Clone Wars

[Mplough]

So I guess now there are clones of clones?  I have an Agua V2 clone that I had altered and (IMO) is probably the best rebuildable tank there is.  My local B/M stopped selling them and I found them online on 'clearance'.  I ordered one and had a friend at a machine shop drill it out.  I was reassembling it tonight and noticed it 'looks' like the first one I bought but upon further examination I noticed that the engravings aren't as crisp and the inside of the chimney isn't polished like my first one.

So if the Chinese are ripping off OEM's whose ripping off the Chinese?

 

[Vapor Guy]

It gets real bad, since mostly all these products are made in China what you will get is average clones, higher end clones, then cheap clones. Then you will get multiple clones variations from the above clones, then it makes it hard to spot the good from the bad clones. 

Many vape shops have the originals but also have the higher end clones, same with online. Many also buy the cheap ones but stock the real coils. To much cash to be made for a lot of these retail company's to play it straight. And the ones that do play it straight can't compete with the ones using higher end clones. Think about it you see a IPV 4 mod for 68.99 online and one for 100.00 which one are you going to buy? The real ones read pre made coils spot on, the fakes don't, but it's not a huge difference that people would notice. I've seen good top notch company's sell clones as the real deal. Some are very hard to spot the difference, some are impossible to spot the difference in short term use. 

[MudDrum]

Probably just another company from China.  My kayfuns are from different
factories, some good, some just so-so.
If the item you like is 'out-of-style', feel lucky someone still wants to clone it.
I for one, do not like the fact that most clones use the logo of the originals.
Other than that, it's pretty much all I can afford.

[Earthling789]

Yeah, it's not really clones of clones, it's just different levels of quality...  I have some clones that are 1:1 to the authentic, and some clones are so poorly made, you can spot their defects a mile away. 

I have no issues buying clones, and have many Russian clones, all which perform as they should, some with minor quirks, but all fully functional... and even the ones I paid $15 for are just as good (functional) as the ones I paid $40 for...   I have some mechs that are poor clones, some that are 1:1... you just have to be careful with what you buy, and where you buy it from.  Some (less reputable) online shops (like, cough, eBay) will show images of the authentic or their best-sample of clone, and what you get may be the worst of the worst.  

I have a Squape Reloaded that is one of those "wost of the worst" clones... the deck shorts-out because it is poorly machined and the o-rings are too small/thin, and the plastic tank section was poorly glued to the steel tank section, so it leaks when you lay it on it's side   Thankfully, it was a promo gift in lieu of a review (no money invested in it), but unfortunately my honest review wasn't appreciated, so the company kicked me off their roster of reviewers....  I'm sure if I said it was the greatest invention since sliced-bread, I would still be getting freebies to test/review, but I'm not the kind of person to lie about quality....  Because of this, I won't buy anything from that company any more... not because they removed me as a reviewer, but because they obviously are pushing junk and only posting stellar reviews (lying) to promote the products they sell.

[jasonculp]

I really don't have many clones, but I really don't have a problem with them.  One of mine a 4nine clone is great, my other is a G-PAPS clone and it is junk.  I have not bought any tanks, but it is just because I have not found a clone of anything I am really wanting.  One clone I am interested in at this time is the Geeko rDNA clone.  I am told it has the same 60 watt DNA40 clone that my Zero mod has.  Wait...my daily driver, my Zero mod is a clone...lol  The rDNA clones are getting hard to find because of the Cease and Desist Order that Vapor Shark has put out there (supposedly).  With Vapor Shark down to $130 and 15% off this weekend it is tempting, but I really shouldn't buy one because I would be busting my budget.

 

 

I have a Squape Reloaded that is one of those "wost of the worst" clones... the deck shorts-out because it is poorly machined and the o-rings are too small/thin, and the plastic tank section was poorly glued to the steel tank section, so it leaks when you lay it on it's side   Thankfully, it was a promo gift in lieu of a review (no money invested in it), but unfortunately my honest review wasn't appreciated, so the company kicked me off their roster of reviewers....  I'm sure if I said it was the greatest invention since sliced-bread, I would still be getting freebies to test/review, but I'm not the kind of person to lie about quality....  Because of this, I won't buy anything from that company any more... not because they removed me as a reviewer, but because they obviously are pushing junk and only posting stellar reviews (lying) to promote the products they sell.

That tells me a lot about the company who sent you the product.  A true review should be about the product not the person who provided it (unless they suck too).  If you can't be honest the review is worthless. It is no longer a review and is turned into a commercial.  They should be happy to know they are supplying a crappy product so they can pull the produce, fire sale it, or seek recourse from the manufacturer.  A pissed off customer costs a business much more than some junk inventory.

[Mplough]

I have a Squape Reloaded that is one of those "wost of the worst" clones... the deck shorts-out because it is poorly machined and the o-rings are too small/thin, and the plastic tank section was poorly glued to the steel tank section, so it leaks when you lay it on it's side  

HAH! I had the same clone and it was total garbage.  I never used it because when I took the tank apart to clean it chunks of hard clear glue fell out and there were flakes encrusted inside.  I said nope and sent it back.

[Earthling789]

HAH! I had the same clone and it was total garbage.  I never used it because when I took the tank apart to clean it chunks of hard clear glue fell out and there were flakes encrusted inside.  I said nope and sent it back.

I would have sent mine back, but they wouldn't answer my emails to give me an address!  I guess they didn't appreciate honesty, lol.  Plus, I wasn't too keen on having to pay out-of-pocket to return it... so, I kept it!

For now, it is sitting on my shelf, in it's pretty box, and maybe one day I'll re-work it to make it functional, but that may be many years down the road?

In the mean-time, that company gets zero of my patronage or praise...

[Mplough]

Yeah I returned it.  Purchased from Canada. The guy spoke French and our communication was very frustrating.  I lost my *** on the deal.  I had to pay to return it ($20) and he sent my a Kayfun 4 which it total crap.  The 1:1 is spot on but the tank is a pain to assemble, and the air flow is like sucking through a coffee straw.