686 Technical Apparel

Since Michael Akira West first stepped on a skateboard in the early eighties, he always had ideas. Mike was engulfed in the progressive street skateboarding scene in Hermosa and Venice Beach until 1985, when a friend introduced him to snowboarding. The concept of actually skating on the snow was something entirely new. Throughout the following years, Mike worked and rode at a local mountain in Big Bear; using punk, rap, jazz music and his collection of sneakers and vintage clothing as forms of inspiration. In addition to finishing school at the University of Southern California, Mike realized that if he was going to do something on his own, it should begin when he had nothing to lose. And that's exactly how things got started.

On November 13, 1992, the 686 technical apparel company was formed. The 686 name comes from a crucial date in the life of Mike's grandmother (June 6th, 1986) and adds up to the age of when he started the company (6+8+6). Since the beginning, 686 has been about providing innovative,  fashionable outerwear and technical apparel inspired from the same Los Angeles street culture and mountain lifestyle it was founded upon.

Products like the trademarked Smarty® line of removable liners, the trademarked Times® line of limited edition co-branded products, the trademarked Plexus® line of minimalist shell technology, the patented Toolbelt® line of functional belts, technical fabrications, exclusive Infidry® waterproof innovations and support of the DIY ethos all make up the 686 name.

  Being INDEPENDENTLY rider owned and operated and an obsession to make products progressively unique is what 686 is all about. Enjoy.

Love and Peace

What is the 686 Warranty Policy?
686 Products are fully warranted to the original owner against defects in materials and workmanship for a period ONE (1) year from the original purchase date. A copy of the original receipt must be included for validity of the ONE (1) year warranty. If no receipt is included the manufacturing date will be used as the start of the warranty period.  Only products purchased from authorized 686 dealership's will be honored. Authorized 686 dealerships appear on 686.com.

What is covered under warranty?
   •  Faulty Zippers
   •  Defective sewing (please mark these areas with masking tape and NOT duct tape)
   •  Broken bungees
   •  Broken snaps and/or other closures.

What is not covered under warranty?
   •  Normal Wear and tear.
   •  Rips and tears that are caused by accident, negligence, and abuse. For example snagging on a tree, falling on a rail, hitting a rock-person-chairlift-pole-and so on,
       going too big and having a nasty landing, etc.
   •  Material fading.
   •  Pilling of fabric materials. This includes specialty fabric materials such as Denim, Herringbone, Corduroy, Suede, etc as well as pilling from Velcro tabs.
   •  Shrinking of a garment resulting from improper care.
   •  Reduction or loss of waterproofing resulting from improper care.
   •  Self repair of a garment before contacting the 686 warranty department.
   •  Products purchased from unauthorized 686 Dealerships.

Will my 686 product be repaired or replaced?
Upon receipt of the product the 686 warranty team will examine the product and determine if the problem is covered under warranty. If it is and is repairable, 686 will repair the garment at no cost to the consumer and cover shipping back to the customer. If it is not covered under warranty then the garment will be returned to the customer.   If the garment is not repairable but is covered under warranty then replacement options will be determined by the 686 Warranty Team.

How do I go about sending in my 686 product for warranty?

In the US:
Contact the 686 Warranty Dept at 949-699-6868 ext.130 or warranty@686.com. After determining if warranty is valid a Return Authorization Number (RA#) will be issued. You may also contact the dealership in which you purchased your 686 product from and they will be able to process the warranty claim for you.
After obtaining a valid RA#, send the product to:

      686 Warranty Dept
      20 Goodyear
      Irvine, CA. 92618

Make sure RA# appears on the outside of the box before shipping to help 686 identify the warranty. Please also include your return shipping and contact information in the box you send the warranty in, so that we may contact you directly if there are any discrepancies.