Warranty and Repairs
Kokatat’s warranty is rather legendary. I send my Kokatat dry wear in approximately once per year for repairs at a minor cost, extending the garments’ lifespan. It is easy, quick, and usually cheap to have seams resealed and pinholes patched. It’s also not unheard of to receive a brand new garment back from Kokatat if they decide the damages are extensive enough and covered under warranty.
Sweet’s warranty lasts two years and, according to their website, “If a Sweet product fails due to defects in craftsmanship or materials, within the warranty period, we will repair or replace the product free of charge.”
I also contacted Johnnie Kern, Sweet’s US representative, and he informed me that:
“We really get into the ‘spirit of the law’ vs the ‘letter of the law’. We guarantee all of our products to be free of defects in material or workmanship for the reasonable lifetime of the product. We understand that there are a lot of options out there and that you’ve trusted us with your purchase. Our mission is simple: we want you to love our products just like we do. If a Sweet product fails due to defects in craftsmanship or materials within that reasonable lifetime we will, at our discretion, repair or replace the product free of charge. Beyond that, we ask that any time you have issues with your product, please get in touch and we’ll gladly help get the item repaired or replaced at a reasonable cost.”
As a Norwegian company, I was curious about how Sweet would handle repairs for US customers, and it turns out that Sweet has two primary repair facilities in North America, one in the US and one in Canada.
Bottom Line
The Sweet Supernova lives up to its high price tag in terms of performance, and it’s unrestrictive fit and effective double tunnel design are points of marked improvement over the Kokatat Rogue. The Rogue has more Cordura reinforcement in high wear areas and features reflective taping, however.
Like Kokatat, Sweet Protection seems serious about standing behind their products with a solid warranty policy, providing a repair service to customers in the US and Canada, too.
The Kokatat Rogue is no longer the only option for paddlers looking for a top-of-the-line dry top, and I think those who purchase the Sweet Supernova will also be very happy with their purchase.