Cheap Gamakatsu

[SirCranksalot]

A month or 2 ago I ordered some trebles from Aliexpress for a fraction of the price elsewhere. They arrived yesterday and they look like the real deal. Gam logo, Made in Japan etc. It seems too good to be true. Is it? Should I be suspicious. If  they are no good I have only blown $2-3. Comments? TIA 

[GBW]

I hope they are good.  I haven't had luck with that site or wish.  

[CrowMan]

If you Google "fake Gamakatsu hooks" you will see a number of posts/reports of knock-offs being sold on-line. It seems the fake ones have steel that has a lower carbon content (more likely to snap or bend) and aren't chemically sharpened...Gamakatsu has a proprietary process (try the fingernail test).

Personally, for all the $$$ I spend to get out fishing....boats, gas, gear, etc...the last place I would want to save a few pennies is the business end of your tackle. After all, hooking fish and keeping them pinned is the primary objective in fishing. In the grand scheme of things, even the best hooks are relatively cheap.

[BillM]

Hooks are definitely not the place to cheap out.  Kinda like tires  

[CrowMan]

One of the descriptions of the "fake Gammies" was...

"might as well use a paperclip"

[SirCranksalot]

Thx, guys. It looks like I am out $2-3---almost enough for a small Starbux!!

(BTW--I just noticed the little blue circles. It rates me as 'all knowing angler"---what a laff!! Best chuckle in a while. Wait until I tell my buds!!😁

)

 

[knightfisher]

Try breaking or bending them with a couple pair of pliers. You'll get your answer that way.

 

[AKRISONER]

Beware of the fake power pro, fake vision 110’s and basically fake everything on Ali express. It’s all junk. 
 

although I think I recently saw reels for like $8…heck of the thing doesn’t break instantly you’ve got a great starter for the kid in your life that will inevitably drop it in the lake or off of the dock. 
 

as mentioned above, gas is $2 a litre…why worry about spending $7 on real gamakatsu’s 

[SirCranksalot]

16 hours ago, knightfisher said:

Try breaking or bending them with a couple pair of pliers. You'll get your answer that way.

 

Good suggestion. I did a destructive test on one last nite. I bent it with the needle nose and broke it off near the point. It took so much force though that it would be hard to see any fish smaller than a bluefin breaking it. Surely the line would go first! 

[knightfisher]

4 hours ago, SirCranksalot said:

Good suggestion. I did a destructive test on one last nite. I bent it with the needle nose and broke it off near the point. It took so much force though that it would be hard to see any fish smaller than a bluefin breaking it. Surely the line would go first! 

I purchased a paddle duck lure for $2.50 and a multi jointed stick bait (6) for $3.00 from Aliexpress.

The quality is pretty good.

I target pike and musky.  So far these lures have held up and I like the fact I saved over $30.00. 

Not all stuff from Aliexpress is junk.

Edited April 29, 2022 by knightfisher

[CrowMan]

I have no problem with folks getting a "good deal".  I'm all for competitive free markets that offer the best products/services at the lowest price. Its the "knock offs" that I have an issue with. As a former business owner, I know the $$$, never mind the blood, sweat and tears, it takes to build a brand and the reputation that brand reflects. These "companies" (I use the term loosely) in China that blatantly use the same name (or very similar), logos, and "look alike" products as established brands are no better (if not worse) than common thieves. In China they operate without impunity because they don't respect or enforce global copyright laws...in fact, it's encouraged by that regime.

Frankly, purchasing these products is the moral equivalent of buying goods from a break and enter criminal that robbed your neighbour.

[SirCranksalot]

 

I agree in principle with what some of you say on costs but costs was not the only issue and maybe not the most important. Availability was. Limited choice in Barrie and I was having trouble getting there anyway. I ordered online from Sail but they got lost in the mail.😟 Part of my order is shown below --not cheap!

 

 

 

[CrowMan]

Availability is also part of the "brand" equation. Some brands are only available through select channels, dealers, or retailers...manufacturers/businesses do this to maintain exclusivity... it adds value to the brand.

Personally, I don't see "availability" as a rationale in purchasing "stolen" goods. I'm not saying that's what you did...I just want to make folks aware that people are being stolen from when they purchase these "knock-offs".

Btw, I though you said you paid $2 to $3 ??  That's what set off the alarm bells for me. At the price above they're probably the genuine article, so not to worry. That same pack of trebles sells for $10.99 CDN at Sail.

 

[SirCranksalot]

3 minutes ago, CrowMan said:

Availability is also part of the "brand" equation. Some brands are only available through select channels, dealers, or retailers...manufacturers/businesses do this to maintain exclusivity... it adds value to the brand.

Personally, I don't see "availability" as a rationale in purchasing "stolen" goods. I'm not saying that's what you did...I just want to make folks aware that people are being stolen from when they purchase these "knock-offs".

Btw, I though you said you paid $2 to $3 ??  That's what set off the alarm bells for me. At the price above they're probably the genuine article, so not to worry. That same pack of trebles sells for $10.99 CDN at Sail.

 

I prob bought what was, in a sense. 'stolen goods' but did not do it knowingly. The pic shown above was my Sail order. When I could not get them from Sail. Cabelas or Can Tire I naturally looked elsewhere on the net. I had never heard of Aliexpress before. Now I get at least 2 e-mails a day from them!!😁Need to adjust my spam settings.

[CrowMan]

No worries pal....I'm just bringing to light an issue I obviously feel strongly about. As a general rule, I follow my Dad's advice (it's what I tell my grandchildren too):

"If it's too good to be true, it's probably not true"

[wkrp]

Canadian Tire sells nothing other than made in China products anymore. May as well call it China Tire

[knightfisher]

4 hours ago, CrowMan said:

 

Frankly, purchasing these products is the moral equivalent of buying goods from a break and enter criminal that robbed your neighbour.

😆😆 I find this extremely funny

[smitty55]

2 hours ago, wkrp said:

Canadian Tire sells nothing other than made in China products anymore. May as well call it China Tire

I have no idea where you would get that idea. A quick search for treble hooks shows anything but China crap.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/search-results.html

[CrowMan]

Knightfisher....I don't think you'd find it funny if you invested many years building a business and then someone used your name and logo to take sales away from you.

I think you'd be pretty pissed.

[woodenboater]

I have no stake in this as I've never, and likely never will use Aliexpress.

Gamakatsu exports their product to their company in China (Gamakatsu Shantou Co.Ltd.). I wonder if the possibility exists that the Aliexpress hooks are indeed the og item *BUT* are product that failed the QC process and thus sold thru resellers like Aliexpress ?

fwiw, I get all my terminal from either Sail, Cabelas, or BP. Sometimes Cdn Tire.

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by woodenboater

[SirCranksalot]

Have you tried to buy any lately? I am looking for a different size treble now and having trouble finding any apart from Amazon. Like I said, my pkg from Sail got lost so I'm a bit leery of trying again. I took a few weeks to establish that they were lost in the mail. CTC has some on line but cannot tell how many I am getting for $14!! grrr)

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by SirCranksalot

[AKRISONER]

13 hours ago, SirCranksalot said:

Have you tried to buy any lately? I am looking for a different size treble now and having trouble finding any apart from Amazon. Like I said, my pkg from Sail got lost so I'm a bit leery of trying again. I took a few weeks to establish that they were lost in the mail. CTC has some on line but cannot tell how many I am getting for $14!! grrr)

 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again

 

buy your fishing gear from Peterborough pro tackle. Support local stores, and get people that ship items quick, will stand behind what they sell while supporting the community. 

[OhioFisherman]

Try ebay lots of brands, strengths, and sizes.

[Dara]

On 4/30/2022 at 9:37 AM, SirCranksalot said:

Have you tried to buy any lately? I am looking for a different size treble now and having trouble finding any apart from Amazon. Like I said, my pkg from Sail got lost so I'm a bit leery of trying again. I took a few weeks to establish that they were lost in the mail. CTC has some on line but cannot tell how many I am getting for $14!! grrr)

 

Regarding the lost package, did you contact Canada post , the shipping company?

 

I had a lost parcel this winter and it was tracked as delivered so I called them.

I must say they worked to find it, including personal conversations when they called me and after a week they found and delivered.

The sender was no help at all.

[misfish]

On 4/30/2022 at 9:37 AM, SirCranksalot said:

Have you tried to buy any lately? I am looking for a different size treble now and having trouble finding any apart from Amazon. Like I said, my pkg from Sail got lost so I'm a bit leery of trying again. I took a few weeks to establish that they were lost in the mail. CTC has some on line but cannot tell how many I am getting for $14!! grrr)

 

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