Best customer support

[VB705]

Does anyone know a way to get ahold of BEST customer support? The number on their webpage is not working and haven't had any email response.

[jeromeL]

If you use the request form or warranty form on their website they will get back to you, last time it took 3 days but it was over a weekend, and got sorted out in one day.
I contacted a sale rep but they told me to use contact form and they got back to me,you should probably do the same.
All their email end with @pureactionsports.com. I don't mind giving you a contact by pm if you don't here after 3 days or so.

[VB705]

Ok I'll give that a go again. Thanks

[VB705]

Couldn't get the web form to work either. Must be something wrong with their webpage. It's been like that for quite awhile.

[jeromeL]

Couldn't get the web form to work either. Must be something wrong with their webpage. It's been like that for quite awhile.

Ok I will PM you an email of someone who helped me out with warranty.

[Matteo V]

Sad to see Best go.... They built kiteboarding - a pretty big statement but, looking back, where would kiteboarding be without affordable gear the provided up until 2012. They definitely built my inflatable kite experience on the water. They would still be on top if they continued with affordable gear and acceptable customer service past 2013.

But others have followed in their footsteps and are carrying the flag of a more affordable experience for anyone interested in kiteboarding. Great high quality gear is made by Ocean Rodeo, Slingshot, Switch kites, and a few others. Each of those brands has taken a little bit of the Best Kiteboarding idea and carried it on with integrity into the future. One of those brands will most likely replace my older Best gear.

The old days of Shannon Best's vision are long gone. But kiting is still improving for the those of who remember those old days. And for the newbies, well.... I would love to be coming into the sport right now.

[Da Yoda]

Sad to see Best go.... They built kiteboarding - a pretty big statement but, looking back, where would kiteboarding be without affordable gear the provided up until 2012. They definitely built my inflatable kite experience on the water. They would still be on top if they continued with affordable gear and acceptable customer service past 2013.

But others have followed in their footsteps and are carrying the flag of a more affordable experience for anyone interested in kiteboarding. Great high quality gear is made by Ocean Rodeo, Slingshot, Switch kites, and a few others. Each of those brands has taken a little bit of the Best Kiteboarding idea and carried it on with integrity into the future. One of those brands will most likely replace my older Best gear.

The old days of Shannon Best's vision are long gone. But kiting is still improving for the those of who remember those old days. And for the newbies, well.... I would love to be coming into the sport right now.

Go where? As in away from being price point?
Be aware that Best's $ pricing, materials, and build quality now rival every brand you listed above (along with many others) with the exception of Switch on pricing. If you're looking for brands that employ Best's original business model, look for brands that DO NOT support a retailer network. Switch, Zian, and Takoon come to mind.

[Da Yoda]

Does anyone know a way to get ahold of BEST customer support? The number on their webpage is not working and haven't had any email response.

If you're in the US, try contacting them through their FB page...
https://www.facebook.com/BestKiteboardingUSA/
They're HQ'ed in San Francisco, California. Phone and address is listed on their FB page.

[Matteo V]

Go where? As in away from being price point?
Be aware that Best's $ pricing, materials, and build quality now rival every brand you listed above (along with many others) with the exception of Switch on pricing. If you're looking for brands that employ Best's original business model, look for brands that DO NOT support a retailer network. Switch, Zian, and Takoon come to mind.

Prior to 2014, Best quality (by measure of longevity/durability) was just as good as any other brand. Customer service was spotty with some positive instances, and some negative. I experienced both. The 2010-2012 CL release was something they should have recalled all together but they insisted it was not faulty. They did warranty a kite for me that had an obvious defect in the canopy/leading edge attachment. Then they stopped communicating with me completely on something I had not even suggested as a warranty issue yet - I was just wanting spec'd bridal measurements to find out what was wrong with one of my kites. I am certain they had a QC issue and just did not want to eventually send me another kite to replace another defective one. Best seemed to just be circling the drain back in 2014.

They still have a market in Europe, supported by less of a tarnished reputation over there. But to me, they seem to have abandoned the US market in sales and customer service. Again, I am not mad at them. I am rather saddened by this company going this route.

To clarify my reference to Best's successful business model of the PAST:

Best produced great kites at a great price.
Best also produced too many kites resulting in closeout liquidations. This saw many "high use" kiters picking up good Best gear for cheap prices. Then those kiters would show off at their local spot. Newbies there would want, and buy the same brand they saw the local "high use" kiters ripping on. And sales/popularity trended upward.
Best also had a reputation for some acceptable to good customer service.

All of the above attributes have been abandoned by Best in the last few years. Shannon Best laid it out this way:

https://www.air-head.com/2013/08/shanno ... urf-brand/

Other companies, specifically ones I have mentioned (and some not mentioned), have stepped up with pieces of the Best original model. Personally, closeout kites attract me the most as I am a high hour user on my gear. I burn through kites pretty quick and need surf worthy ones for my time in the ocean. I still have lots of my old kites for freshwater use, but because of the hours on those kites, they would not stand one roll in a knee-high wave on the coast. Thus a high availability closeout priced kite is where you see the average income "high use" kiter gravitating towards for the reasons mentioned above.

Again, no bashing of Best intended. Just laying out why a kiter would have issues with the customer service at Best, and why customer service is not what it used to be. The company that built kiteboarding is no longer what it used to be.

[Hugh2]

Agreed, but the shop in Cape Town still does a brisk business, in part by providing lessons right there on Kitebeach, and by the co-owner riding at Kitebeach most afternoons showing off their kites, and winning the local big air competitions on Rocas. Plus his partner is a top strapless wave rider on Best gear. I am very grateful to them for the Waroos, Bullaroos, and Kahoonas, less so the Nemesis (never bought a Roca though), and I still fly some of those kites (love my 16m Bullaroo). And I like their newer bars on my other kites, so add pigtails to my Cabrinha and Naish kites to overcome their kookproofing and use Best bars on them.