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Chinese stuff general/Everyday carry
Main article: Chinese Stuff general
Contents
Battery banks
Buying too cheap might result in very hot lithium housefires & most don't have anywhere near their advertised capacity. Stick to the one brand that is known to use great batteries and electronics:
Xiaomi
Tons of Xiaomi fakes are floating around. Either buy from the official Mi store, iBuygou, Banggood, Dinodirect, FastTech, Gearbest, DX etc... AliExpress and Ebay are both marketplaces so your risk of getting fakes is much higher. Even though you will probably get a refund, it's still a pain in the backside to deal with.
Sellers will often trick you by writing something like "Powerbank for Xiaomi" so it shows up in the search results even if it's not a genuine Xiaomi product. Don't just read the title and purchase a product on a whim. This is general advice for Chinese products, but sometimes the seller will have a title mentioning "Original *insert brand name* product", but then will say that it's not the original product in the detailed info. Some Ebay sellers claim they have licensed Xiaomi OEM powerbanks but that's total horseshit: those are fakes, plain and simple. Some even have sand in their "cells"[1].
Xiaomi powerbanks:
- 5000mAh slim version
- 10000mAh (about the size of the old 5400mAh. Actually 10200mAh.)
- 10000mAh Pro (Uses Li-Po like the 5000mAh. TI controller chip. Slim, adds an USB C port.)
- 10000mAh 2 (Similar design to the Pro above, supports QC2.0 (input/output). No USB-C.)
- 16000mAh
- 20000mAh
Discontinued:
- 5400mAh
- 10400mAh (older and larger than the 10000mAh. This one technically has 200mAh more, but because the 10000mAh is more efficient it will actually charge devices for longer. The 10000mAh version is recommended over the older 10400.)
Others
- Romoss powerbanks (Polymos is the premium Li-Po line)
- Tomo V8 (requires you to provide your own cells, functions as both an 18650 charger and battery bank)
- Qidian, if you feel like building your own. The QD 188 can charge laptops.
- ZMI. A brand of Xiaomi, carries similar products.
- Rock. Formerly ihave.
- Yoobao
- There are big name-brand powerbanks too, most likely just Chinese OEMs. Asus, Sony, ...
Bags
Bags & backpacks in general are very affordable from China. For camera use, the National Geographic & Lowepro bags in particular have great design according to /p/
- National Geographic
- Lowepro
- Tigernu
Flashlights/Torches
Focus on Cree LEDs with a single chip, especially their Q5 (updated version note: The Q5 is a specific bin of the XP-E2 LED, so disregard what the old pastebin says) and XM-L2 series. They have long battery life / super strong output, respectively. Do not pay too much attention to usually bogus lumen ratings.
- SK68-type (many have fake Cree Q5 that are actually LatticeBright, don't bother finding genuine ones though)
- Convoy C8 & S2+ (Red / Blue variants on the latter have a nicer strap, but may cost extra vs gray)
- Eagle eye
- Nitecore
- Olight
Headphones/IEMs
Consider additionally reading the Headphones page.
AudioBudget has a huge list of IEMs with a detailed review of each.
- KZ-HDS1, ED3, ED9, DT3, EDR2, ATE/S. KZ in general makes great value IEMs.
- Superlux HD661, HD668B, 681EVO, 662EVO (EVO series are considered the best buys for quality by Head-Fi and other reviewers with 662EVO the most recent)
- Takstar Hi2050, Pro80
- Xiaomi
Piston 3, Air/Capsule, Dual Drivers/Quantie (The piston 3 youth edition are cheap, but don't sound good.) - Rock Zircon
- Vivo XE-800. Made for Vivo by Vsonic. Clone of the Vsonic GR07. MSRP ~$200, can be found for ~$20. Beware of counterfeits, check the curved "V" on the nozzle grille.
Comparison of various IEMs:
Zircons are the current meme, huge bass hump if you like that kind of thing, a little difficult to get a good seal with big ears but no real flaws. Pistons are pretty good for a more balanced tone, still have a bit of a bass hump. It's an older meme. KZ ATE S are great if you want good isolation + bass in an IEM that stays put very well due to the memory wire. "KZ ATE" is the same earphone but with an inline mic and no memory wire, I don't like this version as well. With some ears they hurt like hell to even put in properly. Another KZ ATE anon here. Real good for the price, fun V shaped sound signature and even better with fake Comply tips. I'm the anon that was originally shilling the ED4s, with more time with them I actually like the Zircons better for nigbass (Zircons have better clarity), but ED4s still have their place since they're $5 vs the $12 for the Zircons. ED3 is also pretty good, slightly tighter, milder signature than the ED4. Other people like the ED9 s but I found them harsh, sibiliant, and difficult to get a good seal on, as well as poor isolation. I've tried to get into them multiple times, but I just rip them out of my ears in disgust after 30 seconds. You can find Piston 1 (copies?) for $0.99 which are surprisingly listenable (plastic, marked "Mi" on the back of each IEM). They're a little midsy and sound like shit if you A/B them with anything good on my list, but they're still a vast improvement over the typical pack-in buds that come with cheap mp3 players etc. I give them away to little cousins etc who I know won't appreciate or take care of "nicer" stuff. Fucking garbage tier: KZ ED2, Fake Piston 2's.
Or to put it another way:
- Piston 3: flat-ish, tiny bass bump, moderate isolation
- Zircons: thick African-American bass, small treble spike, moderate isolation
- KZ ATE-S: moderate bass, not much treble. "S" has memory wire and stays on well, good isolation with foam tips. Not everyone may get a good seal with the pre-installed foam tips however, so do experiment with the included tips before drawing a conclusion.
- KZ ED9: flat-ish with large treble spike, low isolation. Some anons have been reporting the nozzles corroding the the ED9s and causing skin irritation, but ymmv.
Frequency response graphs for all earphones mentioned can be found on AudioBudget.
KZ ATE-S review:
Had a few days with the KZ ATE-S. Overall: Really don't like them. Main gripes: 1. They don't fit my fucking ears. At least not without hurting. I have sticky-outy ear lobes so that's probably why. 2. No clip included, so they're useless as 'sports' headphones. 3. Memory wire just makes things fiddly and while they don't fall out, you have to constantly adjust them. 4. The sound, while clear, is soulless and hollow. They just make things less enjoyable to listen to. 5. The tacky silicon wire is tangle-bait and a pain to untangle. 6. The foam tips do nothing, the silicon ones are better. Things I actually liked: 1. The sound really is quite crisp and clear, but it's hard to appreciate when my ears are in pain. 2. They're cheap so I didn't waste much money. 3. I like the little cardboard box. 4. I liked that it didn't come with a mic, I don't care for those things. I tried to give these things a shot, but the longer I used them the more I grew to dislike them.
Wireless/Bluetooth
KZ HDSE are currently the go-to 'budget' bluetooth IEMs
Impressions/review from head-fi.org/t/698148/13110#post_12974769:
They're not bad, in fact for bluetooth they're pretty decent. Lots of sub bass with the right tips, treble is a little rolled off but overall the sound is quite fun. Mind you I have been listening to the 4in1s recently. They won't replace my 1More iBeFree as my go to wireless pair but they're not as far behind as I'd have expected given their price. Only downside and I get this with all bluetooth earphones of similar style is they're a bit bulky and the earpieces tend to move about a bit in my ears.
Information about the battery life from head-fi.org/t/698148/12000#post_12851045
About KZ HDSE, I can confirm that the music playback time is 3 hours starting from fully charged till low battery warning, and It take 1 hour to regain fully charged. This experiment is based on smartphone Bluetooth v4.0, non-stop playing FLAC 192kHz/24bit files at maximum bluetooth volume.
Watches
When buying a watch, keep in mind that its ability to keep time isn't immediately apparent. People who immediately leave positive feedback aren't giving an accurate picture of its quality.
Knockoffs / Fakes
Most fake watches are quickly removed from Aliexpress. Don't be surprised to find fake watches with few orders and no reviews; these are the same old sellers reuploading after takedown.
The authenticity of the appearance depends on the brand in question, not the seller. Odds are, all fakes of the same brand come from the same factory.
Time-tested fake watches include:
- Daniel Wellington
- DW fakes are particularly recommended, as the movement quality of the actual DW isn't any better than the fakes
- When buying a fake DW, get a Nato (canvas) strap version. The "leather" straps are plastic and look nothing like leather. The Nato straps are acceptable, and they shield your skin against dubious metals.
- Nomos Glashütte
- The leather is the same deal as the fake DWs. They're of extremely cheap quality and don't expect them to look good or feel comfortable irl. Do yourself and pick up one of these £2 AliExpress NATO straps.
- The real deal's seconds subdial is recessed. The vast majority of reps on AliExpress that are easily found actually have a subdial that is flush with the rest of the watch face, a very noticeable flaw. However, you might get lucky like some did and find yourself without this problem.
- The real Nomos Glashütte is automatic. The cheaper reps like the ones /csg/ anons like to meme are quartz. This is a dead giveaway that it's a fake, if that's something you're bothered about.
Original brands
Original Chinese brands range from extremely affordable to western pricing.
Cheap, quartz brands include:
- Naviforce
- Curren
- Sinobi
- SKMEI (don't buy their digital watches, they don't keep time well)
Pricier, mechanical options include:
- Parnis watches (this company manufactures the movements of many western luxury brands, so their quality is top-tier)
- Sea-Gull watches
- Steel Bagelsport (makes the cheapest functional mechanicals around, around $35)
Knives
Specific models are up to your own taste(remember to check out the steel type, usually it should be 440C), but these brands are good:
- Enlan Bee
- Ganzo, known for their knockoff designs of more expensive knives(such as Benchmade, Spyderco) with axis lock
- G729 - Copy of Spyderco Paramilitary but with Benchmade axis lock
- G704
- F7562
- G730/G729
- G717
- G7211/G7212 - Automatic knife
- G707 - Automatic
- Firebird 7582AL - Automatic
- Sanrenmu some original designs, known also for making "OEM" Benchmade knives(read: blatant copies), quality is alrght though
- GB9 707 - CRKT Drifter without the logo and half the price (not a copy, Sanrenmu is the OEM for the Drifter)
- 7010 - Copy of the Chris Reeve Sebenza
- 6044
- LAND 910+
- Baodanli if you want some tacky Chinese designs (dragons, tigers, ancient Chinese coins)
- Y-START
- RUIKE
- TWOSUN
- Kizer/Reate/Rike/WE Knives - High-end/expensive knives ($100+)
As always, ask around before making a purchase.
Pens
Fountain Pens
- Jinhao 599/A, x750, x450, 126, 159, 149
- Baoer 801, 388
- Hero 616,
- Bookworm 675
- Wing Sung 698
Ballpoint Pens
- Xiaomi Mijia Signing Pen
Self-Defense
AliExpress and other Chinese sellers have most weaponry banned due to laws in China. The most effective weapon available on Ali is a collapsible police baton by Cree [2] which can wallop 鬼佬 really well and collapses to fit in a backpack.
Another good option is spiked rings [3] which will improve your wimpy nerd punch. Of course, any Chinese knife above can do much more damage and will scare 鬼佬 more than a baton will.
Novelty Toys
Fidget Cube
Main article: Fidget Cube
Commmonly know as the autism cube on /csg/, these were originally designed by a company who wanted to charge ridiculous prices for them. Presumably, the Chinese factories then felt they would be getting the short end of the stick if it wasn't going to be an open source design (that's why your Chinese stuff is so cheap and it all looks the same), so they decided to produce their own and sell them for pocket change. Some /csg/ anons are even unironically obsessed with buying as many reps and variations as they can for maximum autism points.
