Valley Giant Issues

I just wanted to share a fairly negative experience I've had with Tom Kasper AKA Valley Giant. In December of 2015, my girlfriend ordered one of these cams for me. Six months later, it arrived. I understand this is the normal turnaround time and that would be okay except that the came isn't finished. The cam appears to have never been polished after it was machined, so all the edges are very, very sharp. After taking one small fall, the cam wire warped significantly.

I've tried for months to contact Tom, with response. I wish someone else would make large cams, but for now I'll be sticking to big bros.

I would think twice before trusting my life to his gear. His "business" appears to be a bit odd. Whether you like Trump or hate him, one has to question the business practice of making anti-Trump rhetoric take up 50% of your "business" web site. I also don't think you're the first person to fall prey to his poor workmanship. My advice - haul up a chockstone and sling it or just run it out.

D Condit wrote: His "business" appears to be a bit odd. Whether you like Trump or hate him, one has to question the business practice of making anti-Trump rhetoric take up 50% of your "business" web site.

Where the hell did you see that?

Matt Thomas wrote: In December of 2016. Six months later, it arrived. I understand this is the normal turnaround time

Ummm, December of 2016 was last month dude.

Think he meant 6weeks^

D Condit wrote: His "business" appears to be a bit odd. Whether you like Trump or hate him, one has to question the business practice of making anti-Trump rhetoric take up 50% of your "business" web site.

Huh? We must be looking at different websites then...

valleygiant.com/

I love my VG.

Tom probably makes the VG's to order; and most likely runs a batch when he has enough orders. I don't think he just has several of them laying around getting dusty.

Why would they need to be polished? They are freakin off-width cams. Not pretty shiny cams sitting in on display at REI. Take them outside and rough them up!!!

Warped wire after a fall? It did its jobs and caught your girlfriend. A kinked wire is no big deal on a VG. That cable will "never" break!

I feel like six weeks is not that bad. I would say it is commonplace in cottage manufacturing to have lead times close to that or longer but it is usually well indicated.

VG is a single-man operation-- just some guy making large artisanal cams to order. He fills a niche that no one else does. You don't have any other choice if you want a #9 or #12 cam, so complaining doesn't really serve much of a purpose...

Tom Make THE ONLY...and THEREFORE THE BEST GIANT CAMS! it helps that he is...

1,) very nice
2,) Very professional
3,) Very diligent

he does not have access to many of the accoutrements that other hard goods make use of. he cant just rumble his lobes, he has to do all that by hand.

I will gladly add your VG to my collection if its bothering you so much.

Last one I got last spring had the surface of the lode roughened to give it a bit of bite. My first one from over a dozen years ago took 18 months of being on the wait list, and has a smooth lode surface. He updates the design based on pragmatic design feedack, not cosmetics.

"2016" should read "2015." 6 months, not 6 weeks. Looking back at our emails, I think it was more like 8 months. As I said, this turnaround time would be okay with me for a custom order: my main problem is total radio silence after I received the cam. Ignoring a customer's email/phone calls for months isn't good business.

I will post some pictures of the lobe surface as compared with other valley giants my friends have received: it's not just smooth, the edges and machining marks are sharp, definitely sharp enough to cut into slings when stuffed into a pack. When I say "unpolished" I don't mean "it's not shiny like from REI," I mean "it's straight from the mill/lathe."

My VG lobe surface:

Friend's VG lobe surface:

I understand you are unhaooy... but teeth on a cam are like nipples on men. They do nothing functional and are there only because we expect them to be.

That said mine have teeth and a bit more finish. You have a grievance.

Have you heard of a file? A few passes with one of those and you should be good to go. No need to disparage some one on here when they're the only one making a product that is most likely not wildly profitable.

...and besides, you're not suppose to fall onto them (AKA "THE LEADER MUST NOT FALL"). These things are carried for the psychology only, so don't ruin that for the rest of us please.

D Condit wrote:I would think twice before trusting my life to his gear. His "business" appears to be a bit odd. Whether you like Trump or hate him, one has to question the business practice of making anti-Trump rhetoric take up 50% of your "business" web site. I also don't think you're the first person to fall prey to his poor workmanship. My advice - haul up a chockstone and sling it or just run it out.

Well, if that's true I wouldn't be asking him to stamp I LUV TRUMP in it or talking shit about Hillary at least until you get it in your hand. Simple enough. Ifn you want it to be holding together that is, LOL. Maybe D Condit is talking about Supertopo? Seems like a pretty good guy, he posts as Tom: http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=2853598&tn=0&mr=0

So he hates on Trump, he can still be a good machinist and swing an opinion along with a hammer can't he?

That lobe surface is definitely unfinished. That appears to be just a waterjet finish.

Wanna sell that VG? PM me!

I have sandpaper.

Keenan Waeschle wrote:Have you heard of a file? A few passes with one of those and you should be good to go. No need to disparage some one on here when they're the only one making a product that is most likely not wildly profitable.

^Politely Disagree, but if you offer a product, you need to make it to the same standard that all your customers have come to expect. The pictures show an unfinished lobe surface and rough machining. As a aircraft quality engineer this looks bush league. Its a legitimate complaint and if he hasnt gotten any response then why not reach out to the public for feedback, nothing to lose.

Keenan Waeschle wrote:Have you heard of a file? A few passes with one of those and you should be good to go. No need to disparage some one on here when they're the only one making a product that is most likely not wildly profitable.

windexxx wrote:Wanna sell that VG? PM me! I have sandpaper.

Of course I can finish the cam myself. My point is that paying $200 for something that its manufacturer bills to be a custom-made, hand-crafted item should not require any additional finishing on the part of the purchaser. It's not a finish-your-own-cam kit. Also a complete lack of communication after the sale is unprofessional and bad business. My goal here is to inform other potential buyers that they might expect a similar experience.

$200? You must have gotten the "Trump lover" extra charge? As an aside, yer girl sounds like a keeper if she's buying you Valley Giants, did it get ya up your project?