If you’re fond of high quality gear, then you already know the prospect of outfitting your home, car, closet, pockets, etc. can be a very expensive one. And that’s made even worse if something you’ve purchased that you are quite fond of breaks or is defective. Luckily, if that is the case, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have to drain your bank account replacing your favorite stuff.
Many companies actually offer up limited warranties on their products. But, really exceptional brands, makers, and manufactures take things a step further, upping the length of the warranty to cover the functional lifetime of their gear. Sometimes that means unquestionably repairing or replacing anything defective. Other times it means restoring your purchase to brand new condition regardless of what is wrong with it. Whatever the case, we’ve scoured the men’s gear landscape to put together the following list of fifty the best brands which have a lifetime warranty on their offerings.
Arc’teryx
Canadian purveyors of fine outdoor gear, Arc’teryx is one of the most highly sought-after brands on this list. Their offerings are also some of the most expensive – though certainly not without reason. But those prices seem a lot more reasonable when you find out that they also have a lifetime warranty on their products. It’s not unconditional (meaning they won’t cover normal wear and tear), but the brand is committed to making sure you get the most out of your purchase and will repair anything that arises from manufacturing defects. You can also pay a small fee to have them fix something not covered by the warranty.
Benchmade
Fans of everyday carry can tell you that, probably more than anything else, knives see the most frequent use and abuse – which can be a disheartening prospect if you pony up the dough for something exceptional and American-made – like the blades made by Benchmade. Luckily, however, the brand is so confident in their gear that they offer a conditional lifetime warranty. So long as you make a purchase from an authorized dealer and don’t modify the knife in any way, Benchmade will repair or replace anything caused by manufacturing defects, be that in workmanship or materials.
Buck Knives
Buck Knives has been making blades for well over 100 years at this point. And they didn’t make it this far through shoddy workmanship. To prove their dedication to quality products, the brand offers what they call the Buck Forever Warranty. It covers any manufacturing or material defects in any of their products for the functional lifetime of said products. While that doesn’t encompass normal wear and tear or neglect and misuse, it’s still refreshing to know you can purchase from them with confidence, knowing they’re not interested in taking you for a ride.
Calphalon
Kitchenware can be a very expensive proposition, but a necessary one if you ever want to cook your own food. Still, we’d much prefer to pick up some culinary gear from a brand with clear confidence in their offerings. Such is the case with Calphalon. Besides normal wear and tear and issues caused through neglect or misuse, this company will happily repair or replace anything they make that has manufacturing or material issues. And if you send something in to be fixed and the brand can’t reasonable find any defects, they’ll send it back to you with a letter detailing their decision.
Camelbak
Cleverly dubbed the ‘Got Your Bak’ lifetime guarantee, famous and lauded hydration brand, Camelbak, builds and sells a number of the worlds best hydro packs, water bottles, drinkware, and more. And since they pride themselves on creating incredibly rugged stuff, they’re also confident enough to cover all reservoirs, backpacks, bottles and accessories from manufacturing defects for life. Just don’t try to pull the wool over their eyes with something you neglected or misused, as that won’t fly – nor will lost or stolen items.
Cascade Designs
Cascade Designs is the firm behind Therm-A-Rest, MSR, Platypus, SealLine, and PackTowel. Unfortunately, they do not offer a lifetime warranty on everything from all of their sub-brands – namely MSR (the warranties is limited to 3 years). The other four, however, boast lifetime warranties against defects for the useful lifetime of the products (with the exception of electronics) – so long as you use them as instructed, care for them, and keep them in working order as best you can.
Columbia
One of the most recognizable outdoor brands in the world, Columbia also has the added benefit of boasting a guarantee for the life of some of their products. No, the warranty is not promised for everything that they create – for instance, footwear (e.g. hiking boots) is guaranteed for a year. But, if you purchase outerwear (e.g. jackets) and/or equipment (backpacks, sleeping bags, etc.) they’re covered on a limited basis for the functional life of the product. Their site, however, does say that some exclusions apply, so it’s a good idea to double check at the point of sale before you buy.
Craftsman
One of the most recognizable tool building brands in the world, Craftsman just popped up in the news for coming to an agreement with Lowe’s (the hardware store) to be sold in their stores. And that’s excellent news both for the tool-making brand and their customers. And if you’re not one of their customers yet, you might want to get onboard as their “Hand Tool Full Warranty” is one of the best guarantees on the market. What it means is, if you purchase one of their hand-operated tools (there are exceptions, so check the listings first) and it doesn’t satisfy your needs for any reason, it will be repaired or replaced free of charge. This does not, however, cover normal wear and tear on any parts the brand has deemed “expendable,” like saw blades. They also offer a different limited lifetime warranty on some things not covered by their full guarantee.
Davek
Umbrellas are not typically thought of as tough pieces of gear. Davek, however, believes they should be – at least when it comes to the ones they make and sell. As such, they offer an unconditional lifetime guarantee on all of their umbrellas. All you have to do is pay for shipping. And yes, it is truly unconditional, according to Davek. Stated plain as day on their guarantee page, it states that “if your umbrella should fail to function properly at any time for any reason whatsoever, we will gladly repair or replace it for free.” The next time you need an umbrella, do yourself a favor and get one from Davek.
Dakine
Everyday gear can pretty easily last for years and years. Outdoor-focused gear (like snowboarding gloves), however, is another story entirely. The kinds of things built to survive in the sleet and snow need to be built a little bit tougher to survive the elements. And that’s why it’s so impressive that the gear purveyors at Dakine offer a limited lifetime warranty on their bags and packs. So long as damage isn’t the result of normal wear and tear or neglect and misuse, Dakine will happily replace or repair their packs and bags free of charge. And that’s especially true if the imperfection is the result of a manufacturing defect.
DeWalt
With their signature toughness and black and yellow color scheme, DeWalt’s tools are some of the best on the market. In fact, the company is so confident in the capabilities and manufacturing quality of their offerings, that they actually offer two different lifetime warranties. First, they have a suite of tools covered by an unconditional “Full Lifetime Warranty,” under which they will replace the applicable tools with no questions asked. The other, which covers many of the brand’s hand tools, is a limited guarantee for the functional life of the tool itself.
Duluth Trading Company
There’s a pretty good chance that, if you’ve watched TV in the last few years, you’ve seen a TV spot for Duluth Trading Company. What you might not know, however, is that they have one of the most customer-focused lifetime warranty policies in the entire world. Called the No Bull 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, the brand will take back any item at any point, so long as you are dissatisfied with its performance. That’s all there is to it. And that simplicity and dedication to customer service is admirable, to say the least.
Learn More: Duluth Trading Co.
Eddie Bauer
Eddie Bauer has been around for a long time now. And we have to credit that, at least partially, to their excellent satisfaction guarantee. Like Duluth, Eddie Bauer offers a completely unconditional lifetime warranty on their brand name products – like pants, warm jackets, and more. It was a policy the business hinged upon nearly 100 years ago and it’s something they have sworn to uphold into the future, as their founder would have wanted it that way.
ESEE Knives
It takes quite a bit of confidence for a hard-use knife brand to put an unconditional guarantee on their products, but that’s the kind of company that ESEE Knives is. Paired with their dedication to create some of the absolute toughest bladed tools on the planet (especially fixed blades), this brand will repair or replace any broken knife, no questions asked. And that has led them to be one of the most admired knife making brands in the world.
Feetures
We’re pretty sure most folks consider socks to be an expendable accessory. After all, they’re bound to rip, tear, wear down, or get lost in the wash at some point, right? Feetures doesn’t think so. They created their socks to be the best in the world, and they stand behind that claim. If you’re ever not satisfied with your purchase, they’ll let you return them for a replacement, no questions asked.
Filson
The king of American heritage brands, Filson makes some of the most handsome outdoor gear in the world. And they stand by their workmanship and quality above nearly all else. But the one thing that tops that is their dedication to customer service, which can be gleaned in their lifetime guarantee. All of their products are warrantied for the lifetime of the product against failure or damage, so long as you’re using it for its intended purpose.
Fisher Space Pen
Since 1968, every NASA astronaut has carried with them a Fisher Space Pen. And while the brand will happily repair or replace the pen of any space-faring human, that guarantee falls on those of us back on Earth, as well. That’s right – these EDC writing utensils are warrantied for the lifetime of the product against defects and malfunctions, no questions asked. The only thing they ask of you is to properly package your pen when you mail it to them, as they can’t be held responsible for USPS-caused damages.
Fiskars
Even in normal use, hand tools see a lot of abuse. And while they won’t fix any issues that arise from neglect or misuse, Fiskars wants you to be sure you never have to worry about manufacturing defects. If ever one of their products fails you due to imperfections in the materials or build, they’ll take care of it for you – so long as you submit a claim within 30 days of discovering the issue.
Flowfold
American craftsmen are a proud bunch – and rightfully so, as USA-made goods are some of the absolute best in the world. So when a company slaps on a lifetime guarantee on top of the already excellent quality, you can be sure you’re getting something special. Such is the case with Flowfold, as they’ll repair, replace, or refund any purchase – so long as the damage is the result of manufacturing defects.
Gerber Gear
Walk into any outdoor gear store and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll lay eyes on something made by Gerber Gear. They even sell their knives in Wal-Marts around the world. You might find it a bit surprising that such a ubiquitous brand would offer a lifetime warranty on their suite of products – but Gerber does, so long as you live in North America. Best part is, if they can’t fix or replace an item, they’ll give you a replacement of equal value (which is great for recently discontinued EDC knives and tools).
Gibson
Guitars (electric or acoustic) are absurdly complex instruments and, as a result, have so many parts that could break or stop functioning as originally intended. And that can be frustrating for the guitar player, as fixing the instrument can be incredibly pricy. That’s why we’re impressed by Gibson’s warranty. For the lifetime of the original purchaser, Gibson will cover all the costs of fixing any manufacturing defects. So, if you buy a guitar now and you discover a manufacturing defect in 30 years or more, they’ll still fix it for you.
GoRuck
Known for building the unbelievably tough “bombproof” GR1 backpack, GoRuck is unabashedly confident in the quality of their products. In fact, they’re so steadfast that they offer up a lifetime’s worth of repairs on any and all of their branded gear. Their SCARS guarantee doesn’t cover everything, however. If your bag gets ripped to shreds by wolves, bullets, or a chainsaw, that falls under the purview of what the brand calls “excessive abuse.” After all, it’s a backpack, not a bomb shelter.
Hydro Flask
If you’re in the market for a new water bottle, beer growler, or even camping drinkware – you might want to consider picking up something from Hydro Flask. Not only is their gear super tough and useful, but they guarantee it against defects for life. As long as you’re using your gear normally and appropriately, the brand will send you any replacement parts you require. You may be asked to submit photographic evidence of the issue, however.
JanSport
Easily the most ubiquitous name in EDC backpacks, JanSport has been making excellent everyday carry bags since 1967. And a bit part of that success can be credited to their limited lifetime warranty. If you own on of their bags and a problem with it arises through no fault of your own, the brand will fix it or – barring that – replace it. All you have to do it submit a claim and send it into their warranty center for repairs. The policy is not unconditional, however, so make sure you’re not abusing your bag to take advantage of the guarantee.
Ka-Bar
Even if you’re not familiar with the name, you’ve probably still got some measure of awareness about the Ka-Bar brand. After all, they’re the knife maker that supplies the USMC with their famous fighting knife. Interestingly enough, they also offer a limited lifetime warranty on their products. If there are any material or manufacturing issues that arise through normal intended usage, Ka-Bar will fix or replace their gear free of charge. That being said, they know their knives are not invincible and will, over time, succumb to normal wear and tear – which isn’t covered.
Kershaw/Zero Tolerance
Kershaw and Zero Tolerance, who are both owned by Kai LTD, make some excellent everyday carry knives. In fact, they both rank amongst the best knife making brands in the world. That reputation is only bolstered by the fact that both sub-brands offer a limited lifetime warranty on their products. What’s even better is, if you send in your knife under a warranty claim, these brands will send it back to you sharpened to a razor’s edge – free of charge.
Koss
When it comes to lifetime warranties, it’s really hard to find electronics brands that guarantee their gear. Koss, however, is a member of the minority, offering a promise that spans the lifetime of their audio gear – albeit a limited one. Still, so long as you can illustrate that the issue is a manufacturing defect and not the result of neglect or misuse, Koss will go to great lengths to ensure you get a repair or replacement part. It’s simple, straightforward, and admirable in an industry so void of this kind of promise.
Lupine
Pets can be very hard on gear, especially their own. In fact, if you’ve ever owned a dog, you probably already know the pain of having to constantly replace leashes, collars, etc. Next time you’re in the market, however, you’ll want to check out Lupine – this brand will replace or repair anything that has suffered accidental damage. That includes chewing. And you don’t even need a receipt. Even if you don’t own a dog yourself, keep Lupine in mind for the dog lover in your life.
Mission Workshop
Renowned for making some of the best urban everyday carry gear available – thanks to the unique combination of toughness, functionality, and style – Mission Workshop has another major bonus to their business: a lifetime warranty on everything they offer. If, for any reason, you find a defect in the materials or workmanship of a MW product, they’ll repair or replace it free of charge and even eat the cost to ship it back to you.
Mountain Equipment Co-op
Though they function as an outdoor gear retailer, selling from a wide variety of brands, MEC also sells products with their own name on it. And all of those products are backed by the brand’s Rocksolid Guarantee. Not only does that cover the lifetime of your gear and any defects you might discover, but they even back the advice given by their employees. So, if you buy something based on their expert advice and it turns out to be unsuitable, you can just bring it back and they’ll take care of you.
Nemo Equipment
In the case that you are unfamiliar, Nemo Equipment makes some of the greatest mountaineering and camping equipment available to the public, from tents to bivy sacks and a whole lot more. And their entire suite of offerings is backed by their lifetime warranty, making the prospect of purchasing their gear even more tantalizing. Just prove you bought your gear from an authorized retailer and they’ll fix any and all material or manufacturing defects.
The North Face
Buying a solid piece of outdoor gear – be it a winter jacket, camping tent, or otherwise – can be a daunting prospect and difficult to get right. Thankfully, one of the biggest manufacturers of outdoor gear in the world, The North Face, has made things a little easier by tacking on a lifetime warranty on all of their branded products. The one exception, however, is shoes – which are guaranteed for a year after the purchase date. Still, for such a major name in the outdoor space, that’s great news for potential and returning customers.
Orvis
You might be noticing a pattern with the outdoor brands on this list: most, if not all of the most highly lauded gear purveyors also have an excellent warranty policy. It should also come as no surprise, then, that Orvis is on this list. And it’s not just that they have a good guarantee – it’s that their promise is 100% satisfaction. It’s even stated, plain as day, that if you ever have an issue with the quality of their gear for any reason, reach out to them and they’ll take care of it. That’s what 150 years of dedication and knowledge will bring you: customer-focused wisdom.
Osprey
Plenty of the brands on this list have clever nicknames for their lifetime guarantees. Our favorite, however, might be Osprey’s. The All Mighty Guarantee ensures that any damaged or defective piece of gear purchased from an authorized Osprey dealer guarantees that the brand will fix it, no questions asked. Even if you bought your pack three decades ago, they’ll still take care of you. And, barring that, they’ll replace it completely.
Outdoor Research
Look around at enough outdoor gear “best of” lists and you’re bound to notice that Outdoor Research is one of the most trusted brands out there for the high quality, superb style, and comprehensive capabilities of their offerings. It helps, too, that they’ve guaranteed their products to last for ever. The brand’s Infinite Guarantee doesn’t just cover your lifetime or the product’s lifespan – it guarantees your satisfaction forever.
Patagonia
Perhaps the most ubiquitous outdoor brand on the planet right now, Patagonia has been at the forefront of a lot of news – including opening up Patagonia (the geographic area of South America) into a massive Chilean national park. They also offer up what they call the Ironclad Guarantee, which ensures that – for whatever reason (other than normal wear and tear) – they’ll repair, replace, or refund any and all purchases.
Pelican
Responsible for making some of the toughest storage gear ever made, Pelican is held in high regard in the world of outdoor gear. And, though you’d have to try extremely hard to bust or break their offerings, they still have tacked quite a few of them with a lifetime warranty. It doesn’t cover everything, but the brand’s hard coolers, injection molded cases, luggage, drinkware, and more are all covered by some measure of lifetime guarantee. Just make sure you read up on their policy before you buy – that way you can be sure you’re covered.
Rainbow Sandals
Born in Southern California, Rainbow – simply put – offers what is perhaps the best beach-going footwear on the planet. We’re honestly surprised that they aren’t more well known. And that shock is bolstered when you consider how good their warranty is. All of their sandals are eligible for repair or replacement for the lifetime of the sole. That means, if a strap comes loose or the layers delaminate, you’re covered. But, honestly, these sandals are so well made, you likely won’t run into that issue if you wear them every single day.
REI
Outdoor retailer, REI, used to have a legendary lifetime guarantee that was pretty much unconditional. We can only assume that the policy was either abused too much or was far too costly to be worth keeping, because the brand unfortunately did away with it in place of a one-year guarantee. They do, however, still offer an unconditional warranty on all manufacturing defects and material issues – which is still more than we can say for many of their competitors.
The Ridge
As proof positive that sometimes the best warranty policies are the simplest, The Ridge (an outstanding minimalist wallet maker/retailer) has a guarantee summed up in a single sentence: “The Ridge Wallet warrants that the purchased product is free from manufacturing defects and will function as intended for the life of the product.” And that’s all there is to it. Don’t abuse your Ridge wallet and they’ll cover fixing any and all defects for its life.
Shinola
Brands that make apparel have a pretty easy time with warranties, as nobody expects a t-shirt to last for generations. Watches, however, are quite a different story. Especially well-made ones. Shinola, for instance, makes their timepieces to last a lifetime or more – a claim that’s backed up by their limited lifetime guarantee. With a few exceptions, the Detroit-based brand is absolutely dedicated to keep their watches ticking for as long as they can. And it’s one of the many things we love about them.
Smith Optics
Smith is very proud of the fact that they built their business on superb quality gear. And that reputation is reflected in their lifetime warranty policy. You see, all of their eyewear, helmets, and winter goggles are guaranteed for the life of their products and will be repaired or replaced at no cost to you. That policy, however, does not extend to lens scratches. You can, however, get new replacement lenses for a nominal fee – if you accidentally drop them or whatever.
Stanley
From hand tools, to electronics, to adventure flasks, and more, Stanley makes an awful lot of really cool gear. To contend with that wide suite of offerings, they also have a number of different warranty policies that cover the entirety of their catalogue. A couple of those guarantees extend to the full lifetime of a given product, including their hand tools (like wrench sets and screwdrivers), tape measures, landscaping and gardening gear, mechanic tool sets, and more. Just make sure you read the policy first, before making a claim.
Surefire
EDC flashlights can be fickle pieces of gear. After all, they are technically electronics, and electronics have a reputation for their delicacy. Surefire doesn’t think things have to be that way, however, and – to combat that misinformation – they make some of the toughest tactical flashlights out there. They also offer a limited lifetime warranty that ensures you’ll never be held responsible for eating the cost of repairs when damage is the result of material or manufacturing defects. As fans of tough EDC, we appreciate that very much.
Timbuk2
Well known in the EDC world for making some excellent backpacks, duffel bags, and other various carry solutions, Timbuk2 actually refers to the craftsmanship and quality of their offerings to be “legendary.” And that is an incredibly big and bold claim to make. To cope with the chutzpah of such a declaration, the brand also offers a lifetime guarantee on all of their products. Just don’t try to pull the wool over their eyes with a bag you’ve abused and neglected, and they should treat you right.
Trayvax
Many of the brands we know and love offer “lifetime” warranties, but they can be a bit wishy washy on what, exactly, that means. Legendary tactical minimalist wallet builders, Trayvax, however, have actually guaranteed their products for a whopping 65 years. A couple decades ago, that was the average human lifespan. And it’s how long they expect their wallets to last. We’re not sure about you, but that seems to qualify as a lifetime guarantee to us.
Victorinox
Victorinox makes a pretty wide variety of everyday carry gear. But, some of their absolute best offerings are their tools and legendary Swiss Army Knives. Interestingly enough, the brand actually offers a lifetime warranty on all of them. In fact, they’ll repair or replace anything with material or manufacturing defects, save for electronic components. And that kind of gear longevity is pretty excellent, considering how many competitors promise virtually nothing.
Wusthof
Kitchen gear, especially chef knives and other cutlery, should of the utmost importance to anyone who spends even a modicum of time in the kitchen. And, if you like cooking, you should probably invest in a great set of knives and tools with which to polish your culinary skills. We’d suggest at least considering Wusthof. Not only are their offerings excellent, but they’re backed against manufacturing defects for life.
Xikar
If you love smoking cigars, you should probably also care enough to get a set of worthwhile pieces of gear to make the whole experience even better – like a solid lighter, cutter, and more. And, if you’re going to be indulging, wouldn’t it be worth it to invest in something built to last? Xikar seems to think so, as they offer a lifetime warranty on all of their cigar-smoking accessories. If any of their products don’t live up to their promise, they’ll happily replace or repair them.
Zippo
Apart from the fact that they make superb and iconic lighters right here in the USA, Zippo has another major leg-up in regards to their legendary windproof lighters: a lifetime guarantee. Whether your flip-top flame maker is 5 or 50 years old, Zippo will keep it in working condition – and that’s a promise they have stood by for as long as they’ve been in business.
