Learn about the Columbia Sportswear Lifetime Warranty program.
Silke and I have worn our Columbia jackets for many years now and they have always proven their self worth. The name Columbia Sportswear conjures such words as: durability, quality, and dependability.
With heavy snow or frigid temperatures, this is our ‘go to’ winter jacket. I have my hat and gloves shoved into the jacket pockets, so my whole outer wear ensemble is always ready for me.
Time and constant use take its toll on all clothes. We have both run into the same issue, the one thing that seems to go first in most jackets. The zipper! My zipper completely came off and left me with very few options. On Silke’s Columbia winter jacket on the other hand, the zipper pull had just broken off the clasp.
A fully functional zipper with nothing to grab onto to get it to move up and down. My first comment was that she could simply carry a needle nose pliers with her and she would be good to go. This comment was met with dead silence and ‘the look’. With ‘the look’ you don’t even have to say anything at all. The furrowing of the brow and the piercing stare says it all.
My second comment was met with much more enthusiasm and seemed like the best course of action.
Send it back to Columbia Sportswear
With the ‘lifetime guarantee’ program, her jacket would be fixed and be as good as new again.
The only thing it costs us is the shipping to get it to their warranty department in Oregon. Living up North in Minnesota we always have more then one winter jacket so the time without it would be filled with a backup. So, we put the jacket in a box with a note explaining the defect and our return address, and shipped it off.
Three weeks to the date and a big package awaited us at the mail box.
The Columbia jacket has been repaired to it’s original glory.
An accompanying official looking certification with the repairers signature and date came with the jacket as well. I had received a similar, and very satisfying outcome when I mailed off my own Columbia jacket the previous year.
Unpacking the fixed Columbia Jacket
The Zipper is fixed – Yay!
Columbia Warranty Repair Sheet
If this all sounds pretty straight forward, mundane and almost to good to be true, then think again.
My Columbia Sportswear winter jacket was over 15 years old! Now try to think of something you bought over ten years ago and would you still be able to get it repaired to the highest level of satisfaction? It’s this level of customer service and quality that simply can’t be beat by other sportswear companies.
Check to see if your Columbia product is under warranty.
Jacket styles may come and go but the durability and outstanding customer service and warranty of Columbia Sportswear will hopefully always remain the same.
Columbia Sportswear Company Warranty Repair Certificate
Dear Columbia Customer: Our warranty reflects the pride Columbia sportswear takes in the quality of its products. We regret any difficulties you may have experienced. Your garment has been repaired, and it is important to us that the repairs are to your satisfaction. If you should have any suggestions on how we can improve our repair service, please write the Consumer Services Department at the address shown below.
14375 NW Science Park Drive, Portland, OR 97229
Or call the Warranty Service Department at 800-622-6953 – press 3
Have you had a similar experience with Columbia Sportswear? Please leave us a comment below.
Nick and Silke
Silke
hi I emailed Columbia and they told me the zipper isn’t covered, but here on your blog people had success in having there zipper replaced by Columbia how’s that.i filled out the required form online and sent it to them, spoke with jasmine d. from Columbia said she could help and than she sent me another email and said she can’t help fix the zipper. I replied back and asked her why , still no answer from her is it life time warranty or not .
Hi Robert, We had our jacket zippers fixed and wrote this article a number of years ago. It looks like Columbia has changed their warranty to a ‘limited lifetime warranty’ for Outerwear since then. It now reads: “This limited lifetime warranty does not cover damage caused by normal wear and tear, improper care, misuse, accident, neglect, or the natural breakdown of materials over time.” I would try calling Columbia again and maybe you will be able to get him or her to approve your repair. Good Luck!
I have an Omni-tech jacket two years old. I know you are not supposed to wash in soap with phosphates in it. it has lost all waterproofing
Hi David, You might be able to waterproof your jacket again by buying over the counter waterproofing spray. The 303 30616CSR Products Inc Fabric Guard has received a lot of positive reviews. You can get here – Good Luck!
When the zipper broke on my own coat I called the company and mailed the coat to Portland, they fixed it and sent it back to me several weeks later. You need to contact Columbia Sportswear directly to resolve the issue.
Check on this webpage if your Columbia product is under warranty.
Write the Consumer Services Department at the address shown below.
14375 NW Science Park Drive, Portland, OR 97229
Or call Columbia Sportswear’s Warranty Service Department at 800-622-6953 – press 3
Good Luck!
I’m writing concerning a broken zipper on my Columbia coat. The zipper needs replacement because the piece that holds the zipper is broken therefore zipper can not be contained in the piece that is designed to hold it. I am wondering what I am to do with the coat since I understand that there is free zipper replacement on all Columbia coats. I am sending you this notice since I have not had a reply concerning this matter after my last email to your company. Awaiting you reply. Thanks!
Everything is very open with a clear clarification of the challenges.
It was truly informative. Your site is very useful. Many thanks for sharing!
Thank you Demi! We’re glad you enjoy the content of our blog and appreciate your kind words.
how are they with boots that are a couple seasons old that are completely falling apart
I will never buy Columbia boots again
Hi Frank, I’m sorry to hear about your inferior boots. I’ve had a pair of Columbia snow boots for about five years and they’re still in great condition. Granted, I don’t wear them that often any more but still, I thought they were pretty good boots.
Anyway, you should call the Warranty Service Department at 800-622-6953 – press 3 and find out if there’s something they can do for you. It never hurts to ask, they might offer you a coupon or something, not sure if boots can be fixed.
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Hi Shirley, Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing our site. We truly appreciate it! I’m happy to know that you found useful information on our blog.
The zipper is broken where can I send it (address) please
Hi Anthony, You can send your Columbia jacket to: Columbia Sportswear Consumer Services Department, 14375 NW Science Park Drive, Portland, OR 97229 Or call the Warranty Service Department at 800-622-6953 – press 3
I’m wondering if it is possible to get a new hood for my Columbia jacket. The fur around the hood is matted.
Hi Tina, I would think that the fur getting matted on your jacket would fall under normal wear and tear. It wouldn’t hurt to contact the company directly to double check though. Here is a link to their warranty page: https://www.columbia.com/warranty
Good luck!
I Have a pare of gloves that turned a different color when set in front of a heater to dry them. Is this covered?
Hi Elsa, Sorry to hear about your Columbia gloves changing color. That isn’t something that should happen and I would think it would be covered by their warranty. Of course, I don’t work for the company so you will have to give them a call at (800) 622-6953 – press 3 and find out for sure.
I have a rain jacket that I have worn for several years but has developed a tear in the seam of the arm
Is this covered under the warranty?
Hi Bill, as long as it’s regular wear and tear I think it would be covered by their warranty. Of course I don’t work for Columbia Sportswear so that’s just an educated guess. You need to call their Warranty Dept. at (800) 622-6953 – press 3 to make sure before sending in your jacket. Good luck and please let us know how it turned out.
This years Columbia jackets pull the trigger
How do I get my Columbia jacket , zipper fixed
Hi Joel, sorry for the late response. Your comment slipped through without us noticing. To answer your questions:
You can get your Columbia jacket fixed easy enough, simply pack it in a box and mail it to: 14375 NW Science Park Drive, Portland, OR, 97229 or call the warranty dept. at (800) 622-6953 – press 3 . (Please make sure your jacket is clean before sending it off.)
We are a Columbia family from my very 1st jacket in the 90s. I have two jackets needing zippers off to them right now and had the same experience this couple did with an earlier jacket. All three had zipper issues, sometimes the metal pull just busts off. Anyway, my first coat came back just as theirs had, with a letter and a warranty repair. The Columbia site asks for a proof of purchase, but if you simply write a note explaining the problem, they still do the repairs for you. The jackets wear FOREVER, one would seldom have a receipt from 15-20 years ago, so I thank them for that indulgence. :)
I save receipts for purchases > $100. I have my original receipt from JC Penneys where I bought my Columbia jacket in 1994. I also have the labels that came with it explaining the Thermaloft filling, etc. I was just looking in my Receipts File yesterday because I wanted to know when I bought my Maui Jim sunglasses. Maui Jim is another great company, and I made that purchase more than 15 years ago.
Wow, that’s awesome! You are way more organized than we are. :) Good for you!
I have a Columbia jacket. Good to know they will fix it if need be. I love my jacket.
They will fix it, no questions asked :)
Follow up on my jacket…Columbia replaced the zipper and I am back in business. They are an amazing company, but I would not have known this is if I didn’t see your web site. I, too, live in South Carolina…north of Greenville. Still need that jacket for cold hiking days in the NC mtns.
That is awesome Barb! Thank you so much for your follow up. Yes, I agree. The Columbia Sportwear company does it right when it comes to customer service.
I have a purple Columbia sportswear coat that needs my front zipper replaced.
Sorry for the late reply. Did you send in your jacket? It takes about three weeks turnaround time.
I still have my Columbia jacket, but since we live in SC now I don’t wear both the inside and outer jacket together very often. :)
I have a Columbia “barrel” jacket that is at least 15 years old. It’s two jackets that can be worn separately or together. The crucial zipper pull broke on the important inner jacket. I actually have the initial receipt. I know–weird, but I was a professional archivist for years and believe I know what pieces of paper need to be saved! Since reading your blog, I plan on mailing the jacket to Oregon this week…I had no idea their clothes came with lifetime warranties. It has been a great jacket and still looks brand new after years of use and machine washings.
How did your jacket turn out?
I just noticed after we posted this that the header picture for the web site is of Silke wearing the jacket at Lake Carlos State Park.
LOL, I just noticed Nick’s comment. We have changed the website layout since then. Sorry!
Oh, and I still love my Columbia jacket. :)
What if I have no receipt
No problem, we didn’t have a receipt either.