I just got off the phone with Michael at Arken. Sounds like a driven dynamic guy who is very interested in producing an affordable quality product. I think we will be meeting at SHOT. More to say when I've got more to say
Doug: Just how many China made clones are enough ? You handle many companies selling very similar optics, so what is it all about ?
Why take on another, I just don't see it.
Not saying I would. Interested in what he's bringing that nobody else is. Never hurts to look
I suppose you, and those watching may know it does not take much to get into the optics business. It just takes a suitcase, some cash and
a plane ticket to China. You can come home with some optics.
Remember Zenray, the best thing there ever was. Now tits up and gone..............So no warranty, no nothing, .....just a similar clone seller type plan.
I just don't see any need with all of the good choices out there right now.
Doug, if I remember right you got on the Zenray wagon shortly before it failed. Remember that.
You are 100% correct, not even 99% but 100%. When I first started hearing about ZenRay and looked into their brand I was skeptical. After some deeper research I discovered the company was a guy named Charles who knew where to source quality optics. We got so many requests to carry their optics that after a year of turning away orders we started to carry them but explained to all folks who called to buy it that if anything ever happened to Charles we feared ZenRay would disappear. We handled ZenRay for about 8 years or so. Then, October of 2017 Charles fell off the grid. Cell phone went unanswered as did e-mails and that was that.
I will look at Arken & Vector Optics, and will continue to, but won't be pulling the trigger with any start up/new comer until they are established for a good amount of time.
I do wish some some the best and hope they survive. Tract is a perfect example. John was with Nikon for many years. Great guy who has deep optics knowledge and started what I understand is a great product line. Not sure if the company entirely rests on his shoulders the way ZenRay rested on Charles, but I wish him a long and successful run and am glad he left Nikon when he did as now he'd be looking for work with Nikon closing down the majority of their Sports Optics division.
As you say, "it does not take much to get into the optics business. It just takes a suitcase, some cash and
a plane ticket to China. You can come home with some optics."
I think it's a little more than that to have a quality product, but you're not far off.
![[Linked Image from monstermuleys.com]](https://www.monstermuleys.com/adimages/Camera-Land-728x90-120222.gif)
