Elusive Wildlife Technologies Kill Light Negative Report

coyotecaller112

New member
Hello all, I'm trying to get the word out there about my experience with Elusive Wildlife Technologies' customer service. I bought an XLR 250 Kill Light kit about a year ago and in the time since then, I have used it maybe a half a dozen times. I used the pressure switch tailcap on it almost exclusively because it was much quieter than the other tailcap options. I was quite satisfied with its performance. However, recently I was getting it out to use on another night hunt and found the switch to be failing. I emailed the company's representative asking what their policy was on product repair and/or replacement and this is the response I got:

"[...] the lights come with a –year warranty on every part except the switch and the LED. The leds should never burn out, we will replace them for as long as the parts are still being made. The Switches are wearable items, they will wear out over time with normal use. This is why we only sell the replacements for $19.99 online. That way it not cost prohibitive to purchase replacements."

O...k, so if I have to buy a switch every half a dozen uses, that's just normal wear and tear and I should be happy to pay $19.99 for a replacement? I don't think so! That's going to add up pretty quickly I'm thinking.

I also own a LightForce 170 light and due to the fact that I didn't keep my battery on a charger 24/7, the battery died completely on me. I contacted Rick, who handles their issues, and he explained to me that in order to get the most life out of their lights, they recommend keeping their batteries on a charger all the time. Even though I had not kept up with that guideline, he sent me a replacement battery that they sell for a good deal more than $19.99 ($50 or more as I recall), no questions asked. Now that is a sterling example of customer service!

I guess some of these other companies just fail to realize that by taking care of customers just a little bit, they are getting very cheap advertisement by word of mouth. And by not taking care of customers in such a case, they are hurting their future business from new customers as well as repeat customers.

Anyway though, I just wanted to get the word out there to everyone since this is the main site for night hunting and since I know a lot of people may be considering the Elusive Wildlife Technologies product line. You may not have the same experience that I have, but I'm just giving you a heads up about how your issue may be handled if you do. Thanks for your time to read this post and happy hunting to all of you!
 
Why are you so bent on "getting the word out"?

I have an xlr250 from Boondock and don't even use the pressure switch. I understand they tend to fail from what I hear, but that is likely due to the nature of the wiring.

If you buy a truck with a 3 year warranty and park it in the garage for 4 years and get it out and something is wrong do you think they will fix it for free?

If they put an unlimited warranty on something that is bound to eventually fail due to its very nature, they can't make any money.

I would classify the pressure switch as something like fan belt or windshield wipers. You know you are going to have to replace it every once in a while if you chose to use it.
 
Well I'm glad that you're happy with your on/off switch. I am getting the word out there because I did not use the pressure switch enough to really stress it to the max or give it even "normal wear and tear" and to me and to several other people, the on/off switch is quite noisy, so I would think that unlike you, most other people would prefer the pressure switch. And had I used it more within the period of time I have owned it, it would have gone to crap that much sooner, given the few number of times I was able to use it. And if it was half the price of what it is, I wouldn't be that concerned, but at $20 a pop, and getting a half a dozen uses out of it, that's not a whole lot of bang for your buck. I think people should be made aware of the potential issues they may face with this product and how the company handles this particular issue. I stand behind my post and don't appreciate being ridiculed when I am trying to inform other hunters who might be looking at this and who value customer service.
 
I don't own any of boondocks products other than a halo shield but he has always gotten rave CS reviews from members here. Kind of suprises me, I'm sure he'll respond.
 
I have an idea.......screw the on/off switch back on the light..........turn on the light......shoot the coyote.....turn off the light.....take your $20 and buy yourself a box of ammo......repeat.

After a few cycles you will quit stressing about the mouse switch.




 
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coyote caller 112, thanks for the input! I just got the Primo 350 yd light. I used it once, charged it, it doesn't work. No matter what the product, you expect it to work flawlessly for a little while at least! My first night hunting light was a rechargeable handheld spotlight with a red lens compliments of Sharpie. That spotlight cost less than your pressure switch and lasted for two years(almost)! I was considering the XLR 250 as a replacement for that Primo but... after everything I've read in these forums; I wouldn't hesitate giving my business to Boondock! If I can get my $ back for that Primo light, I'll be calling Boondock even sooner.
 
hey guys new to this forum but thought id share my 2 cents. got the killite 250 from boondock and cant say enough good things about jeremiah. heard alot of bad things about the pressure switch though and after using it twice mine broke too. sucks cause i liked it but im not even bothering asking for a new one cause itll just break too. pushing the button isnt bad though and it cant get tangled in greenbriars or other stuff
 
i do know what you mean [beeep] caller112. it stinks when cool things break,lol.

to paul-e, check out the coyote tlr light at shepslight.com shep is also great to deal with and the light is a little brighter than the 250. theyr both great lights [beeep]. cant go wrong with either one
 
Not bashing me here!! he is bashing EWT. I have nothing to say except I have no problem replacing switches within 1 year of purchase. I have seen that same email from EWT in the past and I think this guy excluded the last line that always says return the switch along with a copy of receipt and we will either repair or replace the switch.

I stand behind EWT products 100% and do not appreciate his approach. I think there are ulterior motives here..

Jeremiah
 
I have had those switchs fail aswell, have fixed them myself for the time being, but Jeremiah at Boondock Outdoors said when I can be without them he will be more then happy to replace them, Hard to beat that!! Never bought anything directly from EWT, but Boondocks stands behind their products dont see why EWT would not!!
 
Just got back from another flawless hunting trip with mine this morning. I'm glad Jeremiah sold me the golden remote switch instead of the ones like you other guys have(that's sarcasm
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). I've had no trouble what so ever and mine has been used a good bit since I got it in December. Mine has been used way more than a few dozen times too. I rode mine around on the ATV with it bouncing around every morning for several weeks on my trap checks and have dropped the gun a few times and even had the brush snag the wire and pull the switch off the velcro and it still works great. I also still carry the plunger type tailcap in my pack with my spare batteries too. I talked a buddy into buying the set and he's loving his as well. Main thing is to never, ever remove the tail cap with the switch attached to the gun. Also don't mount the switch in a manner that keeps stress on the cord. It should be a relaxed coil. Like mentioned, all switches are designed to eventually fail with a lot of use. The plunger tailcap will eventually die with enough use. I've had light switches in my home fail with enough use. It is how things are. I had the Primos type lights and this setup is 1000x better. I'll eventually get a spare remote switch just incase I ever need it, but I don't see that happening soon.
 
I just ordered my Boondock Predator Pack yesterday. Jeremiah, would you please send me the "Golden Remote Swith" with my xlr250
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Jeremiah, I do not appreciate your questioning my motives nor my integrity. I will be more than happy to forward you the email, and the only thing I left off in my post is contact information. What is your email address? You can then use the contact information in that email and ask the individual for his copy of the email to confirm no foul play. I have no motives because I can appreciate good customer service and had the folks at EWT handled this in a different manner or even said something to the effect of the switches being at least under warranty for the year, I wouldn't have taken the time to write this. I know that EWT lights have a huge following, and I own one and my brother owns two, so there are no motives other than to let people know that even if I had just bought the switch, it has no warranty or coverage, at least according to the individual who handled my email. And as others have said, the pressure switch obviously does not have the longest of lives, so it's not just me here. What if I used the thing a half a dozen times in the first two weeks I owned it? It would have had the same "normal wear and tear" that it currently does. I know that guys happy with their products don't like seeing them talked bad about, and I was hoping I was another one happy with the products, but when it is so obviously a problematic switch, I think people should hear about it and how it is handled. If I order my replacement from Boondock Outdoors, I can see that you will handle issues better than EWT direct. That is good to know. But again, I do not appreciate you suspecting that I have any motives other than to inform my fellow hunters that the switches don't last and that contacting EWT direct may not resolve the issue, even if the switch has hardly been used. Just understand my issue is only with about 10% of the product and with the company's stance on the issue. I think the construction of the main light, its brightness, and features are all superb. It's just that one thing that I find fault with and didn't feel that EWT approached properly. But please, Jeremiah, send me your email address and I'll get the email correspondence sent to you as soon as I get off work this evening.
 
I think what many are seeing here and wondering about is they fact that you have been a member for amost 4 years with only 7 posts and you do the equivelent of taking out a full page add in the paper to voice your displeasure over a $20 item that you have had for over a year (regarless of how much you used it).

It does not have anything to do with whether or not people like a product or not. As mentioned, the company you mention is not even a sponsor here.

Do you take this approach with every product you buy and are not happy with?

Are there any other companies or products we should be aware of?
 
ive had issues with the switch and the charging wire and had no issue with customer service...i didnt even purchase mine from boondocks and jeremiah was nice enough to replace my switch... im getting ready to order another light from jeremiah in a few weeks with a couple sets of batteries... i personally dont think you can find better customer service... imho..

alot of times when the truth comes out, its customer error. i believe jeremiah even has a note on his website to take the pressure switch off the velcro before unscrewing the cap, this keeps it from ripping it off. only takes 2-3 times to tear it.
 
Originally Posted By: YellowhammerI think what many are seeing here and wondering about is they fact that you have been a member for amost 4 years with only 7 posts and you do the equivelent of taking out a full page add in the paper to voice your displeasure over a $20 item that you have had for over a year (regarless of how much you used it).


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CC112....

Why don't you show some of that "integrity" you are so sensitive about and just deal with your issues one on one with EWT ???
 
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