GOOD GUYS AND THE GREEKS

For reasons that totally escape me, some think that the manufacturers of my Wanda (A Stephenson's Warmlite 2C with Large door in a wildly pretty light blue) are 'difficult to deal with.'

All my experiences in talking with them have been completely the opposite. Upon returning from our PreWalkDaunder last week, a few days later I was checking through my gear for the last time before it's final fettling for the Chally. I was aghast to discover that the second section of my main front Golden pre-curved high strength Aluminium alloy pole had a longitudinal ragged crack, mid section about 40mm long. With a sickening recollection, I remembered dropping my pack down onto a big lumpy bit of rock and hearing a funny noise...

Now bearing in mind how long it took for the delivery of my Wonderful Wanda over two years ago, I started to panic. I would, surely, never ever be able to get a replacement section from the States here in time for the Chally. Last Thursday evening I rang Jane at Stephenson's to see what she could do.

Jane explained very carefully that it was important to identify which section of pole was damaged, as each is bent to a different radius to ensure maximum strength of the arch formed.

Well, this morning, only three and a half days after my call, (with a weekend in between too!) a parcel arrived with not one, but two sections of pole, in case I ever had the misfortune to break another section. The second section had a radius that 'would do' in the event of a breakage until the correct section could be obtained.

What fantastic customer service, from a magnificent little company in New Hampshire, US of A.