mightyhunter
Very Active Member
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I sent in a pair of 10x42 Kahles binoculars for work that were purchased new at Sportsman's Warehouse in Colorado Springs. They were hardly used as my primary go to binoculars included a range finder. The clarity had gone bad in these binoculars. Swarovski in Rhode Island is the agent who handles these type of issues for Kahles. The binoculars had always been in a binocular harness when used in the field. They usually spent most of the time put away.
I paid the cost of shipping the binoculars to Swarovski in Rhode Island. Apparently, Swarovski shipped the binoculars to Kahles in Austria. After hearing nothing for weeks, I contacted Swarovski for a status report. They informed me that Kahles had advised them that numerous repairs were necessary at a sizeable cost. The cost was a little less than $ 400. If I wanted them exterior coated again after they tore them apart for repairs it would an additional $ 50 or so. The binoculars had a camouflage exterior coating on them when purchased.
Essentially they wanted at least $ 400 for repairs on a pair of binoculars that were purchased new for around $ 900. These same binoculars are advertised on EBAY for around $ 600.00. I don't know if they ever sell at that price. I told the rep at Swarovski that the cost to restore them made no sense whatsoever financially. He claimed that my opinion was "subjective" and I told him no, it was just "common sense". I told them to have Kahles send the binoculars back. I received them yesterday with no written or itemized explanation as to the needed repairs, work or what they had found. However, I did get them returned in a nice box.
I only share my experience for this purpose. When you buy high end optics, you need to know what the manufacturer will do if they no longer work. A few years ago, I sent my Swarovski rifle scope in after it had lost it's charge in the middle of hunting season. I got them returned and working many months after hunting season. I did have the out of pocket cost of shipping. I had a Leupold Spotting Scope a few years back that no longer worked. Leupold replaced them free of charge. Right now, I have Leica Range Finding Binoculars, a Swarovski rifle scope and these non-functioning Kahles binoculars.
In the future, I am thinking if I need any high end optics that I will look to Vortex, Leupold or Maven because I believe they will actually stand behind what they sell. I can no longer say that about European glass after my Kahles experience.
just sayin...mh
I paid the cost of shipping the binoculars to Swarovski in Rhode Island. Apparently, Swarovski shipped the binoculars to Kahles in Austria. After hearing nothing for weeks, I contacted Swarovski for a status report. They informed me that Kahles had advised them that numerous repairs were necessary at a sizeable cost. The cost was a little less than $ 400. If I wanted them exterior coated again after they tore them apart for repairs it would an additional $ 50 or so. The binoculars had a camouflage exterior coating on them when purchased.
Essentially they wanted at least $ 400 for repairs on a pair of binoculars that were purchased new for around $ 900. These same binoculars are advertised on EBAY for around $ 600.00. I don't know if they ever sell at that price. I told the rep at Swarovski that the cost to restore them made no sense whatsoever financially. He claimed that my opinion was "subjective" and I told him no, it was just "common sense". I told them to have Kahles send the binoculars back. I received them yesterday with no written or itemized explanation as to the needed repairs, work or what they had found. However, I did get them returned in a nice box.
I only share my experience for this purpose. When you buy high end optics, you need to know what the manufacturer will do if they no longer work. A few years ago, I sent my Swarovski rifle scope in after it had lost it's charge in the middle of hunting season. I got them returned and working many months after hunting season. I did have the out of pocket cost of shipping. I had a Leupold Spotting Scope a few years back that no longer worked. Leupold replaced them free of charge. Right now, I have Leica Range Finding Binoculars, a Swarovski rifle scope and these non-functioning Kahles binoculars.
In the future, I am thinking if I need any high end optics that I will look to Vortex, Leupold or Maven because I believe they will actually stand behind what they sell. I can no longer say that about European glass after my Kahles experience.
just sayin...mh
