I actually recieved 2 responses from Berkeley this morning via email. I am posting one of them as the other simply acknowledged the message I sent was recieved and would be forwarded. Sounds like they may be making appropriate changes to the design in the new product that will be coming out in a few months, but it sounds like the redesign of the current modle will not correct the problems that I was having. I will besending in my grippers and will let you know what happens.

Bowlboy

Mr. Davis,

Your email to our Berkley consumer web site has been forwarded to our Marketing offices. Please let me begin by apologizing for the difficulties you experienced while using the Berkley Big Game Lip Grip. Second, I'd like to thank you for your concerns and more important; thank-you for contacting us. Through recent correspondence from concerned anglers, such as yourself, we have been made aware of the issues regarding the Big Game Lip Grip.

Our Product Innovation professionals have examined the existing design, and we are currently producing a revised Big Game Lip Grip. The trouble source of the existing model was the amount of "play" in the jaws which results in an overlap of the clamps. The revisions we've made include removing the pins from the jaws and replacing them with deep-set rivets. We are now assembling the jaw unit prior to insertion into the stainless steel housing. These revisions have been a result of valuable input from anglers like you.

For a little bit good news! Keep an eye on us in the coming months, we've got some great new products in the works for the next tackle year. Among our new introductions is the Berkley Big Game Lip Grip with Digital Scale. This new Lip Grip we also attribute to input from our anglers. This Lip Grip will feature a built-in, easy to read digital scale (which will also convert to metric) and swiveling jaws.

If I could imposition you to return the three Lip Grips that you've purchased I'd like to send them to our PI team for examination. May I also have you include information on how best to contact you? I'd like to give you a call and get some details from you or I can be reached toll free at 877.777.3850, ext 8008. I've included our mailing address below for return of the Lip Grips.

Pure Fishing
Attn: Terri Winters
1900 18th Street
Spirit Lake, Iowa 51360

Again Mr. Davis, I thank-you very much for contacting us. I look forward to hearing from you! Enjoy a safe and happy holiday!

Terri Winters
Marketing
Administrative Assistant
Rods-T.Tackle-Accessories-Clothing
877/777-3850, Ext. 8008
Fax: (712) 336-8528
tlwinters@purefishing.com

Sounds to me like they fixed the problem. they've added 1) better jaws to avoid scissor action. 2) a swivelling head to fix the twist problem and 3) a digital scale for shock absorption as opposed to a spring scale. What don't you like?

X

I have heard about the scissor problem from other people but that wasn't what broke the jaws of Bryan's fish. I saw two of them. It was hideous. The broken jaws looked like something out of "The Fly" (the one with Jeff Goldblum). I am 99.99999% sure the breaking of the fish's jaws was caused by the fact that the jaws of the Lip Grip do not swivel. Every time I land a halibut on my Boga Grip the thing twists and turns and shakes all over the place - definetly with enough force break the fish's jaw if there is no "give". No where in that return letter do they mention anything about re-designing the product so that the jaws swivel.

As far as the shock absorbtion is concerned a digital scale (if it is like all the other digital scales) won't provide much. My digital scale barely moves at all. He also said that the digital scale is going to be released in another model - not an improvement to the current model. Most likely meaning that it will be more expensive.

It appears to me that in the second paragraph of the response letter, they are simply talking about a revision of the current model that only changes the way the jaws are constructed and installed to prevent scissoring of the jaws. My jaws do not scissor at all and that was certainly not the problem. The third paragraph addresses a new product that does have swiveling jaws and a digital scale. As Leapin Bass points out, digital scales do not move much and will certainly not provide as much shock absorption as a spring type scale. The swiveling jaws will be a major improvement to the design as I feel that the it was when the fish twisted and shock that the breakage occured and was less a result of the lack of shock absorption via a spring loaded scale. It will be interesting to see what happens when I send in the grippers that I have. If they try to replace them with the redesigned model, I will tell them to forget it. I will only feeel comfortable using the new model which I think truely addresses my problems. Then again I may just buy a boga grip and tell Berkeley to keep them. Regardess I will let everyone know what happens.

Bowlboy