Considering adding some 330 Body grips to the arsenal and wondering if Belisle traps are really worth the $10.00 more per trap through F &T? Have viewed numerous YouTube videos and have seen the differences between Belisle and Bridger and just wondering?

Might need a Mod to move this to trapping only

Worth every penny in my opinion. After using Belisles you'll want to throw away any other brand you may have. If they will hold a muskrat by the tail then they will pay for themselves in no time.

I agree.

A couple pain points with Belisles. Hurts worse when they pinch you because they are so strong and when Johnny Sneakum gets one it hurts more than a less expensive trap.

They are a superior trap for sure. Long term they will outlast others. I use other brands or snares in areas if theft is a concern (which unfortunately is too common).

They are a good trap and I use them.
But not the best Canadian made trap for sure.
But good for a less expensive tool.

Boco, what do you think is the best made Canadian 330?

Spring safeties alone are worth $10 more per trap.

The snare shop sells the 12f made by sauvageau.This trap leaves the others in the dust.

Sauvageau, and a lot of trappers here like the LDL.
The LDL 120b magnum is the best marten trap ever made.
Their non magnum traps are also good for beaver and otter.
The only reason I dont use the sauvageau is that they are dipped in that sticky speed dip crap at the factory.

A sandblaster takes that sticky crap right off.

Have heard that one needs to practice getting out of one before taking them to the field and plan on feeling real pain if one goes off on you

Na, not too bad. I started with new Belisles. The pain lets you know that you’re still alive. One of the safeties came off while bending the springs up and got the thumb. Good bruise. Winter I had a glove on so that was nothing (when pulling it out of the ice at -20 it’s more slippery than a wax, I just drop a dry one in now instead of resetting the one I pulled out). When I got some older 330s from my uncle I didn’t really want to use them because the springs felt worn out compared to the new Belisles, but they’re killers too.
Fool around with them at home first, the rope things real easy. If I’m by myself I try to remember a rope, but setters I always have anyway.

A beaver Is just as dead In Duke 330 as It Is In a Belisle 330. Dead Is dead.
I think I can buy 3 doz Duke 330s compared to 1doz Belisles. I've killed 1000s of beaver In Duke 330s.

Ford is better than Dodge. Dodge is better than Chevy. Nissan, Toyota not as good as Yugo! Mine is better than yours. 90% of it is marketing.. Get traps in the water and get happy.

Killing isn't the problem

I bought 6 doz 160 belisles Sure I caught tons of coon In them but I also had lots of problems with coon escaping and leaving coon parts behind. I got rid of them because of that. Wasn't fair to the animal.
I also had some Belisle 330s. I had more then a few live otter in those traps and a few beaver escaped leaving parts behind. I got rid of those traps as well. Personally I think those traps are way over powered. And those stamped out tin dogs are worthless.
A buddy gave me 10 160 Belisles. They were In really bad shape. Soaked them In vinegar and got them rust free. I took those junk dogs off and had a buddy lazer cut out some regular dogs. Then I took my torch and weakened the springs. Know I have a trap that I can set by hand.
The safeties are great but If you keep your hands out of the kill zone and on the springs safeties don't matter.
Killing the animal that gets In your trap Is the only thing that matters.

But use what ever trips your trigger.

Correct^^^

For me it's the Belisle safeties and the spring eyes NOT going around the corners that sold me on them years ago.

I hate the Belisle safeties, if I owned more than one Belisle I would probably take the safeties off and put normal safeties that will flop on them. I normally set my bodygrips by hand, grab the spring eyes one in each hand, squeeze them together, give the trap a little flip to flip the safety over the spring, relax my squeeze and go to the other spring. Can't do that with those safeties Belisle puts on them. Other than that they are a good enough trap. I don't like the "magnum" design that holds the jaws tight against each other, but pretty much all your new bodygrips are that design. If I was to catch my fingers in one (done that with a brand new Bridger 120 magnum, both thumbs) I would prefer a little gap between the jaws. As an old guy told me, "you aren't trying to catch cigarette papers". I don't necessarily want to hold stuff by the tail anyways.

Other than the safeties they are good, but I don't think they are worth the extra money. I am not always a big fan of Duke traps, but some are good and I've had good luck with their 330s (their safeties go the other direction, bending a little more hook in them so they go farther around the spring isn't a bad idea). In this case I agree with Beav. You can catch more with three times the traps.

Where do you buy your dukes that cheap? Or where do you buy your belisles that expensive?

Duke 330s are 235 a dozen and belisle 330s are 380