TFH Testing - woo hoo!

[Kelleytoons]

There's a post elsewhere about TFH hosting this incredible opportunity for those of us on the forum so I won't repeat the details but I have to say, as a VERY old man who's beta tested software for over half a century (and from some of the big boys, like Adobe and Autodesk) I've never been more excited about testing something.

It's pretty amazing to get the opportunity to do something you love (consume Kratom) and that helps a lot of folks at the same time. I know that everyone here will treat this very seriously and do a great job - I'm really glad this is happening this soon because my wife is visiting relatives in Iowa for the next two weeks so it's a PERFECT time to test and record my feelings without much else to do (okay - I DO have some honey-do lists but Kratom will make those easier :>).

Thanks to TFH, of course, but I'm also SO glad I joined this forum last year (I was on the pro-Kratom reddit but mostly very lost and Double M has been SO instrumental in helping with my Kratom journey).

[Rambo]

I was lucky enough to read the TFH testing thread a few hours after it came up, immediately sent an application. Got an email back with instructions and a tracking number, and I feel like I just won a ticket to see Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory
What a wonderful community this is! I’ve learned so much in my short time here, and found some incredible small batch vendors along the way Can’t wait to help test these new batches

[Lokey]

I'm bummed, was also one of the first to respond but haven't seen an email, will check junk folder... nope. Maybe he never got it, can't find in my sent folder, maybe cuz did it from phone. Just did a new one.

[gumbyke1]

Don't worry if you didn't hear back today, we will have several different test groups going.

We batch our tasks so don't be discouraged if it takes a few days to hear back from us. Even if your application is not accepted, we will let you know so that your not just left wondering if we got your email. Thanks everyone!

[Lokey]

Thanks, I don't think you got mine because it should've been in one of my sent folders and it wasn't so glad I checked, but you would've gotten it 24+ hours earlier!

[34766]

Don't worry if you didn't hear back today, we will have several different test groups going.

We batch our tasks so don't be discouraged if it takes a few days to hear back from us. Even if your application is not accepted, we will let you know so that your not just left wondering if we got your email. Thanks everyone!

this is good news, well maybe. anyway, thanks

[Kelleytoons]

If it makes anyone else feel better, although I responded IMMEDIATELY and paid them, I haven't heard back (yet) from TFH. But I'm not worried - they are dealing with many many people right now.

(Now, if I don't hear from them by the end of next week I *might* get a little nervous :>).

[gumbyke1]

No reason to ever get nervous

Unless we are in a community event, we try to protect our Sundays as a family day. I'm going to try to process more applications tonight only because these samples are very time sensative, I need them to ship ASAP! If not, we will pick email back up tomorrow, but please expect it may be Tuesday until we get fully caught up from the weekend.

Thanks everyone!

[GrannyJ62]

So excited for all the new testers
Peace Love and Joy
TFH Rocks

[mivanqua]

So excited for all the new testers
Peace Love and Joy
TFH Rocks

HEY GRANNY! NICE TO SEE YOU!

they ARE really adorable, aren't they?

[Jobrew5667]

Don't worry if you didn't hear back today, we will have several different test groups going.

We batch our tasks so don't be discouraged if it takes a few days to hear back from us. Even if your application is not accepted, we will let you know so that your not just left wondering if we got your email. Thanks everyone!

Thank you for the update I sent mine the day of and my email is jobrew9. **hint hints wink wink

[Kelleytoons]

What wizardry is this?

So I send my email about being a tester on Friday, received the answer on Saturday and ON THAT DAY I paid the shipping cost and today I got the samples in the mail. ????? How the heck did they get here that soon? Does TFH have friends in the postal service? Honestly, when I mail out something it takes at least a week to get to wherever it's going. It's hard for me to believe that late Saturday afternoon, after making sure they got their payment, they mailed the stuff off and (leaving aside Sunday when NOTHING happens at the P.O.) it got here the next day?!

In any case - woo hoo again, indeed. Now I have 11 samples to test and will start tomorrow (to make it the absolute best test I'm going to do all the greens and whites first thing in the morning, when I normally take my first dose and when it's the strongest. Then I'll do the two or so reds at night during my tennis days (Thursday and Monday) when I normally take a red. That's as close as possible to a real world test for me. And I will start tomorrow morning (so tonight I'll be making capsules. Sigh).

[Arob1000]

Pretty sure they sent it out before we paid for it, same timeline for me.

I started my testing this afternoon, so far 1/1 on quality batches! Keeping the spirit of blind reviews so I won’t mention which one it was.

Trying a red for tonight, hoping it is another good one!

[BookofEnoch1914]

What wizardry is this?

So I send my email about being a tester on Friday, received the answer on Saturday and ON THAT DAY I paid the shipping cost and today I got the samples in the mail. ????? How the heck did they get here that soon? Does TFH have friends in the postal service? Honestly, when I mail out something it takes at least a week to get to wherever it's going. It's hard for me to believe that late Saturday afternoon, after making sure they got their payment, they mailed the stuff off and (leaving aside Sunday when NOTHING happens at the P.O.) it got here the next day?!

In any case - woo hoo again, indeed. Now I have 11 samples to test and will start tomorrow (to make it the absolute best test I'm going to do all the greens and whites first thing in the morning, when I normally take my first dose and when it's the strongest. Then I'll do the two or so reds at night during my tennis days (Thursday and Monday) when I normally take a red. That's as close as possible to a real world test for me. And I will start tomorrow morning (so tonight I'll be making capsules. Sigh).

I was blown away as well, my package was picked up by USPS Sat at 2:32pm and delivered in Virginia Today at 11:30am, just in time for my pre-work dose. Let the testing commence ladies and gents!

[Lokey]

Don't worry if you didn't hear back today, we will have several different test groups going.

We batch our tasks so don't be discouraged if it takes a few days to hear back from us. Even if your application is not accepted, we will let you know so that your not just left wondering if we got your email. Thanks everyone!

Thank you for the update I sent mine the day of and my email is jobrew9. **hint hints wink wink

Me too

[Kelleytoons]

Pretty sure they sent it out before we paid for it, same timeline for me.

I started my testing this afternoon, so far 1/1 on quality batches! Keeping the spirit of blind reviews so I won’t mention which one it was.

Trying a red for tonight, hoping it is another good one!

Well, I made all the green capsules tonight, so I'll do a green in the morning. Tomorrow I'll make up the red and white ones (it was a late start as I got home around 7pm dropping my wife off at the airport. Good news is she's away now for the next two weeks so I have lots of time to test without interference :>).

[Kelleytoons]

I started my testing this afternoon, so far 1/1 on quality batches! Keeping the spirit of blind reviews so I won’t mention which one it was.

I tried my first sample this morning and I'll keep to the spirt and won't mention which but I do have to say - greens, as a very general rule, just don't work for me. But this one, a green, hit and hit big. WOW. I honestly have to say this is the best green I've ever had. It MIGHT just be the best Kratom I've ever had (previous honor went to Herbal's RVA Red). I don't want to get my hopes up, but if this is what TFH can deliver I can see I am in BIG trouble (because I'll have to buy a ton from them with my "one time order". Yipes - my wife is libel to leave me).

I take capsules but I'm just exactly at an hour after taking and it's INCREDIBLY strong. Again - never felt something like this, not even when I first started. So all this hype about TFH was... well, true (IIRC, and I may not, they'll let us buy the sample stuff and right now this is on my want list).

[Arob1000]

I tried my first sample this morning and I'll keep to the spirt and won't mention which but I do have to say - greens, as a very general rule, just don't work for me. But this one, a green, hit and hit big. WOW. I honestly have to say this is the best green I've ever had. It MIGHT just be the best Kratom I've ever had (previous honor went to Herbal's RVA Red). I don't want to get my hopes up, but if this is what TFH can deliver I can see I am in BIG trouble (because I'll have to buy a ton from them with my "one time order". Yipes - my wife is libel to leave me).

I take capsules but I'm just exactly at an hour after taking and it's INCREDIBLY strong. Again - never felt something like this, not even when I first started. So all this hype about TFH was... well, true (IIRC, and I may not, they'll let us buy the sample stuff and right now this is on my want list).

I think there are a couple major factors which are happening here:

1.) Getting used to a new supplier's leaf (different alkaloid profile than you are used to)
2.) Prime fire dry season leaf coming out of Indonesia (new batch, late summer, probably some of the best of the year)
3.) A bit of a placebo effect from blind tasting, high expectations lead to better results

Don't get me wrong, this is some good leaf, both of the ones I've tried I've rated 9's despite trying to knock them down a peg or two I just couldn't...I've had some TFH leaf in the past (through last year's open sale and the Trading Post) and it is good stuff but no better than D615, Lucky's, Okie's, etc.

I have a feeling I'll be placing a larger order too after sampling so much of late summer leaf from a quality vendor who cares a lot about growing conditions/plant nutrition/user effects but the idea of a holy grail supplier just isn't the reality.

I'm glad you're enjoying the journey as much as I am though, it's fun to have a lot of "sample" batches and pick and choose from them which ones you like best, more vendors should offer this as a routine option (get 10x 10g samples, then order 1kg from 1-4 of those in the next 2-4 weeks for $120 shipped, I'd do that for sure).

[Loveandpeace]

They trust the doublem peeps that is why everyone got there stuff so quick. Chris doesn't fuck around, he handles his business well.

When you look at the menu, there are usually a few a 100g limit bags. It is safe to assume those were big hits and now have a dwindling amount of time to get one. They have always been good for me. However, still not a member, so my choice making can be challenging knowing I get one chance.

Happy for you guys, this is a fun time in the Kratom world.

[Kelleytoons]

3.) A bit of a placebo effect from blind tasting, high expectations lead to better results

Honestly I think it was just the opposite. As I said, greens really aren't my thing, so my expectations were pretty low. Now, perhaps THAT was the issue (that I wasn't expecting much if anything and this one just wowed me so I kind of overrated it) but I don't think so.

The other thing - I take capsules and it's almost always the rule that I don't feel effects for 55-70 minutes. I honestly was doing some other things and so hadn't even remembered I'd taken anything (because I didn't think it would hit for an hour) when suddenly it hit and I looked at the clock and it was almost exactly 30 minutes in. THAT was VERY unexpected and couldn't be any sort of placebo effect unless my subconscious is far smarter than I normally give it credit for.

Oh, another thing - I actually had fairly low expectations from TFH based on the samples LoveandPeace gave me. Now - I haven't tried all of them, but I did try one or two and they were greens and they were... okay. So I had pretty well slotted TFH into one of those "might be great for some but not for me" vendors. THIS was a big surprise.

I will keep an open mind and test and see. This might be the exception that proves the rule and the rest of the greens, at least, might be ho-hum. But boy I DO want to buy some of this stuff in particular.

[Arob1000]

The other thing - I take capsules and it's almost always the rule that I don't feel effects for 55-70 minutes. I honestly was doing some other things and so hadn't even remembered I'd taken anything (because I didn't think it would hit for an hour) when suddenly it hit and I looked at the clock and it was almost exactly 30 minutes in. THAT was VERY unexpected and couldn't be any sort of placebo effect unless my subconscious is far smarter than I normally give it credit for.

I wonder if we tried the same one, I felt something similar with the 1st green I took albeit not via capsules. Only other batch of kratom which did that to me of late was Otie's Premium Red MD (just ordered 1kg). Greens are probably my favorite, odd they don't do a lot for you. I understand reds not hitting but haven't heard many people who haven't had good luck with greens.

[Kelleytoons]

It might be what folks are looking for - for me, I use a white when I play tennis because I need both the energy and pain relief. And on the days I play I take a red at night to help me sleep.

Those are really the only two times I NEED to take Kratom. So I often just don't - this month, for example, I'm only playing once or twice a week so my doses would be down in the single digits for the entire month. However, now that we're testing I'm going to take a lot more. On those rare occasions I've taken a green it hasn't provided the energy I need nor the sleep I want. So - I have WAY more greens than I'll ever use.

On those rare occasions when I've taken a green just for the heck of it I've just never felt much - and I've used ALL the ones folks think are great: Denette, Lucky, Liza, Okie, etc. etc. The best they are is... okay. This one, however - just wowed me completely. And, as I said, I've taken a couple of greens from TFH in the past with the same ho-hum experience, so I don't think it's a case of using something from a new vendor. I truly think this leaf was extraordinary (but I guess they will know when they start tabulating all the results).

Tomorrow will be VERY interesting. Now my expectations ARE a bit high. So I've got to watch it because it's quite possible the opposite effect will cause me to rate this MUCH lower than it should be (IOW, since I'm expecting so much if it doesn't match up I could think it was a stinker when it just might not be as good). I'm picking these at random (at first I thought I'd go by the number low to high but felt like that was WAY too anal). Could we have chosen the same one out of six? I guess it's possible but the odds aren't favorable for that.

[Rambo]

Now I wonder if I took the same green today that the two of you are talking about there was one in particular that just felt AMAZING! A real standout. All the samples have been pretty great though

[Eu4oric906]

Lol well i headed out of town so just now seeing all this. I sent in an app but probably too late. Anyway happy to hear some good folks getting a chance to try their product. Best of luck in your testing role!

[Daydreamsofmountains]

Haven’t heard anything from my app sent Friday. I am sure they are super busy. Sad but not meant to be this time.

[SaintsWillConquer]

Haven’t heard anything from my app sent Friday. I am sure they are super busy. Sad but not meant to be this time.

Just a reminder that Chris said they will be getting back to everyone who sent in an application to let you know one way or the other. They are swamped right now. But they are extremely detail oriented. Don't assume you won't be a tester until they tell you so. Be patient and keep your fingers crossed. Time will tell.

[Daydreamsofmountains]

Haven’t heard anything from my app sent Friday. I am sure they are super busy. Sad but not meant to be this time.

Just a reminder that Chris said they will be getting back to everyone who sent in an application to let you know one way or the other. They are swamped right now. But they are extremely detail oriented. Don't assume you won't be a tester until they tell you so. Be patient and keep your fingers crossed. Time will tell.

True true, thank you

[gumbyke1]

Thanks for your patience everyone! I promise we will get back to every email sent!

One thing to note is that if you want to send a follow up email, please dont reply on your original email to us (send a separate email). Our inbox is organized so that the oldest email is first, so if you reply on your original email thread it is going to bump it to the end of the line. This could create a continual loop of you getting bumped to the back of our inbox each time you check to follow up.

Thanks everyone!

[Kelleytoons]

As I suspected, the next green I took was... ho-hum. I gave it a 6 (out of 10). Certainly nothing I would buy. The one peculiar thing about it was it took about two hours to even hit at all.

But if they continue to bat 1 for 2 they are doing great (if a baseball team did that, or a basketball team could shoot that beyond the 3 they would win every game). Also - I suspect the ones that get ranked low won't make their stock. Plus - greens for me just aren't normally so great.

But that first one. Yum and more yum (I just hope it's available for sale - if so I'll violate my own rule and get 500g as opposed to the 250g I normally get for nearly anything).

[Daydreamsofmountains]

Thanks for your patience everyone! I promise we will get back to every email sent!

One thing to note is that if you want to send a follow up email, please dont reply on your original email to us (send a separate email). Our inbox is organized so that the oldest email is first, so if you reply on your original email thread it is going to bump it to the end of the line. This could create a continual loop of you getting bumped to the back of our inbox each time you check to follow up.

Thanks everyone!

Thank you so much! (Lesson learned )

[NiqueKristan]

As I suspected, the next green I took was... ho-hum. I gave it a 6 (out of 10). Certainly nothing I would buy. The one peculiar thing about it was it took about two hours to even hit at all.

But if they continue to bat 1 for 2 they are doing great (if a baseball team did that, or a basketball team could shoot that beyond the 3 they would win every game). Also - I suspect the ones that get ranked low won't make their stock. Plus - greens for me just aren't normally so great.

But that first one. Yum and more yum (I just hope it's available for sale - if so I'll violate my own rule and get 500g as opposed to the 250g I normally get for nearly anything).

The funny thing about TFH is that if it doesn’t hit now, it may hit later. My first order from TFH was last Black Friday. Two of the things I got were the top shelf md and 30 year Wild red tfh. I didn’t care for them initially, but I was determined to give them a chance. Several tries later, those are my two favorites! And they hit every time! The bad part about this with testers is that there is only enough for 2-4 doses, depending on the person.

Also, this time TFH is allowing you to buy the tester strains!

[Kelleytoons]

It's not so much the low amounts (I was able to make three doses for each test strain) but the time involved - TFH wants the results back NOW! If I were to follow my usual pattern (not taking the same strain more than once every three days) it would take weeks to give a complete and full assessment of each strain.

I might or might not try the dud later, but I have no time right now as I have to move on. I will say, though, that the third one I'm trying (right as I type) is already showing better results, again MUCH faster than is typical with capsules (some of "fast" results might be due to some residue of the powder on the outside of the capsule, but this would be a VERY low amount, just traces, and would be indicative of a VERY powerful strain).

All greens (my least fav) so far but tomorrow morning (a tennis morning) I'll try a white and then a red in the evening, so I'm interested to see how that will work out (and a bit scared - I hate to play on an unproven strain because, well, I'm just very competitive and always want to win and need whatever advantages this old body can get :>).

[Loveandpeace]

The energy and excitement generated on this thread in 2 days is fuckin hilarious!

Well played folks.

[hiding007]

Woot woot!

[Kelleytoons]

Well, perhaps I've been posting too much but, remember, first time with TFH other than the samples you sent me (which I didn't find amazing but they were greens).

Speaking of which, the new green I took this morning is very good indeed. I'm giving it a 9 BUT I think it's more like a red than a green (which is to say after a couple of hours I fell so fast asleep on it it worked as well as any red does on me. I'm still a bit drowsy having taken it about four hours ago).

[Arob1000]

It’s nice to see this sort of engagement in the community.

Thanks TFH for kickstarting this lively discussion. I’m close to half way through my testing, seriously considering purchasing larger quantities of 3/6 of the ones I’ve tried so far, all quality leaf but a few have been really great.

I’d be down to test more new TFH or any other vendors leaf, it’s a big responsibility but I’m up to the challenge!

[NiqueKristan]

It's not so much the low amounts (I was able to make three doses for each test strain) but the time involved - TFH wants the results back NOW! If I were to follow my usual pattern (not taking the same strain more than once every three days) it would take weeks to give a complete and full assessment of each strain.

I might or might not try the dud later, but I have no time right now as I have to move on. I will say, though, that the third one I'm trying (right as I type) is already showing better results, again MUCH faster than is typical with capsules (some of "fast" results might be due to some residue of the powder on the outside of the capsule, but this would be a VERY low amount, just traces, and would be indicative of a VERY powerful strain).

All greens (my least fav) so far but tomorrow morning (a tennis morning) I'll try a white and then a red in the evening, so I'm interested to see how that will work out (and a bit scared - I hate to play on an unproven strain because, well, I'm just very competitive and always want to win and need whatever advantages this old body can get :>).

Haha I get ya! Good luck on the march!

[Arob1000]

By march you mean a race right? And the winner gets a TFH membership?

[Kelleytoons]

I'm going to post this here deep in my thread because I don't want to make too much of a thing about this but... the sample I'm currently taking (well, about 90 minutes ago) is the BEST Kratom I've ever had.

Someone earlier in this thread postulated there might be other things going on that might be giving me false results but I'm pretty sure now of what I've been sampling. Out of the nine I've taken so far (two more to go) two were absolute standouts (the green I started with I thought was the best Kratom ever - this actually - so far - even surpasses that. It's also a white so I'm really in heaven because that's the go-to strain for me for tennis).

There haven't been any duds so far, but there have been four that I wouldn't buy and consider about on par with most of the average leaf I've gotten from various vendors. Three I will definitely buy again, and those two home runs I will buy A LOT of, assuming I am allowed.

I had low expectations from TFH based on two samples I had tried previously. Now I can see there is definitely something different with them. You can't hit two absolute bases-loaded home runs out of nine when every other team I've tried has not done even one (with one exception - I still think Herbal RVA's Red Bali is the best red I've ever had. It's on par with the green and white now I've gotten from TFH but it's no longer standing alone).

I am a very lucky man to have been allowed to participate in this. I wish others the same luck.

[Lokey]

I'm very lucky too, got my samples yesterday and last night I made 44 oblate pouches! Today is day 1 starting with a white. I got 11 also, 4 whites, 2 greens, 2 reds, 2 yellows and 1 gold. My doses are larger than Kelley's so I got less than 2 full doses per sample, a little more than 1-1/2 because I take 5g and each was 10g in the bag. I lost a tiny bit also because a couple times my pouch stand fell over and some went on my dresser, the floor and me, but I scraped back up what I could! I'll eat dust. I will need to increase my morning dose because all it usually does is take my misery away and help me feel "normal". A dud will not do that as much. When done I'd be interested in knowing which are other's top 2 but not before. I was wondering if he tricks us by giving us some duplicates to see if they get rated differently, or fibbing about the color to see if preconceptions affect our reactions and responses. For instance, labeling a slow red as a white and therefore due to expectations of a fast strain having a fast result. I think I'm going to hide which one I'm taking till I'm done with it and do blind test, I have each one in separate containers with the label in each one. To those who haven't heard back, hang in there, he posted he's still going thru apps and to email him again if you responded in the beginning. If not chosen at least there will be an open event. Kelley, did you find your raffle ticket for membership in the envelope? I almost threw out the envelope and missed it again!