I ordered some stuff a while back from GAS. This post is not in anyway flaming GAS, but we'll get to the crux of the issue in due time. I think my order was placed on a thursday or Friday evening and delivery was on a Monday. Very quick, no reason for complaint there, in fact high praise is in order so well done for that! 
Upon opening my package, I noted the items I had ordered were all there. Or were they? The satchel I had ordered didn't look quite right! I'd ordered one of these:
http://www.genuinearmysurplus.co.uk/pages/products/detail/rowid=666
A finnish respirator bag that looks like a shotgun shell or game bag. The Ratbag has one that he ordered from GAS and it is neat. As it is old style canvas, and you know how I like old school materials, I thought I'd get one. What was in my package was something entirely different! I eventually figured out how to wear it, lets just say it wasn't gonna work for what I wanted it to do. The bag goes over a shoulder and has a waist belt, leaving the "top" of the bag running top to bottom. Great for getting in to when walking along, but all the kit would fall out as soon as you open it!
Anyway, I got onto GAS and was told to send it back and they'd send the correct item to me. I was a bit miffed at the fact I had ordered and the wrong item had come through and I was gonna have to pay more to sort it out. The lad went and got Steve and we had a chin wag. He said he'd reimburse me the postage costs, and then I asked about the Norwegian packs similar to the M1939 Swedish pack I use. Steve said he had some and if I liked he'd send me one of them instead of reimbursement and we'd call it quits. I thought that was a very generous offer, so I got it packed up and sent back. After checking via RM if it had been delivered (Apparently it still hasn't, even though Steve said he had recieved it!) I phoned to see if everything was OK. Steve said he had it ready to go and it would be with me shortly. I think that was on Friday just gone.
Just got home to find a package waiting for me. Got to be impressed with the speed of delivery from GAS. Norgie pack is nice, very nice in fact. White leather straps on green canvas, this looks as if it was never issued and is in immaculate condition. It also has a leather lumbar strap as opposed to the fabric one that Addo has on his. So I'm really chuffed with it. Thanks to the guys at GAS for that, it will get used a lot on my day jaunts out and about.
"What about the Finnish respirator bag?" I hear you cry! Mmmmmmmm! Yah! Still not quite what I was after! It is canvas though, so I'll stick with it, we've messed about enough! It came with some decontamination kit in it, and an instruction card. It looks like a scandinavian language of some sort. Maybe it is a newer type of bag. Never mind, I'll give it a go and see if I like it. If not, it'll either join the stack of unused bags or get sold off down the local surplus store, complete with the decon kit!
So, plus points for using GAS:
Rapid delivery
No quibbles return when it comes to kit being sent in error
Nice guys to talk to on the phone
Minus points:
Sometimes you don't get what you see on the website, although to be fair I reckon it is probably a rarity.
At the end of the day, it hasn't spoilt my faith in GAS, in fact it has probably strengthened my loyalty to them. I'll definitely use them again, although I may send them pictures of what I want in future!
Upon opening my package, I noted the items I had ordered were all there. Or were they? The satchel I had ordered didn't look quite right! I'd ordered one of these:
http://www.genuinearmysurplus.co.uk/pages/products/detail/rowid=666
A finnish respirator bag that looks like a shotgun shell or game bag. The Ratbag has one that he ordered from GAS and it is neat. As it is old style canvas, and you know how I like old school materials, I thought I'd get one. What was in my package was something entirely different! I eventually figured out how to wear it, lets just say it wasn't gonna work for what I wanted it to do. The bag goes over a shoulder and has a waist belt, leaving the "top" of the bag running top to bottom. Great for getting in to when walking along, but all the kit would fall out as soon as you open it!
Anyway, I got onto GAS and was told to send it back and they'd send the correct item to me. I was a bit miffed at the fact I had ordered and the wrong item had come through and I was gonna have to pay more to sort it out. The lad went and got Steve and we had a chin wag. He said he'd reimburse me the postage costs, and then I asked about the Norwegian packs similar to the M1939 Swedish pack I use. Steve said he had some and if I liked he'd send me one of them instead of reimbursement and we'd call it quits. I thought that was a very generous offer, so I got it packed up and sent back. After checking via RM if it had been delivered (Apparently it still hasn't, even though Steve said he had recieved it!) I phoned to see if everything was OK. Steve said he had it ready to go and it would be with me shortly. I think that was on Friday just gone.
Just got home to find a package waiting for me. Got to be impressed with the speed of delivery from GAS. Norgie pack is nice, very nice in fact. White leather straps on green canvas, this looks as if it was never issued and is in immaculate condition. It also has a leather lumbar strap as opposed to the fabric one that Addo has on his. So I'm really chuffed with it. Thanks to the guys at GAS for that, it will get used a lot on my day jaunts out and about.
"What about the Finnish respirator bag?" I hear you cry! Mmmmmmmm! Yah! Still not quite what I was after! It is canvas though, so I'll stick with it, we've messed about enough! It came with some decontamination kit in it, and an instruction card. It looks like a scandinavian language of some sort. Maybe it is a newer type of bag. Never mind, I'll give it a go and see if I like it. If not, it'll either join the stack of unused bags or get sold off down the local surplus store, complete with the decon kit!
So, plus points for using GAS:
Rapid delivery
No quibbles return when it comes to kit being sent in error
Nice guys to talk to on the phone
Minus points:
Sometimes you don't get what you see on the website, although to be fair I reckon it is probably a rarity.
At the end of the day, it hasn't spoilt my faith in GAS, in fact it has probably strengthened my loyalty to them. I'll definitely use them again, although I may send them pictures of what I want in future!
