So, my experience with Arken. I preorderd the EP8 in mid-July with a 6-8 week lead time. After 10 weeks I emailed them asking for status, said they were still waiting. After 12 weeks, I emailed them again and got the same answer. I then randomly got a shipping confirmation. It did not include the advertised "flip-its" lens covers, whatevs, not a big deal. Then I got an email in mid-Nov saying the "flip-its" would ship in 4-6 weeks. I emailed them a week ago asking about them and was told they were 5-7 days behind schedule due to the sale (?). I don't need them as I've procured other lens covers but it's the principle. I've also emailed them asking for the reticle subtensions on the KL Box reticle so I can calculate my own drops and they just copy pasta'd from the owner's manual showing the ranging abilities of the reticle
. I don't think they understand what subtensions are and that's concerning for an optic mfr.
The best thing Arken can do is stop giving ETAs/timelines and stop taking orders for items that they don't physically have in stock.