Alvey v Overseas made

[CHRIS aka GWH]

a few weeks ago i faced a dilemna

I was in the market for a bait bucket in the surf with a lid - i normally just use a cut off 2L milk bottle, my reasons for changing are guarded by a curse instigated by a stradbroke island warlock :-X

anyway... (the rum has me rambling...)

i fronted up to Captn Blighs intending to buy the Alvey brand - i've seen it - i like it - i like to employ aussies......

the opposition (jarvis walker) is half the price :'( , it comes with a belt, the alvey does not (god knows the belt i've got needs some reinforcement).


They seem identical - i have experience in industrial tooling and pick minor differences in the die quality - but with similar metal quality in the hinge axles and the knowledge that the money i save will buy me one extra bonito - i buy the asian made copy.............................................. ...........


oh the guilt ( after 3 sessions the asian made is still going strong)


what would you do ?


BUY THE ALVEY BRAND AT TWICE THE PRICE CAUSE ITS AUSSIE MADE?

OR..

BUY THE ASIAN MADE CAUSE ITS THE SAME AND CHEAPER ?

be honest please.

[bballfisho]

Aussie made for sure. gotta support the little fellas (Australian tackle industry)

[manchild]

If its half the price for the same quality,i would buy the cheaper one for sure.Dont feel bad mate its called capitalism .
George

[insideout]

Mate , you got to do what makes you sleep well at night...

[charleville]

Alvey for sidecast reels - probably for sentimental reasons - a next door neighbour of many years used to be a wood turner at the Alvey factory making the old cedar sidecast reels.

I have several Alvey reels of various sizes mostly used for bream/whiting/flathead outfits.

I buy Shimano for everything else though - TSS4, Baitrunner, Tyrnos, and cheaper uncomplicated eggbeaters.

I have bought cheap Chinese manufactured reels - indeed a bait-runner type reel was very well machined and looked very good quality for the money - but I stripped its gears on a freightrain at Mud Island one night fter one month of use so now I will only buy quality brands.

[bayfisher]

Same quality and half the price then I would go the import. More money in my pocket is what help me sleep at night. ;D

Cheers Chris

[CHRIS aka GWH]

the bad feeling i've got is that i wasn't going to use the card - i had cash. I bought the cheapest - Alvey reels are quality - I'm 40yrs old and have reels from when I was in grade 10 .... (when the air was clean and sex was dirty) - why can't a great aussie company like Alvey match for price an asian made copy - the labour in the tooling can't be that much .......

i've got their reels
their wading bags
their worm pliers
their pumps
....

[Horse]

I voted for Alvey but I thought it was a reel I was looking at. If they were close in quality I would go JW and feel good about a bargain. Thats the way the world is now with global competition. Local should not be twice the price

Neil

[tobig]

whey is it that you can buy a alvey reel over seas cheaper then here :(

[reelchippy]

Not all Alvey gear is made in aus i would say about 75% made OS

[rockfisho]

Alvey all the way. Their bait bucket is more robust IMO. And i love supporting small Aussie businesses. The guys at the tackle shop where i bought it were trying to sell me the asian made one instead, and were quite shocked that i chose the Alvey bait bucket.

rockfisho

[peterbo3]

In this case, I too thought the poll was about reels. Having said that. I have had an Alvey bait bucket forever.......or so it seems. The chinese crap is just that. Buy it right.........buy it once.
As for Shimano reels being made in Asia, they WERE made in Japan. Now TLDs are made in Malaysia. I just cannot see the quality being maintained.::) ::) ::)

[cammac]

Hey Horse,

Why the Aussie product is twice the price?! how about that Aussie labour is at least 10 times as much !! - go figure!!
And what Aussie wants to take a pay cut?? - you guessed it .... none!!
Reckon Aussie industries are Doomed ???!!!!!
Wonder if people still buy Asian made Blundstones??!

Anyway everyone - Keep Smillin!!

[nigelr]

Depends how much money I had in my pocket at the time.................
With a family to support, I would buy the import IF (and only if) quality was similar, and save the extra cash.

[finga]

What's wrong with the 2 or 3 litre milk bottle??

I'd make an ali baitholder but only because I get bored. And I can. :)

What's made OS for Alvey??

[banshee]

'What's made OS for Alvey?'
Prety sure the rods come from China (Blue and Green 12' surf)