Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I purchased this Rad SportZ Rad-Easy Model 1003 Kayak Hoist November 2014. In the "From the Manufacturer" section of the listing, it says that the hoist has a "100% unconditional lifetime warranty." Until a few days ago, I was completely satisfied with the product. Unfortunately, my hoist just suffered a catastrophic failure, and it turns out that the "100 unconditional lifetime warranty" isn't a 100% unconditional lifetime warranty. I had been using the hoist for 5 1/2 years with no problems. When the kayak is being stored on the hoist, I did not rely on the straps/mechanism to hold the kayak -- I used the hoist to get it into the air, then secured it to the ceiling with safety straps connected to a hook screwed into a ceiling joist. So there is was no stress on the hoist mechanism or straps. Last week, when i was raising the kayak for storage, one of the straps failed while the kayak was about 6 feet in the air. The kayak fell to the floor. Fortunately, nobody was injured, and there was nothing under the kayak. I examined the failed strap, and could see that the plastic buckle (that connects the two strap halves) had broken, so the strap separated from the buckle, causing the kayak to fall. When I originally received the hoist, I was surprised that there was a plastic buckle on the strap. The Amazon listing (and the installation instructions) showed a continuous strap, with no buckle. I was concerned that the plastic would be a weak failure point. That's why I used safety straps, instead of relying on the buckle. And I was obviously right to be concerned, since that was where it failed. Since the product claimed to have a 100% unconditional lifetime warranty, I contacted the manufacturer and asked them to replace the strap -- I didn't ask them to replace the whole hoist, or claim any damages, I just wanted a new strap. Guess what? They refused, saying: “Thank you for reaching out to us. I would be happy to assist you. However, the lifetime warranty is only on the hoist itself. I do apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused. If you have any further questions feel free to reach out to us.” I was astounded; this had to be a mistake. A 100% unconditional lifetime warranty means just that – it doesn’t exclude certain parts. So I contacted them again, asking how could this be. The failed item is part of the hoist, it came in the same box. They can 't disclaim responsibility for just one piece of the product. The hoist consists of the mechanism, the straps, etc. What good would a kayak hoist be if there were no way to attach kayak to it? I quoted the warranty from the Amazon listing – “ RAD Sportz Quality. Because we are so sure you will like this kayak hoist, we offer a 100% unconditional lifetime warranty. You find anyone else offering that on their Kayak hoists.” I asked them doesn't "100%" mean 100%, and “unconditional” mean unconditional, and “lifetime” mean lifetime? It doesn’t say “except the sling/strap,” and doesn’t exclude anything, and it doesn’t have a time limit. And again, all I asked for was a replacement strap. They responded with: “As I appreciate your response, the warranty is for the hoist only. The buckles have been upgraded since your purchase in 2014. Ropes and straps are not covered under the warranty as well. I do apologize for the inconvenience this has caused.” I was even more astounded. They admitted that the buckles on the unit I purchased were inadequate, and have been redesigned. But even though they admitted the product was defective, they disclaimed any responsibility for it, despite the “100% unconditional lifetime” warranty. As a last resort, I wrote to the company executive offices. As expect, I did not receive a reply. So it's pretty obvious that RAD Sportz does not stand behind their product, and has zero integrity. They make false claims for a 100% unconditional lifetime warranty (and that claim is still on the product description, 5 years later), but then say "well, it really isn't." There is no way to sugar coat it -- they are just plain liars. So please don't buy this product. Mine failed dangerously -- I was just lucky that there was nobody under the kayak when it fell, or that it didn't damage my car, or ruin my kayak. And if you do have one, don't rely on the straps or ropes to hold the kayak -- use safety straps. If the company doesn't think enough of their straps or ropes to warranty them, you shouldn't trust the either.