Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

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  • Asclepio
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2018
    • 457

    Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

    Hello friends, how are you? It's been a while since I logged in, but you always go back to the places that make you happy.
    This time I come to tell you about a new event/movement/fashion that is emerging in my city (somewhere in Mexico :P), recently I went downtown as usual to look at the different balloon stores for a new brand that I like to take home and have fun.
    (For some strange reason), in my city the balloon shops are concentrated in the downtown, so I find it easy and entertaining to go and look from time to time.
    Well, after going through about 8 different stores I could notice an interesting trend, Chinese brands are literally invading the balloon market, from desert, glass and standard colors, to the size range from 5-36 inches. , the most notable being the 18-inch balloons.
    I could see approximately 4-5 different brands, some with very obvious Chinese names, such as "Tongxuan" or "Feng" or "Quiao".
    Some others with more common names, "Party balloons" or "Globtex", to mention a few.
    But absolutely all mentioned in small letters the famous Made in China.
    I couldn't help but buy some balloons and somehow risk my money on defective or very poor quality balloons, so I took some of the Globtex brand.
    As it turns out, I was pleasantly surprised, the balloons (marked as size 18 inches), turned out to be larger than average, I could say between 21-23 inches, and although clearly the latex was not very thick or very hard, it felt better than expected, managing to hold enough pressure to inflate it with the neck (which wasn't too long to compete with a Tuftex or Kalisan).
    Personally, I believe that Chinese balloons are improving a lot in terms of the quality they offer, but they definitely have a way to go, however, I fully trust that they can become a great alternative for Looners, especially in a world where classic brands seem to be removing our beloved cult classics.
    Attached Files
    A looner looking for fun, against violence or people with hightened moral idealism…. I just care about loons, so don’t ruin the fun.
  • Asclepio
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2018
    • 457

    #2
    Re: Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

    Here are more images of the Chinese loons....
    Attached Files
    A looner looking for fun, against violence or people with hightened moral idealism…. I just care about loons, so don’t ruin the fun.

    Comment

    • darcynader
      Member
      • Nov 2018
      • 69

      #3
      Re: Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

      The stronger 18" Chinese balloons are amazing. They get much bigger than Sempertex, Kalisan etc and have a really nice balance between tightness and softness. There is another kind with a strange chemical smell and those are so thin that they can even tear from just being stretched before inflation. Also, it is nice to have an option for 18" clear balloons that aren't stuffers.

      Comment

      • SirSquishy
        Senior Member
        • Mar 2020
        • 219

        #4
        Re: Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

        Originally posted by darcynader
        The stronger 18" Chinese balloons are amazing. They get much bigger than Sempertex, Kalisan etc and have a really nice balance between tightness and softness. There is another kind with a strange chemical smell and those are so thin that they can even tear from just being stretched before inflation. Also, it is nice to have an option for 18" clear balloons that aren't stuffers.
        I agree about the smell. There's a few balloons I have from China that smell awful, but thankfully the smell goes away after a while. And they are amazing; very soft, which means I'm a huge fan.

        Comment

        • Casey88
          lukmanrewa
          • Jun 2012
          • 321

          #5
          Re: Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

          the smell of these Chinese balloons just turns me off immediately

          Comment

          • Gunnapop
            Member
            • Oct 2020
            • 89

            #6
            Re: Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

            nasty all around.

            Comment

            • Asclepio
              Senior Member
              • Sep 2018
              • 457

              #7
              Re: Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

              Probably should tell you before, but the smell of those loons is just like normal latex, some of them even doesnt smell at all, so the smell is something the chinese brands also solved recently.
              A looner looking for fun, against violence or people with hightened moral idealism…. I just care about loons, so don’t ruin the fun.

              Comment

              • condensatelover
                Senior Member
                • Jan 2022
                • 133

                #8
                Re: Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

                Chinese balloons are so unpredictable. I have a pack of balloons which have a nice smell, it is not a latex smell, just tasty flower smell, lol. They are really thin, so you can make holes in it just biting it. Strangely, the pastel balloons do not become transparent as they are being inflated, but they are not really tight, and they pop from just nails touching them. If you btp them, they go big, no premature pops, but if they pop, the sound is as loud as normal balloons have. I would say that the loudness of the bang can be compared with plastic bag pop.
                I also have balloons which STINK, but they are really strong and can go way bigger their rated size. For example, after two reinflations 12 inch balloon can be blown to 18 inches.
                If you overinflate them, they get glassy, but it is hard to pop even the fully necked balloon. And if it pops, you will definitely get hearing damage. The strings on my guitar start to ring after pop

                Comment

                • knightloon
                  Junior Member
                  • May 2021
                  • 14

                  #9
                  Re: Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

                  I think there are many balloon manufacturers in China, but most listing on the marketplace do not specify the brand at all. The quality can be greatly varied from very soft to very strong.

                  Comment

                  • darcynader
                    Member
                    • Nov 2018
                    • 69

                    #10
                    Re: Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

                    I think the wider neck on the stronger Chinese balloons looks better and it doesn't seem to make them difficult to tie or hold on to. Sempertex and Kalisan necks can seem a bit out of proportion when the body is so round.

                    Comment

                    • Seidenki
                      Senior Member
                      • Dec 2016
                      • 203

                      #11
                      Re: Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

                      I've been kinda watching the online sales for Chinese balloons, especially the 30" paddles which have been ridiculously cheap for years. Well, the *reason* they're cheap is because of the variable and frequently low quality. It was notable when I found some 36" Chinese balloons on Ebay advertises a "thick latex" and the pics clearly showed them as fluted. And they are as good as advertised.

                      I suspect there's been quite a lot of Chinese manufacturers interested in making something new, see balloons and go "how hard can it be?". Well, honey, they've discovered just how hard it can be to make balloons! I wonder how many give it a go and then thrown in the towel within a few months.

                      That said, the ones that want to stick around, especially suppliers to western markets, have had to get better and get consistent. Would not surprise me if western off-brand wholesalers have been forcefully telling Chinese manufacturers this.

                      Still a ways to go, I would surmise. The manufacturers with less of a focus on quality are going to still find someone willing to be cheap, especially for sizes like 9". They will survive if they just become consistent. Mediocre, sure, but consistently mediocre.

                      But I think the broader market is changing and cheap-and-crap is starting to die off. As it should.

                      Comment

                      • Yea
                        Me Too
                        • May 2019
                        • 11

                        #12
                        Re: Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

                        Where can i get strong chinese 18inch and others
                        Got some 36's off aliexpress and they are thin and nasty got bit put off after that

                        Comment

                        • racinett
                          Member
                          • Aug 2016
                          • 89

                          #13
                          where to get the globtex in canada?

                          hello, the 18" look interesting....in canada or usa?

                          Comment

                          • darcynader
                            Member
                            • Nov 2018
                            • 69

                            #14
                            Re: Chinese balloons invading the scene.... what do you think about them?

                            They are on Amazon but it's a matter of figuring out which are the good ones, and that will depend on location. Maybe a thread would help to keep track of this.

                            Comment

                            • racinett
                              Member
                              • Aug 2016
                              • 89

                              #15
                              link on amazon?

                              does someone have a link? i have only seen gausse brand 18inch and do not inflate like the globtex that was pictured in first post.

                              Comment

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