Pinokio Hoppers, the longtime independent hopper-maker behind the long-nosed PK250/400 seen at scenario and big game events around the country and the newer, much smaller “Speed” hopper, recently announced a contest to coincide with the closing-out of their original Pinokio model in which ten thousand dollars may be given away! The original Pinokio Hopper, released several years ago and which quickly gained fame for the company’s sponsorship of top pro players including Mike Paxson of the Ironmen, and for the loader’s reliability, simplicity and versatility, allowed players to switch from a smaller 250 capacity to a whopping 400 rounds with the replacement of a longer “Pinokio” nose-piece protruding from the front of the hopper. While the hopper’s looks made it polarizing, either players could deal with it or couldn’t stand it, reliability proved excellent, feed rates were solid and as the hopper used hard-wired technology, a single on/off button and a bend-sensor in the neck for paint detection, battery life was stellar. Later came the Speed, a smaller, lighter, faster Pinokio hopper with a much more durable and sleek shell – gone was the long nose from which the company took its name – this hopper was meant for pump, mechanical and speedball players. While both hoppers have sold decently over the years, recently company owner Evan Estrate announced the time had come to finish out his “legacy” product, and he would do so with a final production order. Those who put their name down and their money up would be rewarded not only with the product for which they paid, but with free product through drawings AND a final drawing for ten thousand dollars once a thousand-unit pre-order was reached! While the preorder remains open, it appears the thousand-unit goal has not yet been achieved.
