It's unfortunate. We used to go with Sugoi, but they raised their minimums to 50!!! We're a Canadian club of 40ish, so we looked at Garneau, but there were too many issues and inconsistencies with them. We decided to go with Voler instead, and we could not be more happier!!! Garneau's minimums were too high, and they didn't seem very organized - they wouldn't return calls, or answer artwork questions, or answer questions about fit-kits, or even give us an idea of delivery date (this was October). In short, they gave us a "here is our product, take it or leave it" attitude. Their minimums are 12 now (of each item), but they were quite a bit higher last fall when we looked at ordering. We told them it was unfortunate, because they were going to lose Canadian business to an American company, simply because their minimums were too high. We were a club of 40, but because you needed 22 of each item, we could not do it. At the time they told us it was too bad, their minimums were their minimums. A month later they called back and said they were lowering their minimums to 12, but it was too late for us.

I am wonderring why you went off the website sizes? Garneau should have sent you a fit kit, so that you could try on exactly what you were ordering, and avoid the sizing mistakes.

Incidentally, our experience with Voler was outstanding. We got huge fit kits with every item in every size, both male and female. Ordering was a breeeze, as was the artwork process, and delivery was on time. It also worked out significantly cheaper than Garneau. Their minimums are 25, but it's "like item" grouping so that means 25 bottoms (combination of bike shorts, tri shorts, tights), 25 long sleeve items (jerseys, skinsuits, jackets), and short sleeve items (tri tanks, jerseys, sleeveless, wind vest).

I know Mitch Gold, of CpC Coaching, uses their stuff and it often seems the orders are delayed, but I've never dealt with them specifically. I've been looking at using www.champ-sys.com . They've been responsive in emails, have low minimums, and a large product line.

I know this doesn't answer your question directly, but thought I'd throw the info out there for other folks and to see if there is any feedback on them.

Best of luck with LG
Hack

I hope you will all consider using our new Custom Team Apparel program in the future. We have very low minimums, very reasonable pricing, and we offer satisfaction guarantees!

Please email me if you would like more info.

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Emilio De Soto II
Maker of triathlon clothing, T1 Wetsuits, & Saddle Seat Pads and AXS since 1990
emilio@desotosport.com http://www.desotosport.com

I live in Missouri and don't know Emilio . I am curious why anyone would not use Desoto sport first. They have a great design, wear well, customer service is better than great, Fit is spot on!

I've had TONS of other issues with them, but the 2 things you list are really problems on your end, not LGs. I'm not saying they're worth working with - as someone above talks about, we had problems last year with communication with both the rep and the art dept. leading to them blowing through delivery date and not getting our kits until a month after IM, which was 2 months after the delivery date. On re-orders they've been no better. Pretty abysmal service... But their minimums are low (12) and their product, when you finally get it, is great.

Regarding your issues:
1. Our team felt they were all small (men and women), but we got the fit kit and those that tried them on ordered appropriately. There was no charge for this service, so I don't know why you wouldn't do it.
2. If you don't look at the invoice, I can't see how you have cause for complaint. It was like pulling teeth to get the damn invoice and I had to go back and forth to deal with mistakes on their end, but since I looked at it, I was able to correct them.

In my experience, if you bitch enough, you can get a discount but it's a big stretch to expect that in this case.

Were DeSoto available when we got into it, we would have gone with them. but he wasn't and there's no good reason to switch companies for us at this point.

I've had problems with them on the past on a bunch of things. I went with Champion Systems this year. To tell ya the truth I have no idea what the trisuit is like, but i've seent he cycling gear and it's nice. The cool thing is it's one price for unlimited colors, the Min is 10 on one piece and you can 1 off aything else, so we have a bunch of cycling gear comeing it it. They've been great to work with on the design, did it faster than quoted.

So well see when the gear shows up here, what the suit is like.

Our team just received our order from Champion Systems. Sizing is accurate, minimums are great, so far the quality has been good as well. 4 people ordered tri suits and they were used in a tri last weekend. No one has had any major issues except for the tri shorts are significantly longer than most, for someone tall like me that is a benefit. We have used LG and Sugoi and will continue to use Champion in the future as long as we don't get the bait and switch and they start raising minimums. Pm me is you have some other questions. Also if you have artwork already completed from another company they can use it and it will not have to be recreated.

A fit kit would have been great, but this option was never mentioned. With it being a college triathlon team, the team captains change every year and this info might not have gotten passed down to the incoming suit orderer person.

My first tri (and the one that I care about the most) is June 3rd. Is this a reasonable turnaround time for a new suit...with our logo and that fits?

i know of a club who was SUPPOSED to have had some team apparel delivered in time for St Anthony's -- in fact, they were "promised" (FWTW!) a delivery date by LG, a month or two in advance. i won't claim to know whatever extenuating circumstances or excuses LG provided, but needless to say, LG didn't fulfill their "promise."

back on topic, i hear you on the sizing. it runs WAY small in the men's.

We had our kits done by MS Tina in Italy, not sure what the minimums are like, since we have a large team, and they're one of our sponsors. But the quality of the jerseys is top notch. It's euro sized, so it fits slim, but they look flattering and are quite sharp and very comfy.

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Adam

Euro-Sports.ca/The Foodery Team member

I work for Atac Sportswear - we do custom tri, bike and run clothing, and our prices and minimums are very competitive.

Email me anytime for more information or a quote.
mark@bikeatac.com

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Mark Bates
321 Coaching http://www.321coaching.com

We did our team order through Garneau this year. The service has been good and I think as others have said the quality of material is great. Ken at Louis Garneau has always been responsive to both my emails and phone calls. They were accommodating to our smaller order and let us make last minute changes. Our order ships today, ON TIME! I'll post an update when I actually get the Jerseys.

I will agree the mens run a little small, especially the shorts but if you didn't get the fit kit you really can't blame Garneau for that. My only hope is they make a little shorter inseam version of the shark short in the future for short legged guys like me.

Here is a picture of our unis, designed by Fuston Design


I would definately use Garneau again!

Mark Carey

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http://www.mctriguy.blogspot.com

I have liked the quality of LG stuff but have been nothing but dissapointed by their customer service - that includes significant delays, poor response to phone and emails, and a very "take it or leave it" attitude. We have stuck with them because they have manufacturing in our backyard here (and that has helped zero in the lead-time) My vote years ago was to use Desoto (even though they didn't have custom stuff yet!) but that got shot down. This year, we're back at LG, and stil waiting...

I'd definitely give Emilio a shot if I had anything at all to do with our uniform process any more (and you should consider it!). Champion sounds like a pretty good place jus tfrom these two blurbs as well.

FWIW, your guys problems actually sound like your own fault (as shitty as that is to hear).

Hi, I'm a graphic artist who ends up setting up quite a few custom jobs for teams, clubs, companies etc. I have used Garneau quite a bit in the last few years and actually have found them to be pretty much my favorite company to work with. There are sometimes problems though and the fit issue is a pure guess for most people although we've never really had any problems. In the future (just trying to be helpful, not placing blame at all) if you're ordering sizes specifically for a team you should really request a "fit kit" which is free to double check all the sizes. No matter who you go with ordering specific sizes for a team (ESPECIALLY IN FITTED TRI STUFF) is pretty much impossible without a fit kit. Only real complaints we ever get is that on the tri stuff the tri suits lack a pocket and the men's tri shorts are too short (new shorts this year fixed that). We missed one order by a day but considering it was a rush order in the first place and it was only a day late (a critical day mainly due to shipping delays to Hawaii) I'd say things have been pretty smooth with them.

Sugoi is also generally a pleasure to work with and with Emilio backing his new Desoto/Hidden Bay venture I bet you'll have smooth sailing with them as well.

Anyways, hope you can get things sorted out. My contact there is Donna Mitchell dmitchell@louisgarneau.us and she's awesome and can answer pretty much any question you'll ever have.

If your team ever needs some cool sublimated tech shirts give me an email and I'll set you up a free sample:) tai@taigraphx.com

Sorry to highjack for a moment.

Tai, have you worked on anything for me? Please email or pm me. Thanks.

Now back to your regularly scheduled thread.

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Proud Founder of the Jamis Mafia- Daring to be different.