WideFetish Forum
General Category => W I D E Talk => Topic started by: WelshClimber on August 24, 2020, 04:43:00 am
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Been waiting night and day for my Valley Giant that I spent my student loan on to arrive (Tom said he could get it done in time for a July Vedauwoo trip) since early January, and starting to get a little concerned...! The trip went up in flames for obvious international travel reasons, but I've heard not much from Tom one way or another, despite a couple of emails asking if things are all good with him.
Anybody know if the guy's doing ok? Although it would be nice to have the cam, it would be good to know he's not fallen victim to the virus, or maybe run off to become a recluse hermit-monk or something? I'm aware that typically it takes a long time to get these things made and he works his own schedule and all that, this is by no means a post knocking what he does! Just looking to know that I didn't spend that month living on pasta canned peas and quorn in vain.
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I won't speak for the guy other than to say that your post is a common occurrence. Folks that order the cams just think he got run over by a car....like near everytime. People get them later than they thought, so if you want to buy one, order early. Dude makes them as a small annoying side business more to support climbers than the reverse. I don't think anyone has NOT received their cam and at that point they are happy as there is nothing out there that can touch it.
How long have you been waiting so far?
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Tom makes FISH look hyper responsive.... for all anyone knows he seems dead for about 11 months out of the year.
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Seven months is awfully optimistic. The wait has been over a year, the last few....
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Yeah, I figured, seem to remember a post saying something similar a few years ago on Supertopo way back! It's been about 8 months now, yeah! I guess he'll have assumed (correctly) that the Vedauwoo trip got canned as well, so no rush there.
I guess I'll just put my VG shaped daydreams away for the time being, and serve my time in line like everyone else! 8) It will definitely be worth it.
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I do hope he’s doing okay with the onslaught of BD wannabe big cams and all.
Make no mistake, The VG’s are the real thing! The industry standard, workhorse, tugboat of large cans. They even take falls!
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I had the opportunity, necessity to weight one of the big red BD’s on a belay on a new route this spring and it just felt dicey all I oils see in my mind was that video of one failing under low load... caveat Emptor, widesters!
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Tom makes FISH look hyper responsive.... for all anyone knows he seems dead for about 11 months out of the year.
Hahaha! Well played sir. Jaybro, didn't someone already have one of the new BD 7s (red) fail on them? They tested real low in the strength dept. The #12 was like 5KN. Which is @ toprope fall territory, body weight ++.
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Been waiting almost a year now for my VG 9 as well. Ordered early December 2019. As far as I know Tom has never screwed anyone over, the cams just take a while to show up. In the meantime I have a couple Shiney BD cams to play with.
And on that note, I had my brand new-never placed BD #8 fail on me. One of the rivets popped off where the trigger wire to cam lobe attachment takes place.
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Yikes,
BD making those in China now?
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I thought BD was making all climbing equipment stateside.
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Still waiting to hear from Tom, likewise, Jay hope he's doing well in today's hostile climate.
I do note though that his website seems to have gone down sometime in the last few months. www.valleygiant.com
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He's fucking you and headed to an island with his Valley Giant spoils. Call Judge Judy!
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Lol, let me get the FBI on the phone now
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1 year since order and no word?
Good stuff.
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Dayum?! Still no cam? The only thing I can think of is that Tom must be working night and day on Trumps re-election so hard that he doesn't have time to make any cams. Perhaps when President Biden gets in Tom can relax on his quest (or whatever he's doing), let his disappointment and QAnon love go, and finally make your cam. Regardless, I see Black Diamond has a bunch of #8's (12") available and they'll send you a new shirt as well.
I wonder what the record for longest wait to get a Valley Giant is. What date did you order it? You may be a runner up....maybe he'll send you a MAGA shirt or hat....probably be a lot of those in the trash, Goodwill's and 2nd hand stores real soon. (/shrugs)
Edit: WAIT: here's a guy named Steven Reed over on [REDACTED] who said he's been waiting a year and a half. https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/119508484/valley-giants (https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/119508484/valley-giants)
"Steven Reed (https://www.mountainproject.com/user/107449984/steven-reed)Sep 6, 2020 Calgary, AB · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 0
Hi All.
I ordered a VG #9 in April 2019. (that's 1 1/2 years ago...) I am still waiting. Not a word from Thomas in 6 months since my last email. Somebody else know anything?
Thanks Steven in Canada."
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Lol, let me get the FBI on the phone now
Did you email Tom@TomKasper.com ?
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Russ, (I'm channeling my inner LEB here) as a gear manufacturer yourself you KNOW that if there is a problem the gear manufacturers and sellers of gear only get contacted after all social media avenues complaining to strangers and other uninterested assholes are fully exhausted. Since it's been only a year, could be coming up on that time. Assuming he's already put it up on [REDACTED], Facebook and Nextdoor of course.
I also show: Tom Kasper <tom_kasper@yahoo.com> as an email address when I got my VGs. (from 2011 though)
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To add: there is slow because I'm busy making shit, and slow because I'm fucking slow and don't give a shit. Sadly, Tom probably lands in that latter category.
There is no fucking way there are that many cams on order. No way. I don't care if you are hand filing them with emery cloth wrapped around your boner, the timeframe is just way too long for the volume demand. Maybe he should just give up the hobby.
I hope Welsh dude gets his cam or money or some of each.
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^^Correct Russ^^ Unless like some of us said Boner is too small to find. Very problematical that. As Welshdudes internet adviser, I'm recommenedin that as a customer service move, Tom give him a MAGA shirt that he's been giving away to everyone else. Demand it!
STEP UP TOM! MAGA HATS FOR EVERYONE IN WALES AS PENANCE!
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musta strayed into a fema camp, and
couldnt talk his way out...
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Seems Tom is alive and thinking about making some cams this year
https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/118735238/ordered-a-valley-giant-9?page=3#ForumMessage-120432909
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How did the latest complaint not get posted to this thread????
The Evil One
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Checking back in! It's been nearly 3 years and still no cams. Anybody heard from him?
"Hi Eben.
The last thing I want to see is what people are saying about me and Valley Giants on Mt. Project and the internet. I don't need any more discouragement or distress. I feel bad enough that I've been unable to get cams out to people for over a year. I have boxes of finished parts. I just have not been able to get into the shop and put the cams together.
I believe I will be able to get back into my shop and start sending Valley Giant cams to people beginning in April.
I looked up your order in my records, and you said you wanted to coordinate overseas delivery with XXXX, from Sweden. You also indicated you were coming to the U.S. The shipping arrangements for your and XXXXXX's cams were to be determined later. It is much more expensive to send cams to the EU and UK, compared to sending them within the U.S. There are also import fees that run about $40 per cam.
Are you still planning to come to the U.S.? I don't know that the current travel restrictions are. Italy and UK apparently have entered into a third phase of lock-down over a new variant of the virus.
Tom"
Was the last I heard from him back in March 2021.
I've since graduated college and got a decent paying job here in Wales so I'm not precious about the cash - it was always a gamble. There are still plenty of things I'd love to have a VG for but I'm not bitter in my heart about this. Hope he's alright, sounded like he got pretty badly affected by Covid.
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No updates except that Pete Zabrok said he was a hopeless drunk. I guess you can add outright thief to that also. Nobody as far as I know has received any cams or cash in ages.
Lot’s of people are trying to ramp up the pressure on him, so maybe at some point at least everyone will get their money back. Mountain Project might have some current info.