@OTF, no worries. I get it.
Speaking in general terms, I have never really been one to do 'cost cutting' when manufacturing a product. We mostly make what we want to dive, then figure out pricing from there. Broadly, I would say this results in us going with superior material choices and tighter tolerances when compared to competitors.
Without going into brand specifics. I will say that some of the options you mention use thinner materials, cheaper threads, wider spacing, and thinner welds. They can have difficult warranty processes, or none at all. It is all a variable scale. Some make better choices than others. Some provide better support. Some are generic designs, others (like ours) have been tuned for specific balance.
Specifically to us, we are mostly unique in using the quick dry shell material, which I have found to drastically outlast any of my wings made from plain Cordura or cordura like fabric. The UV resistance and tear resistance are far superior, plus it is quick dry and lighter weight. A great added bonus for travel. I do believe Apeks has since followed us with a quick dry material, but I have no long term experience with them.
We try to make sure our wings work well to balance with the tanks they are designed for. The stability wing is tuned to provide balanced lift for recreational diving, where as the standard wing is designed to provide a little more head lift. A largely unknown fact is that you can technically flip the standard wing and swap the dump/inflator if you want to shift the emphasis on the trim.
There are varying quality inflators and valves, but I select the ones I think are better quality and suit our needs. Right now we are using low profile valves and elbows in the Stability series, which are doing great. I find them to be functionally superior for our goals with that product line. The traditional elbow we use in the standard wing uses the more expensive thicker thread, because I like it better, and didn't care about saving $1 going with the thinner thread option other brands use.
For internal bladders, mostly you have two options, either a polyurethane bladder, or a woven fabric (ex: 440D Cordura). Fabric bladders are more durable, and that is what we select. We also have a thick/wide weld between them. To date I don't believe we have had a single return for a bladder defect, proving the quality of our work for nearly a decade now. My original wing from our first production run is still going strong, after probably more than 1000 dives on it, and years of sun exposure.
I truly feel if you make subjective comparisons with other products, we either exceed (material, stitching, weld, valves) or are equal to (K inflator, embroidery) the majority of our competitors.
I feel that most customers have seen and appreciate our efforts in design and material choice. We continue to grow annually, and our sales numbers have consistently surprised me. It seems I always underestimate them! lol
I hope this helps with some insight. If you have and product specific questions, let us know.
Cheers,
Landon