Dragon Door KB experience

[lois2013]

As OGs in the game, I would like to express my newfound support for Dragon Door. Think what you want about the DD & Pavel StrongFirst split, has no bearings on me and I suspect for most of you too.

Back in 2007 I was introduced to KB training and the RKC trainer I worked with used Dragon Door/RKC KBs. They were top notch and beyond my price point as a 20 something. The shape and feel felt right for me. I know bell preference is subjective.

Fast forward 2024 and the KB game is saturated with small to large companies with marketing dollars. There are cheaper alternatives too with mixed bag of quality. I hear Dragon Door bells may have mixed quality as well.

However, a few things won me over: 1) guarantee for year or money back (yes I know shipping back is on you and prohibitive), 2) John Du Cane himself emailed me back when I had question. Iykyk. 3) shipping was fast. 4) quality is awesome e coat.

Previously I’ve been ordering made in USA Rogue e coat KBs because shipping was fast and price was average but quality has been so bad, in my experience, that I’ve had at least 5 bells replaced by customer service.

I guess what I’m saying is that if you can swing it, pun intended, invest in quality and service and you can’t lose.

 

[larsan]

@lois2013 I consider myself to be somewhat collateral damage when it comes to the DuCane/Tsatsouline split.

I made a polite comment on the DD forum after I read they had parted ways that I would follow Pavel wherever he went. I had no idea at the time as to the acrimony that apparently led to their split.

I found the next time I tried to get on the forum, I had been banned. That, for me, was treating a good paying customer like shit. I had purchased numerous books and 3 pairs of bells from DD along with a few other items. I was a polite and encouraging presence on their forum. Let’s face it. At that time, they were the shit for hardstyle kettlebell training.

That is the reason that hell will freeze over before I will ever buy another product from Dragon Door.

 

[lois2013]

@larsan Oh man, thanks for sharing your experience! That’s rough way to have back turned on you after years of support. I retract comment on split not affecting most folks.

 

[larsan]

@lois2013 I hope my experience was an outlier.

 

[karyn]

@lois2013 Bought my first pair of 54s in 2004. Two years later a pair of 72s. Two years after that a pair of 88s. My six DD KBs have been great. It's probably just familiarity but other KBs never seem right for me. I lost touch with DD over the years but appreciate what they did for my fitness system.

 

[lois2013]

@karyn Sounds like their bells served you well. I can tell mine will as well. And yes, I agree, they seem right for me as well. The window size is perfect as I don’t like larger opening on Rep Fitness that my brother bought.