Why is DRT so damn expensive?

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Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by SSS » Mon Sep 13, 2021 6:47 pm

Looking at their lures, handles, rods, etc. It looks like its very well made in Japan, but so does the Slider Swimmers from Deps, RCS/SLP handles, the Heartland rods from Daiwa, etc. Why are DRT products so outrageously more expensive?

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by Cracker » Mon Sep 13, 2021 7:39 pm

The demand is extremely high.
I agree - overpriced product,

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by zalan » Tue Sep 14, 2021 9:33 am

People are still buying it, why would they sell it for cheap? Simple supply-demand scenario.

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by Slazmo » Tue Sep 14, 2021 12:07 pm

Quality and production output is kept low to keep the product in demand, hence why Gomexus has come around flogging off their copy cat product at a fraction of the cost and people are lapping it up greedily.

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by zalan » Tue Sep 14, 2021 12:49 pm

Slazmo wrote:
Tue Sep 14, 2021 12:07 pm
Quality and production output is kept low to keep the product in demand, hence why Gomexus has come around flogging off their copy cat product at a fraction of the cost and people are lapping it up greedily.
You can buy DRT copies of lures as well, I do not think they can do anything about it.

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by _diggy_ » Tue Sep 14, 2021 1:51 pm

The lure production has stepped up recently. Lots of drops from online/mom n pop retailers, plus DRT USA. I picked up the transfer tails from the DRT site, made the baits more versatile IMO.
Last edited by _diggy_ on Wed Sep 15, 2021 2:13 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by Slazmo » Tue Sep 14, 2021 4:14 pm

zalan wrote:
Tue Sep 14, 2021 12:49 pm
You can buy DRT copies of lures as well, I do not think they can do anything about it.
Well you've seen the automotive industry reaction to china's copies of vehicles.

China is a force of mature that just ruins things...

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by Polkfish1 » Tue Sep 14, 2021 6:11 pm

Everything above is true. It’s the design of DRT above else that drew people in. Their baits are nothing special materials wise, but the design is innovative, versatile, and they catch fish plain and simple. Keeping the demand high by releasing the TK and K9 like they were hand made wooden baits seemed to have eventually backfired as others have mentioned knockoffs. I’ve even seen painters sourcing TK blank knock offs. DRT now might as well ‘knock off’ this artificial market squeeze and release their baits in greater numbers. I mean there’s dozens of 110 knockoffs now, but the ito 110 is still desirable.

The DRT handles are great quality because they are made by Livre; again it’s the DRT designer who came up with the cool looking as well as utilitarian design that Gomexus then knocked off. And, the gomexus product looks cheap compared to the quality of the Livre, but at pennies on the dollar, not many care.

Even other small swimbait rod makers figured out where to source the unique handle grip materials DRT adopted and it’s fairly simple to get a DRT looking rod fairly easily. Nevertheless, the rods are the most difficult part to knock off. DRT rods can still go for 3-5k on auction sites and people are willing to pay it. It’s crazy. They actually seem to have implemented ways to try to discourage flippers from snatching up product during releases, but I don’t think they can put that monster back in the box. The demand started to get crazy a couple years ago and it has not slowed much.

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by GOOD YEAR 71 » Tue Sep 14, 2021 8:27 pm

Because suckers keep paying it

Don't hate the messenger....
PEACE

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by SSS » Tue Sep 14, 2021 11:52 pm

They're like the Rolex of fishing or what.

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by Houndfish » Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:45 am

SSS wrote:
Tue Sep 14, 2021 11:52 pm
They're like the Rolex of fishing or what.
They’re more like a limited edition sneaker designed by some rapper where they only made 10 of them and were sold exclusively through a pop-up store in a random NYC subway station which was only announced via an obscure Instagram account.

Hypebeasts gonna hypebeast, no matter what form the obsession takes.

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by jmb27 » Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:53 am

Houndfish wrote:
Wed Sep 15, 2021 5:45 am
SSS wrote:
Tue Sep 14, 2021 11:52 pm
They're like the Rolex of fishing or what.
They’re more like a limited edition sneaker designed by some rapper where they only made 10 of them and were sold exclusively through a pop-up store in a random NYC subway station which was only announced via an obscure Instagram account.

Hypebeasts gonna hypebeast, no matter what form the obsession takes.
:lol: :lol: Love the description.

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by RMCatchNrelease » Fri Sep 24, 2021 2:45 pm

Got a Tiny Klash Hi-Float and I am less than impressed. It has near Zero action without the lip. With the lip, the action is very plain Jane. It doesn't do any of the things the images on the box show. Not to mention the hook rash after 10 minutes was extreme.

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by Cristo » Fri Sep 24, 2021 3:09 pm

Image



You may anger a lot of people who don't actually fish theirs :P

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Re: Why is DRT so damn expensive?

Post by Polkfish1 » Fri Sep 24, 2021 7:06 pm

RMCatchNrelease wrote:
Fri Sep 24, 2021 2:45 pm
Got a Tiny Klash Hi-Float and I am less than impressed. It has near Zero action without the lip. With the lip, the action is very plain Jane. It doesn't do any of the things the images on the box show. Not to mention the hook rash after 10 minutes was extreme.
The below link served as a good tutorial for me when I got started with this bait. I think that’s the one. Some google translate will help. But nowadays there’s also a ton of stuff out there in English.

https://ameblo.jp/thestrikeskateandtack ... 18496.html


I’m not a swimbait fisherman in that I don’t just stick to a big bait and grind it all day, but I wanted to give the TK a chance and learn it. Once I did, I found it produces. Not all giants, but it elicits strikes and plenty of 1-2 pounders will come to play. It takes some time to learn the bait. By the time you catch your first fish on it, the hook rash will look like you covered it in peanut butter and let a couple beavers have at it. But, it catches fish just the same rash, warts, and all. Have fun with the bait. It’s worth the initial frustration of dailing in the way you want to fish it. I’ve had most success with burn and stop erratic action and adding jerks. It’s something different. After fishing it pretty steadily for a couple weeks, I went back to a to more conventional baits in similar situations (squarebill, underspin) and got back to old habits. But I’ll still chuck it now and again. It’s a fun bite. I knarled up a really pretty small female that hit it and those giant trebles got her on the outside and hurt her eye. I was pissed and that kind of put me off the bait.

https://ameblo.jp/thestrikeskateandtack ... 18496.html

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