Plagiarism hits Giant Loop

Some sense at last!

In time it may be that in time the copy proves at least as durable and functional as the original; they may innovate in new ways such that in 5 years time you're all singing their praises and calling the original the boring overpriced version for snobs!

But right now the original has a perceived and probably real head start in understanding what exactly makes for a good example of this bastard child of a pair of panniers and a pair of trousers with the ankles tied off and a drawstring through the belt loops.

I don't think anybody is doubting the quailty of the GL or even comparing quality between the two. All I'm saying is that it is nice to have options. Blatantly copying an idea is shitty but if that idea wasn't patented what can you do.

Obviously GL created and filled the demand for a product. If it wasn't a good idea nobody would copy it. Now they just need to adapt and innovate. That isn't a bad thing.

If we had a crystal ball calculator that knew everything, we could find out what the price of GL's products would be including the costs of fully vested patents, [assuming they qualified] tradmark, copyright, and any other legal protections available and appropriate to their product line.

So far, so good: then add in the legal costs of defending those rights in the case of a breach.

How much would the gear cost at the volumes they shove thru currently? I don't know, i'm asking.

My gut tells me that low-volume "custom line" producers in the end have to rely on customer loyalty or they opt to sell out to Megacorp.

For many years I eeked out a living working as a professional photographer in a small town. There's really nothing quite like seeing your work, being used by a large company in a national advertising campaign completely without permission while you yourself are literally trying to scrounge change for a cheeseburger.

20 years later I was designing real-estate websites, and found that a competitor had literally copied every single map and image on our search engine, AND they were hot-linking to our photographs. (and you can't copyright a map btw)

And I guess my point is that was totally small-time shit. Theft is theft, and theft is wrong. Simple as that. You people that support it, are just broken, there's something wrong with you at a very deep level.

IP is not bullshit, people that create works deserve to reap the benefit of that work. If you think you can do it better, then go do it better.

wow you left coasters sure can get get snarley ! here on the right coast{ epicenter of nasty lawyers} if it ain't got a patent it's fair game , tough noogies period !

Considering the size of market, cost, and ass pain to actually be awarded a patent .... most soft goods are not patented leaving a door wide open for being copied. When this happens it forces one to become more competive based on brand recognition, price, quality, and service.

It's not uncommon to see small overseas manufactures fall short when attempting to penetrate our markets direct by failing to make the neccessary investments. They disappear after they fail to deliver quality, service, and adequate distribution.

...... and patents are only as good as the amount of money you're willing to spend in their defense.

I posted a question in Facebook asking if these are GL bags and they said no.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.162814387139209.45897.162330980520883&type=1

So, there is no product copying going on

Yeah, no copying at all . Different color, different weight fabric and some of the stitching in the cheap bag is already starting to separate.

They keep deleting any comments that mention Giant Loop in their youtube shit ad.

I don't care if people want to improve a product design...whatever they didn't do shit all the straps are the same place everything the same. Bunch of lazy dick heads trying to cash in on otherpeoples hard work.

There is legal and then there is ethical. If we're going to discuss the later, we'll be here a long time.

I recall asking GL a long time ago (when the initial bag came out) if they had better pictures of their bag installed. They told me they didn't want to make more detailed pics available as they were worried people would copy the design. I always thought this was a very odd thing to worry about. If the product is successful it's going to be copied and people are going to be copying it based on buying a bag and inspecting it up close, not based on some pictures off a website.

Immitation is the sincerest form of flattery. It enlarges the market for a design moving it from the idea of just one company into the mainstream, generating more interest. GL is free to market themselves as the original and to market themselves as a premium version, a Mercedes vs a Skoda.

If GL really doesn't like this, I hope they applied for patent protection when they came up with the horseshoe design. Is it often impractical to enforce said protection, yes. This sucks but it's reality. You bring a product to market in the world we have, not the world we would like

I have to say I find the fact that they are asking, and apparantly succeeding at getting other sellers banned from here for selling clones to be interesting.

I personally wouldn't buy the knock off bag, I bet quality is lower, price doesn't seem sufficiently better, GL is made locally, they have proven post sales support and the money funds new design but I think other people should be allowed to make their own purchasing decisions based on their own moral compass without being told what to do! That said, I don't pay the bills to keep this place running so if GL can convince those that do, more power to them!

Just my 2c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YBSN_KDeVA

Don't bother posting the comments unless its fake review/bs they will just delete them.

I will just make sure any friends that are looking for a bag get the GiantLoop and not some chinese bullshit clone version.

That is my new method of doing tire changes.

Geez....didn't the Penn State Police and Attorney General say the same thing about Joe Paterno? And the Athletic Director. And the University president? Not much debate there. Something about "legal versus moral".

So, who here thinks that Nomad aquired the Giant Loop design honestly?

I think anybody you ask will say no, Like Crazy Brit said, it's not a legal issue (Unless they have the patent) this is more that these guys are belly sliding dirt bags.

It looks like they took all the GL models, and directly copied them stitch for stitch, strap for strap to me.

Yea that.

My thoughts exactly, but it's surprising that some here see that as a good thing.

Not me!



What I do see here, is an outpouring of support for GL.

What definition of honestly should we use when coming up with this answer?

Are you saying that you think they should have contacted GL and asked them to licence the design. Companies don't approach other companies and ask to licence a design because they feel doing otherwise would be dishonest. They do it because they either think they'll get sued, or they were sued.

For me, it's not a good thing or a bad thing. It's just a thing. It's reality. If I were GL I'd for sure think it was a bad thing. It clearly sucks to put blood, sweat and tears into an endeavor and have someone shamelessly rip it off.