This thread is to collate a list of "official stores" on AliExpress.
But first, let's get some things out of the way. I'd never used - or wanted to use - AliExpress until just a couple of weeks ago. However, I was led there after going down a rabbit hole about heat-exchanging camping cook pots (posts begin here for anyone who is keen: https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/ul-fuel-efficient-cook-system.211835/page-15#post-3997634)
Short version is that I found out that most titanium goods, especially heat-exchange pots, are made in China - and that some of the brands for sale either via their own branded websites, and/or via Amazon, are also available via AliExpress - often for much cheaper, and with free shipping. Note that these aren't knock-offs, but the actual manufacturer - and brand owner - simply selling direct.
I'm keen for this thread to not turn into either a bash-fest on Chinese manufacturing - or on American mark-ups. Pretty sure most of us can agree that we'd prefer to not purchase from China where we can. But, as many have pointed out here, a lot of "US"-brand outdoor companies get their products made in China - and there are often no good, comparable alternatives. (Think almost all hunting clothing companies, JetBoil, Garmin, Suunto, and so on.)
I'm also pretty sure that most of us would think it's silly to pay double (or more) just to order the same product, by the same manufacturer, via a US retailer. (Which is different from a US company having something made for them in China, and then bringing it to market.)
And whether we buy Chinese-made goods direct via China or via a US-based retailer who simply puts a large mark-up on the product, money still goes to China, the manufacturing conditions are still the same ... and so on.
So ... this thread is definitely not about trying to find the Chinese knock-offs of American-made (or other country) products. If you want to do that, go start another thread.
Instead, this thread is to collect a list of "official stores" on AliExpress, who can be ordered from directly - most of whom we would otherwise have just been ordering from Amazon
Here are the ones I've found and used:
Fire Maple: https://firemaple.aliexpress.com/store/2801108 Best as I can make out, their parent company is called Deer Maple. They make a fairly standard heat exchanger pot for OliCamp, Macpac, and a range of other companies, which they also sell as their own model. They also make their own innovative Petrel models, which have slots for a pot-stand, so that the flame is closer to the bottom of the pot. They also make a nifty iso cannister stand out of titanium. A few people on the Slide have made posts about their pots; Ryan Lampers recently mentioned he's testing one out this season. (Note that most reviews of their canister stove units, similar to Pocket Rockets, Windmasters, etc, have not been positive.)
TOAKS: https://solohike.aliexpress.com/store/1102372508 - makers of titanium spoons, sporks, mugs, etc.
Flextail Gear: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1102616020 - make a portable sleeping pad pump that many here use.
Widesea: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1102525816 - another make of a titanium heat-exchange pot, included in Aron's boil time review video from last year (which he wonderfully mis-pronounced as 'Waddessia"). While that pot has another pot as a 'lid', the Toaks 115mm lid apparently fits, and its weight, wide pot bottom, and construction makes this one of the better HX pot options around.
Boundless Voyage: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1103837052 I first heard about this brand from @Ryan Avery on the Shoot2Hunt podcast, when he mentioned that they made a titanium drink bottle that fits the HumanGear CapCap.
What other official stores do you know of? Again, no OEMs selling behind US brands' backs - just the actual manufacturers who own the brand ... if you can.
But first, let's get some things out of the way. I'd never used - or wanted to use - AliExpress until just a couple of weeks ago. However, I was led there after going down a rabbit hole about heat-exchanging camping cook pots (posts begin here for anyone who is keen: https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/ul-fuel-efficient-cook-system.211835/page-15#post-3997634)
Short version is that I found out that most titanium goods, especially heat-exchange pots, are made in China - and that some of the brands for sale either via their own branded websites, and/or via Amazon, are also available via AliExpress - often for much cheaper, and with free shipping. Note that these aren't knock-offs, but the actual manufacturer - and brand owner - simply selling direct.
I'm keen for this thread to not turn into either a bash-fest on Chinese manufacturing - or on American mark-ups. Pretty sure most of us can agree that we'd prefer to not purchase from China where we can. But, as many have pointed out here, a lot of "US"-brand outdoor companies get their products made in China - and there are often no good, comparable alternatives. (Think almost all hunting clothing companies, JetBoil, Garmin, Suunto, and so on.)
I'm also pretty sure that most of us would think it's silly to pay double (or more) just to order the same product, by the same manufacturer, via a US retailer. (Which is different from a US company having something made for them in China, and then bringing it to market.)
And whether we buy Chinese-made goods direct via China or via a US-based retailer who simply puts a large mark-up on the product, money still goes to China, the manufacturing conditions are still the same ... and so on.
So ... this thread is definitely not about trying to find the Chinese knock-offs of American-made (or other country) products. If you want to do that, go start another thread.
Instead, this thread is to collect a list of "official stores" on AliExpress, who can be ordered from directly - most of whom we would otherwise have just been ordering from Amazon
Here are the ones I've found and used:
Fire Maple: https://firemaple.aliexpress.com/store/2801108 Best as I can make out, their parent company is called Deer Maple. They make a fairly standard heat exchanger pot for OliCamp, Macpac, and a range of other companies, which they also sell as their own model. They also make their own innovative Petrel models, which have slots for a pot-stand, so that the flame is closer to the bottom of the pot. They also make a nifty iso cannister stand out of titanium. A few people on the Slide have made posts about their pots; Ryan Lampers recently mentioned he's testing one out this season. (Note that most reviews of their canister stove units, similar to Pocket Rockets, Windmasters, etc, have not been positive.)
TOAKS: https://solohike.aliexpress.com/store/1102372508 - makers of titanium spoons, sporks, mugs, etc.
Flextail Gear: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1102616020 - make a portable sleeping pad pump that many here use.
Widesea: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1102525816 - another make of a titanium heat-exchange pot, included in Aron's boil time review video from last year (which he wonderfully mis-pronounced as 'Waddessia"). While that pot has another pot as a 'lid', the Toaks 115mm lid apparently fits, and its weight, wide pot bottom, and construction makes this one of the better HX pot options around.
Boundless Voyage: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1103837052 I first heard about this brand from @Ryan Avery on the Shoot2Hunt podcast, when he mentioned that they made a titanium drink bottle that fits the HumanGear CapCap.
What other official stores do you know of? Again, no OEMs selling behind US brands' backs - just the actual manufacturers who own the brand ... if you can.
