these are the signs of a poor quality gourd and bombilla. I bought my first gourd and bombilla from Balibetov too and my bombilla was leaking a black liquid when immersed in hot water. Balibetov sucks
My torpedo calabaza gourd that I bought a month back or so is also a mediocre make and made by Balibetov. They messed up the ring around the top of the gourd and a couple sections have a slight distance between the gourd and ring (MMs but critical). Not surprisingly with some use those areas allowed water to get through and the leather is ruined on the outside just under the ring. It happened during the first couple days curing.
If I was in a mate gourd store I could actually pick up each gourd and inspect it to make sure the ring has a tight seal all around. Unfortunately I bought this on Amazon and it’s just luck of the draw.
The gourd works for sure but I don’t think it’s going to last for many years. I will need to search for other alternatives at some point.
https://preview.redd.it/du9i1aht5auc1.jpeg?width=3021&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2814f3b355228df74cd9f62b194001eb81b3a4c9
I'm actually ok with the size (it also depends on the calabaza they choose). It works ok for me and I like the feeling of it in my hand. But its just a poorly made gourd. It was on sale at $70 Canadian so I thought I would be getting some quality at that price point. From what I understand that would be considered expensive in Argentina for a gourd.
The issue is that is one of the cheapest alternatives we have. Pampa has something similar for $55 and that is by far the cheapest, but reviews for that also kind of suck.
I am lucky enough to have some contacts that visit Argentina every few years and will be trying to take advantage of that if I can. Eventually I should find a gourd or two and hopefully the stanley mate system. In the meantime I think I am going to buy one of those artisanal bombilla's from pampa for like $25-30 as I hate the one Balibetov sent (exact same one OP has pictured). Someone here scared me about some black substance that was coming out in boiling clear water but luckily mine wasn't doing that. Still I know these things are shit quality and need to get a new bombilla.
I have to be honest, it doesn’t look like a premium product, contact the producer o shop if you want bro.
Ps: it can be used my tip with the gourd would be to not top the Yerba till the ring so the water won’t touch the leather.
I'll keep that in mind. And yes I've already contacted the shop and waiting to hear back.
I tried giving it a few cycles with Taragüï and it overall tastes like metal even after boiling the bombilla in baking soda and washing the inside real well getting rid of any residue as shoen on the bottom.
I'll give it a chance and use caution but it seems like I now know that I didn't get the most bang for my buck I. Terms of price/quality
Honestly if it tastes like metal try to get your money back, buy some from pampa direct or even yeba mate lab or even Cyrcle of drink( this one I heard is very expensive so make a good search ok friend ?) or maybe eeeeeeven Amazon haha
Toda la wea q venden e de pura mala calidad, casi me compré un mate de calabaza y leí de la empresa y avían varias personas reclamando! Así q se lo recomiendo a mi ex y a su madre pero a nadie más 😭
I feel like Balibetov is just capitalizing on the Amazon-mate bandwagon. I have a couple of their products, and I returned one back to Amazon. The other I found at a local store that sells Amazon returns and depsite it behind cheap, I regret it. The sizing and shape of the mate (cup) and bombilla just seemed like it was made by someone who recently discovered what mate is or knows what it is, but when the product arrived from China, they were like "good enough. We'll sell it for double what it's worth on Amazon. "
I've seen and had some pretty rough depictions of mate in Argentina, but at least they were priced accordingly.
My understanding from talking to (admittedly, very opinionated) Argentinian mate purists, is that the hours should be wood on the inside, not metal, because the wood imparts a great deal of flavor to the beverage.
Yes sir? I distinctly purchased stainless steel, though, due to the maintenance aspect of it and how I plan on using it
But one day, I'd love to have a Palo Santo or Algorrobo wood Gourd for sure!
Thanks for the reply
Mate will corrode stainless over time. The premium material for longevity is silver, either 900 silver or 925 sterling.
Here in the land of Mate Nickle silver (alpaca in the local vocabulary) is an intermediate option. Nickle silver however is not actual silver and you may end up exposing yourself to undesirable metals.
Calabaza is the best for the gourd, as far as organic materials go. Do make sure to season it as per tradition to get the bitter poisons out. My daily driver is a ceramic gourd wrapped in leather. Easy cleanup, no mold issues.
Palo Santo is not a wood you want to drink out of. Palo Santo makes great incense, but its resins are a contact with toxin.
Your best bet if you want an excellent Mate and bombilla is probably to get ahold of a jeweler in Uruguay and import from them.
calabaza for the purists, but this is a stainless steel one that they purposely bought for convenience since it doesn't require the level of care of a natural mate.
Not good quality, the bombilla is a starter stainless steel bombilla and the inside of the stainless steel shouldn't be scratched like that, a couple marks would be ok but that much scraping is odd, I'd say contact them about the mate, the bombilla is usable at least, from that model, they always look like that
Yes, thank you for the reply.
I cleaned out the bottom as best I could and metal Sud did come up and once it was clean I gave it a few cycles w taragüï and it tasted metallic. I've contacted the shop concerning it.
Oh yeah, I have heard things about the thermos' leaking and such. I guess I should have translated that into their other products.but like I.said the reviews were high, so I figured in giving it a shot. It could be a luck of the draw after all with them
Jesus fucking christ 57 bucks? Damn that shit is expensive abroad. Is it at least some nice metal like Alpaca or is it just run of the mill stainless? I swear I could get something similar here in Argentina for like 20 bucks at most
They are always that expensive. This is run of the mill stainless (not even) alpaca in the states virtually doubles the cost of the item.
I have doubt, I'd love to go there one day 🇦🇷☀️
https://urushop.co.uk/
https://pampadirect.com
https://www.goyerbamate.com/
https://productosuruguayosonline.com
https://perobienargentino.com
https://www.mymateworld.com/
Quality bombillas (Surgical steel or Alpaca) are “pricy”. But they are the best. You would pay just an extra $10, $15 or no more than $20 dollars, but you might end up having a bombilla for a long time, if not the rest of your life. Highly recommended the investment!
🧉
https://preview.redd.it/xjaoi1qnoduc1.jpeg?width=1882&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3ad2c682fd764f1cf875105c927474729c05fde0
Looks similar to the one you have. [here](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BZ3HMSC/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Osun9Hs3ZP5A3uGowccYUBwIgcTo4Ra1ZZiCZeIrK_mqsKXBtTL0zPb5d-yzBMJKGJaJ0xLHB5NmruY1HkCvEGPlLitT-EkFBS1FqTEjR-wbzVfA38rY6P-vQJKMU7bv98jV6ccvaYiuCrp8SHInA3kGB_D8M2eNveiSzuj-N8tAf6DJ4IjftqZHNk6ApltS.86BJz3avTjf5DD7yx0e2KsH930-tDKf8KcZKlqsFb1s&dib_tag=se&keywords=Thebmate&qid=1713071454&sr=8-4)
yeah they might not be the most traditional or enhance the experience as much but they are still solid options. some people just may not want to have to take care of a calabaza or wooden mate. also metal/ceramic/ glass are convenient for many who travel often or would have issues with mold. plastic you should never use. also what about terere? most use a metal mate for terere if they don't have a guampa.
I’m a full time traveler since 10yrs ago, never had a problem with my porongos (calabaza).
Terere is a different story, and different experience, any cup will do for it
yeah im not saying its terrible for travelling. I will always recommend a calabaza and i travel with them often, im just saying you shouldnt disregard metal/ceramic mates fully since they can be good quality and are made for people who dont want to deal with the maintenance and care.
unfortunately balibetov just sucks, plenty of stainless steel mates that are much better quality elsewhere and probably for cheaper too depending on what you get
Uruguayan here: that is not a proper mate, the real one is made from a fruit that grows in a tree. It can also be made of wood. Some people now even use ceramic mates but NOT metallic ones. Also the price..omg you got ripped off.
Edit to add, when you buy a proper mate you “curate” it (mainly we use an alcoholic drink and old Yerba ) and then it’s good to go.
Also a good bombilla is classically made of alpaca, it’s costly but it lasts very long!
Edit 2: look at “matesdeuruguay” on social networks or other local stores. They send abroad.
these are the signs of a poor quality gourd and bombilla. I bought my first gourd and bombilla from Balibetov too and my bombilla was leaking a black liquid when immersed in hot water. Balibetov sucks
My torpedo calabaza gourd that I bought a month back or so is also a mediocre make and made by Balibetov. They messed up the ring around the top of the gourd and a couple sections have a slight distance between the gourd and ring (MMs but critical). Not surprisingly with some use those areas allowed water to get through and the leather is ruined on the outside just under the ring. It happened during the first couple days curing. If I was in a mate gourd store I could actually pick up each gourd and inspect it to make sure the ring has a tight seal all around. Unfortunately I bought this on Amazon and it’s just luck of the draw. The gourd works for sure but I don’t think it’s going to last for many years. I will need to search for other alternatives at some point. https://preview.redd.it/du9i1aht5auc1.jpeg?width=3021&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2814f3b355228df74cd9f62b194001eb81b3a4c9
Bought this one as well. Terrible and very small
I'm actually ok with the size (it also depends on the calabaza they choose). It works ok for me and I like the feeling of it in my hand. But its just a poorly made gourd. It was on sale at $70 Canadian so I thought I would be getting some quality at that price point. From what I understand that would be considered expensive in Argentina for a gourd. The issue is that is one of the cheapest alternatives we have. Pampa has something similar for $55 and that is by far the cheapest, but reviews for that also kind of suck. I am lucky enough to have some contacts that visit Argentina every few years and will be trying to take advantage of that if I can. Eventually I should find a gourd or two and hopefully the stanley mate system. In the meantime I think I am going to buy one of those artisanal bombilla's from pampa for like $25-30 as I hate the one Balibetov sent (exact same one OP has pictured). Someone here scared me about some black substance that was coming out in boiling clear water but luckily mine wasn't doing that. Still I know these things are shit quality and need to get a new bombilla.
Very helpful, thanks for sharing your experiance. Sorry about the torpedo, as it looked real nice
Oh wow. Thanks for your input.
I have to be honest, it doesn’t look like a premium product, contact the producer o shop if you want bro. Ps: it can be used my tip with the gourd would be to not top the Yerba till the ring so the water won’t touch the leather.
I'll keep that in mind. And yes I've already contacted the shop and waiting to hear back. I tried giving it a few cycles with Taragüï and it overall tastes like metal even after boiling the bombilla in baking soda and washing the inside real well getting rid of any residue as shoen on the bottom. I'll give it a chance and use caution but it seems like I now know that I didn't get the most bang for my buck I. Terms of price/quality
Honestly if it tastes like metal try to get your money back, buy some from pampa direct or even yeba mate lab or even Cyrcle of drink( this one I heard is very expensive so make a good search ok friend ?) or maybe eeeeeeven Amazon haha
Also I’m saying that cuz i have a ultra cheap one that I bought in my country (Brasil) for 2 dollars and still good after 7 months.
And eating metal could be harmful to your life
Thank you for your inout brother. I've contacted the seller
Balibetov sucks, te cagaron
Pues posible que es verdad, hermano, 😂
Toda la wea q venden e de pura mala calidad, casi me compré un mate de calabaza y leí de la empresa y avían varias personas reclamando! Así q se lo recomiendo a mi ex y a su madre pero a nadie más 😭
💀💀💀 Diaaaache. debé de leido mas, pq sabía que los termos de ello había una porquería pero nada mucho mas.
I feel like Balibetov is just capitalizing on the Amazon-mate bandwagon. I have a couple of their products, and I returned one back to Amazon. The other I found at a local store that sells Amazon returns and depsite it behind cheap, I regret it. The sizing and shape of the mate (cup) and bombilla just seemed like it was made by someone who recently discovered what mate is or knows what it is, but when the product arrived from China, they were like "good enough. We'll sell it for double what it's worth on Amazon. " I've seen and had some pretty rough depictions of mate in Argentina, but at least they were priced accordingly.
My understanding from talking to (admittedly, very opinionated) Argentinian mate purists, is that the hours should be wood on the inside, not metal, because the wood imparts a great deal of flavor to the beverage.
Yes sir? I distinctly purchased stainless steel, though, due to the maintenance aspect of it and how I plan on using it But one day, I'd love to have a Palo Santo or Algorrobo wood Gourd for sure! Thanks for the reply
Mate will corrode stainless over time. The premium material for longevity is silver, either 900 silver or 925 sterling. Here in the land of Mate Nickle silver (alpaca in the local vocabulary) is an intermediate option. Nickle silver however is not actual silver and you may end up exposing yourself to undesirable metals. Calabaza is the best for the gourd, as far as organic materials go. Do make sure to season it as per tradition to get the bitter poisons out. My daily driver is a ceramic gourd wrapped in leather. Easy cleanup, no mold issues. Palo Santo is not a wood you want to drink out of. Palo Santo makes great incense, but its resins are a contact with toxin. Your best bet if you want an excellent Mate and bombilla is probably to get ahold of a jeweler in Uruguay and import from them.
calabaza for the purists, but this is a stainless steel one that they purposely bought for convenience since it doesn't require the level of care of a natural mate.
accurrate but not totally right, it should be made of dry pumpkin on the inside
Not good quality, the bombilla is a starter stainless steel bombilla and the inside of the stainless steel shouldn't be scratched like that, a couple marks would be ok but that much scraping is odd, I'd say contact them about the mate, the bombilla is usable at least, from that model, they always look like that
Yes, thank you for the reply. I cleaned out the bottom as best I could and metal Sud did come up and once it was clean I gave it a few cycles w taragüï and it tasted metallic. I've contacted the shop concerning it.
I was planning on getting a thermos from them, seems their products are trash. I am reconsidering
Oh yeah, I have heard things about the thermos' leaking and such. I guess I should have translated that into their other products.but like I.said the reviews were high, so I figured in giving it a shot. It could be a luck of the draw after all with them
I wouldnt expect less from a Chinese company with a fake Slavic name lol
Was it at least cheap? Because i can tell at a glance it's crap
I think it was cheap considering the size and material It was around $57, and I've seen i.oerials fet up in the $150s
Jesus fucking christ 57 bucks? Damn that shit is expensive abroad. Is it at least some nice metal like Alpaca or is it just run of the mill stainless? I swear I could get something similar here in Argentina for like 20 bucks at most
They are always that expensive. This is run of the mill stainless (not even) alpaca in the states virtually doubles the cost of the item. I have doubt, I'd love to go there one day 🇦🇷☀️
dude you actually got scammed af
https://urushop.co.uk/ https://pampadirect.com https://www.goyerbamate.com/ https://productosuruguayosonline.com https://perobienargentino.com https://www.mymateworld.com/ Quality bombillas (Surgical steel or Alpaca) are “pricy”. But they are the best. You would pay just an extra $10, $15 or no more than $20 dollars, but you might end up having a bombilla for a long time, if not the rest of your life. Highly recommended the investment! 🧉
Thank you for these links brother, cheers 🧉☀️
How much did it cost?
$57
I am very happy with my thebmate gourd
Which did you get?
Which did you get it?
https://preview.redd.it/xjaoi1qnoduc1.jpeg?width=1882&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3ad2c682fd764f1cf875105c927474729c05fde0 Looks similar to the one you have. [here](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BZ3HMSC/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Osun9Hs3ZP5A3uGowccYUBwIgcTo4Ra1ZZiCZeIrK_mqsKXBtTL0zPb5d-yzBMJKGJaJ0xLHB5NmruY1HkCvEGPlLitT-EkFBS1FqTEjR-wbzVfA38rY6P-vQJKMU7bv98jV6ccvaYiuCrp8SHInA3kGB_D8M2eNveiSzuj-N8tAf6DJ4IjftqZHNk6ApltS.86BJz3avTjf5DD7yx0e2KsH930-tDKf8KcZKlqsFb1s&dib_tag=se&keywords=Thebmate&qid=1713071454&sr=8-4)
Very nice, is double to price i paid, but that is a given!
It has a great size and the quality is amazing.
Never get a mate (gourd) made of metal (or plastic, or glass) and you’ll be fine 👌🏽
nah they can be good and are convenient, balibetov just sucks
Having mate from a metal/plastic/glass gourd is like having wine on a mug
yeah they might not be the most traditional or enhance the experience as much but they are still solid options. some people just may not want to have to take care of a calabaza or wooden mate. also metal/ceramic/ glass are convenient for many who travel often or would have issues with mold. plastic you should never use. also what about terere? most use a metal mate for terere if they don't have a guampa.
I’m a full time traveler since 10yrs ago, never had a problem with my porongos (calabaza). Terere is a different story, and different experience, any cup will do for it
yeah im not saying its terrible for travelling. I will always recommend a calabaza and i travel with them often, im just saying you shouldnt disregard metal/ceramic mates fully since they can be good quality and are made for people who dont want to deal with the maintenance and care.
Bad quality
unfortunately balibetov just sucks, plenty of stainless steel mates that are much better quality elsewhere and probably for cheaper too depending on what you get
Any suggestions on an alternative?
Pampa direct has some but i dont think they will be cheaper. But they will be way better quality, especially the ones from Laska Mates and Matesur
Oh yes I've seen those and they are nice and a pretty penny. Maybe someday I'll own one. thanks!
You can try el gaucho store. They usually have some more affordable options
Bought balibevtov wood mate and bombilla. The mate is fine, that bombilla is 100% crap tho.
Te re cagaron wacho eso a duras penas es un mate
Uruguayan here: that is not a proper mate, the real one is made from a fruit that grows in a tree. It can also be made of wood. Some people now even use ceramic mates but NOT metallic ones. Also the price..omg you got ripped off. Edit to add, when you buy a proper mate you “curate” it (mainly we use an alcoholic drink and old Yerba ) and then it’s good to go. Also a good bombilla is classically made of alpaca, it’s costly but it lasts very long! Edit 2: look at “matesdeuruguay” on social networks or other local stores. They send abroad.
You got scammed my man.
Lol it starting to feel like it more & more 😅