How to Tell A Genuine or Fake Billingham Bag?

Views: 1386

Got an used Billingham bag today. I am curious to find out if the bad is genuine or not…hence got some info online.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.387277767962931.97134.222958251061551&type=3

Shock absorbing foams – genuine Billingham bags use closed-cell foam to protect your valuable equipment. Each piece of foam is precise-cut to ensure consistent quality and to provide protection against knocks, as well as insulation against heat and cold. Because these are closed-cell foams they won’t soak up or retain moisture; they even have positive buoyancy – so an empty Billingham bag will float!

Stitching – the very first Billingham bag was hand-stitched using an awl, needles, thread and beeswax. Although sewing machines are used these days, traditional hand-sitching is still being used when machine can’t cope with the thickness of material or the complexity of the construction. All overlapping seams are tiled, sewing needle sizes are kept as small as possible, and just to be sure that the holes they make won’t let water in, Billingham use thread that contains cotton: this swells when it gets wet, effectively sealing the hole.

Zips – conventional zip fasteners are not really strong enough for everyday use in a camera bag; so Billingham uses 8mm zips, where the coil teeth are woven into the supporting tape, rather than sewn in the usual way.

Removable padded inserts – genuine Billingham removable padded inserts have perfectly rounded corners to ensure that your valuable gear are well-protected against shock and moisture.

Brass studs – brass studs used on all Billingham bags are hand-finished to a carefully shaped profile so that it will not scratch delicate surface such as wooden tabletop, car bonnet or another Billingham bag. You won’t find any sharp corners or rough edges on them – and that means they are less likely to wear their way through the leather and canvas.

Fabrics – Billingham bags are different – not just for the sake of appearance, but as a result of the careful consideration Billingham gives to the bag’s function and performance. Billingham uses fabrics that are tough, robust, and are designed yo keep your equipment safe under worst conditions. Whether you choose canvas or FibreNyte, the waterproof layer is built-in and will not need re-proofing.

Leather – Billingham use only the best, top-graiin leather in their bags. The process used to treat the hides is designed to bring out the richness of the natural grain and is in no way intended to hide marks or healed scars which appear naturally.

SuperFlex removable partitions – the Billingham SuperFlex partition is at the heart of the bag’s camera protection. When the bag moves, the SuperFlex inserts will adjust with that movement, making it more comfortable to work with. SuperFlex is constructed using a smooth, non-abrasive anti-fray material which covers non-absorbent closed-cell foam.