So if you're looking to give these a try (that's you, Steve D), DD's have just become more reachable. How'd they do this? selling off old stock? nope. Moving to China, like everyone else. Well, moving production to China.
In the UK, colleagues at the awesome London Kettlebells and i were looking at getting locally produced KB's in the UK - cost was prohibitive, so Dragon Door was a unique producer. If you have a US made bell, treasure it. IT's just become rare.
John Du Cane of DD, however says that the quality is "even better" than the previous US ones. He's also said that if they could have afforded to stay in the US they would have done so.
One of the things i've liked about the DD's is that they have very good customer support. Of one of the DD bells i got, one had a flaw in the handle paint: a replacement bell was shipped out immediately with a label for ups to pick up the faulty one. No fuss no muss. They're pretty fast to reply to emails to "support" too.
And if you already have one (or a few; they multiply), now may be the time to get that Beast you've been holding out for.
Actually, Torque Athletic KBs are made here in the US. They were also the first domestic manufacturer for Dragon Door.
ReplyDeleteThat is cool history. Thank you.
ReplyDeletei wonder if they're the same shape then as now, as the handles are so different from the DD ones. but cool that they're made locally.