How to Read Manufacturer Specifications (And Spot False Comparisons)

Specifications in this category are not cross-comparable by default — measurement methods differ, listings conflate net and gross weight, and headline names are not reliable join keys. Two worked examples from the listings we checked show why.

Worked example 1: one body, ~6 kg of 'weight'

The same Starpery 171 cm body appears as 34 kg body-only at one retailer and as a 26.5 kg weight-reduction body plus a ~1.5 kg head (≈28 kg total) at another. Both can be 'true' — for different material versions, weight-reduction generations, and head inclusion. A comparison table printing one figure without its basis is misleading.

Worked example 2: one name, three dolls' numbers

WM's '166 cm C-cup' family is specced at 166 cm / 33 kg by one retailer and 163 cm / 34 kg by another, with waist figures spanning 51–62 cm across three listings — a spread suggesting at least one retailer published a different body's chart under the same headline. ZELEX's ZX172E is listed at 38.7 kg in one place and 36–38 kg in another. Handmade variance is real — one maker honestly discloses ±2–3 kg / ±2–3 cm tolerances — but variance does not explain a 11 cm waist spread. Treat that as a listing error until the manufacturer chart says otherwise.

The six fields to verify in writing before paying

1. Net weight with head fitted, and boxed (gross) weight separately.
2. Height measurement basis (with head, posture).
3. Body code + head code (not marketing names).
4. Finger construction: wire vs articulated (see How to compare quality).
5. Material per part — head and body separately (hybrids headline the head's material).
6. Which photographed options are included at the quoted price.

Also de-market the vocabulary: 'medical-grade' with no certificate is marketing, not a spec. When two sources conflict, keep both values flagged — never silently pick the flattering one. That is the method this site uses throughout the Catalog.