Pila the same as Wolf-Eyes? NOT!

I've read about and seen pictures of some of the torches from Pila and Wolf-Eyes. They sure look similar. In fact a few posts even suggest that they are the same or come from the same manufacturer (but just branded differently).

To clear this issue (in my own mind at least) I made some inquiries and no, Pila and Wolf-Eyes are not related at all. They are two separate makers, Pila being based in Hong Kong and Wolf-Eyes from China. I get the feeling that someone is copying the other (which explains the lookalike-ness) but don't know who is copying whom.

I once read that someone took the label off a Pila only to find a Wolfeyes label underneath. I can't recall who it was though. Maybe it's just a vicious rumour.

Edit: Of course I meant the battery not the torches.

Considering Chinas reputation as Copy Central (IMO) I am not at all surprised this is the case. In fact, I'm wondering what took them so long... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Why are they restricted as to where they are being sold? I heard Pila and Wolf-Eyes are sold in different parts of the world, not overlapping... is this true? Does what I just typed make sense? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Anyway, as long as the product does not suffer in quality it shouldn't matter to the end user, though to the manufacturer it would make them very, very mad.

In terms of who is mad, I hear that Pila is mad. So maybe they are the aggrieved party.

Anyway, Pila is focusing on their quality, performance and service to stay ahead of the competition.

Anyone know if Pila is ever going to release any new lights?

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bindibadgi said:
I once read that someone took the label off a Pila only to find a Wolfeyes label underneath. I can't recall who it was though. Maybe it's just a vicious rumour.

Edit: Of course I meant the battery not the torches.

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Yup, even the batteries look similar. See these pictures:





I wonder if either make their own batteries? I suspect they both obtain the batteries from a 3rd party (so the battery is a common component) who uses the same label format but just prints the respective customer name on it.

Like Chevy and GMC? Competing for the same truck buyers under GM.

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JB said:Pila being based in Hong Kong and Wolf-Eyes from China.

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Hong Kong isn't in China?

Hong Kong is in China only in the geographic sense.

the one on top came with my Wolf-Eyes M90 light and the bottom one came with the Lion-Heart. my 168a is only 1800mah and i think that Pila's 168a are 2000mah /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
http://members.shaw.ca/iwonger/Wolf-Eyes_Pila_Batteries.JPG

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PhantomZ said:
my 168a is only 1800mah and i think that Pila's 168a are 2000mah /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif


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On Pila's website their 168a is rated as 1800 mah. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

newest version of PILA is 2000 ma
old version was 1800

each company started out withe same products, but since they are different each is free to develop it's own direction.

I want to see some new PILA stuff also.

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scudinc said:
Hong Kong is in China only in the geographic sense.

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After Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1997, it is also in China in the political sense.

Since Hong Kong's agreement to have a seperate governmental system and legal system has been effectively wiped out by Beijing's imposition of its own leaders and China's repeatedly ignoring the terms of the agreement under which the handover was carried over, it's pretty much the same country now anyways, except that the QC is better... or was.

That's why Hong Kong is known as Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, China. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Lets not discuss Hong Kong & China in this thread please.

Good request, Size15's.

Regarding the differences in the batteries, the location of each manufacturer is also printed on the sleeves.

I seriously doubt that either is simply a re-label. The Wolf Eye's that I've seen seem, and I stress "seem", to fluctuate as far as high-end output and physical size more than the Pila's. YMMV, of course, since my frame of reference is limited to the 5 or 6 cells that I have from these two companies. My WE 168A won't drive my Surefire U2 in level 6 (the highest) while the Pila does so comfortably for about 90 minutes before it drops to level 5.

One thing to consider - Hong Kong shares a border with China, and oftentimes the factories are in China itself, but are run under the management of companies from the S.A.R, complete with QC inspectors and specifications imposed from those companies. This, combined with the somewhat loose view of copyrights that has flourished in the mainland proper, has resulted in situations where there are a lot of knockoffs with similar functionality and appearances, though the end product can be somewhat inferior due to either materials or a more laissez-faire approach to QC.

I suspect that the Wolf Eye batteries ARE based on a Pila design, or that Pila is sharing a factory with Wolf Eyes, though the Wolf Eyes may be either made more cheaply (thus resulting in a bit less performance) or are factory seconds which have been repackaged under that label.

I seem to recall JS Burlison (or perhaps it was Tactical Warehouse, or perhaps even both) telling me that Pila is a subsidiary of Wolf-Eyes, who in turn is owned by a parent company in Europe. Go figure.../ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

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PhantomZ said:
the one on top came with my Wolf-Eyes M90 light and the bottom one came with the Lion-Heart. my 168a is only 1800mah and i think that Pila's 168a are 2000mah /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
http://members.shaw.ca/iwonger/Wolf-Eyes_Pila_Batteries.JPG

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I got 2 Copias with a Wolfeyes charger! May these 3 brands are the same /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif ...

I think Wolf-Eyes and Copia are the same.

The info from Mr Urs Beaumle in Hong Kong(who is the designer at Pila)is that the next generation of Pila is coming soon.


Pila vs Wolf-eye,I am not sure ,but it seems to be that Pila is making parts for the Wolf -eye or that Pila and Wolf Eye is coming from the same company