Just in case anyone was thinking of buying Rukka kit - it may have all the brand names like GoreTex etc. but don't expect much for the ludicrously expensive price you're paying!
I bought an Armas suit just over 3 years ago at a cost of well over £1500 and I have had a litany of problems with it since day one - to the point where it is literally trigger's broom:
After 9 days of ownership the Goretex lockout closure was split across the outside tracks, making the zip almost impossible to close. The entire zip was very stiff. Tranam replaced the jacket as it was effectively new.
After about 2 years on the original trousers a split developed in the stitching down one leg and the zip split. This was argued about but eventually done under warranty. The trousers came back from Rukka with a burn-mark through the material near the repair, presumably by someone cack-handed whilst heat-sealing the seams. Rukka denied all knowledge of this; fortunately after much argument Tranam replaced the trousers.
About 9 months ago the zips on both sleeves started to separate. Another warranty return. I reported the velcro flap on the neck but this was ignored.
The jacket has just gone back again to have the velcro in the neck looked at, the Gore Lockout closure has split again in 2 places and the left hand bottom pocket zip has split at the bottom. The trouser knee has worn through just a year after getting a replacement garment. Tranam has send the pics off to Rukka and not only have they refused a warranty claim, but they are refusing to repair it at cost, saying that they
only now do warranty repairs. Even if they did, they'd charge £210+VAT to replace one 6"x6" panel
Now, the garments have been completely waterproof, so the GoreTex works. However in addition to the numerous repairs, the suit suffers from a number of pretty major design flaws:
- Gore Lockout (now abandoned and not available on any Rukka garment) - whilst waterproof is prone to split and needs constant application of silicone lubricant
- There are no flaps behind the Gore Lockout so in very cold weather you freeze from the zip area. The internal outlast liner zips in the jacket rather than in the middle, so no help there!
- Neck velcro - too short to stay in place and has flapped around in the breeze since about 4-5 months of ownership
- Zips are on the underside of the sleeve where they're hard to reach with gloves on (I notice they've since moved the zip to the top of the sleeve)
- The material underneath the Superfabric on the knees is wafer thin - about the thickness of two sheets of A4. God help you skidding down the road on the knee!
- I've had plenty of different garments but never worn anything so uncomfortable - it's stiff and unyielding at the elbows and knees and has absolutely no useful venting of any kind. Sure, it's not a summer mesh suit but other kit I've owned has been both waterproof and breathable
So, in essence, once the warranty expires you're on your own. If you should find anything that they assess as wear and tear, they won't repair it, even if you pay. Built-in obsolescence in a £15 kettle is fair enough, but in a £750 pair of trousers?
As a comparison I have a Hein Gericke Tricky suit (
total cost, £515) which I have had for about 9 years. GoreTex? Check. Superfabric? Check. Waterproof and Never leaked? Check. Any damage after sliding down the road twice? No? Check.
Having bought over £3K worth of their kit in the last 3 years, Rukka will not be getting another penny from me - they may look premium but they're made in China just like everyone else's garments and just as liable to fail. And whilst several repairs were done under warranty, you're stuffed if they don't accept it as a warranty repair.
I must however say a big thank you to J&S for doing their very best to sort things out, and they're currently trying to arrange a non-identical repair with Hell for Leather. Thank you also to Tranam for stepping in when Rukka bailed out. Any suggestions on good, well-spec'ed mid-priced garments I can bin after 3 years without worrying about warranty claims?
