How do you feel about Clones?

[mustangii]

Copying is the most sincere from of Flattery, So do you buy clones or originals? I can't afford much more that clones on some Items. And mechanicals are little more than a metal tube. switch and connector. Now if there is artistic engraving covering it or Craving as in a wood mod, Maybe But just a wood box with a double battery holder, switch, some wire and a connector, some magnets for the lid, I can't see paying $150.00 or more for that. Of course I and a mechanic and also worked as an electrician for a 10 year break from cars. I know how to solder and can run a router and wood tools. maybe I am putting to much thought into it, but why would you pay that much for it? just wondering?

 

[retic1959]

You're getting in to a touchy subject here , just do what you have to do , how and what I spend my money on is my business and the same goes for you . For me it's a dead horse subject , you'll get lots of opinions but you know the old saying about that . Good luck and welcome to ECF .

 

[mustangii]

Yep opinions, belly buttons, a-holes, Camaros, everyone has one and they all stink, lol. I was just wondering why someone would spend that much. I know we all can spend what we want, where we want, on what we want.
edm

 

[DaveSignal]

Well the authentics for mechanical mods are designed and manufactured in small runs, sometimes by just one or a few people. Some of these originals are very hard to acquire, even if you were willing to pay for one. Although careful attention is paid to every aspect of the machining, most people get authentics because it is kind of a collectors item. If the purpose for purchasing is functionality, there is little reason not to buy a high quality 1:1 clone.

Some people would be proud to have a baseball bat signed by Mickey Mantle, even though it would work exactly the same as any other baseball bat, including ones that had a fake Mickey Mantle signature. But thats not really the reason that someone would own a signed Mickey Mantle baseball bat.

 

[wheelie]

If there was no masters of craft we would not have clones.

 

[realsis]

Wow, your opening up a can of worms with this question because people have STRONG opinions on this subject. That said, you asked for my opinion so I will give you my honest opinion. This might rub pepole the wrong way but here goes, I do most definitely believe in clones, in fact out of my 20 or so rbas I'd say only two or three are genuine. Why? Because I can't afford 150.00 for a atomizer.but I can however afford 20 to40 dollars for one. Without clones I wouldn't be able to have my rdas because I can't afford the high price. Clones give people like me the chance to expirence the item when I would never been able to expirence the genuine due to cost. Most of my clones are 1:1 clones meaning they are exact copies of the genuine. I understand both sides of the argument but my answer would be for manufacturers to lower their prices on the genuine and more people would buy them. If they are able to make a 1:1 clone and make a profit off selling it for 30 dollars why does the manufacturer sell his at 180.00? I'm thinking the mark up is too high in that case. But clones have given people like me a chance to enjoy the product as well. So I don't see any problem with them and I don't think they are really hurting the manufacturers. If the clones were gone it still wouldn't change the fact that I can't afford the genuine article. It wouldn't drive me to the original product. The manufacturer needs to realize his prices are just too high. With or without clones I couldn't go there. So clones aren't taking business away , they are giving people a chance to experience the product who otherwise could not. Like I said take away the clones wouldn't change the fact I can't afford the genuine. So yes I think clones are a great thing. So sorry if this upsets anyone. It's just my opinion

 

[retic1959]

Yep opinions, belly buttons, a-holes, Camaros, everyone has one and they all stink, lol. I was just wondering why someone would spend that much. I know we all can spend what we want, where we want, on what we want. edm

I'm trying to spare you some grief starting out , some people have very strong opinions on this subject and consider the purchase of a clone as an act of theft . I own both authentics and clones and I've seen the arguments too many times .

 

[Paradicio]

Just gonna watch.

 

[gandymarsh]

One more thing to think about. Since authentic devices are limited production, it's often difficult or impossible to find certain ones. Clones are more mass produced and made by multiple manufacturers so they are readily available.

I only have a couple of clone RDAs but I wouldn't buy the authentic ones due to the price. It's a way to satisfy Champagne taste on a beer budget.

 

[skoony]

i support authentic 100 %.
i cant afford the cost of the higher priced ones.
that means i don't own any.
if you can't afford it don't buy it or,save up for it.
i don't buy into this Groupon attitude that every thing you
can't get at half cost or more is ripping one off.
ever realize that if one didn't support the theft of
intellectual property that perhaps more jobs would
stay here offering one to be able to afford more
higher end products.what do you think would happen
if GM,Ford and Chrysler had to compete with clones.
one has to look at the big picture.there are unforeseen
results due to ones actions.

mike

 

[DaveSignal]

My previous comment was about mech mods. A mech mod is a metal tube with a switch. There is little that can change from an authentic and a good clone in this instance, short of the threading on the tube or the type of metal used.

If we are talking about RDAs, then there is definitely a benefit to buying authentic vs 1:1 clone. Sometimes, even clones labeled 1:1 have small parts such as screws or insulators that aren't really 1:1.

I currently own 8 authentic RDAs. They are all perfect and were perfect out of the box except for my brass monkey, which required replacing an o-ring due to the AFC ring being a bit loose for my preference.

I also own 10 clone RDAs. Out of these, 5 have had issues that required the replacement of a part, a post spinning, an isulator melting, etc. I saved a great deal of money to try these RDAs, but only about half of them have had no problems whatsoever. So it is more of a chance with a clone RDA in the hopes of saving money. There is much less quality control on mass-produced china manufacturing.

 

[edyle]

Copying is the most sincere from of Flattery, So do you buy clones or originals? I can't afford much more that clones on some Items. And mechanicals are little more than a metal tube. switch and connector. Now if there is artistic engraving covering it or Craving as in a wood mod, Maybe But just a wood box with a double battery holder, switch, some wire and a connector, some magnets for the lid, I can't see paying $150.00 or more for that. Of course I and a mechanic and also worked as an electrician for a 10 year break from cars. I know how to solder and can run a router and wood tools. maybe I am putting to much thought into it, but why would you pay that much for it? just wondering?

All of my cutlery and most of my tools are no-brand clones.
I've got a 'Hunter-pro' fisheye wrench which by some people's definition would be a clone just because it doesn't say 'Craftsman' or 'Stanley'.

 

[DaveSignal]

i support authentic 100 %.
i cant afford the cost of the higher priced ones.
that means i don't own any.
if you can't afford it don't buy it or,save up for it.
i don't buy into this Groupon attitude that every thing you
can't get at half cost or more is ripping one off.
ever realize that if one didn't support the theft of
intellectual property that perhaps more jobs would
stay here offering one to be able to afford more
higher end products.what do you think would happen
if GM,Ford and Chrysler had to compete with clones.
one has to look at the big picture.there are unforeseen
results due to ones actions.

mike

What if the authentic is not available for sale? Where can I get an authentic Caravela?

ETA: sometimes I spend the time to seek out authentic mods. But when the local B&M vape shops sell clones and all the websites sell clones of a mod I am looking for, then I am not going to spend days researching and going out of my way messaging people on facebook just to find an authentic version.

 

[skoony]

What if the authentic is not available for sale? Where can I get an authentic Caravela?

ETA: sometimes I spend the time to seek out authentic mods. But when the local B&M vape shops sell clones and all the websites sell clones of a mod I am looking for, then I am not going to spend days researching and going out of my way messaging people on facebook just to find an authentic version.

it means you can't get one.
what happens five years down the road when all these rare limited run mods
in the sales forums are mostly clones?
i couldn't tell a clone from an authentic as i own neither.
i suspect 80 % of the general vaping public couldn't tell
the difference.the 80 % figure is being generous
some people say that can't afford them.some say its their money their choice.
some say they never represent their clones as anything but a clone.
the truth is 90 % or more of the people that buy clones do so for the same
reason they might buy fake watches. to show off.
they don't say look at my cloned bob's honkin duck call.they say look at
my bobs honkin duck call.
the general vaping community wouldn't know as most people don't buy
what they can't afford and wouldn't know the difference.

regards
mike

 

[lvm111]

I like 'em!

best regards, larry mac

 

[sketchness]

Everyone has an opinion, and it is just that their opinion. It carries no more weight than anyone else's.

I personally only own authentic mods and drippers but it is more by accident than intent. And I don't own any real expensive devices. My only problem with a clone is when they are engraving the name of the device or the original artists renderings on theirs. One of these days an authentic wood Reo will be mine until then I am pretty happy with what I have.

And lets not get to hypocritical we all use clones in other facets of life. Anyone on this site using a PC is on a clone unless they are using an IBM. Most of us are perfectly content paying $5 for a generic prescription versus $100 for the authentic. After market parts from the automotive store. The list goes on and on.

 

[DaveSignal]

I like 'em!

best regards, larry mac

I like them too, and I like authentics. I have many of both. And they are all great (except for a few my clone attys that are broken). But I am glad that I have the opportunity to buy cloned devices.

Its not really about showing off. In the case of a mech mod, most people will buy a clone because they like the look and feel or a particular device. They, and most people outside the niche community of extreme vaping hobbyists, wouldn't care even if it was the real thing. They are not trying to pass it off as something else. They just want a metal tube that looks and feels special. It needs to be shiny with sleek engravings and the switch needs to work a certain way.

If I had a copy of a picaso painting in my living room, I would tell people its a copy of a picaso painting. And I would like the way that it looked on my wall. I am not going to tell people it is an original picaso or try to sell it as an authentic original work. I just like the way it looks and the atmosphere it adds to the room. And if people want to criticize me for not saving my money and hunting down a real picaso painting, than so be it. I am happy with my replica.

 

[ojibwe]

If it works and it is cheaper then I'm all for it.
If it was made from recycled/reclaimed materials and was just as safe, I'd be up for that too.

 

[Coldrake]

I only buy authentic. If you don't want to buy a clone, there are plenty of inexpensive authentic mods available.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/apv-discussion/604037-list-mods-100-less-not-clone.html

 

[Treborsmug]

I'm probably going to get blasted on this one. Authentics? Clones?..You people crack me up. People are falsely waving the American flag on Authentic trying to make a higher dollar on an product that was invented by a Chinese Doctor back in 2003 because his brother died of cancer smoking 3 packs a day.(Do the web search and get informed) The whole e-cig biz has moved fast and furious over the last couple of years the more people get a hold of it. It's now an international love affair. Come on...We are all in this together trying to kill the analog for our health but still maintain a desire based on freedom of choice. The right to any human being. Good products and bad can be made by anyone anywhere.