Down top up & sleeping bag conversion service.

old-skool-lite

old-skool-lite

Thru Hiker
Mountaineering Designs - Probably 25 years since I used them for a top up but appear to be still around.

Anyone used them recently?

They'll clean, top up down or take down out of old bags & put into new shell.

Mountaineering Designs - Down Upgrading, Reconditioning and Regenerating of Mountain Equipment - Down Sleeping Bags

We offer the most exclusive cleaning, upgrading, reconditioning and regenerating services for professional and high spec outdoor and thermal down equipment, specifically down filled jackets and down filled sleeping bags. This unique service has been developed following many years of experience...
www.mountaineering-designs.co.uk www.mountaineering-designs.co.uk
 
cathyjc

cathyjc

Thru Hiker
old-skool-lite said:
Mountaineering Designs - Probably 25 years since I used them for a top up but appear to be still around.

Anyone used them recently?

They'll clean, top up down or take down out of old bags & put into new shell.

Mountaineering Designs - Down Upgrading, Reconditioning and Regenerating of Mountain Equipment - Down Sleeping Bags

We offer the most exclusive cleaning, upgrading, reconditioning and regenerating services for professional and high spec outdoor and thermal down equipment, specifically down filled jackets and down filled sleeping bags. This unique service has been developed following many years of experience...
www.mountaineering-designs.co.uk www.mountaineering-designs.co.uk
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I had a bad experience with them a couple of years ago. Sent my Cumulus Quantum 450 to be cleaned. Got a message to say "they had repaired the zip and it was the best they could do - it was damaged when I sent it to them". They claimed it was worn out at the bottom and now wouldn't connect.
I was puzzled to see what was going on. When I got it back they had stitched bottom closed (double ended zip) and it had been re-connected so that at the top there was 3" difference one side to the other. My family were horrified.
Not Happy - as It had been in good working order when I sent it in. I phoned them and had a really unhelpful conversation with a guy who just laid all the blame for the mess on me. They refused to replace the zip cost free as I thought was warranted

In the end They refunded the cleaning cost and sent me the longest zip they stocked which was about 12" too short for my bag - glad I didn't get them to repair it.

I bought a length of zip from Extreme and repaired it myself. My daughter has been using it ever since with no problems.

It was their poor customer service which annoyed me the most - refusing to take responsibilty for their mess and thinking I'd be OK with it.

So up to you - I won't go there again.
 
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old-skool-lite

old-skool-lite

Thru Hiker
cathyjc said:
I had a bad experience with them a couple of years ago. Sent my Cumulus Quantum 450 to be cleaned. Got a message to say they had repaired the zip and it was the best they could do - it was damaged when I sent it to them. They claimed it was worn out at the bottom and now wouldn't connect.
I was puzzled to see what was going on. When I got it back they had stitched bottom closed (double ended zip) and it had been re-connected so that at the top there was 3" difference one side to the other. My family were horrified.
Not Happy - as It had been in good working order when I sent it in. I phoned them and had a really unhelpful conversation with a guy who just laid all the blame for the mess on me. They refused to replace the zip cost free as I thought was warranted

In the end They refunded the cleaning cost and sent me the longest zip they stocked which was about 12" too short for my bag - glad I didn't get them to repair it.

I bought a length of zip from Extreme and repaired it myself. My daughter has been using it ever since with no problems.

It was their poor customer service which annoyed me the most - refusing to take responsibilty for their mess and thinking I'd be OK with it.

So up to you - I won't go there again.
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Good to know. Not used SMG for sleeping bags but done good jobs on other stuff.
 
Mole

Mole

Thru Hiker
I used Scottish Mountain Gear to clean and top up my winter bag a few years ago. Very happy with the results.
 
cathyjc

cathyjc

Thru Hiker
Diddi said:
But some companies just dont care.
In the day of social media they should be more careful, but some just are not. 🫤
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This isn't a big outfit - it may only be that one guy. I certainly didn't get the option to talk to anyone else.
I'd used them several times before without incident and they could have kept my business with a more consiliatory attitude.
 
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Deek

Deek

Backpacker
No experience of alterations but I've used them twice in the last couple of years to clean 20 year old ME down stuff. I was very happy with the service. I dealt with the person I took to be the owner who was friendly, helpful,gave me good advice and was flexible about delivering and collecting in person.
I can only say my personal experience was positive.
 
Nevis

Nevis

Thru Hiker
I had a really bad experience with SMG, sent my TT Scarp to them for a new slider, they couldn't find a slider so replaced the whole zip without asking me and so doubled the initial quote...ohh and it took four months to get it back and it looked like a dogs dinner :( Never again!
 
old-skool-lite

old-skool-lite

Thru Hiker
They did a great job fitting new zip & stormflap velcro to my Edge recently. I'd not be happy with them doing unquoted work mind.

Also had groundsheet replaced on old tent & various other repairs without issue. Best they did, on behalf of Macpac, was make a complete old style flysheet in a later generation fabric. That was over 20 years ago.
 
Nevis

Nevis

Thru Hiker
It was more the fact that they just sent me a revised quote, cost only and when i asked why it had doubled only then did they tell me about replacing the zip and the fact it took four months.
 
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