Re: Duluth Trading cloths
I have 5 pair of pants and 3 pairs of firehose shorts. They come with a forever guarantee, in that if you ever wear them out, tear them, stitching comes undone, or you are just no longer happy with them (as with anything D.T. sells), you can return it for a free exchange or refund. You just pay shipping to ship them back, they pay the freight to ship the replacement to you.
I have used said warranty, and it was a very painless experience. I've found that the pants tend to shrink when washed, and for me I had to go up one size in the waist, inseam was ok, compared to other brands of pants I wear. They replaced all the pants and shorts without any fuss. Yes, they did in fact shrink and I didn't gain inches! Any and all returns are sold through their D.T. outlet store at a discount, so they do sell anything servicable again.
The firehose fabric is pretty heavy duty, and is hot to wear in the dead of summer. For Spring, Fall when I help out on a local farm, they take all I throw at them and stand up to some real abuse. If/when I wear them out or tear them on a piece of equipment, I know that they will replace them if I want them to. Yes, the initial price is up there, but you can get them 20% off from time to time, by watching their web site or signing up for catalogs and/or e-mails. If you are willing to contact their customer service when the time comes that you have any issue, box them up and send them in, you'll get your item or items replaced for no more than the postage to send them back.
Just a couple of weeks ago I made a road trip over to their flag-ship store in Wisconsin and was able to see nearly everthing that they list in their catalog and online. Spoke at length with one of the store employees and came away with a strong impression that the customer does in fact come first. The employee stated that if they don't greet every customer within 15 - 20 seconds of coming through the door, they get an ass chewing. The employee also stated that they stand behind all they sell for as long as you own it...... He noted that not alot of people use this warranty if they have used a product through it's useful life, but it is there for those that do wish to. Some people may agree with using the warranty and some may not, but it's there, and Duluth Trading is no doubt making money..... they opened 2 more stores in Wisconsin and rumor has it that they are looking to expand a store or more in Minnesota in the future.
I am a firefighter by trade and can say that they are made of comparable materieal to actual fire hose jacketing. The stuff is very tough, but does soften some with washing. It is also treated with a repelent that shrugs off spills and stains.
Order yourself up a pair - the 5 pocket jeans are made out of the heaviest weight fabric, and give them a try. If you decide you hate them, you'll only be out the price of a flat rate shipping box to send them back.
