Group Buy: L'Aigle Exoskeleton

[alexandre Chailan]

You buy 3 units for 6k instead of 18k, you are a rental company and you still complaining ?
Lucky for us that i am not Pierre, really.

 

[Carey Lee Coffey]

Aside from David, I highly recommend we all take the soft case and end this group buy. We want to keep things positive and spread the good word about the unit itself. The Exo is like a backpack... No need for a hard case.

 

[Daniel Vesen]

In all honesty we´ll get a completely redesigned and final system - not the old one, which we have paid for!

And we´ll get it for a very good price.
OK - there´s no hard case for free. It´s a very small lack.

The Exoskeleton will simplify our work extremly. So we saved money in this group buy and we´ll save a lot more money by shootings with this system!!!

So relaxe....

 

[jim mundell]

A bit disappointed that the case is now 500 eu extra after promised. I do understand Pierre's position, but was there no research ahead of time on how much cases cost before promised to?

That said, I have questions that I hope are actually answered (have asked several questions on here with zero response) before I make a decision.

1- How is the exo shipped from France if just going with the bag? In a carton or box or just in the bag? Don't want to assume anything at this point.

2- Do you have to disassemble the Exo to get it into the bag too (remove arms, etc as seen in the case pictures)?

3 - What is the ship date now, once we make a decision?

David Dvir - do you have a pictures of how you packed Exo into 1660? Thank you for you input too. Hoping Laigle isn't pissed that I am asking him that. These are things I need to know to make this decision. Do I want to put the time into making foam inserts for the 1660, take a chance on Exo getting banged up in the bag or do the quick and easy (albeit expensive) thing and buy a premade case and move on.

Thanks, Jim

 

[scott devitte]

Hi Pierre. Send my 2 in soft cases. Shit happened, but when doesn't it?

 

[Pierre Davezac]

I received my fast track unit a few weeks ago. Truly a remarkable unit. Works extremely well and I thoroughly enjoy it.

David, is this not a good reason to reward our work with just a few hundreds?
Really, all this work just for fun (or so)?
Have you ever been working 9 months prepping, shooting, editing, authoring a film to sell it to your customer for the price of the DVD-R it's burned on? That is 20$?

So far, we've received only very nice and understanding messages from people being very pleased to get such a unit for 2k. In this business, usually the price of a cable or a small piece of grip...

 

[jim mundell]

Pierre, I see that you are reading these posts. Could you please answer my questions so I can make a decision and be able to get the Exo? Spend more time giving details and answering questions, not defending. Things may have been more positive on here. Do appreciate your efforts on Exo.

 

[Ivo Skanstins]

How hard it is to remove hands from exo?
Don't want to buy a hard case just to see that I hate to disassemble exo every time.

And Carey, yes, you can wear it on your back, but you need to somehow get from shoot to shoot and not with this thing on your back all the time in a car or on the street .. so you need to transport it and if it bangs around with all the hard cases in your van, it's stupid. It will show signs of usage very fast.
So I guess hard case it is ... Peli 1600 in Europe costs the same as their case so my path is clear, I guess ..

I mean, all is good and so, but we should've heard a thing about bill being too large and so on earlier then now! I don't believe they ordered custom cases without knowing how much it will cost, cmon .. and the bag is already designed and ready, so that happened a good time ago too.

 

[David E. Rogers]

Please ship my Exo with the soft case. Let's get those units out there working. Missing to many great opportunities

Thanks

 

[Zhibo Lai]

Pierre, your email is full.

I sent 2 messages and it bounced back saying it's over its limit...

 

[Joel Arvidsson]

Pierre, your email is full.

I sent 2 messages and it bounced back saying it's over its limit...

I have this problem to. So I sent a pm here instead.

 

[Onno van Ameijde]

Dear Pièrre,
your mailbox is full, so posting here as well:

Thanks for letting us know your position and giving us a choice.
I'd like the soft bag please.

Looking forward to putting the Exhauss in action!
Best,
Onno

 

[David Dvir]

David, is this not a good reason to reward our work with just a few hundreds?
Really, all this work just for fun (or so)?
Have you ever been working 9 months prepping, shooting, editing, authoring a film to sell it to your customer for the price of the DVD-R it's burned on? That is 20$?

So far, we've received only very nice and understanding messages from people being very pleased to get such a unit for 2k. In this business, usually the price of a cable or a small piece of grip...

Pierre, short answer is YES! Absolutely. I am just a bit tired of the methods in which you are asking. And still no apology or sympathy (amazing..). I am not trying to be crazy or cause trouble (really). As well I am not complaining about the price of the unit one bit! But now, yet again, in the 11th+ hour this is not the way to deliver the news. I am with you - and I am for you. I want you to succeed and being honest/reasonable with us I would have been happy to go with some hundreds more as a thank you for your work. But this method really hurts me. It's a big blow and really pains me.

To those referencing our amazing deal and suggesting I'm needing to "relax" please note that I am not disputing our great deal. But you have to be mental to say you're OK with the constant "surprises". I for one opted in to the group buy knowing I'd be purchasing a hard case with our product. I never thought of it as a free extra rather it's something I am purchasing. Was that wrong?

Simply put, I must have a hard case for these units. The current option seems a bit strange not to mention an alarming extra in cost. And now I am required to spend more money (which I hadn't accounted for) on cases. It would have been better to know in advance that this cost was there (and as I said it should have come as no surprise some time ago!).

It's not about the end value, it's about the deception leading up to it. And even still NO FREAKING APOLOGY! (I guess my hint that it could go a long way was overlooked)

Just defending defending defending. "You're getting such a good deal" "just a got of a cable" "is it really so much?". Frig! I didn't force anyone to offer me a great deal why am I being punished for accepting it?

I don't want any 500 euro hard cases and I dont want any soft cases, please reimburse the difference so that I may acquire my own cases.

Lastly, once more. The product kicks ass and everyone is going to love it.

 

[Maz Mawlawi]

I'm fine with the soft case...do we have to do anything special to confirm? The email is a little vague.

 

[Kwan Khan]

The waterproof top quality case price is 490€. Let us know if you want to buy it or if you go for the free softbag (see our email this morning).

Hummm... additional 490€, this is nice (lol)
Fella' I decided long ago that I won't spend more, so just send my unit however it comes.

 

[Bérenger Brillante]

Pierre, short answer is YES!.....

Well, refunds the difference is I'm pretty sure not happening. I understand as you were a fastracker, cost adds up.

But still, if I were you David, I would take one hardcase, and the two softcases. Just swap them depending on your clients. Some don't want big case, some do. Be prepared.
Softcases never bothered anyone when renting an easyrig at Panavision.
We don't know yet the quality of the softcase. Maybe it's sturdy enough.

btw, 490€ for a big case with custom foam is the street price here.

 

[David Dvir]

Well, refunds the difference is I'm pretty sure not happening. I understand as you were a fastracker, cost adds up.

But still, if I were you David, I would take one hardcase, and the two softcases. Just swap them depending on the client.
Soft cases never bothered anyone when renting an easyrig.

btw, 490€ for a big case with custom foam is the street price here.

You're right it is . I think ultimately what I'm most upset about is just a lack of consideration to those of us who have been through this ride the whole time. Just no apology or sympathy for the added costs really hurts. I don't actually expect a refund on the difference. I do think that would be proper customer service but sadly it seems that is not something we're dealing with...

Your suggestion isn't terrible about the 1 hard case and 2 soft. But honestly we have too many requests for these units already and they're pretty much going to be out a lot between us using 1 or 2 and renting out the others. The soft case will just shred so quick in our environments. We take excellent care of our gear but clients and their shoots often get insane and something like a hockey bag won't survive our end of the industry very long.

Last point on the hard case is just professionalism on our end. My rental house may be a boutique but even larger rental houses have complimented us on our gear/packing regarding consistency and efficiency. I'd like to maintain that and a hard case would be required to do so.

 

[Pierre Davezac]

The case price is not the issue. Shipping it, taxes, hiring more people to handle hundreds of cases, more people to assemble and ship the products faster, scaling up in every way, this has a cost.

Jim:
The exo ships in a carton, exactly like for the fast trackers, but wrapped in the softbag first.
You have to dissamble the exoarms from the harness, then tighten them inside the harness (this then looks like a strange thanksgiving turkey...!!)
The ship date is : ASAP. Everyone here is working on it.

I don’t want to sound pushy, times are tough and I understand budget issues, but there is not better way to protect and safely travel with the exo than with the specially designed case.
In the soft bag, you won’t avoid scratches – of course scratched and well used equipment has a certain charm too.

Ivo:
To remove the forearms, release the spring tension (which is a thing to do anyway for the better life expectancy of it), then unscrew the spring anchor and you’re done.

Zhibo:
Thanks for the warning. You can use RU pm for now.

David (again):
I guess you’re not aware of what’s going on in the manufacturing industry. To make this exoskeleton, you’d need about 100,000,000$ to buy your own machines (one of practically every kind, including forging), manufacture in your own factory and master lead times, not to mention labor costs. When you don’t have this kind of money to invest, you need suppliers. Many suppliers. We had 30. Each being at least 5 days late. 5*30 = 150 = 5 months. How do you think we feel about endlessly waiting for an order we placed in december, pushing factories every single day during 5 months, and seeing chinese copies of our “Most Innovative Product IBC2014” being sold already? This was an everyday nightmare. And for no commercial result: it’s all about making you happy with the product, spreading the word and sending us customers. Otherwise, it's a loss.

 

[Bérenger Brillante]

Last point on the hard case is just professionalism on our end. My rental house may be a boutique but even larger rental houses have complimented us on our gear/packing regarding consistency and efficiency. I'd like to maintain that and a hard case would be required to do so.

That I think is a hell of a good point. I feel the same about my gear, everything is perfectly packed in flycase or pelicase. With a logo on it, it's good advertisment on itsef.

Can't say more except I feel your pain, but I understand L'Aigle costs too.

 

[Curt Pair]

8.) 500 euro for a case?! Seriously? I would have been more inclined to send a donation if such an idea were proposed earnestly and respectfully. I am a businessman and understand much of this process. Your costs are high and I am aware we are receiving a significant discount. However this is not the way to recoup costs. Simply put, you have (arguably) made some significant errors and rather than admit that and request support from this community you have ostracized us as a group and almost (by lack of apology) inferred we are to blame. The lack of respect to customers has greatly wounded my thoughts toward Exhauss. Not only that but I have also endured much anguish on a continued basis from this experience also culminating in an overall dissatisfied feeling towards the company. Despite such a wonderful product no less!

I just checked around and I can get a Pelican 1660 for about $283! (B&H) I think I might follow your lead and go that route. When you apply the cost of the case, and the shipping price of 149 Euros, that's 650 Euros, which equates out to be about $750! So now, I think I'll pass on the Exhause built case! (I'm like others, and I'm waiting on invoices to get paid, so I didn't PLAN on spending another $565 on a case right now. I thought we were WAITING for the cases to arrive before they could ship... so I thought the case was included.)

(There is another possibility for the folks here in the US... Remember Abel is a dealer, perhaps the price would be lower than the $750? (Maybe they would get a DEAL to bring in several cases at once? Not sure...)

I do feel that I can get or even make a nice case much cheaper than $750! Omega Cases in LA has made me MANY "custom built" cases for a ton of gear at very good prices... So I may have to give Randy Velasquez (my guy there) a call! (He made my Cabrio lens cases for $200 each, and they are AWESOME!)

BTW: Do you know if the Pelican 1660 is larger than say the Ronin case? (I think it is...) That Ronin case is pretty large too!

10.) I have put together a video explaining how to adjust the arms orientation and some demonstration of the exo arm vs a mere human.

Even if you don't 'release' this video to the public... is there any way I might appeal to your senses and ask if it would be possible for fellow users to check out? Even if you post it online with a password, I'd be truly grateful! I did try the unit on at NAB and loved it. I'm not as lucky as you to have tried it in the field yet. I for one appreciate the efforts you've put forth in making your video.