I needed to get replacement vinyl pads for my Northwater under-the-deck bag, and so I called Northwater. It turns out it is going to cost me $21.50 + $12 for shipping and handling for a set of 4. Ouch! That’s $33.50 for something that originally cost $40 total new (for the bag & 4 pads). That seems extreme. Does anyone know where I can get replacment pads for less? The kind with buckles, to clip the bag in place, or take it out.
No good SOB’s
My wife has one of theirs on her QCC, and we were just getting ready to order two new ones, for a new big expedition tandem that we have, but after reading your post, if we can’t find a different brand, “The bride” says she will sew some of the buckles to pads and we will make our own under deck bags.
I hope they see your post and mine too
jack L
It’s all very high
All the prices of this stuff are very high, but it is all specialty equipment and I doubt anyone is getting rich. The Bag now costs $60 so over $30 for the pads does seem extreme. I’m glad I can sew.
Still a lot of this stuff is very well made and designed. Maybe they even make it here.
must be Extra Virgin vinyl
Raised in the foothills of Vinylvania. Polyester-fed.
Bob_D Not sure how they calculate.
Please call me if you are interested in something better.
Fully insured shipping for wing paddles to you guys s 60.10 USD. Thats it.
I have one
Somewhere deep in my closet I one that is a few year old, unused. Email me off list…Lyn
Exxon-Mobil, Shell…etc…welcome
to the world of shipping via a gasoline-propelled vehicle.
Plain D-Rings
Are averaging $6-$8 in price. When you take 4 of those, the price of the North Water buckle mounts are not out of line. $12, depending on where you are located, is a reasonable shipping fee.
As a whole, we are used to giant companies like Amazon subsidizing shipping. The little shops do not qualify for the same discounts that large companies receive from shippers and the small ones are less willing to absorb the cost as part of doing business.
If you are willing to take the risk, inquire about using USPS, which will ship without insurance and tracking but cost no more than $5. You run the chance that your package will never arrive and will be out all your money, but it is cheaper.
Re shipping
I’m out of step with the rest of the country here, and that’s not Northwater’s fault. At some point 2-3 day mail became the gold standard. Well, that’s fine if you have gold, but I was raised by depression-era parents and can wait. Taking it down to the post office and dropping it in the mailbox wrapped in brown paper for half the price would work just as well–even better–for me.
USPS Priority Mail
I’ve shipped using it and received using it and never had a bad experience. I’d like to say the same about UPS…
from Canada
I’ve visited Northwater’s site - they are in Vancouver, Canada. So shipping from them will be international.
They do most of their own manufacturing (as in sewing) on site, but I suspect they are buying the pads and buckles from elsewhere and sew them there.
Can your local dealer (MBK) order them? Or perhaps even have them?
doesn’t seem extreme
if you want to pay less DIY
That’s what I’m probably going to do
$33 isn’t extreme unless you consider what it’s for. Or if you don’t have $33.
the problem
as much as I like Northwater stuff is that they are making specific items that you can make yourself so if you have bit the bullet for a niche item you’ve already jumped the hurdle of economy.
I made an underdeck bag out of a $5 mesh bag from REI and bits and pieces of webbing, bungie and piece of plastic from a rubbermaid container. I like it better because the mesh allows the contents to dry out and it’s simple. The 1/8" drawstring bungie that replaced the cord bungie for the opening allows me to leave the mouth of the bag about 1/3 open. I can push my hand inside and pull stuff out or I can undo the spring clip and cram something big in.
Make your own
I made my own out of a reinforced vinyl and HH-66 cement because I didn’t want to pay that price.