Sometimes it is hard to say which light is a Knockoff. Sometimes they are made in the same Factory, but to different specs.
For example:
Prometheus Beta w N219a using a PWM driver with LMH mode sequence. I believe this was built by Lumintop on contract to darksucks.com and costs $79
Sometime later, Lumintop came out with the Copper Worm with N219b and NoPWM, costs $39. The modes are MLH, but Lumintop is known to have built the ReyLight Copper Tool, on contract, with an LMH driver. Point being, Lumintop will change drivers on a contract request.
Another example
#35
VOLLSION … made... the Tain's Ottavino and Piccolo!
the Tain is Titanium (bottom right)
The Tain came out AFTER the Eoslamp SP11-s, but nobody calls the Tain a knockoff. After the Tain came the Vollsion SP11-S, which some people call a knockoff of the Tain. It is true the Tain used a more expensive material, and higher polish.
imo It is not uncommon for US businesses to use Chinese manufacturers. Maratac and Prometheus use Lumintop. They "add value" by using special materials, higher polish, different LEDs, different driver specs...
So, a Knockoff may be a less expensive version, possibly built with less expensive materials or inferior driver or LED, but not always. The Worm imo uses a better driver and better LED than the Beta that came before.
another example:
First came the
Maus look at the tail:
after that came the Maratac Peanut 3rd from the left, look at the tail compared to the Maus
Here you go..CooYoo, Jetbeam mini-1, Maratac Peanut, DQG Hobi, DQG Spy, DQG Fairy.
From this I
speculate that both the Maus and the Peanut are contracting with the same factory. Note the Maus uses a different body design, more expensive material, and more expensive LED. I would not call the Maratac Peanut a knockoff, I just think it may be made by the same Chinese company as the DQG (and
possibly the Maus), with different specs.
another example
The Maratac AAA is made by Lumintop on contract, to Maratac specs. But again I would not call the Maratac a knockoff, because it uses some different design elements. Note they share the same pocket clip btw. (although I ground off the pocket clip ends so my Maratacs will tail stand)
To come back on topic, The term Knockoff means Cheap Copy, but we dont use that term for an expensive copy with premium materials...
So in order for this thread to be more useful, I suggest that people post pics of lights that they think are knockoffs, and pictures of the light they think is being copied for less money (or copied and enhanced, for more money)
and disclaimer, dont get upset if you own a Tain or a Muyshondt and I suggest they are made in China. They are still finished to high standards and use premium materials. Im just saying the manufacturing is
probably not done in house by Mushondt nor Tain, but if you know otherwise, Im open to learning.