Stupid question, but anyone have an opinion on clones? I must say I am on the fence. I am against total ripoffs, but can save some major money with some of the similar designs coming from China. Whataya think???
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Some clones are good quality and I don't have a problem with the good ones, sold at a comparable price to the original. Its the inferior knock offs, sold dirt cheap I have a problem with.
A newcomer that isn't aware of the knock off problem will go buy them, thinking they have the real deal and got a huge bargain on it only to discover it's a piece of junk, then they go spouting that about, giving the good quality original a bad name for no reason.
A newcomer that isn't aware of the knock off problem will go buy them, thinking they have the real deal and got a huge bargain on it only to discover it's a piece of junk, then they go spouting that about, giving the good quality original a bad name for no reason.
I gotta agree with ya. Save the money and buy quality. Looking for a hybrid now. Can get a cheap knock off or save for the Zen. Im getting in line for the Zen. For me its not the price, but the availability.
If you see something you're interested in dvm1964... start a thread with a link to the specific item you're considering. You'll find out fairly quickly (unless it's something really bizarre) is it's worth buying or not.
Get verified and stalk the classifieds here..
More often than you think hard to finds mods are listed for sale there.. You could also post a wanted ad..
if you want a cheap mechanical mod i suggest buying a diablo mod or the smoktech natural. i have the smoktech natural and it works great, and my friend has the diablo mod and it also worls great. his was about 20 dollars and mine was about 30.
I dislike clones on principle. I won't give money to a company that has blatantly ripped-off someone else idea, design, engineering, etc. They're leeches and crooks imo.
The big problem for most of us is we don't know what is the clone and if its a clone we dang sure don't know who made it first. I'm all for supporting companies that innovate and make the originals but in a market as fast changing as this one is it's hard to do.
I've bought both after appropriate research and have not had any more issues with clones/knockoffs than with originals. Having said that, I have not ever knowingly bought a product that was counterfeit. All my computer software is also either freeware or I've paid for it and the same for my music and other media.
Back to the clone thing. If someone develops something and does not patent it they knowingly run the risk of others copying and putting similar product on the market. Right or wrong, I don't sweat this one.
Back to the clone thing. If someone develops something and does not patent it they knowingly run the risk of others copying and putting similar product on the market. Right or wrong, I don't sweat this one.
To be honest, if the originals were more available, I don't think the chinese clones would be as popular, by a long shot. I'm more than happy to simply buy a chinese clone of something when it has been reviewed as decent stuff. Why pay $250 for something I can get for $40 and not have to wait in line or fight somebody for?
Once I get better at rebuilding atomizers, then perhaps I will think about buying say, a real GG Ithaka or whatever they come out with next. Right now, I can't build a good set up consistently. I am not going to practice on something that costs 300 bucks.
Once I get better at rebuilding atomizers, then perhaps I will think about buying say, a real GG Ithaka or whatever they come out with next. Right now, I can't build a good set up consistently. I am not going to practice on something that costs 300 bucks.
In some cases if you dont buy a clone your either getting ripped off for a name or you will never own one.
in some ways clones come close enough, i cant see paying 75 dollars for a dripper when the clone is made pretty well for 10 bucks.
In other cases there is such a delay then too much demand for a product and you will almost never own one if you wait for the original as they are produced in such lower numbers.
then there is the case of who actually came up with a product first, things like carto tanks and genesis atomizers were ideas posted by modders with no intention of actually producing anything, and usually someone takes these ideas and runs with them, then china gets hold of the design refines it a bit and pumps them out.
in a lot of cases china actually shares the designs among competing factories with the intent of you help me fill my stock goals and you can make one also.
im sorry if your going to charge me an arm and a leg them make me wait for 6 months to get your product ill see you later maybe.
I cant think of too many industries that run under this principle and honestly expect people to wait around.
and even then the small time producers of topend products have no problem selling their stock off, and in this sense the clones may actually drive demand higher as people get to try the clone first, many times people who would have never spent the time or money on the original and decide they now want the real one after getting to try the 20 dollar copy.
in some ways clones come close enough, i cant see paying 75 dollars for a dripper when the clone is made pretty well for 10 bucks.
In other cases there is such a delay then too much demand for a product and you will almost never own one if you wait for the original as they are produced in such lower numbers.
then there is the case of who actually came up with a product first, things like carto tanks and genesis atomizers were ideas posted by modders with no intention of actually producing anything, and usually someone takes these ideas and runs with them, then china gets hold of the design refines it a bit and pumps them out.
in a lot of cases china actually shares the designs among competing factories with the intent of you help me fill my stock goals and you can make one also.
im sorry if your going to charge me an arm and a leg them make me wait for 6 months to get your product ill see you later maybe.
I cant think of too many industries that run under this principle and honestly expect people to wait around.
and even then the small time producers of topend products have no problem selling their stock off, and in this sense the clones may actually drive demand higher as people get to try the clone first, many times people who would have never spent the time or money on the original and decide they now want the real one after getting to try the 20 dollar copy.
I paid the big bucks to get myself rolling once I decided to go full time with vaping, and bought a Provari and I'm on the waiting list for Joe Litt's DNA20 NES Mod (google it, if you haven't seen it, I'm still drooling). But based on my vaping addiction I decided I wanted a mech mod to play with rba's and try those, however wasn't ready to the $ commitment, so I bought a k100.
I hate the clones, but bought one. I even bought the clone kick. I honestly felt like I'd rather play with the cheap stuff, until I'm ready for the pros.
And if I never progress past my cheap RBA's and cloned crap, I still have my Provari as my everyday mod to remind me of the value of quality products.
But for the record, my cloned stuff is working fine. Thanks to some decent reviews found on this site.
I hate the clones, but bought one. I even bought the clone kick. I honestly felt like I'd rather play with the cheap stuff, until I'm ready for the pros.
And if I never progress past my cheap RBA's and cloned crap, I still have my Provari as my everyday mod to remind me of the value of quality products.
But for the record, my cloned stuff is working fine. Thanks to some decent reviews found on this site.
I have a fair bit of clone stuff and a couple of the mid range priced originals (vamo, natural, etc.). I got clones up till now because I wasn't sure what I liked about mods except the way they look. Now I have used enough different gear to tell what I do/do not like, what works better for me, and the knowledge to start dropping real money on nice "real" mods, and all of that for about the price of one high end mod.
I am kind of over the cheap mod thing, they aren't that exciting anymore, but I don't hate them either. They serve there purpose. And because of the clones I do like I am looking into getting the real deals.
I am kind of over the cheap mod thing, they aren't that exciting anymore, but I don't hate them either. They serve there purpose. And because of the clones I do like I am looking into getting the real deals.
As a knife collector this ? comes up all the time and I've come to the conclusion that there are two type of people that buy clones weather it be knives, e-cig mods, ETC. Type "A" those who can afford the real thing but its not available and type "B" those who can't afford the real thing even if they are available. Now when it comes to counterfeits that's a completely different thing. Counterfeits are copies of the original device and are marketed as originals and sold as originals, "Clones" on the other hand are device inspired by the original but not copies nor are they sold as such.
IE I just recently went to Blade Show a few months ago and all I keep seeing where knives that resembled Hinderer's knives. Now I wouldn't call those copy more or less someone else's take on the design, some of them where actually made from well known artist. That being said I own clones of models I like but wouldn't necessarily shell out the cash for or model that are not readily available and I own originals of devices that I like so much that i am welling to pay the cost or stalk auctions and whatnot.
Long story short I have nothing against clones[not counterfeits] if fact if someone was to "clone"[not counterfeit] my work to me that would be a compliment to the fact that my work is popular enough that it warrants cloning. I mean when your talking about customs there only so many that an individual or small group of people can manufacturer. IE there is going to be more people wanting the device then the rate at which the device can be made.
There's a little saying among artist of all types "you know you've made something great when people are trying to copy you"
IE I just recently went to Blade Show a few months ago and all I keep seeing where knives that resembled Hinderer's knives. Now I wouldn't call those copy more or less someone else's take on the design, some of them where actually made from well known artist. That being said I own clones of models I like but wouldn't necessarily shell out the cash for or model that are not readily available and I own originals of devices that I like so much that i am welling to pay the cost or stalk auctions and whatnot.
Long story short I have nothing against clones[not counterfeits] if fact if someone was to "clone"[not counterfeit] my work to me that would be a compliment to the fact that my work is popular enough that it warrants cloning. I mean when your talking about customs there only so many that an individual or small group of people can manufacturer. IE there is going to be more people wanting the device then the rate at which the device can be made.
There's a little saying among artist of all types "you know you've made something great when people are trying to copy you"
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Personally..............
I think this is a topic best left in the General discussion section.
Easily accessed for those curious and less confusion for new members to wade through.
This is the the place for Meet and Greet and to help solve issues and assist in the basics.
I think this is a topic best left in the General discussion section.
Easily accessed for those curious and less confusion for new members to wade through.
This is the the place for Meet and Greet and to help solve issues and assist in the basics.
Do your research. Some clones are awesome and can hit just as hard or even harder than the real deal. Some are also junk. So research is important and easy to find all over the net. I'm all for clones and can give a crap if someone copies them. There's bigger things in the world to worry about then someone cloning a metal battery tube. I can go to Mexico and get a pair of "oakley's" and a "rolex" for $20. Why isn't anyone .....ing about that? If I made a nice mod and someone copied it, frankly I'd be flattered.
I recently got a clone and liked it so well that i sprung for the real deal, not sure i would have done so if i hadn't cheaped out initially
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