Bootleg flashlights?

[Ecko]

I've seen some posts floating around here lately about fake lights. I'm new to this hobby so I was just wondering, are there really fake flashlights being made. I know about cheaper imitations of name brand lights but are there really people making bootlegs?

I just find it strange if there are because high end flashlights are not the most sought after items and would make a horrible turn around for profits imo. Bootlegs are usually aimed towards the masses and not little niche communities like this.

So what do you guys think and have any of you actually come across a real bootleg light?

 

[nerdgineer]

In answer to your question, no, I haven't. Here's some idle speculation though.

I don't think flashlight bootlegs are targeted toward specific models, like handbags are for instance. I think they are more of an opportunity market where lots of parts left over from usually Asian production of more well known lights float around as leftovers and late night runs.

Someone collects a set which he can Lego together and sells them. The body may be from one of the original OEMs, the innards maybe too, or maybe not. Depending on the ethics of the assembler, the product is sold generically or as a bona fide; and it is up to the buyer - and testers here on CPF - to figure out what it really is.

I've personally heard of few SF counterfeits (although it has happened) because there are no SFs made in Asia and hence, no source of spare bodies available cheap (i.e. snuck off the OEM assembly line...). So the counterfeit targets are mostly lights already made in Asia. I'm guessing Fenix works hard to protect their supply line from "excess" production.

Just musing, no supporting evidence available...

 

[xcel730]

Ecko,

:welcome:

Recently, there have been more than usual amount of posting here regarding to fake flashlights. In particular, the rumor was spread by one member, which started having other people questioning their purchases as well. From what I heard, the member who was spreading the rumor has been banned from this forum.

I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about it though. Get the lights you want, and enjoy them. But watch out for your wallet, buying lights can get addicting ... or so I heard

 

[Marduke]

I've seen blatant bootleg SureFire lights, which appear to be and even label themselves as the real deal until you closely inspect them.

However, I do not remember seeing any others which are "bootleg". Cheap imitations, yes, but not true copies.

 

[LED-holic]

Fortunately most other lights are cheap enough that it may not be profitable for "bootleg" copying?

 

[Citivolus]

What Nerdgineer speaks of is quite common among Asian factories in all aspects of production. There are also prototypes and products that do not meet quality control standards that get disposed of cheaply and end up being marketed as the real deal, often via discount venues such as street markets and certain online sites. I've spent enough time in China to know that you could find just about anything that is made there via an alternate vendor, if you ask the right person or wander through the right market district. This is not a slight on China, but a reflection on the economic state of the average worker who is employed by a factory which is striving to meet the demands of a very hungry consumer culture. Generally low factory pay which is the result of keeping our (western countries) prices low leads to workers looking for other sources of income, and undeclared production over-runs are one way of making a little extra money.

Claiming that it doesn't happen would be naive. As with any purchase, it doesn't hurt to check the authenticity prior to purchasing.

Regards,
Eric

 

[LED-holic]

Interesting info. Some additional questions:

1. Why wouldn't the factories keep the extra parts from production as excess inventory for servicing, or resale as part replacements to consumers, thus ensuring spares do not get sold in a black market?

2. Prototypes and products which do not meet QC should go through a marking process which should clearly mark them as inferior (maybe simple as using a lathe to drill over the brand name or part to a few mm)? I know Burton snowboards has a process of marking boards which do not meet QC such that it's obvious they are not "OEM quality" boards.

Do these light builders / factories simply not have these procedures in place to protect their revenues / brand name?

 

[TECENG]

Yeah. all this talk about fakes has me worried. At first I thought the latte I had at Starbucks this morning was a fake, but maybe it's just my imagination. They probably just used a different brand of milk.

 

[kramer5150]

I wouldn't have believed it, for the reasons mentioned already. But I think the possibility is real, that anything you buy on the www can be faked. See some of the comments from a Superfire representative on my video review here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD34YvaGMoo

 

[Gunner12]

From what I've seen, many clones but few actually sell them selves as fakes. There are some eBayers who market what is clearly a Superfire/Ultrafire/Noname/an so on as a Surefire or "Military Light" . Anyone who had a bit of brain to search would easily find out what that eBayer has done.

Some products that don't meet QC could also be sold, and the lower quality might label them as a fake.

Fenix L2D, Clone, it's pretty easy to tell the difference. Similar shape, battery type, type of switch, and even engraving, but it is very easy to tell which one's the clone.

 

[SilentK]

i have seen people buy high end led lights like surefire and take the high end emitter, keep it, replace it with a cheap one that may not produce even 20 lumens, and sell the flashlight on ebay for full price. seen it, bought it, got refund through buyers protection. sooo happy i spent the extra buck on buyers protection. BTW model was a l4

 

[Brownstone]

Here is a "review" of a fake SureFire U2. This flashlight went as far as to have SureFire logos, the SureFire website URL, etc.

I think the overall conclusion of people who inspected these lights was that they would be good hosts for modding.

 

[kramer5150]

i have seen people buy high end led lights like surefire and take the high end emitter, keep it, replace it with a cheap one that may not produce even 20 lumens, and sell the flashlight on ebay for full price. seen it, bought it, got refund through buyers protection. sooo happy i spent the extra buck on buyers protection. BTW model was a l4

I have seen people do this at Frys with the TOP stryker lights. People will buy the LED and Xenon versions, swap modules... return the LED light with transplanted Xenon module and keep the Xenon host with the LED module.

:shakehead:shakehead:shakehead

 

[Stereodude]

Clone, it's pretty easy to tell the difference. Similar shape, battery type, type of switch, and even engraving, but it is very easy to tell which one's the clone.

What do you mean that's not a Fenix L2D? oo:

It has to be one. I mean it has a Cree LED and uses 2 batteries just like the L2D!

 

[Stereodude]

I have seen people do this at Frys with the TOP stryker lights. People will buy the LED and Xenon versions, swap modules... return the LED light with transplanted Xenon module and keep the Xenon host with the LED module.

:shakehead:shakehead:shakehead

People buy new Hard Drives at Best Buy and put their old one back in the box and return it to Best Buy. Best Buy then re-shrink wraps it and sells it as new. Does that mean Best Buy is selling fake HD's?

 

[TOOCOOL]

People buy new Hard Drives at Best Buy and put their old one back in the box and return it to Best Buy. Best Buy then re-shrink wraps it and sells it as new. Does that mean Best Buy is selling fake HD's?

I know of a store that took an air conditioner back into stock and when they opened the box (after giving a cash refund) found it was full of bricks But the bricks were not fake :thumbsup:

 

[Jay T]

With my last order from Dealextreme I threw in this knife.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5861

This is what I received.

Copied right down to the logo.

If they will sell fake knives why would they not sell fake flashlights.

 

[Stereodude]

If they will sell fake knives why would they not sell fake flashlights.

I'm sure you thought you were getting a real Benchmade 910 for 90% off despite the fact that DX doesn't even advertise it as a Benchmade and calls it a "Steel Folding Knife Black"?

 

[TORCH_BOY]

There are many Bootleg flashlights on ebay

 

[nzgunnie]

The latest Surefire bootlegs are the M961 copies. The ones on eBay are only average looking copies, in that someone who didn't know exactly what to look for might be fooled, but there are differences (tail caps for example). They are also being marketed as SF lights 'just without the logo, from OEM factory', which is obvioulsy aimed at deceiving.

There is one site that sells a lot of paintball/airsoft gear that is copies of all sorts of things (hatch gloves, multicam pattern gear, CASV VLTOR, eotech etc) that is selling what looks like a really close copy of the surefire M961, right down to the logos and the XM07 tail cap.