View Full Version : Is Backpacker Magazine a quality
publication? Is it worth getting a subscription?
fiddlehead
03-15-2006, 23:14
get the prescription if you are into: dirt bikes, big pickup trucks, snowmobiling and lots of ads for heavy gear that no one uses on a thru. check out their feb issue and you will see that snowmobiling yellowstone was what was featured that month. and the ads are amazing: trucks, bikes, and such
timhines
03-15-2006, 23:50
i paid 6 bucks for a year's subscription. I wouldn't pay any more than that.
If you don't already donate to WB and only have one place to donate, your money is better spent right here on WB. If you like to read gushy reviews of sponsors gear and find new secret places to hike that will immediately after publication become not so secret, by all means get the mag.
I like it because it features alot of places my wife and I have hiked. It is nice to re visit them. I agree on the ads and gear reviews. For example, you will never find a review of Froggs Toggs even though it is one of the most popular foul weather gear you find on the trail. Froggs Toggs don't cost much and they dont advertise in backpacker.
Almost There
03-16-2006, 00:17
Join the American Hiking Society, a good cause and you get a free subscription to Backpacker!
I think it's a super magazine, serving it's target very well. I used to be in ad sales, and very successful at it before I decided to switch careers.
If you are cheap, and want free things or are in some kind of alternative world in which you have angst over how much stuff REALLY costs, or you value material things you can't afford and get pissed that others can, this is not a pub for you. If, on the other hand, you use it to dream about what you may be able to buy or do when you actually are older than 22 and have a little bit of discretionary income-- or use it for a launching pad, think twice about dissing an extremely successful venture. Whiners = yawn, big yawn.
You do get what you pay for. If you want a magazine that costs $5.00 for a subscription, then you have no clue how much it costs to produce a quality product that appeals to a mass audience.
If you don't like it, as my grandpa used to say : "quit your bitchin'." Use your money for something else. Like a $5.00 Starbucks where you can try to impress the barista with your hiking savvy.... :-? Sue
Actually, if you search on backpacker.com, you will find a frogg toggs review.
I like it because it features alot of places my wife and I have hiked. It is nice to re visit them. I agree on the ads and gear reviews. For example, you will never find a review of Froggs Toggs even though it is one of the most popular foul weather gear you find on the trail. Froggs Toggs don't cost much and they dont advertise in backpacker.
I havn't looked at one since they ran a: 6 FULL page article with color glossy pics & a map of hiking the wilds of, , , , San Fransisco. In the same issue were: 6 ads for SUVs, 2 for ATVs & countless ones for non-self propelled travel items. and a 1/3 page article on One Leg, (full page pic) well written, but the only one of any interest, and the only one well written.
I agree with the others, send the subscritpion price to WB (Or: the ATC, ALDHA, AHS, etc.)
IMHO, Tim Hines $6.00 "Ill pay that" subscription price is about $5.50 too much.
Doctari.
Mr. Clean
03-16-2006, 06:46
and not really worth it. The gear reviews were interesting once upon a time, but they've gone downhill lately.
gsingjane
03-16-2006, 08:06
Does your local library subscribe to Backpacker? I would go there and read a few months' worth of issues and see if it seems like you would like it well enough to purchase it. I used to subscribe but it seemed very West Coast-oriented, so now I just read it in the library. But sometimes then, too, I'll buy it on the newstand just to have something outdoorsy when I'm trapped on Metro North!
Jane in CT
It seems that I'm in the minority, which is certainly nothing new. I subscribe to and enjoy reading Backpacker. I like seeing the new gear and reading the reviews. I'm too cheap to ever buy anything new now that I have the gear needed for my purposes, but it's fun to look. And when I first started hiking, I learned of the Shires tarptent, Western Mountaineering bags, Go-lite packs in the magazine.
I enjoyed reading the latest issue, particularly the full-page interview with Squeaky. I get the Southeast edition and have learned of quite a few places to hike in my area.
I don't like the ads for the off-road trucks, jeeps, cycles, etc., but I can understand the magazine's need to pay the costs. And I think it would be an interesting Whiteblaze poll to see how many and what kinds of cars, trucks, jeeps, tanks, cycles, etc. people have. I'd bet that Ford, Jeep, Honda, et al know their target audience very well and have enough demographic data to show a high correlation between SUV or truck buyers and hiking enthusiasts.
themooseisloose
03-16-2006, 09:08
I subscribe, and I think it's decent. Some of the articles are actually well written and interesting and some are god awful (there's one of both in this month's issue). They get the info on some cool things I hadn't heard elsewhere (eg, Patagonia using recycled fabrics).
I couldn't possibly care less who advertises in the magazine. To be honest, I don't really look at the ads. So a car company advertises an SUV. So they pay the bills. It doesn't mean I have to go buy one. When I was in college, I sometimes read the glam-type magazines, and the first 25 pages or so (literally) were all ads. I just skipped them.
Sure, it's imperfect and sure, there is a lot I would change. But for a couple of bucks a year, it's something to read in the gym.
bigmac_in
03-16-2006, 09:16
Being new to backpacking (in the past year), I can tell you this - I have purchased Backpacker magazine a few times and have learned 100 times more right here on Whiteblaze.net !
Save your money on the subscription, and spend the time you would have used reading the magazine to search the forums here.
dje97001
03-16-2006, 09:19
I really enjoy browsing the annual gear guide.
mrmike48/4000
03-16-2006, 09:27
i think the mag is great. the price is a little steep but not outrageous[3yr subscrip/36$]...to all the hikers who do not appreciate backpacker, oh well to each their own..name another magazine that caters to the world of hiking like backpacker does. i guess most people have to gripe about sumthing so why not attack backpacker.. seems to me everyone who posted is still sumwhat active when it comes to reading the magazine. name me another mag that has highlited hikes in your home area, or has a gear guide review, or teaches survival techniques or just hits home with all us hikers like it does.. i can think of a few mags but not worthy of mentioning in this post. BP RULES!!!IF YOU DO NOT LIKE BACKPACKER GO TAKE THE SUB FEE AND GET COFFEE FOR 1 WEEK ITS ABOUT THE SAME PRICE.. NOW THATS A BARGAIN, NOT!!!!!!!:sun
they need more hammock stuff to make it better:cool: neo
Blue Jay
03-16-2006, 11:08
name another magazine that caters to the world of hiking like backpacker does.
Better Homes and Gardens, Cosmoplitan, Fortune, in fact I can't think of an example the other way.
gr8fulyankee
03-16-2006, 11:20
I like to review the back of the mag for the maps, so I know where all patagonia weekend hikers are headed so I can avoid that area.
The Solemates
03-16-2006, 12:10
for the record, i was a backpacker subscriber for nearly 10 years. i stopped subscribing around 2003 after it seriously started going downhill. its more like the magazine Outside now...so much hype about $400 jackets and $500 sleeping bags that about 5% of the backpacking population actually use (ie, weekenders who take 2 trips a year and have to have the latest gear to do so because they have too much money). and the only reason for the hype is advertizement. seriously, when was the last time you saw a gear review in backpacker that was truly objective. big companies pay to have their stuff reviewed because it is just like paying for an ad. it sucks big time.
QHShowoman
03-16-2006, 12:16
Several years ago I had a subscription to Fitness Swimmer (I think that's what its name was), which was published by Rodale Press. About 14 months after subscribing, I received a notice from Rodale that Fitness Swimmer would no longer be published and to fulfill the remainder of my 2-year subscription, I could choose another Rodale Press magazine. None of the titles were to my liking, so I selected Backpacker for my aunt, who was an avid camper/hiker/scout leader.
When I started receiving the magazine, I'd immediately give them to my aunt ... then one day the cover must have caught my attention because I found myself reading it. I collected all the back issues I had ignored and started reading them as well. Pretty soon, the magazine rekindled my love for the outdoors (which had been until then limited to day hikes, car camping, and some weeklong trips as an assitant scout leader). Living in NYC, I found myself poring over gear at EMS while waiting for my bus (the store was conveniently located behind the bus stop!), making monthly pilgrimmages to Campmor, and hiking and camping whenever I could.
Is it the best magazine on backpacking? As it's one of the few backpacking/general outdoorsports magazines (Hooked! is the other that comes to mind, but I hate Outside) that I've been able to find with widespread distribution, it may not be everything I want it to be, but its the best I've seen in terms of print matter. I think its title is a bit misleading ... it seems to be less focused on actual backpacking and more on enjoying all sorts of outdoor activities. Although I question some of their ads, I understand the importance of advertising to a magazine's publication and on occasion, I learn about new gear from their ads. The pictures are pretty, and there is usually at least one article I find of interest each issue, so it's great bathroom/bus/boredom reading. And the subscription price is cheap enough (I just got an offer to extend my subscription at $1.85/issue for 3 years) that yeah, I think its a worthwhile investment.
Just Jeff
03-16-2006, 12:25
I thought it was pretty good when it was about backpacking. Then they had a big shift and started reviewing multisport trips and such. If I wanted to read about scuba diving, I would have subscribed to a scuba magazine. Since I also subscribed to Outside at that time, it was kinda irritating to get two magazine about the same thing. I let both subscriptions expire, but I still pick up the Gear Guide when it comes out.
expenditioner
03-16-2006, 12:39
I would not have discovered this site had they not mentioned it in Backpacker.
Pacific Tortuga
03-16-2006, 13:04
[quote=bigmac_in]Being new to backpacking (in the past year), I can tell you this - I have purchased Backpacker magazine a few times and have learned 100 times more right here on Whiteblaze.net !
Save your money on the subscription, and spend the time you would have used reading the magazine to search the forums here.[/quote
I agree with this 99.99%,I wouldn't compare it to one's Bible but 1998-2002 I thought Backpacker Mag. was the hikers gospel truth. Breathable,lighter,more water resistant better fit jump higher run longer or was that Ked's tennis shoes?anyway more $$$.$$ got to "have" stuff.The JMT looked like one of those fashion runways and to me just as sexy as Victoria's Secret(in a different way)Then WB and "SHA-ZAM" you all have shown me the light.Thank you all and I will be a donater soon.
/
i got a subscription as a gift.
what follows is simply my opinion:
as suggested, it does cost a lot of money to produce a magazine with so many color glossy pictures. it does involve taking in massive advertising revenue. it may even require what i consider prejudicial gear reviews favoring those companies that advertise... and it may take numerouus short, choppy, ill-written and uninformative (to me) articles to appeal to an audience that will pay for a subscription. i thought the brevity of the article on Squeaky was an insult to the man's achievement... but if the target audience can't deal with more than a one-page sound-bite, so be it. i don't have to subscribe. the crazy graphics, odd type faces, and bizarre angles of some text boxes drive me nuts as well. i expect journalism from a magazine-real stories with substance, not the latest fad... i expect to learn from a magazine, and not be told simply that i have to carry matches and a compass in the woods... i want substance, not hype...
there is an audience out there to whom this magazine is appealing. the gear issue is of some interest, but i dont' give the reveiws much stock. as an example, when Western Mountaineering didn't advertise in it much, if at all, last year, their bags weren't mentioned... these are some of the most expensive and well-made bags in the world... yet they were left out. this year, they've been included... so much for real coverage of what gear is best... as suggested, i also wonder at the content of some ads (SUVs, ATVs, and, still sticking in my mind like a bad nightmare, the pack on page 28 of this years gear issue... talk about over-engineering for a backpack! maybe if i was climing everest... but not for my style of camping and hiking...)
i guess there is a niche... i'm just not part of it.... flannel, jeans, cotton t-shirts, comfortable shoes, paid-for cars, a non-working spouse, two kids who still have to earn their money doing chores (girls... and they mow the lawn and wash the cars), basic cable, no cell phone, and living in a small town... that's as complicated as i am... i don't even have to dress up to go to church. i did the coat and tie thing and owned my own business in a mid-sized city for 6 years, lest you think i'm just an uneducated redneck. did 11 years as an army officer too. i enjoy a magazine that teaches me something, like national geographic, the newspaper, newsweek, horses illustrated, discovery kids, zoobooks, or quick cooking. i don't need advertisers telling me what works...
save your money and donate to WB or your local trail club.
I think it's a super magazine, serving it's target very well. I used to be in ad sales, and very successful at it before I decided to switch careers.
Since you were very succecssful in ad sales, what is its target audience?
I am over 22, though I am not rich..I am unmarried male with some discretionary income. Reasonably well educated.
I think outdoor magazines in general are terrible. Lots of sizzle and no steak. Television also appeals to a mass audience as well..doesn't make it good.
In all fairness, I will read the magazine on occasision as it does contain some articles I find interesting once in a while. But. that's what my local book store/ library is for. :)
Then again, I grew up in an enironment that put more respect on steak than sizzle. I suspect that environment gave me a jaundiced view towards glossy magazines with fluff.
YMMV.
Better Homes and Gardens, Cosmoplitan, Fortune, in fact I can't think of an example the other way.
:)
AH..you beat me to it!
Backpacker Mag is not about backpacking. It is about the Outdoor Lifestyle.
Does not make it a bad magazine..but does make it a bad choice for a magazine about backpacking. The articles can be interesting. The ads can be relevant to a certain demographic. But the magazine ain't about backpacking. That's all I ever said
Capish Dr Sukie ?
DawnTreader
03-16-2006, 13:26
I wish BP Magazine was different.. It could be much more than it is. I would say that as far as hiking advice, practical gear and general preperation is concerned, you are better off here on white blaze, but if for some reason, you need an overwhelming gourge of gear reviews, I guess the magazine would do the trick. I hate it, can't stand the advertising. Not to mention the fact that BP rarely gives a bad review. They will post the downsides of certain products, but never.. this sucks, don't buy it. they have to much at stake for that. Bottom line... this site is the shizzznittt and you shouldn't need BP Magazine if you really take advantage of all the hikers knowledge on these forums...Happy Trails....DawnTreader
Rodale also publishes Runner's World and they seem to like saving money by tweeking some stories just a bit and then running them in both mags with the different angles. I've let RW expire for the same reasons many have complained about for BP.
However, I used my airline miles to get Backpacker free for 3 years. Can't remember the site, but I'm sure a dogpile or google search could direct you there. You just put in the airline and your freq flyer #, they debit your mileage whatever you agreed to. Other than being sick to death of hearing about Glenn Canyon, I do like the inspiration BP provides for me. Whenever it arrives, I always start thinking about ways to get away for at least a weekend... and sometimes I even make it happen.
I have never had a subscription to backpacker and for years have shared the same opinions as many here on the site. HOWEVER, now that I am gonna work for them and get paid $$$ while hiking to test gear I guess I need to support a pro readership. Just the fact that coming soon in a publication near you will be my written and honest words about gear should be a reason every single person on white blaze get a subscription.
I am currently testing snowshoes, a tent, backpack and sleeping bag for them.
Dawn Treader,
Now that's a great trail name!
Lobster,
You asked, “Is Backpacker Magazine a quality publication? Is it worth getting a subscription?”
I suspect the magazine fulfills the requirement for a “quality publication.”
I think I still have a subscription.
I subscribed a looong time ago. Other subscriptions morphed into Backpacker subscriptions. Gift subscriptions to Backpacker were received. Renewal notices come early, and I renewed, renewed, and renewed. My subscription will probably expire after I do. I ignore renewal notices. The magazine goes to the landfill unless there’s an interesting picture on the cover, which prompts me to look at the photos hinted at by the cover; then the magazine goes express service to the landfill.
If you are new to backpacking, and I mean BRAND SPANKING NEW, the magazine is probably a very worthwhile read. You have arrived at this site, however, and you’ll find everything here the magazine has to offer, in a shorter period of time, and you'll receive information the magazine won’t offer. If you don't find it here, ask, and it will be forthcoming.
The magazine has a simple index and better photography; those are its advantages as I see them.
CanadianRidgeRunner
03-16-2006, 23:41
I am new here...but not new to Backpacker Mag....
Background....I have had a subscription of some sort (whether gift or purchased myself) for about 10 years. And in the past 3 years it has really gone downhill...I agree that it isn't only about backpacking, they cover a lot of other activities, which IMHO, is not what I am paying for. The ads...well they don't need those to be profitable....they can still turn a profit with subscriptions and newstand purchases. BUT it is America, or North America, and nobody is forcing anyone to purchase the magazine. My biggest problem with Backpacker Magazine, one that has caused me to try and cancel my subscription twice in the past two years...is the fact that as I stated earlier, I have had a subscription for the past ten years, and they still include those stupid inserts telling me what a great deal it is....asking me to buy a subscription...etc. This isn't only annoying it is environmentally unethical, especially when they preach eco friendly/enviromental concern out of one side of the mouth, and then waste paper, and energy on existing customers. I myself have tired of the same articles every month. The gear guide was good, now it is good to compare prices and weights at a quick glance....everything else is just fluff...
But some of that fluff is still pretty good. :-?
QHShowoman
03-17-2006, 00:05
The ads...well they don't need those to be profitable....they can still turn a profit with subscriptions and newstand purchases.
Really? I'd be interested to hear how a magazine can still be widely accessible AND profitable without paid advertising. Ms. Magazine tried to go this route and they had to jack up their price to over $5 an issue, reduce the number of issues per year from 12 to 4 and was drowning in the red until the Feminist Majority Foundation rescued it.
I have had a subscription for the past ten years, and they still include those stupid inserts telling me what a great deal it is....asking me to buy a subscription...etc. This isn't only annoying it is environmentally unethical, especially when they preach eco friendly/enviromental concern out of one side of the mouth, and then waste paper, and energy on existing customers.
Direct Marketing 101: In the print world, pricing is based on quantity. The greater quantities of blow-ins (those annoying little subscription cards that fall out the minute you open the magazine) and tear-outs (those annoying cards hinged under the fold) you have produced, the cheaper your overall cost. It would significantly raise Rodale's production costs to produce two versions of the magazine (one for non-subscribers with blow ins, the other without for subscribers) and increase production time. Besides, it's a general rule of thumb in direct marketing that your best prospect is someone who just recently responded.
CaptChaos
03-17-2006, 00:30
I find "Backpacker" ok. I have been getting it for a number of years. If you are really into backpacking then some of the ads do not make any sense but they have to support themselves somehow.
The mags that I have been reading for the past two years are: Backpacking, Sailing, Boat Works, National Geographic, Astronomy, Sky and Telescope.
My taste are to stay current on the backpacking, I want to own a used sailboat someday so that explains Sailing and Boat Works. I have enjoyed NG since I was a kid before I could read I used to look at the pictures, I am telling my age here. And recently I took up Astronomy and have been having a blast with what I have been learning. I can't wait to go backpacking again with a small scope where I can see the Milky Way without all of the light issues of being around a town.
John
i but it once a year when the spring gear guide comes out,gets worse every year:cool: neo
No Belay
03-18-2006, 23:02
I've read BP for years and have gotten allot of destination ideas and information for it. Fortunately most of the hiking in America is not about following the white brick road on the heels of 1000's of hikers that went before them. It's more about less trodden paths with less support and resupply opportunities so of course the equipment is different than what we use on the AT. The equipment that BP advocates is not for the type that wants to sprint from Ga to Me in 40 days or even those that feel the need to cover 20 miles a day. It's more about the packer that wants to spend some time absorbing what they're moving through.
I wouldn't think about taking my AT rig into the Bob Marshal, the Grand Canyon or anyplace else to hike off trail anymore than I would think of taking my backpacking rig on the AT. Backpacker has a target market which they service quite well. Just because they don't concentrate on the AT philosophy doesn't make them non-legitimate and the fact they advertise SUVs or what ever doesn't make them hypocrites. I drive an SUV and I hike as much as anyone and in many other locations besides the AT.
mrmike48/4000
03-18-2006, 23:22
like i said there are no other magazines that even come close to backpacker for all around hiking/backpacking/camping info like backpacker does..as for the SUV ads just open any magazine on the stands and you will find these type of annoying ads. at least they are targeting the active group of people with the SUV ads and not runing ads about luxury caddy's or lincoln's.. other mags i subscribe to are : national geographic travelers ,AMC Outdoors and time along with my lifelong sub to BP.....
I wouldn't think about taking my AT rig into the Bob Marshal, the Grand Canyon or anyplace else to hike off trail anymore than I would think of taking my backpacking rig on the AT.
You are so right! My backpacking rig is much different from what I used on the AT.
Way too heavy on the AT! :D Thank (insert deity of choice) I learned something in the past few years. ;)
If anything, Outdoor Magazines (notice I did not say BP Mag..) are TERRRIBLE for people who want to go off trail. The implied message is that you need THIS equipment or you are going to die. Fear sells crap. Outdoor gear is no different.
Don't feel sexy? Buy this perfume.
Afraid of losing your hair and not appealing to females? Better do something!
Afraid you are going to get cold and wet in the backcountry? The $400 shell will protect ya!
I've been off trail in the San Juans, Utah Canyon country and in my backyard here in the mid-northern CO Rockies. Should be in the Bob this coming summer. Guess what? My gear is minor for the enjoyment and memorioes I've had in this area.
It was what you carry inside the ole noggin that really matters. Reading a map, adjusting for declination, seeing nature as something to enjoy and not fear ..THAT will let you be safer that any craptacular gear.
Then again...that is just my opinion. And you know what is said about opinions. ;)
mrmike48/4000
03-19-2006, 18:54
mags, your rite on the money with that post.
It's a good mag for beginning (or returning) hikers, as previously mentioned. If you can afford to travel beyond your immediate area, it gives good advice on hikes in many areas of the country and world. The gear reviews are fairly informative, though this year's Gear Guide (sitting on a chair next to me) seems to be a little too "Reader's Digest"-esque, with very little information on individual articles of gear compared with previous Gear Guides.
Due to the publishers decision to advertise Honda off-road motorcycles in its pages, I wrote John Dorn, the editor, and asked that my name be removed from the circulation list due to what I referred to as extreme conflict of interest.
We all have to make our own decisions.
Old Spice
03-19-2006, 20:35
I don't read Backpacker because I am a thru-hiker (well I will be in one week!), not a backpacker. This isn't me trying to sound all A.T. purist either. It is just that the stuff they tend to write about isn't really geared towards long distance ultralight hikers. Yet if I see a copy laying around, I'll sure as hell take it with me to read on the can.
jaywalke
03-20-2006, 10:21
Due to the publishers decision to advertise Honda off-road motorcycles in its pages, I wrote John Dorn, the editor, and asked that my name be removed from the circulation list due to what I referred to as extreme conflict of interest.
I did the same, then a well-meaning soul bought me a gift subscription. Sigh. My dad laments the mountain bike reviews in his fishing magazines, too. Someday there will just be one big magazine, brought to you by Cabelas-GQ-Ford.
I still flip through it when it arrives (guiltily), but it doesn't have much to say to me any more. The new editorial style seems aimed at covering a hundred topics with ten-second sound bites rather than a few topics in-depth.
I don't read Backpacker because I am a thru-hiker (well I will be in one week!), not a backpacker. This isn't me trying to sound all A.T. purist either. It is just that the stuff they tend to write about isn't really geared towards long distance ultralight hikers. Yet if I see a copy laying around, I'll sure as hell take it with me to read on the can.
Wow - you'll be a thru hiker in one week. Usually takes a bit longer to hike the whole trail. You will be a thru hiker when you are through with the hike and not until.
Lone Wolf
02-18-2008, 11:59
publication? Is it worth getting a subscription?
No. Backpacker mag. is a yuppie rag
So why you dredging?
Tell us how the snow/ice is down there. My cabin fever is percolating.
But it is tropical today!
Years ago was a very good magazine for serious/experienced/or seriously interested backpackers. Quality of magazine has gone way down with the demand that they appeal to a broader and broader market. Bigger is definitely NOT better.
I don't waste my money any more. If I'm in Barnes and Noble, I'll glance through it to see if there is an article worth the price, usually not.
Never did put any store in their gear reviews, the same hand-picked reviewers having their outdoor adventures provided and supported by big name manufacturers. You get what you pay for.
And the subscription price is cheap enough (I just got an offer to extend my subscription at $1.85/issue for 3 years) that yeah, I think its a worthwhile investment.
Kinda tells you that their main focus is advertising dollars and keeping the advertisers happy, thus the demand for broader and broader target.
I would much prefer to pay more for the magazine via a reasonable subscription rate and limit both it's scope of the audience and the advertisers, but alas, that's not how our business environment works. So for now, Whiteblaze, Trailjournals, and others in their ilk are fulfilling my needs quite nicely, and I don't have to support the industries I despise.
The only reason I get it is that I am an American Hiking Society member and only get it because I pay my AHS dues.
I do read a few things in the magazine - a little while back they had a story about where all the gear gets made in Vietnam and that was very interesting. I guess I don't expect much and don't get much either.
I get more out of the backpacker.com forums - I participated over there for a couple of years before discovering WB. Some posters overlap but I'm surprised how few seem to (unless there are different names I can't figure out).
Joining AHS, OTOH, is very much worthwhile. The main thing AHS needs is membership dollars to raise its and our voice for hikers to the level it deserves. Join AHS today!
I have never had a subscription to backpacker and for years have shared the same opinions as many here on the site. HOWEVER, now that I am gonna work for them and get paid $$$ while hiking to test gear I guess I need to support a pro readership. Just the fact that coming soon in a publication near you will be my written and honest words about gear should be a reason every single person on white blaze get a subscription.
I am currently testing snowshoes, a tent, backpack and sleeping bag for them.
Looking forward to your reviews in my Backpacker Mag coming to my mailbox soon as it has for over 10 years.
double d
02-18-2008, 14:38
I like Backpacker mag., it has some good photo's in it and it does discuss trails around the U.S. that I do not have a chance to go to, so I think its worth the $19.95 each year.
RadioFreq
02-19-2008, 16:24
Was wandering throught the Salt Lake City airport last year while waiting for a plane when I spotted their big gear revue issue. All their many experts reporting on field tests of all sorts of stuff.
But no mention anywhere of hammocks. :eek: Frankly, I was a bit miffed. :mad:
DesertMTB
02-19-2008, 16:31
I think it is a great magazine. They are getting a little too green for me now however. Their global warming issue was ridiculous. Well, what can you expect from Rodale Publishing, the same company that published An Inconvenient Truth.
envirodiver
02-19-2008, 16:35
I read it. Some of the articles are interesting and I've picked up an idea here or there in it. It is certainly not a scientific journal on the science of hiking, but it's better than a lot of other magazine material.
Well, I guess I could read People Magazine and find out...oh never mind I can't keep from laughing even typing it.
jersey joe
02-19-2008, 16:54
I find myself bored when reading backpacker magazine.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
02-19-2008, 16:56
One of the advantages of being older than dirt is getting to spend time in doctors' waiting rooms - Backpacker seems to be a favorite with them. It seems to be more about RV camping, four-wheeling and vacationing in exotic locations than about hiking or backpacking. The gear reviews I've seen have been pretty worthless - they just don't seem to understand that you plan to put this gear in a backpack and walk it up and down mountains.
Footslogger
02-19-2008, 17:00
[quote=Frolicking Dinosaurs;542372]One of the advantages of being older than dirt is getting to spend time in doctors' waiting rooms - Backpacker seems to be a favorite with them.
================================
Funny you should mention that because I work in a clinic and Backpacker is one of the monthly regulars to hit the coffee table in the waiting room - - after I get a look at it, of course. Like FD, I find most if the gear tests to be pretty worthless. I mean let's be honest ...all that stuff can't be "top rated" !! That said, some of the pics and articles from the field are kinda interesting from time to time.
'Slogger
Blue Jay
02-19-2008, 17:22
I'd forgotten that Lobster ever posted something that did not insult hikers who missed a white blaze. Thank you for this moldy oldie.
Jim Adams
02-19-2008, 17:55
The ads...well they don't need those to be profitable....they can still turn a profit with subscriptions and newstand purchases. :-?
NO WAY!!!!!
Without advertising, you have no magazine. Subscription sales and news stand sales are not profitable and are only used for one purpose...to show advertisers how large the readership is.
That is why I picked up a 4 year subscription of BACKPACKER on ebay for $4 and free shipping.
I don't always agree with their ideas and philosophies but it is more about backpacking than any other publication out there.
I've never seen a story about scuba and yes, I have read reviews and ads for frog toggs. Yes I've seen stories about snowmobiling, mt. biking, canoeing but most info is still about backpacking. If backpacking is your only interest in life in the outdoors then you are probably pretty sheltered and have no idea what else is out there.
I think that most here complaining about the ads need to review your own personal lives...sure SUV's get horrible gas mileage compared to a small efficient car but your small efficient car can not even come close to the mileage that my motorcycle or bicycle gets. If you are that worried about the affects of oil on the environment then you also need to stop using nylon...it's made with oil. Oh yeah, I remember that thread about a month ago about retro gear and almost everyone argueing that they would never go back....just a little hypocritical isn't it. No SUV, snowmobile or pollution producing ads but I will never use cotton, wool, hemp, etc. until you pry the oil produced nylon from my cold dead fingers....come on, lighten up!!!!!When your carbon foot print is 0, then you have a right to complain...hell, you won't even let windmills be placed within sight of the A.T. to try to improve our planet but God forbid you purchase the best backpacking magazine on the market because they have a picture of an SUV in it!
Sorry for the rant but you all need to kick back alittle!:)
geek
humunuku
02-19-2008, 18:42
NO WAY!!!!!
That is why I picked up a 4 year subscription of BACKPACKER on ebay for $4 and free shipping.
geek
Wow, Is this a common thing on ebay? I'm gonna go take a looksee!
Jim Adams
02-19-2008, 19:15
Wow, Is this a common thing on ebay? I'm gonna go take a looksee!
Yes...look through the magazine subscription section BUT be warned...I've never been burned yet but I have been warned alot! Only buy from subscription houses or book companies....check the sales history.
I've gotten 10-15 subscriptions via ebay successfully.
Good luck!
geek
sheepdog
02-19-2008, 21:16
I like backpacker and I like my four wheel drive truck. In Michigan we have real wild areas. You can't take a blacktop road to every lake, river, or woodlands. Why does everyone have such a problem with RV's? We always preach HYOH. How about letting people LTOL (live their own lives)? I am not trying to start trouble and don't look forward to getting blasted, but everything isn't the same across this country.
Darwin again
02-19-2008, 21:23
Backpacker = Rodale toilet paper and bad toilet paper at that.
Laughable, really. It always made me laugh, anyway. :D
I think it is a great magazine. They are getting a little too green for me now however. Their global warming issue was ridiculous. Well, what can you expect from Rodale Publishing, the same company that published An Inconvenient Truth.
Uhhh, I don't think they're with Rodale anymore. They just moved out to CO, too.
Jim Adams
02-19-2008, 21:43
Backpacker = Rodale toilet paper and bad toilet paper at that.
Laughable, really. It always made me laugh, anyway. :D
Maybe you are proving Darwin correct:D
BTW...do you burn that TP or pack it out?:D
geek
[quote=Frolicking Dinosaurs;542372]One of the advantages of being older than dirt is getting to spend time in doctors' waiting rooms - Backpacker seems to be a favorite with them.
================================
Funny you should mention that because I work in a clinic and Backpacker is one of the monthly regulars to hit the coffee table in the waiting room - - after I get a look at it, of course. Like FD, I find most if the gear tests to be pretty worthless. I mean let's be honest ...all that stuff can't be "top rated" !! That said, some of the pics and articles from the field are kinda interesting from time to time.
'Slogger
A piece of gear would really have to be a piece of junk to get a bad review from most magazines for several reasons.
1: the people that make the gear advertise in the magazine and a bad review may upset them and they may stop buying advertising with you, it’s called conflict of interest to have a magazine review gear from your employer.
2: every piece of gear that is reviewed (unless stated otherwise in the magazines policy) is given to them by the maker of the gear. Lets say they are going to review a new MSR stove that just came out. Backpacker request a stove from MSR and gets it sent to them. But look at it from MSR’s view, what do they do when Backpacker makes this request? Do they pull one off the assembly line and send it or do they have a stove gone through to make sure it’s perfect and in everyway going to perform? Of course MSR sends the custom stove. Backpacker gets the custom shop model of stove that MSR knows works. So the review is suspect right away from this rosy panted picture of a review.
If you are a Backpacker Magazine subscriber and then act on the review, you don’t get the custom shop stove that the Backpacker reviewer got, you get a production model that may not be all Backpacker says it is. Don’t give the reviews much merit unless the magazine goes to a store and buys the over the counter stove you can buy.
Darwin again
02-19-2008, 22:33
Uhhh, I don't think they're with Rodale anymore. They just moved out to CO, too.
Hmm. I didn't know that. Haven't looked at it in a couple of years.
In fairness, some of the gear that got the Editor's Choice awards I've known to be pretty good stuff.
Wise Old Owl
02-19-2008, 22:35
I did a review on a very small Digital SW radio for a national magazine. After testing it out it was ok for the size, but for the money there were clearly better & larger choices. They were trying to advertise with the mag and I told the Editor that was not in the best interest of the mag. They pulled the ad and suddenly all of the production run was sold some 200 units. Later I discovered the NSA bought the little radios for overseas operatives.
Yea I like my subscription... Go for it
Frolicking Dinosaurs
02-19-2008, 22:36
I like backpacker and I like my four wheel drive truck. In Michigan we have real wild areas. You can't take a blacktop road to every lake, river, or woodlands. Why does everyone have such a problem with RV's? We always preach HYOH. How about letting people LTOL (live their own lives)? I am not trying to start trouble and don't look forward to getting blasted, but everything isn't the same across this country.No blasting, but I do wonder why they don't change the name of the magazine to Outdoors or something similar.
I did a review on a very small Digital SW radio for a national magazine. After testing it out it was ok for the size, but for the money there were clearly better & larger choices. They were trying to advertise with the mag and I told the Editor that was not in the best interest of the mag.
Hmm, I've only heard of one publication with that policy - it's not in Newington, Conn., by any chance?
Wise Old Owl
02-19-2008, 22:53
No it was Monitoring Times out Brasstown NC, years ago with Larry Miller as the Editor. Great Mag for listeners.
Backpacker is NOT with Rodale anymore.
No it was Monitoring Times out Brasstown NC, years ago with Larry Miller as the Editor. Great Mag for listeners.
Backpacker is NOT with Rodale anymore.
Bob Grove is a great guy, I spent about an hour talking to him at the Dayton Hamvention several years ago. It was right after he was hulled in front of congress to testify about scanners and cell phone listening. Needless to say he did not have a good view of politicians.
turtle fast
02-20-2008, 03:15
Yes its true Rodale Press does not own the rights for Backpacker anymore. In fact, Backpacker has moved its operations to Boulder, Colorado and is currently trying to modify the magazine to be more enjoyable to read....ablet slowly trying new features and trying different article venues....with in mind of trying to remain profitable. With new ownership, I think things will get better...though I would like to see more mention of trails not in the USA...
Mt problem with Backpaker Mag is they almost never have anything about the southeastern United States.
Actually they do, and if you subscribe from a certain region of the country then they will feature that area. I live in the SE also and there are featured hikes toward the back of the magazine, usually with detachable take a long map/cards. Still it is a much better rag than Outside Magazine.
I read backpacker all the time. I used to subscribe, now I just get issues individually when one looks good in the bookstore.
As for the ads, chances are the magazine gets more money from an SUV ad than they would from some one advertizing ultra light hiking gear.
Most folks, myself included, are not interested in hiking high milage days or doing the ultra light (sub 20 pound thing). And as for squeeky and his marathons, well more power to the likes of him. That is not what backpacking is about in my oppinion. It is about enjoying and travelling through the wilderness. And on that score Backpacker does very well. Almost every issue has articles about destinations, often exotic ones. You can only do so much on the AT. Most of the "good" stuff is in the west, hence the concentration there. But I have seen many articles about the eastern US.
Here is a question for you guys.. if Backpacker is not that great in your view.. please tell me of a first rate magazine that caters to hikers and backpackers? what would it be? How would you or how could you improve on Backpacker yet still maintain a financially viable magazine? I challenge you guys! What ever the magazine, there will always be ads. They have to pay the writers and photographers and the staff etc. If you want cheep and mostly add free..search on line. Only trouble there is.. you won't get the highest quality articles or photos because the best writers and photographers go where the money is.
David
sheepdog
02-20-2008, 14:22
I read backpacker all the time. I used to subscribe, now I just get issues individually when one looks good in the bookstore.
As for the ads, chances are the magazine gets more money from an SUV ad than they would from some one advertizing ultra light hiking gear.
Most folks, myself included, are not interested in hiking high milage days or doing the ultra light (sub 20 pound thing). And as for squeeky and his marathons, well more power to the likes of him. That is not what backpacking is about in my oppinion. It is about enjoying and travelling through the wilderness. And on that score Backpacker does very well. Almost every issue has articles about destinations, often exotic ones. You can only do so much on the AT. Most of the "good" stuff is in the west, hence the concentration there. But I have seen many articles about the eastern US.
Here is a question for you guys.. if Backpacker is not that great in your view.. please tell me of a first rate magazine that caters to hikers and backpackers? what would it be? How would you or how could you improve on Backpacker yet still maintain a financially viable magazine? I challenge you guys! What ever the magazine, there will always be ads. They have to pay the writers and photographers and the staff etc. If you want cheep and mostly add free..search on line. Only trouble there is.. you won't get the highest quality articles or photos because the best writers and photographers go where the money is.
David
Well said.:sun
Frolicking Dinosaurs
02-20-2008, 14:53
Here is a question for you guys.. if Backpacker is not that great in your view.. please tell me of a first rate magazine that caters to hikers and backpackers? what would it be? How would you or how could you improve on Backpacker yet still maintain a financially viable magazine? I challenge you guys!Backpacking Light does a far better job than Backpacker in all areas related to backpacking IMO. YMMV.
E-zines seem to be the way to go as far as magazines with technique tips, gear evaluations and info about potential destinations. That means instead of having a stack of magazines to dig thru, I have a digital archive - and I don't have to dust a digital archive. :D
take-a-knee
02-20-2008, 15:05
I like backpacker and I like my four wheel drive truck. In Michigan we have real wild areas. You can't take a blacktop road to every lake, river, or woodlands. Why does everyone have such a problem with RV's? We always preach HYOH. How about letting people LTOL (live their own lives)? I am not trying to start trouble and don't look forward to getting blasted, but everything isn't the same across this country.
No blast from my bunker, I love my 4x4 Toyota.
No blast from my bunker, I love my 4x4 Toyota.
Hey I like my truck too. But I don't read outdoor magazines to read about trucks. Know what I mean?
Then again, I think most magazines are mediocre at best. That's why I read them at the library for free. :sun
DesertMTB
02-20-2008, 16:14
Before you all bag on Backpack, don't forget about the publicity they gave WB in the Saved story. That's how I found this place
Jason of the Woods
02-20-2008, 16:29
It's a magazine. That's all. I'll tell you what's really interesting.........Hiking. When you are in a position to read a magazine and have to choose between say Backpacker and Medical Journals Today, Backpacker doesn't sound so bad huh? As far as the trucks the Michigan guy has a point, sort of. People that hike are a lot more likely to have a need for a 4X4 than people who run marathons so it only makes sense that a magazine like Backpacker is going to be the target of these marketing teams. I proudly subscribe to Backpacker. Yes, I would rather spend more time out actually doing the activity than reading about it but there are times that we are forced to be in captivity. Why not read about what you enjoy? The market for backpacking is pretty thin. I for one will take what I can get.
I read backpacker all the time. I used to subscribe, now I just get issues individually when one looks good in the bookstore.
As for the ads, chances are the magazine gets more money from an SUV ad than they would from some one advertizing ultra light hiking gear.
Most folks, myself included, are not interested in hiking high milage days or doing the ultra light (sub 20 pound thing). And as for squeeky and his marathons, well more power to the likes of him. That is not what backpacking is about in my oppinion. It is about enjoying and travelling through the wilderness. And on that score Backpacker does very well. Almost every issue has articles about destinations, often exotic ones. You can only do so much on the AT. Most of the "good" stuff is in the west, hence the concentration there. But I have seen many articles about the eastern US.
Here is a question for you guys.. if Backpacker is not that great in your view.. please tell me of a first rate magazine that caters to hikers and backpackers? what would it be? How would you or how could you improve on Backpacker yet still maintain a financially viable magazine? I challenge you guys! What ever the magazine, there will always be ads. They have to pay the writers and photographers and the staff etc. If you want cheep and mostly add free..search on line. Only trouble there is.. you won't get the highest quality articles or photos because the best writers and photographers go where the money is.
David
On-line information seems to fill the void that backpacker isn’t addressing with many backpackers & hikers.
Just because many of us don’t see a high value in Backpacker Magazine doesn’t mean that we should be taken to task to find a better magazine. It’s the job of any magazine to put themselves in front of it’s potential customers, not the other way around. I look for things that interest me at the local magazine racks, but if I don’t find anything it’s not my job to go and make it. It’s their job to put it where the customer can find it. It may be that backpacking is simply not a big enough market for them to solely focus on.
I don’t begrudge Backpacker for going after any market they see as profitable. But I also don’t see it as my job to support something I find that I have less interest in as time goes on as I do with Backpacker magazine.
On-line material fills the need well.
NICKTHEGREEK
02-21-2008, 17:27
Never knock the staff, they are real wilderness backpackers who know the craft.
johnny quest
02-21-2008, 17:32
i let my subscription run out when i found myself paging thru it and not seeing anything i cared to read. take that money to a good used bookstore and buy really old camping, backpacking, hiking, canoeing, woodscraft books. what a wealth of information
Never knock the staff, they are real wilderness backpackers who know the craft.
I kinda figured a lot of them were weenies, but I was blown away by an article a few months ago where 4 of the writers hiked the JMT in a week doing 30 mile days through the Sierra. Not my cup of tea exactly, but pretty impressive from an athletic/badass standpoint.
I don’t think they are weenies, I would bet almost all of them can out hike me without working too hard.
Let me break both their legs, arm & shoulder & foot and then lets see how they do…
But seriously, they have a great job. They get to hike & camp, play with all the newest gear and get paid to do it.
Jim Adams
02-22-2008, 02:20
I kinda figured a lot of them were weenies, but I was blown away by an article a few months ago where 4 of the writers hiked the JMT in a week doing 30 mile days through the Sierra. Not my cup of tea exactly, but pretty impressive from an athletic/badass standpoint.
That was a really good article...just think of all of the things that they didn't get to see!:D
geek
After reading the 2008 gear issue, it is now apparent that I have all the wrong gear. Regretfully, I will have to postpone my hike for a few years until I can save the money to purchase the right gear.:D
Backpacker magazine is no different from any other mass media these days -- it's as much a vehicle for advertising as for its "information" content. And the "information" itself consists heavily of product reviews... which can't be too negative, as that would alienate the advertisers. :rolleyes:
DesertMTB
02-22-2008, 12:01
Backpacker magazine is no different from any other mass media these days -- it's as much a vehicle for advertising as for its "information" content. And the "information" itself consists heavily of product reviews... which can't be too negative, as that would alienate the advertisers. :rolleyes:
Nah, I've seen my fair share of negative reviews.
Also, Ads have ALWAYS been the major driving force of media.
I saw an add for a gold pendant that looked like an ice ax. It was filled with water from the melted snow on Kilimanjaro. The profits were supposed to go toward saving the snows of Kilimanjaro. This seemed a bit ironic to me.
Fiddleback
02-22-2008, 20:01
I think that, with the possible exception of one other, Backpacker is the best (U.S.) backpacking magazine out there.;)
FB
After reading the 2008 gear issue, it is now apparent that I have all the wrong gear. Regretfully, I will have to postpone my hike for a few years until I can save the money to purchase the right gear.:D
(laughing) So true osu! And worse when your stuff doesn't even rate a mention :(
hikingjer
06-30-2010, 22:16
The last post on this thread was over 2 years ago. I think Backpacker magazine has gotten better since then. I think it was good in the 1980s and 1990s but started to go downhill about 2002 or so. It's better now (free subscription from being an AHS member). I liked the articles a few years ago on gear factories in Vietnam and the river trip through the Grand Canyon with the young earth creationist geologists. It seems there's not as many motorized recreation ads as a few years ago.
I started reading it in 1990 when it was "The Magazine of Wilderness Travel" which includes paddling, ski touring, snowshoeing, mountaineering, etc.. Backpacker had articles on other types of non-motorized recreation in the old 1980s issues we found in the free box at the library. In a 1986 issue, there was an article on mountain bike touring on logging roads in southeast AK and Ned Gillette's long sailing trip. I guess they have to include articles on other outdoor activities because there's only so much material to write about for backpacking without having to recycle topics too soon. If they kept Backpacker strictly to backpacking I think they'd run out of stuff to write about.
publication? Is it worth getting a subscription?I remember reading it in the '80's and finding a lot of good information and well written articles. I think the last time I bought a copy of it was about 5 years ago and it was basically nothing but advertisements and what appeared to be biased reviews.:-?
Bear Cables
07-01-2010, 00:04
I like it and look forward to it in the mail.
My vote is NO on Backpacker. In face, when I renew my AHS membership, I always insist that they do not include a Backpacker subscription. I do not want them to be able to count me in their statistics so that they can sell more damaging advertising.
As far as their equipment reviews, they are a joke, they do not include any, or hardly any, of the cottage industry which are making the best gear. You do yourself a disservice if you use Backpacker as a guide to either gear or technique.
.... Ads have ALWAYS been the major driving force of media.
Ads certainly pay the bills. But the ads are driven by circulation. Most advertisers care less about honest reviews. What they are buying with their ads are readers and a chance to reach them if they have skilled advertising professionals producing their ads.
I worked for media companies most of my working life. (newspapers). I never once had a story rejected because it might offend an advertiser. I never once was told to write a story to please an advertiser. The business side of almost all newspapers are totally divorced from the editorial side -- the reporters and editors that report what's happening and edit the issues daily or weekly as the case may be.
Equally separate, for that matter, are the opinion writers, those who write for the editorial pages.
I know this differs from popular belief. But it's true.
As for Backpacker, I used to subscribe and used to enjoy the magazine -- especially the gear reviews. Not that I believed them necessarily, but it provided a perspective about what was available and new. I figured any perspective is better than no perspective. I never had the money to test gear myself. Once I bought something I used it, good or bad.
But neither do I buy much that is new any more, so my interest faded. I still read a copy occasionally. But not often enough to form an opinion about the current state of the magazine.
Weary
Two years later, I still read it in the grocery store/book store/library for free. :)
The last two issues kinda sucked but its a very good mag. It's so cheap to subscribe you can't go wrong.
Lemni Skate
07-01-2010, 11:28
I love the magazine...unfortunately. I always end up a little depressed that I won't get to hike all the places in even one issue. Well, maybe if they come up with an immortality pill before I die.
flemdawg1
07-01-2010, 11:57
My sub ran out a couple of months ago. I need to re-up it. Gear reviews: well I've bought everything I need for the foreseeable future, so I pretty much skip them now (but i get better advise here and BPL boards actually). Trip reports and photos, that's the good stuff in this mag. Their website trip section is alright, but I don't always find what I want out of it.
Final opinion, great for beginners and alright for those who already have some experience.
Buzz_Lightfoot
07-01-2010, 13:00
:)
AH..you beat me to it!
Backpacker Mag is not about backpacking. It is about the Outdoor Lifestyle.
Does not make it a bad magazine..but does make it a bad choice for a magazine about backpacking. The articles can be interesting. The ads can be relevant to a certain demographic. But the magazine ain't about backpacking. That's all I ever said
Capish Dr Sukie ?
Bingo. If you look closely the magazine is not called "Backpacker" alone, it has a subtitle "The magazine of wilderness recreation" or some such thing. I remember when they expanded from being a pure backpacking magazine. Someone wrote a leter to the editor complaining about all of the "non-backpacking content". Their response was they needed to expand their scope to survive. I suppose that is true and is their right but over time I found myself skipping more and more of the content. I still subscribe. I do not know why. I have a ton of issues sitting on my shelf I have not opened nor have the desire to do so.
BL
A mag like Backpacker that is so focused on gear, gear, gear ($, $, $) will never give you any of the practical knowledge like dirtbaggin' that I've learned here on WB. Instead of telling you to line your pack with a dime apiece trash bags, they'll recommend a $70 pack cover. Don't make a Super Cat for under a dollar, go buy a Jetboil so you can marvel at how quickly it malfunctions! Don't worry though, you'll look cool for those first few weeks that it works. ;)
chiefiepoo
07-01-2010, 17:34
...........and Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter is babe, too. Looks killer in spandex or fleece.
I like Backpacker for the pictures, even in some of the ads. And there's usually one really good article in there. Most of it is worthless, but that's how most magazines are.
Different Socks
07-02-2010, 00:32
I still have a subscription even after 10+ years, problem for last few years is that it seems like they rehash the same crap year after year. So now I read it just for places to go(which are also sometimes repeated)and for the stories.
I still have a subscription even after 10+ years, problem for last few years is that it seems like they rehash the same crap year after year. So now I read it just for places to go(which are also sometimes repeated).....
A real problem. Blame those who think we already have enough "places to go."
I spend most of my spare time these days creating more "places to go" -- and improving other such places.
Weary www.matlt.org
innermountain
07-02-2010, 17:33
It's OK - Outside Magazine is way better. And National Geographic Adventure was better too, but it's been discontinued.
Sierra Echo
07-02-2010, 17:40
I like weary! He is an action kinda guy!
It's OK - Outside Magazine is way better. And National Geographic Adventure was better too, but it's been discontinued.I was going to post that I felt Outside Magazine was the way better of the two. Glad to see other's feel the same.
wcgornto
07-02-2010, 20:16
It's OK - Outside Magazine is way better. And National Geographic Adventure was better too, but it's been discontinued.
As a hiking-specific magazine, Outside is not better than Backpacker. As an overall outdoor sports magazine, Outside is definitely better. I don't care very much for Outside because I have no interest in the X-Games type sports that are often featured, but I can see why it would have broad appeal to certain demographics.
I concur about National Geographic Adventure. It's a pity that it has been discontinued.
It's OK - Outside Magazine is way better. And National Geographic Adventure was better too, but it's been discontinued.
Outside is about the best written outdoor magazine I've seen. But Backpacker would love to have all the ATV and SUV ads that keep it alive. And Outside needs some better editing. I can't read a lot of their words because the editors and page designers think it cute and artistic to blend them into almost the same color sections of photographs.
Outside routinely blends colored type with colored sections of photos so that I usually give up trying to figure out what the guy is writing. Don't get me wrong. I'll continue to subscribe, unlike what I do with Backpacker. But I do wish they would hire a designer with some knowledge of reader realities.
I think that Outside is the most over praised and poorly designed publication I've seen on the market in recent years. It's a shame to have all that brilliant writing that a lot of people can't read because of the editing. I had my annual eye exam this week. My eyes are 20:20. Even my 5-year-old bifocals function so well that the eye doctor saw no reason to do a detailed exam that might lead to new glasses.
And keep in mind that Outside is devoted to Everest type adventures. Great reading. It's why I subscribe. But it doesn't offer much advice that's useful to AT backpacking.
Weary
Someone wrote a leter to the editor complaining about all of the "non-backpacking content". Their response was they needed to expand their scope to survive. I
Sadly (or good; depending on your point of view. But that's another thread..and an idea worth discussing) backpacking is down from its 1970s peak. More activities overall to choose from and less of an emphasis on multi-day activities, too.
We've already hashed that out in several threads over the years if anyone is inclined to search, but the decline in backpacking is why Backpacker magazine is less about backpacking and more about general hiking (peak bagging, long day hikes, etc.) and the outdoors in general, too. Economics plain and simple.
Different Socks
07-10-2010, 13:35
[QUOTE=innermountain;1028750]It's OK - Outside Magazine is way better. And National Geographic Adventure was better too, but it's been discontinued.[/QUOTE
Yeah, I was not a happy person when NGA was canceled. Too many good mags have gone that way over the years: NGA, Adventure West, Hooked on the Outdoors, and a few others. i liked reading these others b/c they often would feature places, people and things I'd never seen in BPer or not seen in many years.
dcmidnight
07-29-2010, 10:09
It's OK - Outside Magazine is way better. And National Geographic Adventure was better too, but it's been discontinued.
Another +1 for Outside. Although I've had a BP subscription for a while I have learned more *actual* information int he 6 months I lurked here than in the years I've had my subscription.
Bare Bear
07-29-2010, 13:02
I am sure someone reads it or it would not still be in business. It just doesn't interest me or anyone I know. It is mostly paid ads and 'articles' pushing gear from the ads.