Evolution Props: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly

We are gluttons for punishment, aren't we? I just got done engineering my prototype harness out of what I thought would be the right tools for the job...
The creative process and/or exploration is exhausting!

hmmm was thinking of replacing some of my SFP with this guy, but it looks like it'll be just switching one substandard product with another. And I love how he keeps saying "we've fixed the problem, we've fixed the problem" yet more and more come with more complaints which he follows with "oh we've just figured that out and fixed it" It seems to be a lot of say what they want to hear and do nothing. Being a member on here means you already have TONS of walkthroughs on how to do it right with just about every material from garbage cans to fiberglass, I'd really expect to see less "oh we didn't know that fiberglass needs to be trimmed so shreds don't get in our customers skin, but now we do" excuses. I've delt with Bobamaker frequently, bought my helmet, flak jacket, toe spikes, jetpack and my new collar from him, only problem I have EVER had with him was the bolts on my helmet didn't quite hold, which he gave me a deal on my collar studs I got from him just to make it right. I'm not trying to be mean, it'd be one thing if he was a seller outside of TDH, but being a member here his product needs to be better and there needs to be less "we didn't know" excuses.

Evos parts are good starter stuff for people who are on a low budget

Fett 4 Real said:

Evos parts are good starter stuff for people who are on a low budget

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What parts?

The metal parts mostly...but used evo parts are cheap and decent your sure to find used evo boots around I wouldnt use evo armor pieces though even for my wife

Right after I ordered my Evolution Props soft parts (neck seal, flack vest, flight suit) I found this thread and it made me really concerned, but they just came in today and I couldn't be happier. The flight suit fits perfect, and is good quality. The flack vest and neck seal are a bit bright but with some weathering they will be perfect. It seems the problems people were having with the soft parts have been cleared up, or I just got really lucky.
I also got the boots and they are great too.
Thought I'd throw in my experience.

I had considered the full costume from Evolution Props, but after seeing this thread I am leery to say the least. But there does seem to be a 6 month+ gap from the negative reviews to more positive reviews. Anything new to report from people?

I have the boots, have worn them through several troops, a parade, and 12 hours of CV, they're holding up. All I did was add an arch support thing and some gellin' pads to make me a bit taller and for comfort. There are other boots available, these fit into my budget at the time.

Yea I had a very bad experience w/ Evolution on ebay. Over a year ago I ordered a Vader electronic chestbox and a saber hook for my belt. Well of course the items took like triple the time they were supposed to just to ship, and they only shipped after repeatedly emailing the seller about the issue. The box gets here and this is what I find after months of waiting: 1) the chest box is literally a different one than the one he pictured. I found the pictures he had used on some prop forum at the time posted by a member there. So we already have fraud. The box he sent me looked nothing like the one pictured at all. 2) all of the greebles were broken off of the box, pieces everywhere when I opened it up. 3) the lights installed for the red and blue squares were both green and the circuit could barely work. 4) He didn't even include the belt hook!!
I contacted Paypal, and even though it had been a long time, they decided to process my claim. After months of waiting for the big "decision" Paypal emailed me saying I could mail the package back to our buddy Gabe. Paypal gives me the address etc, I mail it, weeks go by and nothing. Finally paypal says since they haven't heard fromt he seller that my clain is terminated and i am basically screwed.
A few more month go by and the package is back at my door. The address Paypal gave me was incorrect according to Gabe whom I checked with. Paypal tells me they don't care basically and I am out the $125 plus the shipping I just paid to no one.
I contact Gabe and ask him if he can do anything for me, even give me a store credit, or a refund, SOMETHING, but nothing from back from him.
I guess out of all of it Paypal gave him the interrogation treatment about the fraudulent images he had on his listings so since then he has had to show what he is actually selling. I imagine that didn't really help his sales too much.

If you ask me, while some of Evolution's parts may be worth buying, and waiting for, it is a huge huge risk. From my experience, and apparently its about 50/50 with people on most boards, Gabe isn't a very honest or trustworthy person. I would discourage anyone from buying from him because chances are you are going to get screwed out of your money or get an item that isn't what it was said to be.

DON'T GET ANYTHING FROM him . I made the mistake of sending him money and got nothing but **** . He played with me until the 45 day refund with PP then NOTHING from him . He sent me 3 fake tracking #'s then when I did get my stuff 1/2 of it was smashed up He want me to ship the parts back to him @ my cost . NO WAY . The rocket on the jet pack was PINK . The bucket was in 3 parts and scotch tape was all over it and thats is no joke . None of it looks like the picks . Gabe is a thief as I see , he took my money and sent me **** . RUN RUN RUN FAR WAY FROM HIM . He played with me for 72 days . Im done befor I get to upset about this SOB.

I completely agree with snoopy trooper. Evolution is a thief and a liar. I don't understand why this board continues to entertain his presence here. He should be banned. I am not going to revisit my bad experience here save to say the $1000 he has of mine has now been chalked up to painful experience. Don't buy from evolution. Ever.

Ok ..... i read and read ... and i must reply ... i try to explain in the minium way .... i decide quit for sale on Ebay several items to upgrade them ... i take a new politic about a complete costume , i sell by pre-order with minium initial payment and the rest when the costuime is ready and the buyer recive the pics and is agree with them .. i think is the better way to avoid any futher probelm and to make all happy .. also i working now to improve some pieces and get the result soon ... also to some memebers who critic me here , i only syas that if you buy me they have my mail ... and i respond all of them ... also if any problem occurs be sure thta i working to solve ...im really don't think that is right make a comments here ... i have some buyers who ripp me and i never say anything from them.-
Gabe

britt59 said:

Ok ..... i read and read ... and i must reply ... i try to explain in the minium way .... i decide quit for sale on Ebay several items to upgrade them ... i take a new politic about a complete costume , i sell by pre-order with minium initial payment and the rest when the costuime is ready and the buyer recive the pics and is agree with them .. i think is the better way to avoid any futher probelm and to make all happy .. also i working now to improve some pieces and get the result soon ... also to some memebers who critic me here , i only syas that if you buy me they have my mail ... and i respond all of them ... also if any problem occurs be sure thta i working to solve ...im really don't think that is right make a comments here ... i have some buyers who ripp me and i never say anything from them.-
Gabe

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Gabe, why dont you explain yourself about these people that have sent you money and still have no items, or have cheap, poor items that are not what is advertised or broken? like berkal for instance...explain why you have $1000 of his money, and he has only bad things to say about his experience with you...you dance around the bush every time you post a response, but you never explain why these people are upset with you...you say you are taking care of the problem, but this same probelm keeps coming up...??? you say you keep in touch with people, but yet they say you disappear after the paypal deadline...i am sorry, but you cant build trust with products like you are sending to customers and poor service...

I'm thinking that this thread has strayed a little from the original point and is boardering on 'flame war' territory. This purpose of Astro Builders thread was to Evaluate Gabe's props and nothing more. Lets try and get back on track please?

I understand lets get back on track but when he does not return emails and he does not send out parts and takes my money we have no choice to put it up on here . I get 3 fake tracking #'s from him and a box full of broken parts . So what do we do then ?? I have a ? for Gabe , were is my money ????? Were are my parts @ ???? You don't return my email @ ALL .

After dealing with SFP and others, now seeing the reply from Gabe, something has struck me as funny. It seems like everyone who has a bad rep here also has a habit of horribly misspelling 90% of words on their post as well as horribly broken english to where you have to rearrange sentences to understand it. This has led me to a new personal rule, If they spell like a 1st grader and type like Yoda, I avoid them.

But really, how is getting them to approve a photo before shipping going to improve anything, if you're that kind of dishonest person you're just going to send them a good photo and sent them poor quality product anyway. Gabe if you want us to believe you're improving your service, then show it through your service. Posting claims on here isn't going to solve anything if you continue to send poor product, have poor communication etc... If you read above, many of themclaims have come in AFTER you claimed to have improved, your actions show otherwise.

When did this payment & the rest when it is done start Gabe ? I NEVER RECEIVED ANY PICK FROM YOU and I have every email you have sent me and the ones I have sent you . You say you want to " make all happy" I'm not happy .You also say you respond to all emails thats not true You have the time to go on here to TRY to defend yourself but you don't have the time to email me back or send me my money . If you cant tell by my user name this is Charlie Brown Gabe , the one that you stole the money from . I'm sure you will come up with some other thing that went wrong . Lets see , your mom died 2 x's so im ready for another story .
July 2 2010 email from you " We always offer a satisfaction guarantee. We want to make sure everyone is happy with their purchased items"
July 5 2010 email from you "Hi Charlie,Good to hear that, we will start with the production when all your pays get confirmed. Best regards Gabe"

So what your telling everyone is not true Gabe so STOP covering it up and send everyone their money .

He had really good communication with me. I know something must have gone wrong with the transaction but it's hard for me to believe that he'd choose one person to ignore and another to send emails to.
Like I said before, I had a good experience with Gabe. Maybe it's a trade off between cost to quality, but I would definitely use them again.
My opinion.

Good luck with that Kthur . I already have a fraud complant with PP going on . As of yesterday he is under investigation & when I call them Monday and tell them to look @ this trend he will have his PP account removed . Look @ all the ones above that have been riped off and he is using PP as a middle man to do it . I don't think PP is going to like that . So if your going to order something you best do it fast .

Charlie ... really I am thinking that you are s.... you write me 8000 times and i reply 8000 times, you do not have the minimal intention of solving the problem thatyou has, it seems to me that you only want the money ... I am starting getting tired of you and all your bad comments, threats and constants demands ... if you give himself the luxury of speaking of my tell the truth ... but not ... already it me has lied and already to realized many hurt , tomorrow you get my final response , and i expect the response to close this problem.-

Sorry to all members for this response , and the one who wants to communicate with me can do them at any time for Pm or to my personal e-mail chapa59@gmail.com, always im happy to reply.-

In turn I recognize, problems with some products that it should solve (already I have explained it before) and others that I am solving, but I assure them that have had 10 or 20 problems in a total of 2000 sold articles ... this year was hard for me, because i lost my daughter, and only for 1 month ago i taking the reins of the business again , which was entrusted to friends who elegantly helped me in this difficult moment-

Thank you