Mod clones... how do you feel

[Bad Ninja]

It ain't just price.

Try to buy a Caravela ( none available)
Try to get customer service from Surefire (tons of complaints across forums)

Over prices, overhyped, sold out,..... It's like no Modder has a clue how to operate a business.

And the next time I hear "artist" associated with threading a soft brass tube, I'm gonna puke.
If tapping threads on a brass pipe makes you an artist, then my plumber is Picasso.

 

[KalThaxx]

I have no problems with clones, as it allows just about anyone to pick one up because they are available and cheap. What I really have a problem with is the replica blatant rip-offs going as far to use the original makers marks, that's just low. In just about every industry things are cloned or borrowed but are rebranded and that is great for everyone, but if they pass it off as the original it's counterfeit. IMHO.

 

[Heavyrocker]

The only way to jusify paying 200 too 500 for a mod for me,it has too be made of titanium or silver.gold plating with rodium contacts.

 

[Heavyrocker]

I have no problems with clones, as it allows just about anyone to pick one up because they are available and cheap. What I really have a problem with is the replica blatant rip-offs going as far to use the original makers marks, that's just low. In just about every industry things are cloned or borrowed but are rebranded and that is great for everyone, but if they pass it off as the original it's counterfeit. IMHO.

How is making a piece of metal pipe counterfieting?

 

[burtonsnowww]

i would never buy an "authentic" mech mod (other than my reo grand which i use as my daily device), now i do not have a problem paying a bit more for a regulated device such as a dna30 device or a provari but at the end of the day a metal tube is a metal tube and i always buy the $20-30 metal tubes not the $200-300

 

[crxess]

The orginals costs 5 bucks too manufacture and sell for 200 bucks,the clones costs 2 bucks to manfacture and cost 20 bucks,you choose.

Well, I wasn't born last night so I'll completely disagree with the analogy. However the point is valid.

Actual production cost is directly related to region. Factors such as Labor cost and materials cost vary dramatically.
Still, Designer profiteering is heavily weighed into final retail pricing. Something mass production is not as heavily into

Copies do not devalue a true collector piece. They simply cloud the necessity of owning one.

 

[deanthemachine]

The orginals costs 5 bucks too manufacture and sell for 200 bucks,the clones costs 2 bucks to manfacture and cost 20 bucks,you choose.

This is such BS. You really think a small shop, paying non Chinese wages, in small batches can produce these things for $5?

 

[StarsAndBars]

This is such BS. You really think a small shop, paying non Chinese wages, in small batches can produce these things for $5?

I think he was just exaggerating for the purpose of making a point. I agree with what you're saying to an extent, but if a manufacturer can't make a metal tube that holds a battery for a cost low enough to sell it at an affordable price, maybe they should re-examine their business model.

 

[havoc1967]

i would never buy an "authentic" mech mod (other than my reo grand which i use as my daily device), now i do not have a problem paying a bit more for a regulated device such as a dna30 device or a provari but at the end of the day a metal tube is a metal tube and i always buy the $20-30 metal tubes not the $200-300

Completely agree. I can see spending big bucks for a Provari or a Reo Grand, etc. But a mech? I have an HCigar King and HCigar Nemesis that I got for around $40 each. Fantastic devices! I refuse to believe the genuine article can be better in any way. Just a great deal more expensive.

 

[VapingTurtle]

Mod clones... how do you feel

I feel ok, thank you. And you??

 

[retired1]

This is NOT going to turn into another clone war thread. Knock it off.

 

[csantiago1911]

Go capitalism. People will buy what they want (and can afford). I have handled and used high-end originals and they were great. I own clones that work every bit as well as high-end mods, and handled some clones that were of questionable (or even downright bad) quality. If you are thinking about getting a clone (counterfeit, replica, whatever) then do your homework or you could end up with one that doesn't meet your expectations.

I have Hcigar clones of the King mod ($50) and the Sentinel M16 ($36), as well as a FT clone of the RaiVapes Launcher V2 ($20). All work great, minimal voltage drop and performed as expected out of the box. I have read here on ECF that other clones require some tinkering to get to work properly, although mine were good to go on day 1. I did put some dental floss around the threads of my M16 clone's firing button so it wouldn't back out during use, so you may consider that "tinkering". Took me 2 minutes and was virtually free... a small price to pay for reliable performance.

Of the mods I own, my favorite is actually the cheapest... the FT Launcher V2. It worked as well as any high-end original I have ever tried. Solid copper pins, heavy construction, good materials, smooth threads, tight tolerances, great finish and the firing button is better than anything else I have tried.

Ultimately, these mech mods are battery tubes. I am comfortable paying up to $50 for a battery tube, but I would have serious reservations about paying $200+ for one. Somebody with more time than money, who was reasonably handy, and possessing a fundamental understanding of electricity and mechanics could build their own mod with inexpensive parts in a few hours... this is not rocket science.

I personally have no interest in collectibility of vaping gear. I can understand collecting cars, guns, watches, wines and coins... but vaping gear for me is not about collecting. It is about utility. I couldn't care less if my equipment is a clone or not, as long as it works reliably and safely. That said, other folks are into collecting this stuff and I respect that. A collector can justify dropping $200 on an original mod. The price of any commodity will be based on supply and demand.

 

[VapingTurtle]

...

Retired, are you a real ECF Mod, or a clone Mod? I hadn't heard of any real mods coming from Canada. I thought they all came from Greece, and England, and West Central Florida, and exotic places like that. I think you are a clone Mod. (But not a counterfeit.)

 

[sandt38]

I wonder, how many people here complaining about clones have downloaded music online for free, or copied a friend's CD/DVD? Perhaps used someone else's photograph in a post or as an avatar? Maybe you have quoted someone in a thread. How many times have you bought an unofficial team jersey, unofficial baseball cap, or any other unofficial memorabilia?

Intellectual property theft occurs all the time, and I assure you that everyone griping is or has been an intellectual property thief.

Imitation is a form of flattery. I personally feel that removed label clones are worse than clones with logos on them. At least with a logo on it the real company is getting some form of advertising.

Some people can't afford the real deal, so they buy a knock off. Some people don't want to risk damaging an expensive mod, so they buy a clone. I just ordered a Nemesis clone so I could bring it to work and not worry about scratching or damaging my real Nemesis. Sorry, but I work hard in a harsh environment and I don't want my $200 mod ruined... a $29 hCigar however, I don't mind sratching the hell out of it. Some people don't want to wait for 6 months to get a limited run type mod. Perhaps someone doesn't want to spend $175 on an Aqua, like I did, to thoroughly be disappointed in the stupid thing. I wish I had bought a knock off now. I assure you that from now on when it comes to attys I will try a clone first.

 

[inanitydefined]

lets remember that a lot of the "originals" aren't that original. The carvela, the chi you, the nemesis, the turtleship, and every other straight sided bottom button mechanical look the same. None of them trip my trigger because the just look like a piece of plumbing with a switch. I would rather buy a kamry k100 than one of those clones, let alone a real one

 

[Steamer861]

I have a few clones I don't like them there poor quality I will not be buying and more You get what you pay for!
For all that support these nock offs What if you built a product did all the work to perfect it choose all the best materials
produced the best product you could and priced it accordingly Then some one comes and clones it with cheap materials no time and effort into R&D rips off all your work and sells it for dirt cheap Here on our side of the world not only would you be a scumbag for stealing some ones work you would get sued
But in China they do it all the time and people support them by buying there Crap product and even go as far as defending them!

 

[jpcwon]

As a newb when it comes to mechanical mods, I want something that I can use to 'get my feet wet' in the mech world. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to pay $200+ for a mech mod when I don't even know if I'm going to like them or not! For this reason, I elected to buy a Nemesis clone from HCigar. I must say I really like this mod!

 

[havoc1967]

Wanted to throw in another endorsement for the Launcher V2 clone from Fast Tech (as another poster did earlier). I spent $20 for it and it works great. Solid construction and great performance. I am actually kind of surprised you don't hear more about it. I love both of the Nemesis clones that I have and they certainly deserve all the praise that they get. But if a new arrival to the scene was going to buy only 1 mech and asked my advice I would probably recommend either the Launcher V2 or K100.

 

[Bad Ninja]

I have a few clones I don't like them there poor quality I will not be buying and more You get what you pay for!
For all that support these nock offs What if you built a product did all the work to perfect it choose all the best materials
produced the best product you could and priced it accordingly Then some one comes and clones it with cheap materials no time and effort into R&D rips off all your work and sells it for dirt cheap Here on our side of the world not only would you be a scumbag for stealing some ones work you would get sued !

Here is the problem that people keep ignoring.
They are not priced accordingly, they are priced astronomically, and never available.
That's why clones only cost one-tenth the price of an "original" (no mods sold today are original, they are all rip offs of a modified flashlight.)

Roll back the racism. There are international copyright and patent laws that apply in china too.
None of these modders own the utility design that they all copy.
Google utility patent and educate yourself. This is why no one is getting sued

Don't misplace your loyalty.

 

[stevegmu]

This is such BS. You really think a small shop, paying non Chinese wages, in small batches can produce these things for $5?

US made stainless steel bar stock alone costs more than $5...