Dirk,

I don't think that you did start an argument. At least it didn't seem like anyone was angry or anything.

It seems to me that everyone's saying pretty much the same thing here, too :)

Rakesh -

Thanks, sometimes I get careless in my choice of words and it results in anger and hurt feelings. I appreciate the fact that you didn't take it that way, because nothing I wrote was intended to come across as an attack on anyone. Backpacking is a hobby, and I want to keep it fun. There is enough stress in the rest of life...

Dirk

Along with the first rate reporting, I have always enjoyed the avatar selections this community chooses.

My current favorite is Sam Haraldson's. I have a nagging suspicion I have seen your picture before, Sam.

Edited by Steamboat_Willie on 05/01/2010 02:18:45 MDT.

Sheesh! what a bunch of whiners! Just don't read the review if the product doesn't interest you. Go play with your Cuben rain chaps.

I don't think it's correct that BPL is choosing to review mainstream products instead of more cutting edge products from smaller businesses. This seems like a false dichotomy to me.

I suspect the simple reality is that BPL had the opportunity to review these mainstream products and they have not yet had the opportunity to review some of the other cottage industry gear mentioned (ie. Hexamid, Haven). Both the Hexamid and Haven are very new and hard to acquire pieces of gear, much newer than the recently reviewed products from REI and MSR.

And Ray, I find your 2 person double wall tent work to be quite valuable. It's not hard to work one of these into a sub 10lbs UL baseweight and get a happy spouse to boot.

Dan, correct, though perhaps the reviews on these winter capable tents are a little late in the season. Perhaps in order to get them onto the site in a timely fashion, the initial review with specs and first impressions should go up early and then develop with further field testing reports in the comments as the season progresses.

Maybe part of the beefing here is because folk think the cottage manufacturers deserve more exposure and endorsement from 'da management' and that's understandable. Perhaps the new initiative to pay contributors for articles started by Addie will go some way to meeting this. Hopefully it will encourage members lucky enough to get their hands on bleeding edge gear to write full-on gear reports.

I totally agree with the OP, BPL doesn't do many reviews of the cutting edge cottage gear that people on the forums tend to buy and use.
That's why I'm not a member- why pay for reviews of gear I'm never going to buy, or I can find for free on other sites not focussed on UL hiking?
Strange place, BPL- the best content is on the forums, which is free, and fantastic for being free, but the reviews, for me, don't really target the majority view seen and written about by the reader base.
I'd join if there was more about UL gear here, wouldn't mind paying at all, but the model as it is now doesn't make sense as a product to me. I won't even mention the astronomic shipping charges to Europe and the non existent stock that make the BPL shop a no go area for me. (I mentioned it, oops)
2C from fred-

Eric. whiners huh. it's our site too you know. We put our money where our mouths are and should have our say.

I agree, a UL backpacking website should focus on reviewing UL backpacking gear.

I want to see a review of the new line of quilts from Katabatic Gear. They're Sawatch 15 degree quilt seems very promising.

-Sid

I'd like to see some MLD gear get reviewed. I havn't browsed all the articles, but I can't recall ever seeing any MLD reviews.

I havn't been a member for very long, and I don't contribute to the forums all that much, but I too have been frustrated with the reviews.

I too must admit that I joined to have access to reviews on less mainstream products that aren't reviewed by other sites or publications. I suspect that much of it has to do with the economics involved. Mainstream manufacturers have the ability to send out review samples quickly and with little or no cost. Cottage industry folks, particularly those on the cutting edge, have a day job as well and on extremely tight budgets.

I have found that more often than not I just order the stuff I think I want/need/would like, and try it out myself. Sometimes I really like it and sometimes I don't. My last venture was a Kookabay Downmat and I couldn't be more pleased.

I suspect I will be one of the first to order a Katabatic quilt as well. Even if I wait for a BPL review on something that interests me, it may not come until much of the season is over.

What I do feel is a very valuable resource is all of you on these forums and YOUR experience with gear. Sometimes the qualitative is worth as much as the quantitative.

To that point, why is the reader review section so slim? I think we could all do better and create a very valuable resource for everyone by sharing our findings.

I actually don't mind seeing reviews for some mainstream gear here. I feel that BPL does a far better job at reviews than any other site and is the reason I subscribe. If a review does not interest me, I skip it.

I know everybody likes gear, I do too, but I have gear.

I'd like more articles and trip reports. Also it would be nice if the digital copies of the magazines were free.

When I signed up I thought I was going to be getting a PDF or something once a month.

It's a business after all guys.

Don't forget that. I know it's hard, that's the dilemma of the social aspect of the community driven experience, but remember, that experience is powered by the grace of "a business".

Seriously, don't lose perspective and start thinking we own a part of this thing.

Hi Guys

You had better add to all the comments made so far that there aren't a great thundering horde of BPL Staff, and the few of us are already pretty busy. In between earning a living, that is.

That said, your comments are noted. We'll try ... But it is MUCH easier for a large company with a decent PR budget to hand over some gear for review compared to a tiny cottage industry company. Remember that too.

Cheers

Here's an idea if you are understaffed, or staff challenged and think you'd like to see more UL gear reviews.

Why not hand over some gear to certain members and have peer reviews? Or offer discounts/ something for submitted articles as reviews over and above the reader review section?

I'm sure there would be plenty of volunteers.

cheers,
fred

"it is MUCH easier for a large company with a decent PR budget to hand over some gear for review compared to a tiny cottage industry company. Remember that too."

True. How about buying a few of these pieces out of the BPL pot and selling them on gear swap after the test? I'm sure the cottage manufacturers would offer a discount such that the difference wouldn't be too great, as they benefit from the exposure too.

wow, this thread is getting alot of comments.
the point here is not to whine, just to bring up a topic for discussion-
it seems most of the responders are in agreement with my first post, and if that is the case, BPL staff might want to think about what products we the readers would like reviewed. I do not agree with the "small staff that have day jobs" arguement because most of the readers here also have day jobs and still manage to attain gear when it first comes out and post excellent reviews.
I also am not to sure about the business model someone mentioned. most periodicals rely on advertiser dollars to be able to publish. BPL relies on membership dollars to operate and therefore i think the readers should have a voice. of course, every subscriber can't be the CEO, but if a large group of subscribers is asking, discussing, etc. i think it would be wise for the staff of BPL to pay attention.

on the other side - i agree with the poster who suggested more reader input in the reader review section. this is a great idea. i've read through the reader review section many times while making decisions about which piece of gear to purchase.
I also feel like the readers and members are the real "gold" to BPL. i don't mind at all paying a small annual fee because of the great advice, reports, gear lists, trip reports, etc. oh, and lets not forget gear swap. without the staff, we wouldn't have this platform to unite in common interest.

another poster mentioned a desire for more trip reports. I, too, enjoy a good trip report and i think it would be an excellent area for BPL to expand on, i find some of the trip reports posted by members to be entertaining and educational while also showing me places to hike that i wasn't aware of.

Amen Jeff P. I'd like to challenge all of us (myself in included) to go on more trips, and then write about them! Do a creative trip and then submit an article. IMO the reviews here are tops, but gear is just gear. If you aren't using it, what's the point?

David, you make a great point and challenge to us all! Currently, there are several of us that regularly read/write thorough and content heavy trip reports, unfortunately they often get lost in the shuffle of countless threads and posts that fill the forums. A lot of work gets put into doing write ups then they're lost in the shuffle. Oh well. That's definitely more of a forum layout issue than a member issue.