Odd Man
Thru Hiker
Same here.
Drop/Durston Pack
- Thread starter theoctagon
- Start date
Same here.
My X-Mid was DHL and I had no problems. Be interested to see what the response is from Drop.
Clare
Thru Hiker
Mine was shipped with DHL and I paid the same as @theoctagon which was around £28 (can’t remember exactly but he has written it in the thread). Strange that UPS charging so much more for the same customs liability.
on another note, still waiting for Drop to answer my email and give me a return merchandise number so that I can send it back. Been waiting a week.
on another note, still waiting for Drop to answer my email and give me a return merchandise number so that I can send it back. Been waiting a week.
theoctagon
Thru Hiker
Me to!
I also had the same issue with UPS overcharging VAT (on top of being unreachable and way behind delays).
After hours of discussion with the French Customs, UPS, and Drop assistance, I might have nailed the issue.
Drop.com receipt attached to the receipt is providing a total invoice amount (150$) but 0$ for freight. Freight can't equal zero for UPS and they gently replace it by 52 euros (approx 59$). Then taxes are calculated depending on the product cost + freight cost. Here : 136euros (product) + 52 euros (freight) *20% = 38 euros.
Of course UPS also charge a service 15 euros (approx 18$) and related taxes (4$). We should be able to get a refund if Drop.com could provide another receipt with the cost split accordingly between product and freight. Also I would recommend that Drop.com systematically attaches a receipt with the detailed freight cost in order to avoid that kind of issue and problem on our side.
That's my last purchase on Drop.com if they don't let us choose an appropriate shipping company and if they don't fill up the documents as they should.
After hours of discussion with the French Customs, UPS, and Drop assistance, I might have nailed the issue.
Drop.com receipt attached to the receipt is providing a total invoice amount (150$) but 0$ for freight. Freight can't equal zero for UPS and they gently replace it by 52 euros (approx 59$). Then taxes are calculated depending on the product cost + freight cost. Here : 136euros (product) + 52 euros (freight) *20% = 38 euros.
Of course UPS also charge a service 15 euros (approx 18$) and related taxes (4$). We should be able to get a refund if Drop.com could provide another receipt with the cost split accordingly between product and freight. Also I would recommend that Drop.com systematically attaches a receipt with the detailed freight cost in order to avoid that kind of issue and problem on our side.
That's my last purchase on Drop.com if they don't let us choose an appropriate shipping company and if they don't fill up the documents as they should.
Robert P
Thru Hiker
I’ve not seen many comments on the pack itself in this thread, so I’ll make a few initial observations, after loading it up and taking out for a couple of hours walk on my local hills yesterday afternoon. I hope to be able to try it out on an overnighter once the current restrictions are relaxed. Firstly, I had a reservation about the shoulder straps being set rather wide (my main hesitation about ordering in the first place) but at least for me, this seems OK. The pack has a decent volume (larger than my Atom+ 40l) so I have, ahem, an excuse to keep it for those intermediate loads. It carries very stably for me (would be good for scrambling). It did seem that the hip belt needed to be tightened more than some to hold firm on my hips. This might be due to the lack of lumbar pad or the plain fabric back that can slide fairly easily – or the way it was packed. Access to the zipped side pocket is good and the high open pocket that side is likely to be a good feature – with my other packs I sometimes have to be careful about tall bottles falling out. The jury is out on the back pocket, but it is good to try out something different. There is surprisingly little space behind the panel (contains a pair of waterproof trousers in the photo below), and in its standard configuration it is not adjustable. I tend to put alcohol fuel bottles in the typical open mesh pockets on the back of packs but they are probably too big for the zippered rear pocket and would fall through the compression cord in the space behind (but I’m sure I can modify my packing approach). I wonder about the strength of the attachment which the top compression strap joins on the front of the pack: stitching can easily stretch in VX07 but to be fair it looks reasonably well reinforced. The pack is my heaviest for backpacking, but does have a lot of interesting features already built in, and the plastic hardware is quite beefy compared with most ultralight packs. Oh, and I think it looks much better than the photos on Drop indicate!
Charlie83
Thru Hiker
good review, kinda confirms my hesitancy, although i do like the colour scheme 
i had some reservations on it, that had kinda gone away after seeing other reviews, but that back panel probably wouldn't work for me, a big mesh pocket and i would be a lot keener.
I live out of the back pockets, i packed my Gorilla yesterday for a two week wander, my back pocket has
waterproof trousers
waterproof jacket
toilet kit
med/repair kit
cook kit
cnoc 2ltr bag + filter
1st days meals
and sometimes a down/puffy jacket
and room for more
i had some reservations on it, that had kinda gone away after seeing other reviews, but that back panel probably wouldn't work for me, a big mesh pocket and i would be a lot keener.
I live out of the back pockets, i packed my Gorilla yesterday for a two week wander, my back pocket has
waterproof trousers
waterproof jacket
toilet kit
med/repair kit
cook kit
cnoc 2ltr bag + filter
1st days meals
and sometimes a down/puffy jacket
and room for more
dandurston
Section Hiker
Sorry to hear about these shipping issues (and for the slow response - I was out hiking for a few days).
It sounds like what happened is that Drop did not list a shipping cost for the package, so UPS decided to choose a shipping cost which was much higher than the actual shipping cost, which had the negative effects of (1) VAT being charged on that higher shipping cost, and (2) in some countries, pushing the package over 150 euro into a higher tax rate class.
This European practice of charging VAT on the item + shipping is different from how things work in North America. Here, we pay taxes only on the items price, so people prefer that the shipping cost is not listed as that is sometimes erroneously included the taxed value, when it shouldn't be. I would hope that Drop would be able to figure out how to best handle this for different areas, but in this case it seems like the paperwork was filled out from a North American perspective, which ended up being problematic for how UPS does things in Europe.
Is it possible to appeal these higher charges, since they are incorrect? When I have had tax issues in the past on a parcel due to incorrect taxed value, I fill out the appeal form and include a copy of my receipt, and then usually they issue a refund for the difference. If you need a receipt to do this, you can go to your "transactions" where there is a link to a receipt, like this:
And then when you click on that it takes you to a page you can print out showing the item cost and shipping cost.
It sounds like what happened is that Drop did not list a shipping cost for the package, so UPS decided to choose a shipping cost which was much higher than the actual shipping cost, which had the negative effects of (1) VAT being charged on that higher shipping cost, and (2) in some countries, pushing the package over 150 euro into a higher tax rate class.
This European practice of charging VAT on the item + shipping is different from how things work in North America. Here, we pay taxes only on the items price, so people prefer that the shipping cost is not listed as that is sometimes erroneously included the taxed value, when it shouldn't be. I would hope that Drop would be able to figure out how to best handle this for different areas, but in this case it seems like the paperwork was filled out from a North American perspective, which ended up being problematic for how UPS does things in Europe.
Is it possible to appeal these higher charges, since they are incorrect? When I have had tax issues in the past on a parcel due to incorrect taxed value, I fill out the appeal form and include a copy of my receipt, and then usually they issue a refund for the difference. If you need a receipt to do this, you can go to your "transactions" where there is a link to a receipt, like this:
And then when you click on that it takes you to a page you can print out showing the item cost and shipping cost.
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Gordon
Ultralighter
Hi Dan. Thanks for giving some insight into the problem with shipping. Makes me feel better knowing, to some degree what may be going on.
My personal issue with UPS is that I never received an invoice for the " UPS Shipping Fees ". This on top of a complete cock up in making the delivery: the UPS driver put the package down on my doorstep and then took it away - leaving me to wait over 30 minutes on the phone to pay UPS.
In pursuit of the invoice ........ I have sounded off on Twitter: I have sounded off on Twitter by DM. I have emailed UPS: I have tried to ring a direct line number that was given to me by UPS, by a voicemail message - 4 times with no reply: I have emailed UPS at UKpostclear. I actually got a terse reply from Michael ...... asking for the Tracking number ( already provided a number of times ) I replied this time yesterday. I've now fired off another email to Michael ....... pointing out that IMO I am getting the run around from UPS. I've told them what I think I should have paid. They could always point out that I'm wrong - if I could only see an invoice setting out the fees.
I'm fairly laid back and can deal with issues like this: I'd rather not.
At the moment my purchase of the backpack is not showing in my Drop account.
I really don't care about the money; it's the way UPS have misdealt with me.
On a more positive note: I am delighted with the pack.
My personal issue with UPS is that I never received an invoice for the " UPS Shipping Fees ". This on top of a complete cock up in making the delivery: the UPS driver put the package down on my doorstep and then took it away - leaving me to wait over 30 minutes on the phone to pay UPS.
In pursuit of the invoice ........ I have sounded off on Twitter: I have sounded off on Twitter by DM. I have emailed UPS: I have tried to ring a direct line number that was given to me by UPS, by a voicemail message - 4 times with no reply: I have emailed UPS at UKpostclear. I actually got a terse reply from Michael ...... asking for the Tracking number ( already provided a number of times ) I replied this time yesterday. I've now fired off another email to Michael ....... pointing out that IMO I am getting the run around from UPS. I've told them what I think I should have paid. They could always point out that I'm wrong - if I could only see an invoice setting out the fees.
I'm fairly laid back and can deal with issues like this: I'd rather not.
At the moment my purchase of the backpack is not showing in my Drop account.
I really don't care about the money; it's the way UPS have misdealt with me.
On a more positive note: I am delighted with the pack.
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dandurston
Section Hiker
Glad to hear you are really liking the pack, and sorry about these hassles/issues with UPS. I will message Drop and encourage them to use a different method in the future. Have people's X-Mid's also been UPS?
Odd Man
Thru Hiker
Both of mine where DHL Global Mail which worked just fine.
mine was DHL. No problems
Whiteburn
Thru Hiker
Just had an email from UPS -UPS delivered direct to the house today: not a happy bunny, the import bill was £41.59
After paying (on the doorstep) checked the invoice: actual VAT (20%) was calculated @ £30.09 on a declared value of $120 & exchange rate of 0.815 = £97.80
Registered a compliant with UPS asking for a refund of the difference (£10.53)......time will tell.
Another grip UPS charge £11.50 'Brokerage fees'......makes RM look cheap.
"as this is a UPS error I will instruct our Billing department to issue a refund of £20.78 which also includes the UPS of £11.50 as a goodwill"
Seems like a good outcome.
Gordon
Ultralighter
Just had an email from UPS -
"as this is a UPS error I will instruct our Billing department to issue a refund of £20.78 which also includes the UPS of £11.50 as a goodwill"
Seems like a good outcome.
I've just had a similar email from UPS admitting the error and to say that I will be getting a refund of £20.61 which includes £11.50 as a goodwill gesture.
Result!
Now, why am I getting 15p less than you?
Robert P
Thru Hiker
And now for something trivial.
The compression cord arrangement on the sides of the pack for some reason didn't appeal to my sense of aesthetics - not quite even or symmetrical? But easily fixed by rethreading and I am much happier now (and I could probably save a fraction of a gram by trimming the cord)!
The compression cord arrangement on the sides of the pack for some reason didn't appeal to my sense of aesthetics - not quite even or symmetrical? But easily fixed by rethreading and I am much happier now (and I could probably save a fraction of a gram by trimming the cord)!
Gordon
Ultralighter
I've just had a similar email from UPS admitting the error and to say that I will be getting a refund of £20.61 which includes £11.50 as a goodwill gesture.
Result!
Now, why am I getting 15p less than you?
There's a film where the baddy is thought to be dead - but, suddenly pops up again!
UPS have yet to make the refund: and I thought it was all over!
My wife (5 foot 6 inches / 16.5 inch back length) and I (5 foot 9 inches, 17.5 inch back length) both opted for the S/M size. We've had them out for a day's walk since and are both happy with the fit (and the bags as a whole - only criticism might be that the chest straps are pretty short, while all the other straps are all quite long).
We spent a lot of time trying to figure out how the sizing would work for us and some of the difficulty with that was that Dan's own comments, depending on which forum you were reading, gave slightly different recommended bounds for the S/M - some of which made it seem like it would be too small for me, some of which made it seem like it'd fit just fine.
IIRC, one of his posts described how he feels load lifters should align with the top of your shoulders, while another or the same post gave the exact distance between the load lifters and the mid-point of the hipbelt for both packs. We used those measurements to judge suitability for ourselves, knowing that we both place the midpoint of our hipbelts on our iliac crests, and the bags then fit exactly as expected in reality.
They did weigh a bit more than spec, but I've misplaced those measurements. Having cut the long straps down to size, they now weight 867g for one, and 862g for the other.
Robert P
Thru Hiker
A few comments on the Durston 40l now I've had the chance to use it this weekend. I like it, especially because it is quite different from my other packs and has some innovative features
Positives
Positives
- Rear pocket – was bigger than expected and held my stakes, MSR Blizzard trowel and alcohol + Caldera Cone
- Nice wide opening to load the main compartment
- Carries well
- Generous 40l
- Hip belt pockets are the best I’ve had – they work one-handed
- High side pockets reduce risk of bottles falling out
- The 'secret pocket' is good
- The openings to the shoulder pockets are a bit tight, so getting a Garmin GPS in the open zip is difficult when the strap is weighted - you just need to raise the pack a bit to release the tension, so it could could even be considered a security feature!
- If I was to be picky – in general the pockets could be just a little bigger (the hip and shoulder pockets for plus size phones; the diameter of the side pockets so a tent could be carried (it is very subtle but they are slightly narrower than my other packs and it is noticeable)
Whiteburn
Thru Hiker
Started packing the Durston pack (S/M) last night for its' first outing & had to stop: no mitten hooks in any of the pockets
Call me paranoid but I like the essentials (wallet, PLB, compass, emergency headtorch, car keys, etc) to be physically attached, took me an hour to add half a dozen hooks & a pole stow on the go system.
Now all packed with 4 days (3 nights food) without having to squeeze stuff in, waterproofs in back stash, could probably get up to a weeks' food if I moved the X-Mid to under the top strap. Definitely lower volume than my MLD Exodus but just about right for me on short trips.
The gross weight is probably around 9kg (yet to add water) & it carries well......I guess I'll see how well after a real test.
Call me paranoid but I like the essentials (wallet, PLB, compass, emergency headtorch, car keys, etc) to be physically attached, took me an hour to add half a dozen hooks & a pole stow on the go system.
Now all packed with 4 days (3 nights food) without having to squeeze stuff in, waterproofs in back stash, could probably get up to a weeks' food if I moved the X-Mid to under the top strap. Definitely lower volume than my MLD Exodus but just about right for me on short trips.
The gross weight is probably around 9kg (yet to add water) & it carries well......I guess I'll see how well after a real test.
oreocereus
Thru Hiker
What's your trekking-pole-on-the-go system? I tend to insist on not taking my pack off to stow trekking poles during scrambly. Which is perhaps a dangerous habit.
Whiteburn
Thru Hiker
Not an overly complicated system but has worked for me across a number of packs.
A simple loop of 2.5mm shock cord attached to the hip area, on the Durston I had to had stitch a loop of gross grain to the bottom of the side pocket (easiest place) to attach it.
Top loop of 2.5mm shock cord with a cord lock was just treaded through where the shoulder strap buckle is stitched on (the 'hole' needed a bit of teasing with a Ti pin to open it up).
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Same system i use, works well, costs nothing, nice to be able to grab/stow without stopping. Used my Durston pack for first time last night, like it a lot, looks great, nice carry( only 4 miles with about 8kg). Shoulder straps are set quite wide, i have to use chest strap to get them to sit right. Main compartment quite narrow,v build quality great, liked side pockets especially big one with the zipped section, shame no mitten hooks anywhere, no drain holes in big side pockets, and just cant understand why strap pockets wont take a phone in a case or a 500ml bottle. More robust than my tired OMM 32 and just the right size for my needs, so is a keeper