/CSG guide/

This is an updated and overhauled guide, inspired by the old guide (hosted on https://csgwiki.neocities.org/).

It was last modified: 2023-01-12

What is /CSG/?

/CSG/, "Chink Shit General" is a general on the 4chan "/g/ - Technology" board, intended as a place for anons to share, discuss and discover deals and items from overseas, Asia specifically. The thread started appearing around 2015, and became a somewhat regular general around 2016. Since then it has been an on and off staple of /g/ board culture.

/CSG/ focusses on stores that send items specifically from Asia, but any item made in Asia and resold in the west is allowed as well.

Motivations for anons to participate in /csg/ can differ from interest in weird items not intended for western markets, money savings due to arbitrage between different markets or a genuine desire for items not found or available in the west.

General advice

This section covers general advice that applies to all stores, or things that you should keep in mind for any source.

Material choice

When buying from any /csg/ store, try to pay attention to the materials chosen. If you buy a leather item and it's suspiciously cheap, that's probably going to be fake/vegan leather. If it's "cashmere" but costs the same as cotton, it's probably going to be cotton. This logic applies to all materials. If the item is very cheap, then expect the material to be substituted with some cheaper material or to use a cheap version of that material.

In general, what material you should consider will depend on what performance you expect from it, where you want to use it and what you are willing to pay.

Metals

Metal items are great to buy from AliExpress or similar stores. There's not much that can go wrong and you usually get what is advertised. The four big metals that you will see a lot are iron (carbon steel), stainless steel, titanium and aluminum.

Carbon steel will corrode and the carbon content in the steel will be essential to figure out performance.

Stainless steel will not corrode, but usually cost more for equal performance.

Titanium and Aluminum will usually have similar performance as western items, at lower cost.

Plastics

Plastic doesn't have to mean something is low quality, but the difference in quality between different plastic items can be substantial. In general, hard plastics are more trustworthy than soft plastics or rubbery plastics. Soft plastics are more likely to start sweating which is bad from a reliance and health perspective. If it's supposed to be soft and come in contact with food, make sure it's silicone. Silicone is also the best heat resistant plastic if it comes to contact with food, but even then it's not recommended to go for too high temperatures. If a oven mat for example suggests a max temperature of 220ºC (430ºF), it's recommended not to go over 200ºC (390ºF) just to be safe.

General precautions

Do not get chinked!

Before buying anything, always check the product's reviews and the store's feedback rating. Anything lower than 4.7 stars is probably shit. Some sellers also leave fake reviews, this is easy to spot.

A general rule of thumb is that if it smells like a scam, it most likely is.

Always check the specification sheet on the listing. They can lie on the name and the pictures, but not on the specs sheet, if they do, it's an easy open and shut dispute for you.

Problems with your order?

If something happens, such as not getting the right item, the item never arriving, arriving broken, etc. Do not attempt to contact the seller, open a dispute right away with as much evidence as you can collect. AliExpress will side with you if you have enough evidence of wrongdoing

If the seller contacts you asking you to close the dispute saying he will refund you, ignore him, this is a surefire way to get chinked. Let Ali sort it out.

Stores

While any stores from Asia, or any store that primarily deals in Asian products is technically discussed in /csg/, some stores are far more popular than others. In this section a list of stores is meant to be created, including name of the store, target audience/items, link and peculiarities/general information.

AliExpress

AliExpress is without a doubt the most popular and largest store discussed in /csg/. It doesn't have a particular target audience in terms of what is sold, anything and everything is fair game. It's considered a sort of "baseline" store, against which other stores are compared.

Shipping times can vary wildly, from months to days, depending on the type of item, the location you buy from and various deals.

One of the reasons why AliExpress is so popular is their refund policy: Provided the buyer does his due diligence and follows procedure correctly, they will usually get reimbursed should any damages occur to an item, or should the seller try to swindle them out of their money.

After buying there is a limited "buyer protection", which you should keep an eye on. Once this protection runs out, you have lost your bargaining power in the eyes of AliExpress. If you confirm that an item has arrived/been shipped, you have 2 more weeks to dispute should you come across any faults. Should an item not arrive within that time, you can (and should) dispute. If there is a valid reason to dispute earlier, you can do so as well. Valid dispute reasons can include fake tracking, items not turning up, wrong or broken items, false advertising, etc. Try to document whatever you can to prove your case (video/picture evidence is encouraged if it is applicable), then provide that evidence during the dispute. AliExpress will almost always side with the buyer, unless the buyer is grossly negligent.

If a seller contacts you in chat and asks you to cancel a dispute, this is usually a cause for concern and can mean you are about to get scammed. If you cancel a dispute in the eyes of Aliexpress that means you have given up your bargaining power and you are now forced to hope that the seller is keeping their word. The storeowner might tell you that they will send you a new item for free, or give you your money back. The reason they do that is because a store loses standing in the eyes of AliExpress if too many disputes happen. Just be aware that complying and canceling disputes means you are now at the sellers mercy.

eBay

While not strictly speaking a Asian storefront, most of the items found on AliExpress and similar sites can also be found on eBay. Unless there is sufficient incentive in regards to better pricing or shipping however, buying from AliExpress is usually preferred, simply because of the better dispute policy.

Shein

Shein is a international storefront that primarily focusses on textiles and clothing. It's not nearly as popular as the others mentioned here, but occasionally you will find anons talk about it.

Alibaba

Banggood

Banggood is a online storefront, similar to AliExpress, that focusses mostly on the US market, but does deliver internationally as well. It primarily focusses on electronics, but not exlusively, so you can find almost anything on there that you'd find on AliExpress, too. There have been a few reports of shipments going missing lately though, and their return policy is supposedly less generous than it is for AliExpress.

Taobao

Taobao is the 100% Chinese older brother to Aliexpress. It is essentially the Amazon of China and has a broad range of products. Any product found on Aliexpress can be found on taobao most likely for cheaper, however it is not ideal due to the cost of shipping the product. Most common items bought by westerners seem to be counterfeit clothing and mechanical keyboard components.

While it is possible to purchase and ship items directly to you, it is not recommended due to lack of customer support. The majority of taobao shoppers use an agent to carry out their orders. Other than being able to commuicate in english and send images of the products purchased before shipping, they also offer better shipping services and addons. Agents also provide the ability to buy from other mainland China sellers and websites like Weidian, 1688, and wechat/yupoo sellers.

Popular agents include Basetao, WeGoBuy, Pandabuy, etc. There are several communities on reddit for the discussion of counterfeit clothes that also provide reviews for agents and sellers.

/asean/ storefronts

This section is informative to some specific people. It is incomplete though.

Due to the unavailbility of Amazon in the region, other companies have put their step into the e-commerce market. Today there are two major stores that are available in some countries of the region. You should know this if you are planning to stay in those countries in long-term after having your favourite chick or something.

Shopee

The biggest store. Available in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and also non-/asean/ countries: Taiwan, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Poland.

Lazada

The second biggest store. Available in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Philippines.

Items/Recommendations

Over the years, various topics come up more often than others on /csg/. The goal is to create a resource here for new anons, or anons who can't be bothered to read old threads, so that they can get some general pointers before they have to ask in the thread. It should be separated into item categories (technology, household appliances, apparel, etc.), which have subcategories (audio equipment, RC equipment, etc.). Then there is also a Misc category for random items that do not fit into other categories and do not warrant their own category being made.

EDC/Office equipment

EDC Knives

EDC is arguably the only area where it's reasonable to consider /csg/ knives, simply because there's usually substantial markups for local brands, the sheath and features are more important than the actual blade quality, and they are unlikely to be used for very demanding tasks (mostly opening packages, cutting cord and everyday tasks). As with all knives, giving general advice is difficult, simply because of the different legislation regarding purchasing and ownership of knives making each market unique.

Opinel Knives ($10.00-$26.00)

Opinel knives are not /csg/ knives, but very reasonably priced, so that they should seriously be considered before buying a /csg/ EDC knife. They come in various sizes ranging from a 3.5 cm blade (No.2, available starting at $10.00) to 12 cm blade (No. 12, available starting at $26.00). A Opinel No.6 for example will fit very well into any pocket, take up little space and have a great performance/price ratio. While they have no quick opening feature, their locking mechanism has proven its reliability over the years. Stainless steel and carbon steel variants are available. Look for local offers across different stores.

Sanrenmu 1555Ti ($20.00) / Kershaw Cryo 2 ($15.00-$20.00) / Sanrenmu 7010 ($20.00)

Both Sanrenmu and Kershaw have been /csg/ memes for EDC knives for a while. Check local legislation to make sure your order doesn't get stuck at customs. Much like with other /csg/ knives, expect cheaper, softer steels, meaning more frequent sharpening is needed and edge retention is lower, in exchange for less danger of chipping. If you can live with that, these are some nice folding knives.

Capsule/Keychain knives ($2.00-$6.00)

Very small "knives" in a capsule that looks like a medical pill. There's cheap ones (usually around $2.50-$3.00), which have a single thin blade screwed onto the housing, and more expensive ones ($4.00-$6.00, depending on if you want a box for it), where instead of a blade they have one massive piece that is sharpened towards the front. The cheap ones work just as well as the massive ones for opening packages or cutting small things, but shouldn't be used for anything where force is required. Their advantage is that should the blade dull or break you can replace it by unscrewing the old blade and buying replacement blades, though sourcing those can be difficult depending on the exact version of capsule knife you have. If you want something more sturdy, get one of the more massive ones. The thin ones can be found in the 3 for $6.00 offers regularly, in which case you can get them for $2.00.

EDC Torches

Convoy S2+ (plus) ($15.00-$20.00)

Longtime /csg/ recommendation for a "goto" flashlight. Takes 18650 cells (sold and charged separately). Great value and quality. Long battery life, high brightness, lots of replacement parts available, big selection of options to choose from (black light/head mounts/clips/etc.). Convoy has an official AliExpress store.

Keychain Torches

Trustier Mini 2 ($10.00-$20.00)

Very small (smaller than a AA battery) and big power. Has 2 brightness levels controlled by twisting the top half of the flashlight. The low setting is very low and perfect for not disturbing others, i.e.. walking around/reading or just generally not wanting to burn your eyes late at night. The high power setting (twisting more) is surprisingly bright, great for daytime use. I've never let it die so cant comment on full battery life but I do top up maybe once a month for light usage couple times per week usually for quick inspections/sessions.

Uses a micro USB to charge it's bundled 10180 Li-ion battery. Trustfire has an official AliExpress store.

RovyVon Aurora A8 clones ($8.00-$15.00)

A tiny flashlight at 6cm*1cm (2.36” * 0.4”) weighing only 18 grams that packs a lot of light. It’s powered by a 300mAh battery that’s rechargeable through the built-in USB C port. The main torch has 5 brightness levels going up to 400 lumens, with additional single brightness white, red and UV LED’s on the side. The back of the flashlight has a keyring and two built-in magnets to hang the flashlight from metal surfaces. It may not be as bright as a real Aurora A8, but at a fraction of the cost you can’t really go wrong. Can often be found on AliExpress listed with names such as “Mini Keychain Flashlight USB C” as well as on Amazon.

Kitchen Knives

Knives are arguably the most important and widespread tool in the kitchen, so it's no surprise they appear in /csg/ as well. In general, anything in the /ck/ knife guidehttps://imgur.com/a/mWK2xSG applies here too, particularly the materials section.

No-name low carbon stainless steel knives ($20.00-$25.00)

These have been a around for a while, and appear under different names and different brands. For a while they were marketed as "XYj kitchen knives", but you may find them under names such as "Anhichef" "Xituo" and similar. Sets can be had as low as $20.00-$25.00 for 3 knives, often discounted heavily around 11.11.

For your money you get some nice stainless steel knives, with surprisingly good handles, balance and look/feel to them. However the materials used will usually be low carbon content stainless steel (7CR17 or similar), which means the steel will be soft and as a result the knives will need regular sharpening more often than other knives you can buy. Apart from that aspect, they are great value for money though.

Shibazi F208 ($30.00-$40.00)

The Shibazi F208 is a Chinese vegetable cleaver (this does not mean it's only for vegetables) and has been a meme in /csg/ for a while. Decent stainless steel, adequate edge retention, great handling, nice handle. It's a great kitchen knife if you want actual quality and are willing to pay some money for appropriate performance. Sadly Shibazi is not nearly as unknown a name as it has once been, so it has been priced in far more in recent years. Pricing in general for the F208 cleaver can vary, but it can usually be found for somewhere between $30.00 (rarely) and $40.00.

Cleaning Equipment

Melamine Sponges ($5.00 for 100pcs)

These get stains easily out of almost everything. Probably sold locally under various names ("Magic Eraser") for massive markup. Melamine Sponge is the generic name. They don't last very long before they degrade, but at $0.05 a piece, that hardly matters. Wet them with water before use and do not use them on acrylic baths. Highly recommended.

Fountain pens

Inks

Don't bother buying ink from Chinese vendors. It is not going to be cheaper than cheap ink from your local vendors.

Jinhao

Jinhao manufactures decent pens at a low price, so they are great for entry level.

• 86 - Parker 51 clone, EF or F nib.
• X750 - Modern-style brass pen. Snap cap, M nib.
• X450 - Classic-style brass pen. Snap cap, F or M nib.

Consumer electronics

Accessories

Chargers, cables and the likes.

Ugreen, Choetech, Baseus are some of the more popular brands.

Baseus has been getting more expensive, there are some brands like Essager that rebrand some Baseus products and sell them cheaper, try looking for those when buying Baseus chargers, you might find the exact same product for cheaper under different branding

Charger reviews: https://www.chargerlab.com/ - English version of Chongdiantou.

Apart from paying attention to the brand (which essentially works as a insurance that the claims by the company are somewhat accurate), pay close attention to the protocols and power ratings of each cable.

Especially when it comes to USB-C connectors or cables, there's different protocols that can handle different things, with the two big ones being USB Power Delivery (USB PD) and Quick Charge (QC), which has different versions. Make sure whatever your device needs is either covered by the cable and charger, or it's at least compatible with it (QC4 cables will fall back to USB PD should the device not support the QC protocol). The power rating you need will be decided by your charging devices (the sum of their max charging wattage). Make sure your charger and cable are rated for that number or bigger if you want the quickest charging times.

SD and microSD cards

It's not worth it, just buy local.

Xiaomi 65W GaN charger ($25.00)

65W charger with ONE USB-C output (the version with an extra USB-A port is different). Has PPS support. Output measures well. Goes up to 20V. Comes with a cable.

Main selling point is the size, about 4 AAs put together plus some extra length. The domestic market version is shorter since it uses the shorter Chinese plug.

Unbranded 65W GaN PD3.0 Charger ($12.50)

Unbranded 65W charger with a 65W USB-C output and a 20W USB-A output, measures perfectly fine. One of the better deals you will find on 65w chargers, just don't expect your devices to not blow up. I'm providing the link as it's not one of the top 10 search results, turn it into a hyperlink when possible.

https://aliexpress.com/item/3256804026558495.html

USB Bluetooth 4.2 dongles ($1.00)

These all use the exact same CSR chip. Do not buy a more expensive one thinking it'll be better, even the PCB will be the same.

USB 3.0 1080p60 capture cards ($20.00)

A recent upgrade to the old USB 2.0, 1080p30 MJPEG only capture cards. The new one does "uncompressed" YUV422 in addition to the old MJPEG mode. There are versions with a built-in passthrough but they cost twice as much, might as well buy a cheap splitter instead.

Make sure it says USB output is 1080p 60fps and/or the chip used is the MS2130.

Mousepads

There's various mousepads available in basically any size you may need. Try to make sure that the edges of the mousepad are sewn with proper thread instead of simply glued on. If they are glued in the middle it doesn't really matter, but without a seam the edges are likely to start separating eventually, making it last a lot less long.

A favorite of the thread for a while have been custom mousepads. There should be many options available, just choose any listing with a decent review and order backlog. Sizes may vary a little compared to the advertised size (1-2 cm difference can happen). Once you ordered one of these custom mousepads, the seller will contact you (on AliExpress via direct message) and ask you to provide the image you want printed onto the pad. Make sure this image is approximately the same aspect ratio as the mousepad and high resolution. If it isn't, you can try AI upscalers, or choose another higher resolution image instead. Some of the mousepads are of poor quality and are not worth purchasing. If you're located in the USA then it might be worth purchasing from a more well known mousepad manufacturer such as Inked Gaming for custom prints & Puretrak for high thread count.

Gaming Handhelds

A very large broad market that has been growing rapidly since approx 2015. Price/Performance is rapidly changing so do your research before blinding buying. In Late 2022 were seeing new releases left and right, devices using new and existing processors in new and interesting ways. The handheld PCs run all systems up to modern AAA games but are bulky and cost the most while the cheapest smallest handhelds can only run up to a certain gen of hardware. GBA for example. These things run Windows/Android/Linux or custom firmware. Usually that order follows most to least expensive/performance.

The random brands typically launch on indigogo or kickstarter first to gauge interest before producing. There is risk with many of these brands but they do usually offer 10-30percent discounts on final pricing. There is often news of backers being effectively guinea pigs and left out to dry once the full price paying customers can purchase retail. With the supply issues and final costs though this might be worth the risk.

News - Youtube Channels ETA Prime/Taki Udon/The Phawx/DroIX are daily uploaders who the latest news/benchmarks/testings/comparisons of all of these devices. Note that YouTubers will be given very early access (3-6month) and often are paid shills. Some of these more so than others.

Top tier ($350.00-$1500.00) - usually sold as portable Windows PCs or mini laptops (think steam deck)

Steamdeck ($399.00-$649.00) Relatively cheap good price/performance. Valve clearly wants to get these out into the market and push steam. Runs most games well enough and obviously has the backing of valve and a huge user base so support is much better here. There are better performing/smaller/faster devices available however, usually for more $$$.

GDP Win X/Max devices ($700.00-$1200.00) Lots of choice here. Different designs, laptops, PS Vita clones, switch clones etc. As of late 2022 the top specced models run Ryzen 6800u processors same as the steamdeck but with better cooling and designs run much better. GPD is well known for offering easy TDP customization which you'll want to pay attention to get the best battery life out of the system you're running. ie. you dont want/need the same CPU wattage to run cyberpunk as you do NES roms.

Mid Tier ($100.00-$350.00) - often Android/Linux Dual boot

In this range you wont be able to play every system around on the device itself but some may work with game streaming so you can stream from your rig or a cloud gaming service. You should be able to play up to PS2/Xbox on the high end and up to maybe PS1/NS4/DS on the cheaper to mid tier. Check benchmarks for device before you buy to make sure you can play what you want.

Anbernic https://anbernic.aliexpress.com recommendations RG353P

Ayn https://www.ayntec.com recommendation Odin Pro probably top tier perforance in this range. Can even do some switch emulation. Handles GC/Wii/PS2 well.

Budget Tier ($50.00-$100.00)

Miyoo Mini v2 (~$50.00-$60.00) very hard to come by due to limited production but arguably best option for cheap handheld that can do decent amount of emulation. Comes with may roms preloaded. Runs custom "Onion OS". Maxes out at about PS1 levels of emulation which depending on the game becomes questionable at that level.

Follow Aliexpress sote to get notified of when they come back in stock. https://miyoo.aliexpress.com

Anbernic 35XX late 12/2022 alternative to the Miyoo Mini in terms of price/size/performance but is still not quite as small as the Miyoo.

Anbernic RG353V (~$99.00) Vertical handheld with 2 joysticks. Somewhat awkward to use these and shoulder buttons but can be easier if system just has one needed. Check out the 353P (next tier up) if you want similar performing in a regular landscape orientation device.

Shit Tier (<$50.00)

Will be cheap and very limited on games but you can go cheaper. If all you want to emulate are the very early basics. GB and earlier.

K10 Mini ($10.00) comes with built in games and can last a couple hours. wouldnt really suggest but hey it does do something.

Other 400 in 1 or hundreds in 1 handhelds on Ali. Cheap AF and of quastionable quality. Could find something decent here but not much to go on with limited reviews and public info.

Audio equipment

Visit /iemg/ for the latest IEM FOTM.

DAC/Amp: You probably don't need one. If you do, you'll know.

Headphone \& IEM graphs with good quality reviews: https://crinacle.com/rankings/

Cheap TWS reviews: https://www.scarbir.com/

Ugreen CM402 Bluetooth DAC ($30)

Small Bluetooth to 3.5mm single ended adapter. Uses a CS43131. Supports aptX. Has multipoint connection support. Built-in mic so you can also use it as a headset adapter. Also works as a USB DAC (only up to 16/48).

Good deal at $30 (a CS43131 dongle is already at least $20). A steal if you can find it below $20.

Venture Electronics Megatron DACAMP ($50)

Extraordinary large "dongle", made for "harder to drive" equipment such as higher ohm headphones. Uses a ESS9018K2M, has multiple outputs (3.5SE, 2.5BAL 4.4BAL, 3.5 "Line Out"). Has a decent quality aluminum body but expect a scratch or two due to shipping (scratches can be used to get a partial refund in a dispute).

Lapel Microphones ($1)

There's a variety of cheap lapel microphones on aliexpress that are under 2 USD, the sound quality on the majority of them are pretty decent for the price. Winning a dispute on a microphone means you need to record yourself plugging it in & recording audio through it.

Moondrop Blessing 2 ($320)

Sounds good and you can have them custom engraved with the metal version.

BM800 Mic ($20)

Longterm meme mic. Comes in 2 variants, USB and XLR. Make sure to pick up the Xlr version. Requires a phantom power supply or audio interface to be usable. You can pick up a whole kit from different sellers and have a good mic set up for around $50 in all.

Capture Cards

MS2130 USB 3.0 Video Capture Card 1080P@60fps ($15.00-$20.00)

Uses the new (late 2022) MS2130 chip to record at 1080p@60 compared to older 2020 models that used the MS2109 which only did 1080p@30fps and with higher latency. These older models can be found for <$15.00 if you don't mind the lower quality.

There are a few different models around and more are likely to come out, search for the chip name to find the one you're looking for.

See for MS2130 test results https://twitter.com/Ascii211/status/1593408460283969537

Security Cameras/Spy Cams/CCTV

(im sure im missing things here, someone more knowledgeable can probably expand)

Forget thinking about using a plug and play camera with mobile app remote viewing unless you like Chang watching from afar. You want to get something that you can access directly via IP and get a clean audio/video feed from. look out for terms like ONVIF and RTSP, thats what you want. Then you can create a segregated network just for these cameras with no external access, look into VLANs if a networking dummy.

You then need to pair an appropriate software for recording, mobile access and any advanced features (AI recognition/alerting/etc) Examples include BlueIris, MotioneyeOS, Zoneminder, iSpy etc.

If you just don't care, Hikvision and dahua are the big names in CCTV.

HQCam Official Store (Aliexpress) $10-$40 range

https://hqcam001.aliexpress.com/store/716987

Good selection of peephole cameras, spy cameras, outdoor/waterproof cameras, 4k/x256/PoE/Wifi cameras, USB OTG Cameras. Generally all accessible over IP and provide good image quality. Seller is helpful and usually supplies test footage. Various lenses and sensors available per listing depending on usage.

Wearables/Smartwatches

Xiaomi Mi Band ($13.00-$45.00)

The Xiaomi Smart Band or Xiaomi Mi Band is a series of Fitness trackers, meaning it's not strictly speaking a smartwatch. Pricing and capabilities depend on the version, usually differences between versions are not gigantic, but the larger the number, the better the features. Up to 2 weeks of Battery life, the usual features you'd want from a fitness band, including step counting, exercise, heartrate, blood oxygen and sleep monitoring, as well as light smartwatch capabilities like notifications, alarms, phone control (controlling audio playback or making the phone play audio to find it easily), messaging (and quick reply), etc.

To get a good reading from the sensors the band has to sit somewhat tight around the wrist. Free custom watch faces are available on amazfitwatcheshttps://amazfitwatchfaces.com. If you want to sync data with Google Fit, use the "Zepp Life" app, rather than the "Mi Fitness" app. They are almost identical in terms of features.

A very capable Fitness tracker, that feels like a smartwatch in terms of features at a fraction of the price. Check local pricing, as that may be competitive.

Plenty of clones and fakes out there, make sure it explicitly says Mi Band.

Mi Band straps ($1.50-$3.00)

Aside from the default strap the Mi Bands come with, there's various other straps available, made from nylon, metal or leather. As these are largely generic (meaning different sellers sell the same items), just find a seller with a decent amount of items sold and get whatever appeals to you. The Nylon straps are supposed to be very nice.

Nato straps ($1.00-$4.00)

Cheap straps that can be used on majority of watches, very popular with the Casio F91W. Most are made from nylon. UTHAI is a decent seller for watch straps (nato \& non-nato). Be sure to get the proper sizing for your watch.

Tablets

E-readers

E-readers are a topic that comes up occasionally in /csg/. There's two types of E-readers: E-book readers, which usually have limited processing power and are meant for E-books and static files, and E-paper tablets, which can run for example Android, and can be better for things like manga reading, however they will need charging after a day or two, as opposed to the weeks a E-book reader can last. Common consensus at the moment is that E-book readers are not worth getting from Asia.

To unlock the potential of your eReader of choice Kindle/Kobo/etc. you should investigate setting up Korereader.

Korereader lets you load a bunch more files types and has a overall better experience than stock software.

https://github.com/koreader/koreader

That being said, here's the worthwhile options (not from Asia) at the moment:

Kindle ($80.00-$150.00)

One of the better options is a Kindle (Paperwhites are good), which are often available used and even new are reasonably priced (since Amazon makes a lot of their money via the store). You can consider getting the ad infested version to save $20.00, then simply delete the ads off the device, provided you don't plan on connecting to the internet/Amazon store in the future. (Check if this is still possible before buying).

Rakuten Kobo ($99.00-$400.00)

The Rakuten Kobo is the alternative to the Kindle, and can be found on their website: https://www.kobo.com/. Make your own decision regarding which one of these fits your use case best.

Onyx Boox ($150.00-$750.00)

Onyx Boox is one of the best E-paper tablets right now. Fair price compared to other E-paper tablet and have decent user experience thanks to their custom launcher and nice-to-have features that dedicated for E-paper tablets (Yes, most E-paper tablets are garbage to the point where some random Chink can make it better than most in the markets). Come with Android so you can use any Android app. Note that some older models doesn't have Google Play Services and newer models required some additional setup to make Google Play Services work. Onyx also declined to release their modification of Linux kernel source code, a violation to GPLv2 license. Also, say goodbye to your privacy (https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/privacynotincluded/onyx-boox/))

Hardware/Devboards

Sadly the chip shortage has made the pricing of all these Devboards highly volatile, meaning you should double check if any specific board is worth it.

Arduino news: https://www.cnx-software.com/news/arduino/

Arduinos

Arduinos are a group of microprocessors, developed by the Arduino company/project. They are open-source hardware, meaning they are effortless to create for Chinese imitators. As a result, basically any Arduino can be bought for substantially cheaper from Aliexpress, etc. It will work basically the same, with the notable exception of the type of bootloader that's on them. Older bootloaders may mean you have to change some settings in the Arduino IDE, and some boards (though very rarely) come without bootloader at all, meaning you have to manually flash them. This is easy to spot however, as these listings will usually have many bad reviews with people complaining that the boards don't work. Other than that they work great, and there's really no reason to buy from the official Arduino company unless you want to support their cause.

Arduino Uno ($4.50-$8.00)

The most common "starter" Arduino, with convenient headers and a good baseline to get to know the Arduino ecosystem. Note the USB Type-B cable you need to interact with it.

Arduino Nano ($3.50-$6.00)

Basically the same as the Arduino Uno, but smaller, with some slightly different stats. Better for most projects due to the formfactor.

Sparkfun Pro Micro ($4.00)

Even smaller ATmega32U4 board. Popular in the mech. key community as a controller. Original design uses micro USB but there are variants with USB-C.

WeAct Blackpill STM32F411 ($6.00)

These may be hard to find now due to the chip shortage. Sports a STM32F411, one LED and two buttons. STMduino and Zephyr support.

STM32 "Bluepill" Board ($2.50-$4.00)

A higher maximum PWM frequency, more interrupt pins, more accurate ADCs (analog to digital converters), slightly cheaper than Arduino clones. The big downside is that you have to program it using a USB to Serial converter breakout board, and fiddle slightly more in the Arduino IDE to get it to work the first time (Just download the appropriate library from the IDE). Also the programming is very marginally different.

Most of these boards now use STM32F1 compatibles, not actual ST chips. Some even use fake STM32F1s (3rd party clones marked as genuine ST chips). See https://hackaday.com/2020/10/22/stm32-clones-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/

ST-Link clones ($2.00)

If you've got a Cortex-M board and want a SWD debugger, this is probably the cheapest option. Most will also work with STM8 chips.

Can be flashed with blackmagicprobe firmware to provide a on-device GDB server.

(NodeMCU) ESP8266 / STM32 Devboard ($3.50-$5.00)

Think of these as Arduino boards, except they have a built-in wireless functionality. Very neat if you want to do IoT projects, get data wirelessly, or have it access the internet in general. Different versions available, all of them have worked for me in the past.

ESP32 devboards (price varies, starting from $1.00)

There are many ESP32 chips, with the newer ones sporting RISC-V cores. Which means there are only even more devboards out there. Some boards like the popular LILYGOs bundle extra hardware (a screen in the case of LILYGO).

ESP32 chips are 32bit and much faster than the old ESP8266. The original ESP32 has WiFi and dual mode Bluetooth. Later chips removed classic Bluetooth (LE only) and some don't have Bluetooth at all.

If you need a low power BLE controller it's better to look elsewhere as ESP32 is relatively power hungry.

• ESP32 chips: https://www.espressif.com/en/products/socs
• Official devboards: https://www.espressif.com/en/products/devkits

RP2040 boards ($2.00-$5.00)

A Cortex-M0 microcontroller from RPi. Most notable feature is the PIO which allows you to implement an interface in software without bit banging (this was only available on expensive micros before).

PIO examples: https://github.com/raspberrypi/pico-examples#pio

PC hardware

It's highly suggest that you look locally or on ebay before you check aliexpress/taobao for computer hardware, majority of the time you will find a better deal on ebay for the same product (depending on your local market situation).

CPUs

Generally safe to buy, pick a store with a good amount of orders and favorable reviews.

Most CPUs bought off Aliexpress that goes into a new build would be either an old Xeon E5 (v3 and v4 are the best choice right now), an ES CPU (cheap, unlocked multiplier) or a laptop convert LGA1151 CPU (cheap, ES versions have unlocked multiplier).

GPUs

Not always safe. Some like the 6600M are ok, but if you see something like a 3080 or a 6900xt on Ali, assume it's a scam, either it doesn't exist or is a heavily used card, most likely for mining. If you want newer high end cards, go to Taobao. Beware of desktop graphics cards being sold with their mobile chipset counterpart. Mobile chipsets can be used to save a decent chunk of cash but be aware of the driver issues before purchasing. Mobile chipset GPUs are also a viable option if you're looking for a low wattage gpu.

SSDs

Trash 99% of the time, most of them don't have DRAM, use shitty controllers and are probably QLC. Some particularly shitty ones may use recycled memory chips. OK for short term storage of unimportant data. Some recommended brands are Netac, Asgard, Goldenfir, Kingspec, Xraydisk. Most of them use the exact same chips so just pick the one that better suits your needs. You can also get OEM versions of SSDs from major brands like Samsung from Ali.

RAM

Safe, though most of them will have worse latencies/timings than better brands. Most of them use Samsung or Kingston chips so it's all the same chink shit

External storage

SD cards, USB sticks and similar items are not worth it. Most of them are fake, be it the rated speed or the storage size. The legit ones will be almost the same price as if you bought locally

Clothing/Apparel/Textiles

In general when buying Chinese clothing, unless stated otherwise assume the sizes given to not coincide with the sizes you are used to, particularly if you are buying ones made for the opposite sex. Usually any seller of clothes worth anything will have a sizing chart in the description or item images somewhere that will explain what measurements which sizes have. Pay attention to that chart to figure out what size you need to order.

Football ("soccer") jersey replicas

China has been cracking down on these so you won't find them on websites like Aliexpress anymore. Instead you will have to hunt down the sellers web pages. When you find a good one, it's recommended that you add the chink on WhatsApp so you get updates on where to find him when his current page is inevitably taken down. A current seller that is reputable is jjsport24, but there are many others. You will usually find new sellers on reddit, but some of them also like to hide in Facebook Groups.

The fabric is (or at least used to be) the same used for the official kits. Patch quality may vary, but in any case do not get a jersey with a printed club logo, always get one with the embroidered patch. The glue on the prints like sponsors and name/number will wear off quickly after washing a few times, so if you want a custom name and/or number, buy an extra set of the prints because you will eventually have to glue on a new one.

Accessories

Shemagh (generic) ($2.00)

A Shemagh or Keffiyeh is a square cotton scarf usually worn by men in the middle east and popular in the western outdoor community. These are surprisingly versatile and can even be pretty fashionable. They can be used as a scarf, for both winter and summer, as a headdress, filter, sunshade, wind protection and more. They can be bought in various stores for dirt cheap and while the quality of the fabric might not be the best, for the price they are very good value. They are obviously mostly suited for warmer climates, but are surprisingly effective even when it gets colder.

USB powered heated fingertopless gloves and shoe inserts ($5-$8)

If you hate having cold feet and cold hands these are a must have. The gloves will keep your hand warm enough for you to use your phone outside. Paired with leather gloves your hands remain warm and toasty even during -15°C (5°F) nights. The wires can be detached at the wrist for easy removal while running the wired through your sleeves. The shoe inserts do an excellent job at keeping your feet warm even in the snow. These too can be detached so you can easily run the wires through your pants. A 6000mAh power bank should be enough to power both all day.

Tools

Soldering Irons \& Stations

Soldering irons are one of the reoccurring topics of discussion in /csg/. In general, various different soldering irons are available, but there's a few that pop up again and again. If you buy a soldering iron it should have some basic features that you should look for in a soldering iron/station:

• Different tips that can be replaced or changed
• A form of temperature control
• Proper grounding so you don't fry yourself
• Appropriate power, so it can deal with medium to large heatsinks

Features that may or may not influence your decision:

• Most people prefer a shorter tip to finger distance
• Cheaper tips means lower long term cost

The three popular memes in /csg/ are the TS100, which was a very innovative iron for its time, but has since been largely replaced with the Pinecil, the T12 soldering station, which is sold by various companies, and the Yihua soldering stations, which come with or without hot air attachment.

TS100 ($60.00) /Pinecil ($26.00) /TS101 ($75.00)

The TS100 was released by miniware and at the time an amazing deal that disrupted the soldering iron market in some ways. It was reasonably priced, hackable, open source, and could work off battery packs. As a result it quickly gained popularity, particularly in the FPV Drone community. Due to it being open source, quickly other companies started producing them, making it very competitive in price as well. The TS100 was an amazing soldering iron when it was released, but these days there's really not much reason to buy one, due to the existence of the Pinecil, which is functionally almost identical, but for a fraction of the price. If you do get one, consider flashing it with IronOS. Make sure to get a good power supply that can supply 65W at 24V (get a 3A PSU to be safe) or performance will suffer considerably. Can be found on AliExpress and similar storefronts.

The Pinecil is a soldering iron by Pine64 and is best bought via their website https://www.pine64.org/pinecil/. It is functionally almost identical to the TS100, but substantially cheaper, making it the better choice if you can have it shipped to your location with reasonable shipping costs. It also comes with IronOS preinstalled. If you decide to buy a Pinecil, make sure to read the Pinecil wiki https://wiki.pine64.org/wiki/Pinecil, which covers what power supply you need, unlike the TS100 you can power the Pinecil with USB-C, so the correct protocol of a Powerbank/PSU matters. In general, all the good and the bad of the TS100 applies to the Pinecil, too.

At the end of 2022 miniware released the TS101, intended as a successor of the TS100 https://www.miniware.com.cn/product/ts101-smart-soldering-iron/. General consensus is that it's not worth the higher price for the upgrade and the Pinecil is still the best value for money. All three of these irons need a proper PSU, which adds to the cost.

T12 Soldering Stations ($35.00-$70.00)

Another often mentioned soldering station (and this one is a station, not a iron) is the T12 soldering station family. There's various different versions available, by various different sellers. A big advantage with these is that you can use T12 tips, which are generally cheaper than comparable TS100 tips. The shorter tip to finger distance is also often considered more ergonomical to most people (this depends on the type of handle you get). If you do get a T12 station it is VERY IMPORTANT that you check if the case is properly grounded and fix it if it isn't. Not having a properly grounded station can damage the station or seriously injure or kill you. Please do your own research before buying/using. Apart from that one big warning, some anons have T12 Stations and seem very happy with them.

Yihua 8786D ($50.00-$80.00)

The third group of soldering stations often discussed are by YiHUA. Tips for these stations are cheap as well compared to a TS100. The big advantage of the 8786D over the competitors is that it includes not only a soldering iron, but also a hot air station, which can be useful, especially for SMD soldering and desoldering work and all that at a competitive price. That being said QC on these is supposedly sketchy and longevity therefore uncertain. Sadly UI/UX is worse than with the competition.

Soldering supplies

For all of these it depends on your usecase. If you solder two cables together, you probably don't need the highest quality solder and flux and a cheap aliexpress substitute will do the job just fine. The finer your work and the more it is supposed to last, the more important quality becomes.

Solder

Can be garbage and/or overpriced. Buy locally from trusted brands, like Asahi, Kester, Felder, etc.

Flux

Avoid anything from "Amtech", "Kingbo" on Ali, those are both 100% fake and 100% garbage. Preferably get something locally from a good brand like Chip-Quik, Flux-Plus, Ersa, Genuine Amtech from a trusted store. Mechanic SD360 and Amaoe M50 are some decent options from China.

Screwdrivers

Xiaomi | Wiha Screwdriver set ($20.00)

One of the older CSG memes, but well deserved. Super good quality (Wiha is a reputable brand) bits, a great metal case, and overall a joy to use both at home and when traveling. Sadly there's a lot of fakes around, both with bits by other brands (often less resilient) and with fake cases (plastic rather than metal). A great bitset/screwdriver set if you don't already have one. Not the greatest for high torque unless you use a wrench on it though, as the handle is a little thin for that.

Wowstick electric screwdriver ($20.00-$30.00)

It's an electric screwdriver with plenty of bits. Sadly the way the bits are stored is not very convenient for changing the bits and it's neither the most long lasting, nor the most tolerant of medium to high torque applications. Realistically you shouldn't need an electric screwdriver unless you assemble and disassemble electronics for a living, but then again, for a electric screwdriver these are quite cheap.

Miniware ES-15 electric screwdriver ($100.00-$130.00)

Think of this as a Wowstick, except better in every way. Metal housing, great UI/UX, made from stainless steel, better gearing, massively more torque, some smart features. If you want a great electric screwdriver, this is it. But the truth is unless you do this for a living, you don't need one, and $100 is a steep price for a screwdriver.

Cutters

Fake Plato 170 side cutters ($1.5-$2)

Great cheap side cutters for working with plastics, wires, electronic part leads. Avoid using them on hard metal objects like nails, screws, etc. since they will break and that may send a piece flying right into your eye.

Tweezers

AT-11JP/AT-15JP precision tweezers ($5-$10)

Very thin precise tweezers. Really great for SMD work and similar, but a bit too fragile for most tougher uses.

Calipers

Shahe digital calipers ($30-$60)

High quality digital calipers, much better build quality and battery life than most generic digital calipers from China.

Multimeters

First of all, please don't buy cheap chink multimeters if you plan to use them on mains or high voltage circuits. It would probably be better to avoid the non-cheap, still-chink ones too if that's your usage scenario. Chinese DMMs (Digital MultiMeters) tend to be just as accurate as the ones from good, reputable brands. The reason they cost a fraction of the latter is that all kinds of protections are skipped or severly downsized. That's perfectly fine if you're planning on using them on low voltage, low current scenarios, but it can be deadly otherwise. Please don't do anything stupid.

The absolute barest minimum you want as an hobbyist is a multimeter that can measure:

• current down to the microamps range (μA)
• voltage down to the millivolts (mV) both in AC (⏦) and DC (⎓) (sometimes you'll find a single glyph for both, ≂)
• capacitance (-||- or -|(- symbol on the dial) as low as 20-40 nanofarads (nF)
• resistance down to the ohm (Ω) and as high as tens of megaohms (MΩ)

and has:

• diode testing mode (-►|- on the dial)
• continuity testing mode (🔊)

Non-autoranging dmms work fine but they're more annoying to use and there's little reason to go for one of those nowadays.

Good but not essential features that separate one cheap dmm from another are:

• a high count number (does not directly equates to precision, but it lets you see more digits on screen)
• dedicated current ports (cheaper dmms have the lower ampere ranges share the same port with voltage and other functions, having them separated means it's harder to burn the multimeter by mistake)
• autohold function (you press the button, take the measurement and the screen freezes once the value taken becomes stable)
• min/max functions and/or relative measurement function
• screen backlight that doesn't automatically turn off (sadly most do)
• the diode testing function using 3V or more (this makes LEDs light up when you want to check if they're burnt out)
• a highly responsive continuity test mode
• temperature measuring
• square wave generation function
• Frequency measuring (Hz)
• Having decent and easy to replace fuses is something most multimeters have these days, but can make a big difference in terms of longevity

NCV mode can be useful to have but not in the context of the hobby.

Borderline useless features that shouldn't sway you when comparing multimeters are:

• non-auto hold button (you'd need to magically grow a third hand to push the button that freezes the screen while taking the measurement)
• hFE test mode
• sound/light sensors (usually stupidly inaccurate)

DMMs to consider:

• Aneng AN8008 (~$26.00)
• Aneng AN8009 (~$26.00)
• Aneng AN870 when on sale (~$31.00)
• Zotek ZT301 (also sold as Bside ZT301) (~$26.00)
• Zotek ZT302 (also sold as Bside ZT302) (~$26.00)
• Uni-T UT136C+ (~$31.00)
• Uni-T UT139C when on sale (~$46.00)

Glue, Adhesives, etc

Kafuter A+B Acrylic 2-part glue ($4-$5)

Tough fast-drying 2-part epoxy for variety of purposes. Works great for repairing broken laptop hinges and other plastic parts.

Kafuter K-704/704B/705 silicone glue/sealant ($4-$5)

Silicone glue/sealant, similar to what's used in various electronics to fix components from flapping around in the breeze. Remains somewhat flexible after curing. Good when you need a glue that is semi-flexible and temperature-resistant.

IT Technician Tools

Pegatah CCTV tester with HDMI VGA Input and Network tools ($200.00-$240.00)

Not just a "CCTV Tester" its an Android tablet that also bundles as a external HDMI/VGA monitor, capture card, Ethernet cable tracer and tester, network discovery. Very useful if doing CCTV installs or any type of IT role that involves onsite visits.

Good overview video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZQSkFl4yIM

Pegatah has an official AliExpress store where this can be purchased.

Models:

• TI-N9651: Support 8MP TVI+8MP CVI+8MP AHD+4K H.265 IP +Analog+HDMI IN+VGA IN test
• TI-N9651C: Support 8MP TVI+8MP CVI+8MP AHD+4K H.265 IP +Analog+HDMI IN+VGA IN test+Cable Tracer
• TI-N9652: Support 8MP TVI+8MP CVI+8MP AHD+SDI+4K H.265 IP +Analog+EX-SDI/HD-SDI+HDMI IN+VGA IN test
• TI-N9652C: Support 8MP TVI+8MP CVI+8MP AHD+SDI+4K H.265 IP +Analog+EX-SDI/HD-SDI+HDMI IN+VGA IN test+Cable Tracer

PI-KVM ($40.00-$70.00 + RaspPi)

Opensource project https://pikvm.org/ Buy official gear ($200+)to support creator or buy kits on the cheap from Ali.

You will need to supply your own RaspberryPi 4 in most every case.

Available as standalone units https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004451752086.html or you can buy custom builds designed to fit into a PCIE slot (handy for permanent installs) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004975293077.html

Can find plenty of different options by searching Ali. Buy individual components as needed or buy a kit like above.

Can be bundled with an external "normal" KVM with serial or USB conntroller interface which shows up in Pi-KVM software for easy switching between devices. eg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTchVKxx7Fo

Ezcoo 4 port hdmi kvm is a known working model per youtube link but retails on Amazon for $75-$150 need to find /CSG/ Alternative.

GDP Pocket 3 mini PC ($750.00 - $1200.00 - 2022/23)

Can probably fit in other sections but included here specifically as is the only PC/MiniPC that has HDMI/USB/Serial Inputs built in. This would allow an IT Tech or similar the ability to have a portable "crash cart" for connecting into headless (no screen or KB/M) servers/PCs with minimal cables and peripherals, everything is done on device. Downside is that the Serial module is seperate from the HDMI/USB-C module and is an extra cost. For the time being (late 2022) this is the only device that does this so cleanly, hopefully an area that expands.

Fanless Mini PCs Routers/Firewalls - pfsense/openwrt ($150.00-$300.00

Small low power mini PCs with 3 to 5 1.0-2.5 even 10GbE ports perfect as an cheap (to run) opensource/free firewall/router/VPN solution for your home or business. Of course you could easily DIY your own from an old PC with a network expansion card but the key selling point with these is size, power usage and ease of use.

AliExpressStores - Topton/KingNovyPC/others

Latest news/reviews - https://www.servethehome.com / https://www.youtube.com/@ServeTheHomeVideo/videos

Typically comes in differing CPU variants, RAM and storage are optional as you can easily supply your own.

You'll want a better specced CPU if you're looking to use advanced FW features, high throughput Wireguard/VPN, using as a VM host etc.

As of late 2022 the main CPU varients are Intel N5105 and N6001 pentium processors. There are some pricier Ryzen and Intel varients around but for most the cheaper pentiums should be fine. Depends on use case.

Travel Routers ($50.00-$250.00)

For when traveling and not wanting to connect all your devices to sketchy WiFi networks. Different models have different features but at a bare minimum they should provide a separate SSID for you to connect your devices to instead of public wifi. Can sit in the middle between your devices and the public wifi or run off of cellular data bypassing public networks entirely. Use it to stay safe and/or pipe back to your home network when on the road.

Recommended - GL.iNet devices. Specifically GL-AXT1800 as of late 2022. Comes with VPN build in, can do OpenVPN/Wireguard. WAN can be any or all of the following, public wifi, usb/wifi phone tether, ethernet. Runs Linux, has AdGuard built in, can install other packages as needed. Has SD card slot for Samba shares.

Glasses

Optical Glasses

China has a huge myopia problem so there are lots of vendors selling high index lenses (choose a vendor with a lot of orders and a store rating higher than 97%). Getting your lenses or glasses from China is probably a much better idea than paying the 10000% markup prices at your local optician. After buying a certain lens, vendors would expect you to send them through the Message Center your measurement, so make sure you have it handy and don't forget to have your PD (pupillary distance) measured as well if you want them to cut the lenses for you if you choose a frame as well from the store (which they do for free). In addition, note that these stores charge more for high astigmatism (usually higher than 2.5), typically 5-8$ per single lens. The best AliExpress store in terms of price is Handoer (about 29$ for a pair of 1.74 index aspheric lenses and 17$ for a pair of 1.67 index aspheric lenses), but you can check other stores as well if you're not satisfied with their frames such as HOTOCHKI or BCLEAR.

Outdoor items

Outdoor knives

The advice regarding knives will vary a lot from location to location, partially due to legislation being different and partially due to different items being more or less competitive in different markets.

Broadly speaking, the places that sellers save on for outdoor knives are the same as kitchen or EDC knives: Material choice (usually softer steels), quality control and build quality.

However, in the outdoor market there's some decent western brands that covered the budget sector so well that it's usually not worth getting a /csg/ knife. These western brands are:

Opinel Knives ($10.00-$26.00)

Opinel folding knives come in various sizes ranging from a 3.5 cm blade (No.2, available starting at $10.00) to 12 cm blade (No. 12, available starting at $26.00). While they have no quick opening feature, their locking mechanism has proven its reliability over the years. Stainless steel and carbon steel variants are available.

Optics (Binoculars, Monoculars & Magnifying glasses)

Optics are pretty hard to produce. The expectation for many people is excellence and to reach that excellence production has to be amazing. If you want amazing optics, be that for military, job or because you are a very demanding hobbyist, this section is probably not for you. Instead, it will cover optics that are "good enough" for light hobbyists, nature enthusiasts or kids, do not cost much, and aren't expected to have amazing performance.

Binoculars \& Monoculars ($5.00+)

Binoculars and monoculars are, for the sake of this section, identical, except binoculars cover both eyes, are more expensive and bulky, but allow for better depth perception compared to monoculars and are often more stable, simply due to the bigger body.

There's some things inherent to optical systems that apply to this section as well:

• The higher the magnification of your optical system, the dimmer the image, and lower the field of view (all else being equal)
• The higher the magnification, the harder it is to stabilize the device unless it has a mounting system

These tradeoffs are unavoidable.

Binoculars and monoculars will often be designated two numbers in the style of AxB, where "A" is the magnification, which is decided by the lens of the device closer to your eyes and "B" is the aperture or size of the objective lens (the one further away). The aperture determines how much light is gathered, larger means more light.

Angle of view and field of view are different ways to denominate the same metric. If angle of view is really high, they probably are using "actual angle of view", which means they multiplied the angle of view with the magnification. FoV is usually written in meters per kilometer or feet per 1k yards, though it can also be using other reference distances.

The exit pupil number is the size of the image leaving the binoculars and hitting your eyes. This number is the objective lens diameter (aperture) divided by the magnification. Bigger is better, anything above 4mm is considered good, it maxes out around 6mm, anything above can't be captured by the eye anymore. A high exit pupil means a brighter image. Bigger is better.

If you decide on binoculars, make sure you can adjust the distance between the different lenses, or you will have a bad time.

If you just want something to birdwatch for cheap, 8-10 times magnification is probably best. There's pocket monoculars on AliExpress for around $5.00, they won't be great in terms of build quality, color correctness or aperture, but they will work, and do so for a very reasonable price. Maybe nothing for someone who takes birdwatching seriously, but a good way to test if it's something for you.

Magnifying glasses ($3.00+)

When buying magnifying glasses and planning to use them outside, make sure to get something that has a reasonable case that can protect the lenses from damage when carrying them. On the lower price spectrum you will probably get plastic lenses, but those work just fine for watching bugs, plants or similar.

The terms: "Jeweler's loupe" or "folding magnifying glass" should be decent places to start searching. There's versions out there that have multiple lenses in one folding case, which are great if you value the space they take up on a walk in the woods.

Phone Lenses ($2.75)

There's a decent amount of so called "phone lenses", which are lenses (often multiple) in a kit that you can fix to your phone camera with some sort of clamp. Usually they will contain a fisheye lens, macro lens and maybe a wide lens. There's also contraptions to put monoculars on a phone lens. The same rules apply as for eyes, except a low light image means cheaper phones with worse camera sensors will struggle quickly to take decent images unless the lens captures enough light. Make sure the lens is centered on your phone camera for good pictures and check the review images of listings to get a idea for what those lenses can do before buying.

Camping cookware

From stove designs to material choice and even style, almost all outdoor cookware you can buy locally will have a very similar copy on AliExpress, usually for cheaper. There's really no need to manually list things, just search for the terms you want and compare prices. Titanium cutlery and cups are classic choices to buy from overseas, as it's the same items (often from the same factory) as locally, except without the brand name and premium price. Choose Titanium if you want lightweight and durable metal, stainless if you want to pay less money in exchange for more weight, or aluminium if you want to save money in exchange for durability.

Fishing supplies and equipment

Note about this guide

I go fishing in Spain and therefore the products recommended here have been tested in that area and they’re price/performance ratio has been compared with stuff that can be bought either locally or online.

General advice

Before buying anything from the chinks I recommend you to check local and online fishing stores prices. In the past year the price of fishing stuff have increased noticeably so it’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it or not.

Take a look at the different categories, check the stuff with most sales, but go a couple of pages deep. People usually buy the cheapest shit like hotcakes but a lot of times the actual great stuff is a bit more expensive. Check pictures and if you’re in the market for fishing lures pay special attention to people buying from your country that have actually tested them.

Things I would not buy

Rods and reels

I have no experience buying them from Chinese stores for a couple of reasons.

• They are the cornerstone of your fishing gear and quality must be ensured

• Reputable brands offer cheaper entry level models that have been battle tested, have better quality control and local stores are familiar with them in case you need something repaired

You can get Daiwa and Shimano spinning reels and rods for about 20 bucks. Surfcasting ones are pricier but they are also prone to heavier stress so I don’t recommend getting your average chink shit.

Sinkers (surfcasting)

I have yet to find ones with the appropriate weight to use in surfcasting (60-150g) that are cheaper than buying locally considering shipping.

I do recommend checking your local Craiglist or whatever the equivalent is to see if anyone is selling them, because at least in my country this is pretty common and will save you some bucks.

Surfcasting stuff

Line

500m Japan monofilament nylon

Probably one of the first results that you will come across, the picture has the Daiwa logo, but it is most likely fake. Anyway this line is pretty good to tie hooks and has low memory, comes in a wide variety of colors and diameters. I’ve been using it for years without a problem.

Fluorocarbon line

Pay attention to the description and make sure they aren’t lying on the title. There’s two kind of fluorocarbon line, 100% and coated, both have their use but the first one is considerably more expensive, so be wary about sellers.

If you are buying 100% check the pictures to make sure it is real (line should turn black and burn like plastic if put under fire). Also check weight resistance.

You should also consider line memory. If note mentioned on the reviews then it’s a gamble. I got one from Seaguar and had a lot of memory.

SeaKnight Monster – Braided line

Haven’t tested it but it has favorable reviews and is usually recommended in fishing channels.

Steel line

The cheapest one you can find in a plastic roll with a blue logo that reads “Evia” is good enough.

Advice buying line

Line is a very important part of your gear and you shouldn’t use stuff with dubious quality, especially in your reel. Fluorocarbon and specially braided are expensive, so be very cautious about deals that seem too good to be true. Line diameter and resistance is usually exaggerated on the cheapest models.

Polyester bait elastic thread

I’ve tested a couple of them and they felt the same, they come in different diameter.

Heat shrink tube

If you like to set up your own surfcasting sinkers this one is a must, way cheaper than buying local. Different colors and diameters, quality is more or less the same, get the cheapest one.

Hooks

100/600 Barbed hooks (plastic box) / 100PCS Barbed hooks

The most popular and probably the cheapest ones. I’ve been using them for years with good results, surprisingly resistant to oxide. I’ve had a couple of them broken by bigger fishes but they can also break the ones that cost 10x. If you are starting out I’d get the 600PCS box because it usually offers free shipping.

Hirisi barbed hooks (50PCS box)

These ones have better quality and come in different shapes. I started using them recently and I’m pretty happy with it.

Treble hooks

These are more expensive than regular ones, Samolla has decent ones that aren’t that expensive. Choose them depending on how you’re going to abuse them.

Advice buying other hooks

If you need something more specific check reviews and double check that the store feels legit and is not some smart ass selling the cheapest shit but rebranded.

Hook remover

There are different models and they just work. Keep in mind the cheapest ones (usually witha red handle) are not made of stainless steel.

Swivels

“Eight shaped” swivels

I’ve bought them from different stores including Aliexpress and eBay ones and they all look like the same thing to me. Never had one breaking, so I suggest buying the cheapest you can find.

Different models that allow opening one end

I’ve tried 3-4 variants and I was never quite happy with any of them. This is another item you must be sure of its quality because its failure can result in the loss of a catch.

Check reviews and pictures, don’t go for the cheapest ones because they are usually really flimsy and prone to rusting, which will also make them prone to breaking.

Plastic beads and line stoppers

It’s just a piece of plastic, buy the cheapest you can find that fits your needs. They come in different size, color and some are fluorescent.

Foam rollers (for tied hooks)

There are different colors and sizes, materials are the same, buy the cheapest ones.

Bite alarm buzzer

This one is attached using a plastic clasp and operates with two circular pieces that go around the line of your reel. It’s really convenient to use and pretty loud. I’ve been using it for years and works pretty well but I don’t recommend using it on windy days because waves will most likely trigger rendering it as a useless headache.

Light sticks

There are different models and it comes down to your personal preference. There are the simplest ones which are those chemical sticks you “break” to make them lit. You can just use some transparent duct tape to fix them at the tip of your rod but there are adapters for them. There’s also light sticks that already have the adapter built in and are disposable, these ones are especially convenient.

If you dig a bit there are battery powered ones as well if you prefer that approach.

Tackle box

The most generic 10 compartment small box, really handy to put hooks, swivels, chemical lights and any accessory you want to keep at hand.

Spinning stuff

Line, treble hooks and swivels

The tips from the surfcasting sections apply here as well.

Advice about buying lures

If you know what you’re doing just skip this, but if you are just starting out I urge you to check some spinning videos from your area. The lure type (the water depth it is intended to work on), its length, weight and color are really important factors most of the time and they should be appropriate for your fishing area.

Most of the cheaper ones ($1-2) are shit. The treble hooks will rust really quick and the paint of the lure will fall quickly as well. They also don’t have a proper movement under water, you can catch something for sure, but don’t expect it to work consistently.

Recommended lures stores

Bearking

Probably the most famous one, they got a lot of stuff reasonably priced and they’re quality is pretty good. They also seem to focus on creating their own lures instead of replicas. You can’t go wrong buying a couple of their minnows.

Samolla

The cheapo king. Their most sold lure (search for “pencil fishing lure” on their store) is exceptional when it comes to price/quality. A couple of them in different colors and size along with some minnows would be a good starter pack.

D1 Fishing

They have quality stuff, including quality replicas of lures that cost $20-25.

HuntHouse

Pretty much the same as D1 Fishing.

Tsurinoya

Most expensive ones but they offer great quality stuff.

Lures box

Check the one that fits your needs, the ones with front and back opening are ideal.

Sabiki

I’ve bought many of them from Aliexpress and eBay because they were a lot cheaper than buying locally. The line they use to tie the hooks is beyond abysmal and the hooks are shit as well, so my suggestion is buy the cheapest one, decide if you want to use them, and then buy the materials and build them yourself.

Besides the hooks and line, make a quick search for these items: “plastic rainbow fish skin”, “holographic fly fishing string”, “sabiki hot beads”.

Other outdoor equipment

PU gloves ($1.00 a piece, in packs of 6 and up)

These are cheap, give you good grip, protect you from thorns, nettles, dirt getting under your fingernails and even embers (if you only touch them very temporarly, if not they will melt). They keep your articulation intact so you can still do most delicate tasks and due to the open back, you won't really sweat in them much. They don't last super long before degrading (heavily depends on the type of usecase), but at $1.00 a piece the value for money is still immense. Highly recommended for gardening, outdoor activities, fishing, foraging and anytime you need cheap yet functional gloves. Not cut resistant.

Toys/Figurines

In general, don't expect the quality to be the same as the real deals as they are made without any quality controls whatsover and can have various defects. Compare the price and only buy them for the lulz.

Lego clones \& alternative bricks

While there are plenty of clone Lego sets from Chinese companies, there have been a move toward MOC sets or completely original, in-house designed sets (some are even officially licensed theme sets).

Quality varies, with bigger, long time names like Sembo being on the better side. Brands that use Gobricks parts are also considered good quality.

Some brands like LOZ also use "minibricks" that are smaller than Lego, which allows for a smaller set or finer details.

Listings on storefronts often omit the brand and set name, you need to use the set code when searching.

• Set lookup: http://brick4.com/ - Shows set codes from all brands producing a certain set.
• Reviews: https://its-not-lego.blogspot.com/

Figurines

Bootleg figurines

Bootleg figures are everywhere on AliExpress. These are cheap reproductions of official figurines which can greatly vary in quality. Sometimes you get a laughably bad figure, other times these are nearly indistinguishable from their official counterpart. Most sellers will call their bootlegs “China version”, “Q version” or some shit to avoid disputes from angry weebs who thought they were buying an official figure. Common issues to expect with bootlegs are loose hinges on posable figures, missing accessories, (minor) paint defects, slanted decals and/or incorrect bases.

Always check reviews with pictures before ordering any figures to determine their quality. Also keep in mind these figures will be worthless for reselling and do not support the official creator. In some countries it may also be illegal to import fake goods, although in my experience none care about big tiddie anime waifus anyway.

Official figures

While not as common as bootlegs, some sellers on AliExpress do sell official figures. Most often these will be SEGA or Bandai price figures from Japanese arcades and pachinko parlours, or small gashapon figures. Most sellers will offer to include the box and sometimes even flatten it so it wont get damaged during shipping as some people are extremely anal about the box condition.

As usual, always check the reviews for pictures, look for telltale bootleg signs like the mentioned “China version” and if it’s priced too good to be true it probably is.

Plastic model kits, add-ons and accessories, and tools

Plastic model kits

You can find all kinds of plastic model kits on AliExpress, both official kits by the likes of Bandai and Kotobukiya, as well as unlicensed third party kits. Price-wise official kits tend to be similar to local pricing making buying these more a matter of availability. Unlicensed third party kits are where AliExpress shines. Daban focuses heavily on their own take on Gundam kits, including Gundams that never got a model kit. Then you also have tons of garage/resin kits which offer a lot of custom kits of characters, alternative designs and conversion kits. These kits are sometimes fully original and sometimes stolen models form Etsy stores. They also require painting and sometimes glueing making them less suitable for beginners.

Add-ons and accessories

There are multiple types of add-ons and accessories to be found on AliExpress.

• Add-on packs: These are to be used with existing kits to provide them with alternative parts, armour, weapons and such.
• Decal sheets: These often come in both original and custom designs. Very useful if you fucked something up or want to spice things up.
• Etching sheets: Usually these copy the original decals, but for use with etching.
• Stands: Bandai Action Base clones, generic cheap transparent figure stands (can recommend), NECA stands and unofficial custom stands for specific kits.
• Knock-off Bandai LED units. Same part, but at 1/15th of the price. All of these are of acceptable to good quality and can be made to stand out with a bit of love and care.

Tools

All the basic tools for building model kits can be found for cheap.

• Self healing cutting mats.
• Side cutters aka nippers. Protip: Use a wide tip cutter higher up the nub to remove the part from the runner and then use the fine tip to remove the nub from the part. This gives you a smooth cut that requires little to no cleanup and lengthens the lifespan of your side cutters.
  • Fine tip: DSPIAE ST-A 3.0, Mineshima D-25 (Same factory as Godhand according to anon), Tamiya fine tip.
  • Wide tip: Tamiya carbon steel wide tip, cheap wide side cutters, old dulled down/ruined fine tip nipper.
• Hobby knives and blades, perfect for touch ups after cutting.
• Sanding sticks.
• Handheld precision drill sets and saws. Used for modding, repairs, customising and the occasional resin kit that requires manual drilling. For plastic cement/glue, paints, brushes and markers do yourself a favour and visit your local hobby store or webhop. Also if you don’t know what to get, you probably wont need any of this other some quality cutters to get started.

Adult toys

Yes you can get onaholes, insertables and tons of fetish equipment from China. But before you do, here’s a little rant about toy safety because I am worried about of some you:

• NEVER BUY OR USE JELLY TOYS! These toys contain phthalates which are proven to have given people cancer from fucking themselves. They are also porous in nature and disintegrate quickly over time, making them the perfect breeding ground for nasty bacteria. There’s a good reason the EU and FDA have banned these toys.
• Smell and taste test it and be alert during first use! If a new toy has a strong chemical smell, tastes bitter and/or causes a burning sensation during use it is 100% unsafe to use. This is mostly noticeable on mentioned jelly toys as well as PVC toys that use unsafe materials to cut prices. Also if you notice irritation or itching you might be allergic to the material.
• Anal toys: use plenty of lube and always make sure the toy has a strong wide base to prevent it from fully going up your butt. Or you know, have fun visiting the ER and explaining why you’ve got a Xiaomi Yeelight stuck up your butt.

Onaholes

Chinese onaholes tend to be safe but if you have a gigachad monster cock you’re going to have a bad time with most of the solid cup style models. Look for a model that’s easy to clean and dry and just get a USB powered onahole heater for additional immersion. There also are fake butts, fuckable tits and anything else that might rock your sick twisted mind. Also your fuckables ever start to feel sticky after cleaning, just slap some baby powder on them and they will feel brand new.

Insertables

Read the above safety warning again! There are plenty of safe Chinese toys to be found as long as you think with your big brain instead of the little brain between your legs. A lot of these are also sold on Amazon which may or may not be cheaper or offers more reviews to make sure you’re not throwing away money.

Reputational brands include FAAK and NNSX.

Fetish stuff

• Fetish wear, restraints and basic bondage equipment are all fine. In fact what you can buy locally are the same products with a 500% markup and a different name slapped on.
• Whips, clamps, CBT torture stuff and such are perfectly fine. Those cheap estim sets work but are limited compared to proper sets.
• Knockoff chastity cages are safe and work well. You may find that the plastic molding leads to a sharp edge, usually on the inside. Chinese chastity cages will typically come with a piece of fine sandpaper that's meant to file that down nowadays.
• For sounding, look for all-metal sounding rods. Chinese silicon sounds are usually more abrasive than you'd expect or want, forcing you to go slow or not at all. Do not buy flexible metal sounds, they will cut up your dickhole from the inside. As always, never insert anything into your dick unless you can pull it out easily.
• Those timed locks are unsafe. They stay locked when the battery runs out, don’t have a proper failsafe release and the battery drains rapidly even when not in use. There is an undocumented release button hidden in a pinhole underneath the sticker next to the display. Then again, you should ALWAYS have a backup release anyway.

Misc/Other items

Note about flashlights and similar items, some listings will have options that ship the product with an included (or extra) battery: do not bother, you will spend more on a garbage battery that you will have to replace anyway

Razors

If you want to escape the grasp of brands like gilette who overcharge you for some plastic razor with 8000 times folded blades in a plastic housing that mysteriously dulls or needs replacement after a week, consider buying a razor. While straight edge razors can be a bit of a hassle to buy and use, safety razors are cheap, last basically forever (you have to replace the blades obviously) and are easy to use. There's also a good bunch of /csg/ approved copies of tried and true designs, without the giant margins of local brands.

QShave Double Edge Razor ($6)

The basic safety razor. Cheap, functional, gets the job done. Consider this your "entry" model.

QShave Adjustable Safety Razor ($12)

The slightly more fancy safety razor. You can adjust it by twisting the handle, for stepless adjustment between the settings 1-6. The handle doesn't have any texture, which is suboptimal, but this is a good razor for very cheap that will last you many years or decades.

Other shaving equipment

If you start using a safety razor, you'll need shaving cream (which is best bought locally, either in a aerosolized can or as shaving soap in a container). If you bought shaving soap, you'll also need a shaving brush, which are a good /csg/ item to buy. Once you're getting those already, get yourself a stand that holds your shaving brush, razor and optionally a bowl. You can find various options, from bent acrylic to metal on AliExpress and similar stores.