Are Blog Reviews Worth Anything? Is Print Media Better?

Are blog reviews worth anything? This is a question that I have been kicking around since publishing a couple of posts on Negative Gear Reviews. In my first post, we asked: When is it appropriate to post a negative gear review? Rand Lindsay (Co-Founder of Trail Designs and the Caldera Cone alcohol stove) added some comments that got me thinking in different ways. We asked if there is really such a thing as Negative Gear Review? And many of you commented sharing your opinions.

Katadyn Hiker that I reviewed after purchase with my own money.

While developing that post Rand and I talked a lot about Gear Reviews. In the conversation he mentioned that blog reviews aren't very appealing to him as a Vendor. Rand said: “It is many times not in our interest to support a review from a blogger. Their reach is pretty limited and the ‘wild card’ factor hard to anticipate.” You never know how a blogger is going to represent a product. But, at the same time bloggers are easy to scope out. They have a lot of content available that revels their opinions and biases, and gives the vendor an opportunity to assess their ability to even write a review. Looking at these factors, Rand suggests, vendors will often times refuse to send free gear to a blogger in an attempt to “protect” their brand.

I must admit that hurt my pride a little. One of the reasons I started MyLifeOutdoors was in hopes of reviewing free gear. I thought that if I could develop a well respected voice in the outdoor community then companies would want to send me free gear to review. And many do, but most of those companies are new and trying to make a name for themselves. They will often offer me gear in exchange for a small link with a specific key word. This is all part of SEO development, which I admit, i don’t fully understand.

I asked Rand about blogger reviews. After all it seems to me that you have basically two types of people out there. They type that only read and respect Print Media, and the then you have your blogger types, who want to see a good blog review before buying a product. I happen to be one of the latter. I almost never buy a product unless I can read a blog review about it. I prefer the depth of blog reviews. Most Print reviews I read are brief, vague, with only one stock image. Where as blog reviews are in depth and have multiple photos. In my mind a smart company would seek both in an effort to appeal to the largest crowd possible.

Rand agreed with my assessment yet still hesitates to give out gear for blog reviews. he said:

“Our product is actually really good and popular......and there is no problem getting a lot of positive blog reviews.” [I Assume from bloggers who bought a stove with their own money.]   “Also, since we are so unique and patented, we essentially have no competition.   So, yes, blogs are very important to us because of everything you said.   But, also, because of everything you said we have to be careful with the bloggers we give it to.   If there are guys out there who never used alcohol stoves before, and love their pocket-rocket or whisperlite, they are going to hate our system......so we avoid those kinds of guys.”

So it seems, at least through my limited experience and research, that up and coming companies really need blogs to build a name for their gear. But once that name is built it has to be protected.

Rand went on to say:

“Print media, however, is  a slam dunk. Their reach is huge and they typically don't do a review if it isn't going to be favorable. Not saying they are doing bad reviews and putting out information they don't believe in.....more that they just won't say anything or won't even review it if it isn't something they think their readership will appreciate.”

Which brings up another question. When was the last time you saw a negative review in a magazine? This was recently asked about blogs, but I don’t think I have ever heard anyone ask that of print media. But I can’t remember ever seeing negative print review. And no one questions print media reviews. Blogs are now required by law to disclose how they received the gear they are reviewing. Are their similar laws governing Magazines? I don’t think I have ever seen such a disclosure in a magazine.

I don’t know the answers to these questions, and Rand is the only Vendor to give me insight from their side of things. Are their more vendors out their that would be willing to chime in? What about you? Are Blog reviews better? Is Print Media Better? What do you think about “protecting” your products name? What do you think about giving free gear in exchange for SEO links building and the like? I would really like to hear what you have to say? Please comment below.

Similar Posts:
Bad Gear Reviews: No Such Thing?
When is it Appropriate to Post a Negative Product Review? - A Discussion

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Win a Gregory Z45 BackPack - A Review of LeftLane Sports

Lets face it, outdoor gear is expensive. From boots to rain gear to packs and tents...it doesn't take long before your out several hundred, or several thousand dollars. I used to think ebay was the only way to get decent, albeit used, gear at affordable prices. But a little more then a year ago I came across a small discount gear website called LeftLane Sports, that changed the way I shop for and buy gear.

LeftLane Sports is what is known as a flash sale site, which basically means they have top of the line gear on sale at steep discounts for short lengths of time. Typically they will feature one brand at 50%-70% off for three days at a time.

When I first discovered LeftLane I couldn’t believe their prices, it seemed to good to be true. Others seemed to agree. I was getting a lot of search engine traffic with the search term “LeftLane Sports Scam.” I too was curious and decided to test the waters and make a purchase on some unbelievably discounted gear. With my first purchase LeftLane had a hiccup or two getting my gear to me within the promised time. I wrote a review based on my experience and posted it on MyLifeOutdoors. you can read that review here.

Since that time, however, I have had multiple dealings with LeftLane Sports. Within the last year I have purchased jackets, packs, boots, ski pants, knifes, shirts, pants, and even socks from LeftLane Sports. According to my order history I have made 14 separate purchases since December of 2010. Of those I have made at least five different returns or exchanges. All of my dealings have been pleasant and according to their published polices. Shipping times have become lightning fast. When I first started dealing with LeftLane Sports shipping seemed to take for ever. Now everything ships in one business day, often the same day.

I have been so impressed with my dealings with LeftLane Sports I hardly buy gear from anywhere else. If there is some piece of gear I need I will wait, because I know LeftLane will eventually sell it at steep discounts. Right now I’m in the market for a new set of Ski boots and Skis. Come on LeftLane, hook me up with something good.

The other part of LeftLane Sports I have come to love is their Give $10, Get $10 referral service. For everyone you refer to LeftLane Sports you get $10 in store credit, and so do they. In fact if you sign up using this link we will both get a free $10 credit. Credits only apply toward purchases over $50, and I don’t get my free credit until you make your first purchase.

Two things you should know about LeftLane is returns are only good toward store credit. They will not refund your credit card. And hot items sell out fast. There may be a 3 day sale on your favorite brand, but the good stuff will be gone in the first few hours due to popularity and limited quantities. It doesn't always work out this way...but I never risk it. If I want an item I buy it fast before it sells out.

To make things even better LeftLane Sports is very generous. I contacted them and told them I would be writing this review. I asked if they wanted to sweeten the pot by throwing in a free piece of gear for a giveaway. They came back with a Gregory Z45 BackPack. A $180 value, free for you to win. There are multiple ways to enter with several chances to win. The only required entry is that you be a member of LeftLane Sports. New members who sign up with the link provided will receive a free $10 credit whether they win or not. Enter below through the Rafelopter interface. Good Luck

The contest will end at Midnight EST on Sunday 1/29/2012. I will announce a winner within the next few days.

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Grand View Point - Grand Tetons National Park

The name says it all: Grand View Point. My family and I were looking for a short easy hike that could get us away from the crowds of Grand Tetons National Park. And that is just what we found tucked away at the end of a short dirt road just off the main highway. Anybody following us would have thought we made a wrong turn down a road closed to the public. At least thats what we were hoping as we pulled up to the trail head and found only one other car. With any luck we wouldn’t see another soul.

Looking East from Grand View Point - Grand Tetons National Park

And we were pretty lucky. The owners of the one other car passed us just as we set foot on the trail. They had already been up and were headed back to their car. We talked for a bit before continuing on. We were in no hurry. We had all day to hike the short 1.1 mile trail.

For a short trail, however, it gains a lot of altitude. I had my 2 year old on my back with my wife and 10 year old in tow. It didn’t take long before we were all a bit winded. “I thought you said this would be an easy hike” my wife said. She was nursing a injured tow from our 5 day backpack through Glacier the week before. The pain was forcing her to hike in sandals and the steep incline of Grand View Trail wasn’t making it any better. “We will be there before you know it.” I said. And we were. Moments later we started to catch Grand Views between the trees. First of the Tetons to the West. Then of some meadows and lakes to the East. And before we knew it we had reached what felt like the summit of this short trail.

Grand View Point Trail

Heading up Grand View Point Trail

Tetons through the Trees

Grand View Point Trail

Grand View Point Trail

Looking East from the Grand View Point Trail

Looking South East from the Grand View Point Trail

I took off the child carrier and let our littlest one stretch her legs. Looking West you could see the entire Teton range in full panoramic view. Jackson lake sprawled out before their feet with large islands in full view. To the East small natural lakes surrounded by forest beckoned me to more hiking and exploring. This was indeed a Grand View. My family and I sat up their for the better part of an hour. Breathing in the fresh mountain air and taking in the country side. It was a good moment, with a view that never changed but was better then any TV show.

My Youngest at Grand View Point

Looking out at the Grand Tetons and Jackson Lake just below Grand View Point

My two daughters looking out toward Jackson Lake and the Grand Tetons

Grand Tetons and Jackson Lake from Grand View Point

As we were getting ready to leave I saw that the trail continued north. I thought we had reached the top, but Grand View Point was actually about another 10th of a mile down the trail. A sign marked the true summit and as it turns out the real Grand View Point didn’t have as Grand Views as where before. Trees completely blocked the view of the Tetons to the West. The best views, with practically a 360 field of view lay back down the trail a little ways.

Marker at Grand View Point - Grand Tetons National Park

A bee on a nearby flower

Having accomplished what we set out to do my family and I headed back down the short 1.1 mile trail back to our car. We never saw another soul the rest of the time we were there, which made this trail quite a gem in an otherwise crowded park. Short, not too hard, with plenty of solitude. This hike was one of our favorites of all time.

My Littlest was asleep before we made it back to the car.

The Hike:
Length: 1.1 Miles One Way
Starting Elevation: 6892 feet
Ending Elevation: 7823 feet
Elevation Change: 931 feet

Map of Grand View Trail - Grand Tetons National Park

Getting There:
The road can be hard to find as there is no signs or other markers to distinguish it. Just a small dirt road off the main hwy. Head North 0.9 miles from the Jackson Lake Lodge. (see map below). Once you are on the dirt road stay left at both of the forks and follow the road until it dead ends at the trail head. High Clearance vehicles are recommended.

Dirt Road Entrance: 43.894181, -110.571556
Trail Head: 43.899160, -110.561728
Grand View Point: 43.908746, -110.560055


View Larger Map

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Woe To You Dr. Pepper - How a Part of Texas Died and Who's to Blame

I don’t know anything about Joyce Meyer, but her words seem to fit: “If I have to build a big company by mistreating other people then the Bible says WOE to me. I don't know what that is, but I don't want any of it.” Woe to you Dr Pepper Snapple Group, for your greed has killed a Texas icon.

I don’t normally write about topics that don’t, in some way, pertain to hiking, backpacking, camping, or the like. But I know I have a good number of Texas readers, and any self respecting Texan needs to know how Dublin Dr. Pepper died.

A Dublin Dr Pepper bottle. One of the last to ever be made.

I was laying in bed wednesday night when I got a text from a friend that said: “At 5pm today there is no more Dublin Dr. Pepper.” For those who don’t know Dublin Dr. Pepper is sweetened with a pure cane sugar formula dating back to 1891, when Dublin Dr. Pepper got its start. Unlike any other Dr. Pepper, the taste is considered by many (including myself) to be some of the best soda known to man. But DPS recently sued the small town Dublin Dr. Pepper bottling company for altering the Dr. Pepper logo and selling their unique formula under the name Dublin Dr. Pepper.

Dublin Dr. Pepper was the oldest Dr Pepper Bottler in the World, killed by the greed of its parent company.

For my family Dublin Dr. Pepper is an elusive treat. Something we only get when we drive out of our way to the small town of Dublin to visit the bottling plant and buy one or two six packs of the heavenly soda. The rest of the year we spend our money on regular Dr. Pepper. But not anymore. DPS has gone too far, and I know I am not alone when I say their greed knows no bounds.

If you go to Dublin today you can still find Cane Sweetened Dr. Pepper. But its not made by the Dublin Company, nor will it bare the name Dublin Dr. Pepper. It seems some time ago DPS realized Dublin Dr. Pepper was better and began selling “nostalgic” Dr. Pepper sweetened with pure cane sugar. I bought some at our local grocery store. But it wasn’t the same as Dublin Dr. Pepper, something was different. It seems now that DPS has realized they couldn’t compete with Dublin Dr. Pepper and so they decided to bully them around until they gave up their lunch money. And now a part of Texas is dead.

A historic photo of the Dublin Dr. Pepper Bottling Plant, still in existence today

It is my hope that enough Texans raise enough stink about this that DPS comes crawling back to Dublin begging them to reopen their production. I hope enough texans send letters and e-mails protesting this shameful act of greed. Right now I have three small bottles of Dublin Dr. Pepper sitting in my fridge. They are probably the last three I will ever see.

Woe to you Dr. Pepper Snapple Group.

If you would like to contact Dr Pepper Snapple Group and tell them how you feel, you can do so by following this link

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Bad Gear Reviews: No Such Thing?

There is no such thing as a Bad Gear Review, because there is no such thing as bad gear...only specialized gear.

Let me explain:

Last week I published a post about bad gear reviews and asked “when it was appropriate to publish a bad review?” Part of of the discussion revolved around the idea of contacting companies before publishing a bad review...to see if they would listen.

Most of the responses we received were from the viewpoint of the end-users. different bloggers who are used to using gear...but have probably never designed gear for retail sale. This week, however, I received a response from Rand Lindsly who is the co-founder of Trail Designs and co-creator of the Caldera Cone Alcohol Stove. As a cottage manufacture Rand’s products have received a wide range of reviews, allowing him to comment from the viewpoint of the vendor.

Trail Designs Team. photo by George "Tin Man" Andrews

What if “bad” gear doesn't really exist. Only specialized gear that falls into the hands of reviewers that don’t have the needs designed to be met by the gear they are reviewing. Thus they give the gear a bad review.

Here is part of what Rand had to say:

“I suppose there might be some "bad" products out there that need to be slammed.....but not likely....and if so, not many.   More likely, there are just products out there that are designed for certain purposes and needs, and they find their way into the hands of reviewers that either don't understand their purposes, don't need their strengths, or have a completely different conceptual paradigm they are comfortable with and can't get their head around the product.

This is really the danger......getting a "review" that comes from a biased viewpoint that isn't reviewing the gear, but trying to fit a square peg/solution into a hole they have defined as round.”

This intrigues me. If you think about it, companies spend a good deal of money on designing, testing, and refining gear. All in order to meet specific needs of their end users. Different people have different needs. If you have gear that doesn't meet your needs...you will not have a high opinion of that gear.

A simple example: Suppose you are sent a bivy to review, but have previously always hiked with a (relatively larger) tent. You might review the bivy as “cramped, with no room to change clothes.” Or suppose you need a sleeping bag that can be easily washed. You are sent a down bag to review and throw it in the washer only to find the down gets terribly heavy when wet, ripping through the bags baffling. You might review the bag as “poorly constructed” Or “poor choice of materials” Neither of these reviews would be accurate. The gear isn’t bad gear...it simply wasn’t designed to meet those needs.

Even “cheap” gear made from lesser quality materials is designed to meet a specific need, that of the budget minded end-user. If you are in need of better quality...you have to pay for it. If you review a $20 tent from Wal-mart and say “It didn’t hold up on my through hike of the AT.” Its because it wasn’t designed to.

What it all boils down to is the bias of the reviewer. We need to realize we are all human and have a hard time opening our minds to products that fall outside our preferences. But a good reviewer will look past his bias. As Rand says “the pressure is on the reviewer to be completely open minded about what the vendor is trying to do, and look at the product from the viewpoint of the audience they are trying to reach.” This is something I think print media has managed to do, and something bloggers could learn from.

So the question isn’t “when is it appropriate to write a bad review” but rather “Is this gear designed to meet my needs? And if it isn’t, don’t we have a responsibility to not review the gear in question?

I would really like to know what you think. Is there such a thing as “bad” gear? Are reviewers being unfair when they review gear that doesn't meet their needs? What happens when gear is designed to meet your needs but fails to? Is it bad gear, or false advertising? I would really like to know what you think.

Please add your comments below.

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My Life Outdoors: 2011 The Year in Review

Well 2011 is coming to a close and I find myself, once again, writing a Year in Review post, despite my strong dislike for such posts. But 2011 was a great year for me. At this time last year I was aggressively participating in a contest hosted by Active Agion to win an all expense paid trip to Glacier National Park. Shortly after 2011 began I discovered I had won that trip. It was a chance of a lifetime and probably the only way I was ever going to get to see Glacier National Park. It changed my life, and now I don't think I am going to be able to stay away.

Below, is my posts from our Glacier Trip we won.

• Goat Haunt to Waterton River - Rainbow Falls
• Lake Francis
• Brown Pass and Hole in the Wall - Glacier National Park
• Bowman Lake - Glacier National Park

Apart from that My Life Outdoors became MyLifeOutdoors.com when I finally obtained that domain. I got the chance to hike the South Rim Loop in Big Bend National Park. Large portions of Texas caught fire due to extreme drought. I received a long awaited SPOT messenger for Fathers Day and had to begin contemplating the Responsibility of such a device. In September I surveyed the outdoor blogosphere to determine the The Hiker's Choice Top Outdoor Blog. And eventually wrote some thoughts on Why We Hike. Now the year comes to and end and I believe I have made new friends in the Outdoor Blogosphere. At the risk of leaving someone out:

• Tim and Robin at Appalachia & Beyond
• Karl at Live Free and Hike NH
• Jeff at The Huckleberry Hiker
• Adam at Hiking The Trail
• Greg at Hiking Fiasco
• Tim and everyone at Trail Sherpa
• Beth at Our Appalachia
• David at Wilderness Dave
• Paul at The Outdoor Adventure
• Pablo at Family Wilds

If your not on the list...I apologize...Its probably because I don't feel like you consider me a friend. So if I'm wrong...drop me a line and let me know how good of a friend you are. And I will make sure your on this list next year. 

Most of all I want to thank you for reading and helping me feel like I have a voice in the Outdoor Blogosphere. I really enjoy writing My Life Outdoors and derive satisfaction from knowing someone is actually reading this stuff. Despite my dyslexia and grammar issues. Thank you again. 

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Lower Falls and South Rim Trail - Yellowstone National Park

All my life, I have dreamed of going to Yellowstone National Park. So this summer after winning a trip to Glacier National Park we decided to drop south and visit Yellowstone for a few days. I was disappointed. Which may seem sacrilegious for an outdoors blog, but Yellowstone simply couldn’t live up to 30 years of expectations cooked up in my mind. Had I had time or energy to venture deep into the backcountry I might have felt different, but one thing is for certain, Yellowstone front country is sadly filled with gift shops, gas stations, parking lots and other “amenities” that detract from the otherwise breathtaking scenery. Having said that, however, there were still parts I managed to enjoy.

Lower Falls from Artist Point

Of all the attractions offered at Yellowstone, Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone proved the most rewarding. My family and I pulled up to the overflowing parking lot at Artiest Point. It took us hours just to get into the parking lot due to the clog of cars blocking the road to take pictures of an Elk. I regret to say I added to the part of yellowstone I hate by stopping myself and taking a picture of the same Elk.

Roadside Elk causing quite a traffic jam

Once we reached Artiest Point the views of Lower Falls and the Yellowstone River were simply amazing. The crowds present at Artiest point, however, rivaled those at Wal-mart on black friday. Desperately seeking escape from the crowds we ventured down the short South Rim Trail that was clearly marked as a Bear Frequenting Area. I was willing to take my chances if it meant getting away from the people.

Lower Falls from Artiest Point

Lower Falls from Artiest point

Bear Frequenting Area

The South Rim Trail proved very pleasant and practically isolated. We passed a few people as we hiked but that was all, a few. The South Rim afforded beautiful, up close views of Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon with the occasional view of Lower Falls.

The surprisingly desolate South Rim Trail

Up Close views of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Views along the South Rim Trail

Lower Falls viewed from the South Rim Trail

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone from the South Rim Trail

At the West end of the South Rim Trail we found Uncle Tom’s Trail. A brochure promised up close and personal views at the base of Lower Falls via 328 steps. Going down is easily deceptive and we all decided to go see the enormous falls.

Sign at Uncle Tom's Trail

Down, down, down the Uncle Tom "trail"

328 steps later we were close to the falls but hardly at the base. But we were rewarded by up close views of beautiful rainbows caused by the the falls billowing mist. Then punished by a steep climb back up the crowded steps.

Lower Falls from Uncle Tom's Trail

Yellowstone River from Uncle Tom's Trail

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and Yellowstone River

Rainbow at the bottom of Lower Falls

All in all Lower Falls is breathtakingly Beautiful. Had this short hike been miles from paved roads and other signs of civilization I would have been beside myself. As it stands now the NPS has done a terrible job of upholding their mission to leave the Natural Beauty unimpaired. But if you find yourself in Yellowstone, as I believe everyone should at least one in their life, be sure to escape the crowds on this short, easy hike along the South Rim.

Map of Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

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My Life Outdoors Now Available on Kindle

My Life Outdoors is now available in the Kindle Store for monthly subscription fee of $.99. I would have offered to you for free, but Amazon wouldn't let me. So if it is more convenient for you to receive My Life Outdoors on your Kindle, downloaded so you can read it even when you are away from your internet connection, it is now available for the low low price of $11.88 a year. Of which I will only receive 30%. But I'm not doing it for the money...I'm doing it for your connivence.

If you are interested you can search My Life Outdoors in the Kindle Store. Or follow this link: My Life Outdoors for Kindle.

If you are interested in publishing your blog through Kindle's Blog Service the process is simple. You will need to set up a Kindle Publishing Account and give them your tax ID and Bank Account info. Then provide your blog’s RSS feed, a description, a screenshot, and then wait for Amazon’s approval process. I was up in just a day or so...though Amazon never told me when I was approved...I just happened to look a couple of days after I applied and saw that I was already in the Kindle Store. Oh and Amazon sets the price they believe is fair for your Blog. Most of the ones I have seen are $.99 a month.

I got the idea from Hiking The Trail. Adam's in the Kindle Store too.

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Win a Free Tool Logic Knife - Merry Christmas

I wanted to post something special for Christmas, but not just another "Merry Christmas." And since Christmas is all about giving I thought I should give something away. So to celebrate Christmas with everyone who may be trying to escape their in-laws after Christmas lunch, I have a Tool Logic SL Plier up for grabs.

The Tool Logic SL Plier states: The look and feel of a tactical folder with the versatility of pliers. The knife features a three inch Carbon Stainless Blade on one end and spring loaded pliers (with wire cutters) on the other. One end has an interchangeable flat and phillips screwdriver bit with two sizes of each. The unused bit conveniently clips onto the side of the knife.

To win is easy. Simply mention @MyLifeOutdoors in a twitter post that says "I want to win a free Tool Logic Knife." Or use the tweet this button below.

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I will give you until 8:00 pm (CST) tomorrow night (12-26-2011) to tweet. And then announce the winner on Tuesday. I hope you win.

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When is it Appropriate to Post a Negative Product Review? - A Discussion

A free knife I received to review

“When’s the last time you read a bad product review on a blog?” This was the question asked by Chris Wallace on Twitter yesterday. It is a subject of quite a bit of concern. Bloggers have motivation to post positive reviews. For one, companies like to send us free stuff if we will write about it. I have thought, as I’m sure several bloggers have, “if I write a negative review, companies wont want to send me free stuff anymore.”

So the question is: are any blog reviews worth anything? I certainly hope so. Here at MyLifeOutdoors I make it my duty to only post honest reviews. In other words, I won’t say I like something if I really thought it was crap. But most of the reviews I have written have been positive, mainly because I think twice before posting a negative review. I admit (as does Brian at Brian’s Backpacking Blog) I have been guilty of not posting a product review because I didn’t like the product. A sort of “if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all.” But this could be unfair to my readers. After all, I honestly want to know if a product is crap before I buy. I’m sure you do too. So the question becomes... when is it appropriate to post a negative review?

Free gloves I received to review

My first response was to look at the company producing the product. Is the company in its early stages (an upstart) with everything on the line. A negative review could sink such a company. On the other hand, a huge company (with deep pockets)...a negative review wont even phase them. I have a harder time giving the former a negative review, and will easily give the latter what they deserve.

But the latter don’t need reviews, at least not often. They have made a name for themselves and will sell products with or without blog reviews. Only once have I been offered a product by a well known manufacture. And then the never sent it anyway.

Most of the products I am offered to review are from companies who are trying to get their name out into the outdoor community. They have spent their life’s savings on a small production run and are offering a handful to bloggers in hopes we can help publicize their product. Most of these offers I don’t even respond to, because I know they won’t like what I have to say.

But Chris brings up a good point. Are we doing the company a disservice by allowing them to go to market with a crummy product? Maybe what we bloggers should do is review the product and then send it to the manufacture for consideration before posting it publicly on our blogs. This would, hopefully, allow the company to make needed changes before a large production is made. I don’t know. Would a company even listen...I would say most are sold on their product the way it is. They might even become defensive.

But what I really want to know is what you think? After all you (my readers) are my first obligation.

When is it appropriate to post a negative review?


Should I post all reviews, even if they are negative?

And what I would really like to know from you...

Should I accept all products offered to me, no matter how small or silly, no matter how I think I might feel about them, and review them for you all to read?

I would really like to know what you think.

To see the whole twitter discussion please visit the Storify created by Tookie Bunten

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