DealExtreme U2 "fake" review (Lux version)

[BentHeadTX]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

Very good review/warning at the same time :thumbsup:
The light would fit perfectly with my Rolax watch, Benchmaid knife and Leathermen multi-tool.

The bad thing about the counterfit is the unsuspecting consumer that buys one on Ebay. They might send it in to Surefire with complaints about the quality or start bashing them online.

It must of been shocking to open up a "Surefire U2 style" light and find out it has Surefire logos on the barrel. Shame, they should of left the non-functional Surefire bling off the light and built just the light.

 

[Brum]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

Tenfour I've been wondering how one might remove that Surefire branding. Grinding off the ano finish doesn't sound too nice. I guess you could paint over it with black enamel nail polish or something like that.

I believe kitchen sink deplugger/oven cleaner (correct translation?) can be used to dissolve the ano coating. A bit of sanding, a few hours of dremeling with a polishthingy attached and you have a very shiny light. You can get it to be a complete mirror (patience....), but then you couldnt hold it anymore due to fingerprints. I find sanded light (1200grid) to look very nicely. You could also have it sandblasted and clearcoated afterwards, that also looks very good.

 

[Pax et Lux]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

It's all been heard before, and I'd hate to see a technical review thread turn into the same old mush of complaining.

I read the review with interest (and horror) - a good piece of journalism.

I am pleased someone actually took the time to show what this light is all about, and compare the fake to the real thing. . . and I think more people would have applauded your hard work had it not been for that one word, "mush."

Being honest, I feel a bit uneasy, because I use a $1 Photon clone - does this make my a hipocrite?

 

[cutlerylover]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)



Sorry double post...I have got to learn to be patient and just let the page load before clickign again, lol...

 

[cutlerylover]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

Listen it stinks that there are counterfeits out there like this, mainly in my opinion because someone who migth not know anythgin abotu lights can buy one and the quality reflects surefire because it has that anme on it...to a noob this may put off that person to surefire products, which stinks...but on the other hand most of us CPF members know the difference and can shoose not to purchase these counterfeit lights...My biggest concern will be when these are put on ebay under surefire, and when they pop up here on the forums in the sale thread...I wouldn't want a new member to say wow what a price on that surefire and buy them and be dissapointed...

Now I have been a fan and collector of Zippo lighters for years, and they have hundreds of COUNTERFEIT ligthters to compete with, I mean the same right down to the markings on the bottom, and even the insert! Not collectors know what to look for to make sure the lighters in question are real or not but again people new to collecting do not and they get fooled over and over again...Infact Zippo has a crack staff of over a dozen lawyers who are constanlty lookign for these dealer who sell them and pursuing legal action...but for the most part they can never touch the makers...they do 2 things to help...They sometimes hit the jackpot with customs, once seizing over 2,000 counterfeits in one shipment! And the other thing they do is contact dealer and sellers of these fakes...Sometiems On ebay if they are repeat offenders...Sellign one or 2 might be a mistake and you migth not know what your selling, but people who sell hundreds one bay, they are the ones really getting into trouble! And onlien stores who sell them and get caught are sued as well...I belong to Zippoclick the Zippo collectors club, and there is a section on their forum that is just meant to post where you spot fakes, and they have Zippo staff monitoring that section of the forum 24/7...

What I think might happen is that fifthunit/dealextreme will go out of buisness if Surefire see that they are selling these...even though they might not make them...

I see counterfeits in every one of my hobbies...Knives, Zippos, and now flashlights...I don't collect Watches but we all know about watch counterfeits (rolex, Omega, etc...) Pretty much anythign nice has cheap copies and counterfeits...

But don't get em wrong, a copy, or clone is one thing but to actually use logos and name brands is a whole different ball game...Clones can slip through the cracks since sometimes they change the design just a bit, but there is no reason to use another companies name, thats just asking for it...

p.s. I too use photon clones...it doesn't say photon on it, but if it did would I not buy them anymore...? Maybe im a bad guy too...?

 

[josean]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

I joined this forum because I am interested in quality flashlights. I have already about 20 chinese unknow brand poor quality led flashlights, and I am not interested anymore in such kind of products.

I have nothing against chinese products (in fact I am very happy with several Fenixes I owe, and even I have given several more as gifts), but I do not want crappy products (direct driven leds, decorative o-rings which do not seal the tube, clickies which get broken after several days of use, and so on).

I will take this post just as informative, as a kind of "be careful when you buy your next flashlight and do not buy a fake product".

 

[cutlerylover]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

If nothgin else this just shows us what to look for and what not to buy...If your against this light, which many of you are, than this thread gives you information that migth be helpfull as to not buy this by mistake from someone...So I certainly appreciate this thread and review, and I thank Tenfour for posting it!

 

[iced_theater]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

I was wondering how that light would compare, but since it seems it's just like your average Chinese light, it's most likely not worth it to buy.

 

[tenfour]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

iced_theater: yea if anyone's dying for a cheapy chinese light, you'll be much better off going with the cheapy "DX 3W Cree" light on the same site. For many reasons =)

 

[KROMATICS]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

I think a lot of the fuss is because SF claim that their torches are all made in the USA.

No, the fuss is because they not only copied Surefire's design but also used their logo, product name and website address on the product. That's just plain wrone and illegal in most countries. I think most people understand and appreciate that.

The light could have stood on it's own merits had they used their own design and marketing. That just makes this situation even more ridiculous.

 

[tenfour]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

It was asked to me in a PM about compatibility of parts between the real SF U2. The answer is that nothing is compatible between them except the batteries =)

The tailcap did "fit" but not very well on the U2, and it didn't function. Same vice-versa.

It would have been nice to use the 18650 tube on the U2, but I don't think it's possible. At the same time I am quite happy that the parts are not interchangeable - I would be disgusted to see people swapping between the U2 and this light and selling them.

There is a seam at the base of the fake selector ring - it looks like superglue or something. I tried disassembling it but failed. I might try again later.

 

[Glen C]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

Tenfour, thanks for your post, I was totally unaware that any counterfeit Surefire product was out there, alerts one to be a bit more cautious.

You must have got one hell of a surprise when you opened the box and saw the logo

 

[tenfour]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

Yes I was blown away :/

 

[tenfour]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

Well that was a failed experiment!
I couldn't pry the seam apart, so i heated it up. Still no dice. I tried tapping it with a hammer. No luck.

Tried turning it back on.... no luck there either! It's dead. Turned it off, took out batteries, and ahhh the smell of burnt electronics.

No visible damage to the electronics, but I'm guessing it's forever dead.

I also managed to screw up the anodizing quite a bit while whomping on it in a vice, hammers, and wrenches. So, as many folks are certainly happy to visualize, it's flat-lined after a fair beating.

:toilet:

 

[Brighteyez]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

Since I never trusted that place when they were fronting as a business presence in Blaine, Washington (right at the US-Canadian border, when they gave every clue of operating out of Richmond BC), I kind of held back in another thread on this vendor, merely suggesting that people could show their support for Surefire by not purchasing the product that violates their mark, though my real thought was that people might want to just boycott this vendor entirely.

But yes, if Customs follows through properly, they would be applying more scupulous inspection to products from this vendor. And when they discover that the merchant has misrepresented the value of the merchandise, they should levy the tarriffs on an estimated value that they determine to be appropriate. But you weren't born yesterday (I've seen your picture ), so I think we both know that things that should be are always the way that things go when it comes to government agencies. ... now I wonder if FEMA is going to have a clearance sale on trailers ...

Exactly! And does it not seem extremely likely that such a complaint will
be forthcoming from Surefire? And how would Customs respond? Wouldn't
they start opening up everything that comes in from Dealextreme? Most of
what they sell is on the up-and-up, like their newly-released Cree lights,
which many of us (including me) have on order, but we may still be a long
time getting it now.

Anybody want to post on dealextreme's bboard about it?

FWIW, kaidomain sells a lot of the same stuff, but no faux Surefires.

 

[robm]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

I have just checked the website - and the U2 is no longer listed.

 

[St8kout]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

This means that if you buy a U2 off ebay (or anywhere), you better make sure the serial number is not the same as the counterfeit models, since they're all the same number, (A02621).

 

[Mr_Light]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

Just saw this on EBAY:

SUREFIRE U2 ULTRA Flashlight NEW in Box NO Res BK-WH!
Item number: 170076883362
Current bid is one cent and shipping is $8.

I wonder what the odds of this being authentic are? It may get tough to sell real U2s in the future.

 

[Carpenter]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

Just saw this on EBAY:

SUREFIRE U2 ULTRA Flashlight NEW in Box NO Res BK-WH!
Item number: 170076883362
Current bid is one cent and shipping is $8.

I wonder what the odds of this being authentic are? It may get tough to sell real U2s in the future.

I just asked what the serial # is on that one going for 1 cent.

I'm wondering if they will reply?

 

[tenfour]

Re: DealExtreme U2 clone review (Lux version)

Please let us know!