Crab Trap Kit on the cheap at Costco

Back to Costco it went! I just don't want to take a chance a warden will want to enforce the letter of the law. I like that style with the crab removal on the top. I went to the local store looking for a replacement and they sold one similar made by SMI I believe. It has the same issue as the Costco trap. I asked for the manager and explained that they might be selling an illegal trap. I will go back later to see if they take it off sale or get a legal waiver or something. Lucky for me I still have time to get one delivered from Amazon in time for Crabfest.

does costco in Vacaville still have traps?
if you are going to order traps get them from Yackhopper, he works at Fisherman's warehouse and he was offering to take a case of traps to the event.

I don't think Vacaville ever had them. I had to go to Vallejo to get mine. 

Headwaters in Lodi still has some traps, bait jars, and small buoys as well if anyone is passing through that area this week.

While setting up my trap I looked at the regs to familarize myself with them. The traps have the 41/4 rigid escape opening, but they don't seem to be in the right place. Maybe I am just confused, after all the regs are not necessarily written in an easy to understand format. The regs say..."(c) Crab traps shall have at least two rigid circular openings of not less than four and one-quarter inches inside diameter so constructed that the lowest portion of each opening is no lower than five inches from the top of the trap."in my photos, the side with the higher number on the tape measure is the side with the crab entry doors and the side with the lower numbers is the side with the crab removal access door. Does this trap meet the regs based on your understanding of what they say? Can anyone tell me if a Danielson trap escape rings are located the same?

I understood the regulations as you did.  I returned my traps as well: because the escape openings appeared to be too low, because of GWhiz' experience with welds failing, and because frankly, everything included in the kit appeared to be sub-quality.  I'm just going to follow the recommendations of the forum and put some money down for either Danielson or Promars.