Liberty Basket review (and Salient Discs review)

[BCDan]

This is Review of the Salient Discs Liberty Baskets.

To start with the good.​

• These were the cheapest baskets you can order in groupings of 9 that are rated "A" tier Championship level by the PDGA.

• They Look good, and are powder coated in Raging Red or Carolina Blue colour.

• The pole taper design makes them ship in a compact unit; all parts fit in the lower cage/baskets.

• They assemble fairly easily and come with cool Alien Head number plates

• They catch fairly well, I've seen two bad cut throughs so far due to their smaller gauge chains. Though, there has been no bad bounce backs probably due to their lower gauge chains. Get what you pay for, I had no lofty expectations on the chain gauge being beefy.

• Salient Discs was eager to promote their basket and get them shipped ASAP.

Youtube video of them on the DCDGC Course in Northern British Columbia, Canada.

https://youtu.be/ay3IEw6T-ck
https://youtu.be/wouoNrlMXG0

The bad/negative:​

• Salient Discs the company themselves is the biggest negative.

I'll go into detail with more pictures in a second post.

• Big number #1 Negative: The chains are not galvanized, which wouldn't be the end of the world, except Salient Discs advertised the Liberty chains as being galvanized.

As you can see in the screenshot, it clearly states the Liberty Basket's chains are Galvanized. 3 microns zinc electro-plating vs 50 microns of hot dipped zinc galvanzing is a difference of them lasting 1 winter before they rust, or lasting 10 years. When things are too good to be true, usually they are. It's straight up deception really. Also, the lack of help or a solution from Salient Discs has been horrendous. They flat out said they couldn't help me anymore because the baskets they sent were what were pictured on their website, so if i can't tell they weren't galvanized from the website image, it's my own fault.

That is ludicrous, Salient discs via email admit to the chains not being galvanized -- even though the website lists them being galvanized, BUT YET they won't even help me make sure their baskets don't turn into rusty eye sores.

I said they could easily help me and we can create a solution so their baskets aren't rusty chain POS after one harsh Canadian Winter. I asked them to send me ZRC Cold Galvanizing compound so they won't rust after one harsh winter and they are now ignoring my last few emails. What kind of customer service is that? I am not asking for a refund, I just want the chains to be galvanized like they advertised.

• #2: Bait and Switch on the colour. Salient Discs was sent and notified that DCDGC Society were sending a money order for Raging Red Liberty Baskets on July 25th. Salient waited Until July 31st ( and until they cashed the money order) to essentially tell us that they only had Carolina Blue colour, and red would take weeks to get in from China.
  
  Salient Discs knew all along they didn't have any Raging Red, but they didn't want to tell me , lest I A) not make the order at all, or B) cancel the money order. 9 out of 10 members wanted the Raging Red.

I'll go into the articulating Male Sleeve and thin locking tab in the next post.

 

[goosefraba1]

You get what you pay for... I'm really surprised that salient has lasted this long. Pretty much, just expect the lowest quality product possible... and for customer service to be terrible. I can't think of one product that they've came out with that doesn't match that recipe.

 

[BCDan]

You get what you pay for... I'm really surprised that salient has lasted this long. Pretty much, just expect the lowest quality product possible... and for customer service to be terrible. I can't think of one product that they've came out with that doesn't match that recipe.

I paid for galvanized chains, but I received zinc electroplated chains. There is a 10 or 15 year anti-rust difference.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

Good luck Dan.

 

[BCDan]

Good luck Dan.

Ha, I am overall happy to have baskets, and build a course on such a small budget, so in grand scheme of things I am happy, but I just don't like being deceived. I doubt they'll help me out and honour their advertisement on their website.

What I don't get is that we were the first Canadian club to receive Salient Discs Liberty baskets.... so you would think if Salient was smart they would take constructive criticism, or come to a solution with me so they get good word of mouth in Canada and sell more baskets.

I guess I won't be buying their baskets when I build a course in ft St John. I am a member of the Grande Prairie Disc Golf club nearby which is expanding and building a second basket course, I definitely will not recommend they get these baskets, especially if the chains are not galvanized.

I am a member of a BCDS (Provincial Sports Organisation), and you would think Salient would want to wow me so I recommend them to other clubs and cities in British Columbia and Canada. Nope, they don't want Canadian business?

I guess they don't like improving their product and expanding market share into another country.

 

[Mulligan]

Salient seems all about cashing in as quickly as possible while they burn bridges.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

I tried to help them out but it was a lost cause.

They dug their own graves around here early on and had a chance to climb out but let greed take over it seems.

 

[sidewinder22]

Welcome to the club. Except I never dealt with Salient, but their baskets are also known as Discnation Liberty. I got a pretty good deal on them a while back and for the money hard to complain, but obviously the chains are not galvanized and rusting. The paint also fades quick in direct sunlight. This past summer I also pre-ordered one of the "new" raging red Liberty's from Discnation, but at least they didn't actually sell them this time because they didn't approve of the quality and sent them back to China or Salient and refunded my money.

 

[AndyJB]

We were the very first all Salient Liberty course in the U.S. (Aviary disc golf course in Colorado Springs, Colorado) and they gave us a great deal on the baskets. We had a lot of club in-fighting at the time, and no one but me wanted to do any fundraisers, so we went with the cheapest option.

We are nearing the end of our 10 week PDGA Sanctioned League and will be holding a Masters (and up) C-Tier on them later this month. They have been holding up for now. But we will be replacing them soon. Any issue we've had with the baskets, all minor, have basically resulted in a nice "**** you" email from Salient. I have never been more appalled by customer service in all my life. They are a terrible company, run by terrible people, and deserve to be put out of business at the least. They are bordering on illegality with their little schemes.

 

[JNichols]

So, I read this thread concerning the chains NOT being Galvanized as ADVERTISED by Salient. This is NOT the first time I have heard this claim about the Salient basket. I Very Politely asked a Question on Salient's Facebook page, in an existing Post about their baskets, as to why people would say the chains are NOT Galvanized and are zinc electro-plated. Again, not the first time I heard that...

Anyway, I asked the question on their Facebook page a few hours ago and just went back to check and see if anything had been posted since. From my end, it appears they DELETED the Whole post about their baskets, AND, restricted me from Posting on their page.... For asking a valid Question? Come on. I have heard a TON of poo about this company. I am starting to believe it.

I find it kinda funny that after reading their FB page for awhile, it appears they ONLY allow comments that Praise them to be posted. There aren't even any Questions for them. Only "You are so Awesome!" posts.

 

[DanJon]

Report them to the BBB.

 

[heartman]

 

[pjhayes7]

It should say disc golf ruined instead of perfected.

 

[BCDan]

So, I read this thread concerning the chains NOT being Galvanized as ADVERTISED by Salient. This is NOT the first time I have heard this claim about the Salient basket. I Very Politely asked a Question on Salient's Facebook page, in an existing Post about their baskets, as to why people would say the chains are NOT Galvanized and are zinc electro-plated. Again, not the first time I heard that...

Anyway, I asked the question on their Facebook page a few hours ago and just went back to check and see if anything had been posted since. From my end, it appears they DELETED the Whole post about their baskets, AND, restricted me from Posting on their page.... For asking a valid Question? Come on. I have heard a TON of poo about this company. I am starting to believe it.

I find it kinda funny that after reading their FB page for awhile, it appears they ONLY allow comments that Praise them to be posted. There aren't even any Questions for them. Only "You are so Awesome!" posts.

On one part of their website, they state they are zinc coated. http://salient-discs.com/baskets/


But on the page I looked at before I bought the baskets, it states(and still does) that the baskets have galvanized chains. http://salient-discs.com/product/liberty-disc-golf-basket/

 

[markmcc]

In the strictest sense, galvanization is the process of applying a coating of zinc to steel for corrosion resistance. The most common method (and the one most folks think of) is hot-dipped galvanization, but it can also be flame-sprayed, electro-plated, mechanically peened onto the element, and even cold-applied.

I am a civil engineer, and if we want hot-dipped galvanization, then we specify hot-dipped galvanization, and the appropriate specifications to control the process and the result. So arguably, zinc electro-plating is a legitimate form of galvanization. However it results in a much thinner coating of zinc, and significantly lower corrosion resistance.

If Salient had specifically said that the chains were hot-dipped galvanized then I think you would have a bullet-proof argument. But if all they ever said was "galvanized chains" I could argue that they have provided that. I'm not defending their product, but I'm not sure that this is as black-and-white as is being presented here. Sorry.

 

[JNichols]

Thank you for thew INFO, Mark! I , Personally, thought zinc plating and Galvanizing were 2 different things, because of the Hot Dipping process. Kinda like Krylon Chrome and actual Chrome dipping. I really appreciate the info!

 

[JNichols]

On one part of their website, they state they are zinc coated. http://salient-discs.com/baskets/


But on the page I looked at before I bought the baskets, it states(and still does) that the baskets have galvanized chains. http://salient-discs.com/product/liberty-disc-golf-basket/

I hear you, BC. I would have thought that meant two Different things, myself.

 

[markmcc]

Thank you for thew INFO, Mark!

You're welcome.

Out of curiosity I looked at Innova's basket descriptions to see how they handle this. They do a pretty good job of stating which elements have "hot-dip galvanized" finish, and which have "electroplate galvanized finish", but there are a many places where they just say "galvanized steel" and "galvanized chain".

 

[JNichols]

You're welcome.

Out of curiosity I looked at Innova's basket descriptions to see how they handle this. They do a pretty good job of stating which elements have "hot-dip galvanized" finish, and which have "electroplate galvanized finish", but there are a many places where they just say "galvanized steel" and "galvanized chain".

TBH, Innova baskets are one of my Least Favorite, so I hadn't paid that much Attention. I would be interested to see what DGA says on the Mach series....:thmbup:

 

[Aim For The Chains]

I noticed tonight a DGA? (I think) basket which the S links were rusting (obvious wear from putts) yet the chains were fine except the few touching links. sounds like few compounds can be used but once it starts you might as well give the entire link set a carbon oil bath and just keep lubricated in winters.