give me confidence in the boot

 

[Yoder]

I just got a pair of the Beartooth boots last month. They were good, just a little narrow. I'm still waiting to get the replacements.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

@Schnee's will help you out.

 

[Schnee's]

I bought a pair of the Timberlines on sale during the holidays. On the first pair, the black leather near the eyelets was bunched up forming a roll. I sent them back and 2 weeks later got a replacement. On the replacement pair, the liner is sagging in the toe box and you can feel it while wearing them. I’ve tried to call several times now and can’t even get anyone on the phone. Has anyone had any quality issues like these? Doesn’t really give me confidence in the boot

Hello and sorry your having issues with the boots. It is definitely not normal.. And apologies for the difficulty getting through. Most of our team is out at SCI in dallas currently, then Sheep Show the following week. I drew short straw and am the only person manning our customer service line. Shoot me an email and I'll help you out asap! - matt

[email protected]

 

[Buzby]

I tried 3 different pairs of Timberlines before I got a pair that didn’t have a wrinkle in the liner. I was so close to giving up on them. Then I got a good pair, and I love them. For me it was worth the hassle of returning several pair (didn’t cost me a dime). I had already returned several pair from other companies that just weren’t going to work at all (most were not free returns). I do question Schnee’s QC a bit, though their CS is on point.

 

[southernbuckeye]

I just got my first pair. Got the Bear Tooth 0g. Got a 1/2 size smaller than usual. Seem to be everything I thought I was getting.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I tried 3 different pairs of Timberlines before I got a pair that didn’t have a wrinkle in the liner. I was so close to giving up on them. Then I got a good pair, and I love them. For me it was worth the hassle of returning several pair (didn’t cost me a dime). I had already returned several pair from other companies that just weren’t going to work at all (most were not free returns). I do question Schnee’s QC a bit, though their CS is on point.

This has been my experience too. It’s u fortunate because they make some boots that check a lot of boxes but I’ve personally had quality issues with them and stories like this are very common.

 

[Pramo]

I have a year old pair of beartooths that developed a crease on my big toe joint. I dealt with the pain for the few days left of my hunt and they ate laces, I was on my second pair due to the locking mechanism. By then end of the hunt I couldn’t walk normal and had to wear slippers for two weeks when I got home.

I need to send them back but I am worried about having to deal with another failed pair. I think the eyelets should go down further and not have a big eyelet in the set closet to the bottom. Other boots like Zamberlan do this and don’t have the fold issues

 

[thinhorn_AK]

It’s too bad these boots tend to fail because the granite pro looks like it would be a good choice. Not worth the risk though.

 

[Schnee's]

It’s too bad these boots tend to fail because the granite pro looks like it would be a good choice. Not worth the risk though.

I wouldn't say our boots "tend to fail" really. Every brand/manufacturer has a certain failure rate, and we sell many others, besides our own. Overall, ours have an extremely low rate of issues or failures. On the Granite Pro, I've actually never seen one come back for an issue except a guy broke a lace hook one one. Which we repaired at no charge to him and got him back out there. - matt

 

[travisurkul]

I ordered a couple of pairs to try on. All 4 boots have a wrinkly, slightly sagging liner in the toe box. Is it not supposed to be like this?

 

[Bailer]

I have a year old pair of beartooths that developed a crease on my big toe joint. I dealt with the pain for the few days left of my hunt and they ate laces, I was on my second pair due to the locking mechanism. By then end of the hunt I couldn’t walk normal and had to wear slippers for two weeks when I got home.

I need to send them back but I am worried about having to deal with another failed pair. I think the eyelets should go down further and not have a big eyelet in the set closet to the bottom. Other boots like Zamberlan do this and don’t have the fold issues

My first pair had that toe crease pain shortly after I got them. I loosened the laces right at the toe for a while which minimized the issue. Wasn’t too many miles and they broke in. 4 years or so later and no problems. The second pair I bought doesn’t seem to do it, but I probably have less than 10 miles on them.

 

[Pramo]

Mine were good for a season with lots of training hikes and 10 days hunting and I really liked the boots, this year 5 days into a 8 day hunt I dealt with rain and snow and the crease developed pushing the large lower lace eyelet and leather into my toe joint. I'm no boot maker but am a engineer. I took a look at all high end boots they have prebuilt areas to shift the creases above the toes and lower eye lets are flat. The beartooth and I also have timberlines that my son now uses are more luck of the draw on where the leather decides to fold. I figured I was good and on my second season with them. I had one other pair of boots fail me on a hunt where the rear seam completely blew out that was fun still killed a bull and hiked it out 5 miles two trips with my sock filled with blood

I own beartooth, timberline and a pair of hunter II packs so I don't hate schnees, I know there is a new beartooth maybe that fixes the issue

This sems to be pattern on a lot of boots to account for flex




No folds but lower laces and flatter eyelets

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I wouldn't say our boots "tend to fail" really. Every brand/manufacturer has a certain failure rate, and we sell many others, besides our own. Overall, ours have an extremely low rate of issues or failures. On the Granite Pro, I've actually never seen one come back for an issue except a guy broke a lace hook one one. Which we repaired at no charge to him and got him back out there. - matt

I guess “fail” was the wrong word but most of the posts in this thread really sum up the general consensus about your boots. It’s great you stand behind your products and repair/replace at no cost to the customer but imagine that happening on a fly in hunt in AK or something. Sort of like cortex scopes. They will happily stand behind their warranty promise but that does you no good during a hunt.

 

[realunlucky]

I have a couple pairs of beartooth and granites, I've haven't had any of the problems in this thread maybe because I'm wearing a 14w/15 so maybe the longer foot box doesn't crease as much.

Some people are constantly complaining about something on this forum and I always factor that in when reading about thier experiences. When a glass is nearly empty kinda person tells a story you already know how it's going to end.


Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[Killshot824]

Bought a pair of bear tooth 200g around thanksgiving and have been wearing them daily for the last month or so with no issues yet!

 

[11boo]

My only gripe about my timberlines is I didn’t buy them sooner.

 

[Andouille]

I'll add a positive note on quality; I have some around-town weighted training and a week of hunting in my Granite 200g boots. The hiking was in sopping wet, muddy, rocky, and steep conditions on Adak and the boots held up great with no damage to leather, soles, or the rand. This type of "Alaskan" condition typically strips leather of sealant quickly and finds any leaks pretty quickly. Quality appears on par or better than my Lowa Tibets, so I'm super pleased with my purchase. I'd buy another pair.

 

[Schnee's]

I ordered a couple of pairs to try on. All 4 boots have a wrinkly, slightly sagging liner in the toe box. Is it not supposed to be like this?

that sounds very strange. shoot me an email. Would like to know more, maybe get some pics. - matt

 

[Schnee's]

I guess “fail” was the wrong word but most of the posts in this thread really sum up the general consensus about your boots. It’s great you stand behind your products and repair/replace at no cost to the customer but imagine that happening on a fly in hunt in AK or something. Sort of like cortex scopes. They will happily stand behind their warranty promise but that does you no good during a hunt.

For sure, and totally understand your point and that would really suck. If I said it's never happen before, i'd be lying. But it is exceptionally rare. The vast majority of guides, outfitters, etc.. that use our boots and beat on them every day, in some insane conditions and terrain, without issue. But, it is just a fact of life that a product of any kind can experience a failure anywhere, at any time. We do our best to ensure it doesn't happen, but nobody bats 1000 and in the end, we just believe in standing behind our products and providing the best customer service in the industry if it does happen.

I gotta say, i love these threads, the feedback and discussion. No brand or company is perfect, and stuff like this helps us all do better going forward.

- Matt