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AD could they be doing it (19 posts / 2,896 views)
Canalcarper71 Canalcarper71
Posts: 1,389
Post #1 25 Jul 2026 14:12
0
So other week I ordered a bait boat to be collected at an AD store near me
I went to collect it on the day I was due to go fishing,the guy gave me the box which was taped up and assured me the boat had been taken out to show someone,well I should have checked there and then(live and learn and I was in a hurry),got home and opened it took boat out and it had been used all dry mud under the area of hopper,I took pictures and rang them,to their credit they said bring it back for replacement but I needed it for that trip so we agreed bring it back Friday when I was home.
So I was out and using it and the mushroom button on remote snapped and fell off,ffs I thought so when I packed up got home and went back straight away swapped it for an unopened one,well I got home with that one and tried to charge it and the mains adapter didn’t work yet charged with a spare USC cable,I thought I can’t be arsed to go back again so emailed ridge money to which they replied send us proof of receipt as it’s under warranty and I got a new one within a few days.
Good service by ridge monkey for responding so quick to an email not so much AD
Thoughts????

On a positive note after using it I had 3 fish to 20lb including a grass carp that rarely gets caught and always other end of the lake,on a difficult public water.
0nslow 0nslow
Posts: 1,616
Post #2 25 Jul 2026 15:03
4
They don't count 😂
Canalcarper71 Canalcarper71
Posts: 1,389
Post #3 25 Jul 2026 15:28
1
😂😂
vossy1 vossy1
MODERATORMOD
Posts: 9,046
Post #4 25 Jul 2026 15:34
0
In reply to Post #1
Re AD doesn't surprise me, but it's also a positive for me (but not for you..lol).
Quite a few times I've e-mailed them about a item and their standard response is 'if you don't like it, bring it back".

I guess someone took advantage of that with your boat.
Golfhacker27 Golfhacker27
Posts: 58
Post #5 25 Jul 2026 15:53
0
In reply to Post #1
Does AD have a purely online shop and service (i.e. mail order) in the UK, and if so, how do they rate compared to the bricks and mortar shops?
I live in France, where there are no AD shops and so I purchase via their online service based in Netherlands. I restarted fishing (after 30 year break) a couple of years ago and have pretty much re-equipped entirely using AD. Over (without exaggeration) dozens of multi-item orders, from rods and big stuff to bait, they have been a solid 10/10 on everything (delivered in 3 working days, bait always has long shelf life remaining, everything perfectly packaged).
vossy1 vossy1
MODERATORMOD
Posts: 9,046
Post #6 25 Jul 2026 16:05
1
In reply to Post #5
No, not just online. They have been taking over tackle shops big time, huge market share in the U.K.

Edit, a quick Google search says they presently have 60 U.K retail stores.

Edit 2, nice to see the physical store sales outpace the online sales, people still like tackle shops 😎

UK Retail Store Sales: £50.7 million (up 14.2% year-on-year).
UK Online Sales: £35.7 million (up 8.4% year-on-year).
phil090781
Posts: 2,335
Post #7 28 Jul 2026 22:04
0
In reply to Post #3
I really don’t understand why people keep buying ridgemonkey gear. It’s garbage
framey framey
Posts: 5,319
Post #8 28 Jul 2026 22:13
0
In reply to Post #1
Can’t believe them buttons are still falling off after all these years.
braders1978 braders1978
Posts: 18,195
Post #9 28 Jul 2026 23:55
2
In reply to Post #7
They are now doing outdoor equipment,same **** in grey 🤣
AideyKaye
Posts: 1,010
Post #10 29 Jul 2026 05:53
0
In reply to Post #9
They have always had a foot in that market anyway. Someone I work with didn't have a clue they sold fishing gear, but uses all their stuff for camping trips

Wouldn't touch their stuff with a bargepole personally.

Although, I do have their cutlery set. Surely they can't **** up a knife and fork...
vossy1 vossy1
MODERATORMOD
Posts: 9,046
Post #11 29 Jul 2026 07:02
1
In reply to Post #10
T'is very true, RM probably sell more of their pans to the campervan and camping market than they do to the angling fraternity and good on them. Same goes them diversifying into the camping segment, I wish them the best of luck.

Diversification will come to a lot of the investment/group owned angling brands, they'd be stupid not too, there's money to be made. Maybe they'll try and keep the brands separate but I'm sure you'll see 'cross over' of products/design, who'd pay twice for R&D. Will it lead to reduced choice/development or drive it, I hope it's the latter.

I also hope it leads to the products being tested in other markets as judging by my last but 1 purchase the consultant testing of fishing products is none existant. Or, maybe I'm just getting old and the younger generation expect crap for good money, throw away culture and all that. That's a change I'd like to see, maybe just use independent honest anglers who might give honest feedback!
finbob finbob
Posts: 3,466
Post #12 29 Jul 2026 09:13
0
In reply to Post #9
Saw that too.. bit of crossover which tbf they could do as the brand name/logo is v recognisable despite the drop off in fish kit.

RM paddle boards to drop off rigs 🤔
tazi tazi
Posts: 4,859
Post #13 29 Jul 2026 11:09
0
In reply to Post #8
What year did you return it?…..😀
braders1978 braders1978
Posts: 18,195
Post #14 29 Jul 2026 11:40
1
In reply to Post #12
It will probably deflate halfway out and paddle fall apart
Singlebleep Singlebleep
Posts: 2,380
Site deviant...
Site deviant... Post #15 29 Jul 2026 13:22
1
I was born in the mid 50’s. Growing up, my Dad warned me against buying anything stamped ‘Empire Made’ as it was something made in a Far East sweatshop with no quality control and invariably fell apart or was painted in toxic paint.

Things haven’t changed much in the intervening years apart from an Empire being dismantled and Chinese firms like Temu and other anonymous Chinese/Far Eastern factories churning out cheap crap which companies like RidgeMonkey re-label and charge the earth.

Some things never change, as the song goes🤔




Singlebleep Singlebleep
Posts: 2,380
Site deviant...
Site deviant... Post #16 29 Jul 2026 13:34
0
In reply to Post #10
I always thought that RidgeMonkey were a camping company who ventured into fishing gear rather than the other way around.

Ridge has no meaning in angling that I can think of but Ridge in the hiking or climbing context or Ridge as in probably one of the most famous tents - the Ridge Tent - makes sense and they came to prominence originally selling cooking and utility gear.
framey framey
Posts: 5,319
Post #17 29 Jul 2026 19:28
0
In reply to Post #13
I didn’t own one a friend of mine did.
wouldn’t dream of dropping £500 or whatever it was at the time on anything with that brand name on it
Bad enough £20
He bought it during covid so when we were allowed back out he let me have a go so what’s that 2021 ?

Wouldn’t drive in a straight line
Direction Control button fell off in my hand

I did buy one of those perspective sieve buckets they were selling.
Took it back and the 2nd one leaked as well .
Didn’t bother going back again costing me more in fuel
clicky clicky
Posts: 9,545
Post #18 29 Jul 2026 23:26
0
In reply to Post #10
Their knife and forks are made of jelly..
essesxandy essesxandy
Posts: 3,197
Post #19 30 Jul 2026 06:37
0
Last week I bought a new Ridgemonkey toasty thingy.
The one with the removable handles that are supposed to store under the utensil holder.
Well the bast@#d handles won't hold in place and one of the utensils won't come out of the holder.
You'd think they'd been making these long enough to have them perfected.
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