Thanks Paul 👍 I back this 100% 🙌 things become obsolete so quickly these days. We dont need the newest things, we need robust things that are fit for purpose. I've always appreciated your honest reviews of things and could tell you never sold out. I get how freebies are appreciated and appreciation (as well as not parting with your hard earned pennies) may cause a different opinion of a product or direct the focus of a video. 😊 You do a great job 🏆
Something I've always admired about Murray from Scotland's Mountains is he pretty much uses the same gear every time. He must be getting sent stuff and offered stuff all the time.
@@AndyMacaskill. . . Third donkey-?.. I’ve missed those one’s … Murray going ‘up hill and down glen’ - on a donkey?.. Chuckles aside, what is a ‘scarp’?.. of which he may or may not be … ‘on his third’?..
@tuttobicci during lockdown down, he did do a few videos on the stuff he uses, and possibly his video editing software, etc. But that is all I can think of.
Honesty and integrity are a rare quality nowadays online. You should be proud that you have built such a successful channel whilst still holding onto both of these attributes. Top bloke.
I used to run a fairly successful youtube channel in the earlier days, if I'd concentrated on it, perhaps like you I could have ditched the day job and done gear reviews and trips full time (albeit for a slightly different market). I only made honest, unbiased reviews on things I'd bought with my own money. That was my golden rule, to tell the TRUTH. Steadily manufacturers contacted me and there were always strings attached, and I couldn't even keep the gear with a hand on heart, clear conscience. So I walked away from it. Respect to you and Luke for managing to walk that fine line. Atb
For myself, it was actually your comparison videos of two or three similar products. They were great because you never trashed one product and praise the other, you'd take the time to explain (in detail) why product a might be more suitable over product b and vice versa whilst giving a really good overview. Very efficient way of getting through overviews of products in a single video.
You have over 190k subs, me personaly i think you should carry on doing the exact same thing aslong as it makes you happy. You've obviously been doing something right, ive bought alot and done alot because of this channel and i enjoy it.
I think it is tough because what works and/or what is sold in the US vs UK can be rather different. What trends due to weather, camping styles, and individual preferences varies so much. I am in the US, but a very rainy part of it. Most of what US RUclipsrs profile is not something that will work for me. What works in the Arizona or Colorado desert won’t be great on say the very rainy Oregon coast or Olympic Peninsula. So that has to make doing these reviews hard. I really value what you do and your integrity. So much of what you have shown over the years has helped me refine what goes into my core kit. Another great video. Thank you!
Me & my friends ( girls )we sit around the campfire in our aldi sleeping bags. Have lasted years . We camp loads and none of us buy much new stuff . Air mats are replaced if they burst or new gas is all we buy. Started watching you coz we needed water filters & had no idea which one to buy or how they work .
Thats all you need to be honest. I do but stuff a bit and do reviews but just because its part of my hobby. But i would be just as good without 80% of the stuff i got 😂
It might be a good suggestion to do a gear revisited. What old gear is still good and has stood the test of time. Not everyone buys new but most of the reviews were done, as you say, as soon as they came out. Once again a good honest video, it’s why I follow your channel.
The big benefit of these kind of review videos is that they show products that are generally not available to look at in the majority of outdoor gear shops. Even most main brand tents are no longer possible to look at in major outdoor retailers.
I think tents are fair enough and I will use them frequently, but it’s always a red flag when as he mentioned you’ve got a glut of people reviewing the same tent that’s hardly been used. Nortent are a great example of that.
@@DABOutdoorsthere are too many outdoors channel to count these days some are really decent I'm still stumbling across canny ones these days but in my opinion the majority are people wanting Internet fame/money from RUclips and free gear see it from really small channels and ones with massive subscriber counts
It's interesting for me to look back over the 10 years of making videos myself, which has been heavily gear focused all that time. It's unbelievably exciting to be sent free gear, and often really cool gear. And that feeds the brain of excitement. But at some point that just becomes too much. Transparency and honesty is by far the most critical and important part of sharing gear. I think it's totally fine to share first impressions of a new product, but shouldn't be drawing final conclusions after 10 minutes with the item. Experience is everything, and sometimes that experience gets shared through time with a product too. It's an important conversation that may feel tiring to have over and over, but it's important to keep ourselves and such in check of what is right, what our integrity is rooted in and being honest. Thanks, Paul!
Love this video and the comments you’ve made. It shows real maturity and a sense of what is going on in the industry right now, well for a long time. I’m looking forward to seeing where your channel goes. It’s been great watching your videos. I like the honest approach to reviewing. It’s a breath of fresh air 👍🏼
A very honest look in the mirror. It's this down to earth, no bullsh*t approach that keeps me subscribed and interested. You're very easy to relate to. I like that.
I remember buying my first trangia back in the 70s when i was a lad , they were advertised on the back page of the Karrimor brochure back then , just a diagram . I still have it still works like it always did although i wore out the saucepan
Beyond the points you make about integrity, I really appreciate your thoughtful, philosophical approach. It's worth stepping back from time to time to think about *why* you're continuing to do this and whether the channel still does what you wanted it to do from the beginning. While I appreciate the gear reviews and look forward to more, I also really enjoy your thoughts, Paul. Please keep it up!
Well said Paul. Why fix it if it's not broken? Experienced people like you and others should guide the beginners. The most expensive doesn't mean the best 👍
Personally, I only listen to long term, well used gear reviews. If it’s a box opening, a first time seen or used, then I hit the off button. Shaking my head, why anyone would make a video of a box opening and first time used…I don’t know. Paul, thank you for sharing your honest, sensible commentary…from an old veteran, retired in the US, foothills of the east Tennessee Smokies.
We are all pulled in once we start a RUclips channel. Personally I think your supporters are the ones who know you. You are always honest with your opinions and that's all we need. If you find something new you like, feel free to tell us about it. Finding stories every week is hard, but something always pops up. 👍
There is another approach Paul, called purchase justification. Where you have stretched yourself to buy something and made sacrifices, you need to reinforce the justification for your purchase. I think fair reviewers will present the facts and test in a range of conditions, without gushing opinions. I agree with a lot of what you said, but I see the manufacturer sending gear, the reviewer showing it ( enjoying it!) and the viewer getting entertained and seeing the detail is a win all round really. Up to you mate to stop reviewing free gear, but you did it well! I know you are going to be more selective and buy yourself. I understand about gear saturation. I love the Lyng sleeping bag, BTW, as it was sent free, alas you will have to keep it hidden now or send it back! Regarding the Vern 1, 'a few of these tents have been destroyed'. I know of one vern 1 video where there was a pole damaged in extreme conditions, which could happen to any tent, given the right circumstances. Pretty unfair, considering you too spoke highly of the tent in windy conditions. I had a problem with the Vern 2, my bad, I know, but Nortent were responsive and helpful in upgrading the poles after that. As regards people buying what the reviewer shows, is somewhat dumming down the viewer. We see offers to buy stuff every time we switch the telly on and walk in a shop, doesnt mean we buy them. The same applies to camping gear reviews, just because we show a range, it does'nt mean we expect people to change all the time. On the note on guidance from manufacturers, no-one has ever asked me to show anything in a video or comment in a particular way, with the exception of one electronics distributor. They just gave helpful guidelines on usage and what features made it stand out from the competition, that i MAY wanted to show in the video. I always just do my own thing anyway. Anyway, interesting video ATB.
"The Outdoor Gear Review" (TOGR) is, in my mind, the holy Grail when it comes to Agenda-Free product reviews AGREED! Most RUclips, so-called product review are nothing more than glorified "Infomercials" Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada, U.S.A.
Thanks, Paul! Well done. While I appreciate gear reviews and they do save me bother and money, unless a piece of gear is truly unique, I'm like you. I already have several iterations of the same gear. Stoves, sleeping bags, pads, tents, etc. I usually come back to using the same gear. Same twig stove, same Trangia burner, same pad, same bag, same tarp and bivi, etc. After awhile, all this stuff just became background stuff to the real enjoyment: hiking, canoeing, sleeping under the stars, and staring at my campfire with my dog.
I love your reviews, the filming, sound, editing and your enthusiasm. It is easy to tell if you really like a product or not, and I think you give an honest point of view.
💯👍 on everything. I don’t use tables while camping because I think they are silly but when you mentioned that table came with a board game I was dying 😂🤣.
I always thoroughly research everything before I pull the trigger and buy anything, but I still have too much kit 🤣 I think like yourself, I need to go through everything that never gets used and get rid of it....... it might even finance an extra camping trip 😁
What a great conversation. Respect earned. Its funny seeing you say they wanted you to play the game. I watched another channel and the person played the game and did not even give the proper dimensions of the table. Its like they are putting a video just to put out a video. Not to genuine in my opinion. Keep up the good work Messner!
What a breath of fresh air! I personally still have gear that I’ve either made or adapted and bought over forty years ago! I think there will always be channels - whatever their thing is - who are swayed by freebies or payment to review or product place gear. I think that detracts from what bushcraft/camping/wild camping etc.. is supposed to be: getting away from it and living (for however short a time) in and around nature. Personally speaking when I’m looking for replacement kit, I never go for the newest releases - I’ll wait to see how it fares with others down the line or even go for older proven gear. I’m 66 now and retired so I don’t have as much disposable income theses days as I used to, so I have to spend it wisely. The things I find more valuable than the “next best thing” is ideas and innovative approaches to the outdoors that a lot of people share on YT - even at my age I am willing and ready to adopt new methods! Anyway - keep ‘em coming mate! Good Yule!
Spot on! Specifically talking about reviewers not putting a piece of kit through its paces was so accurate. Even when I'm looking through Amazon reviews for random things, anything, I'm looking for the reviews that are from people that have actually used the item, not just take it outta the box, snap a pic and talk about how perfect it is lol. Like, take it outta the sealed bag and actually USE the damn thing for a bit? But everyone has to be first so, it's hard to find anything worth a damn.
Congratulations Paul, welcome back. I personally watched your reviews, when I was upgrading my setup, reliable. But it’s so easy for gearheads to go down the hole. While justifying outrageous profit pricing.👍
I find it funny that the more gear reviews I watch, the more choice paralysis I get, and then I can't choose anything at all! It's tricky to find reviews that perfectly match anyone's particular camping style. Honestly, I think it's more helpful to just see people camping and sharing their best and worst moments instead of focusing too much on the gear they used.
Well said Paul..ive been following you for years, I’ve always found you to be sincere and honest with your reviews whether you paid for the product or not. My policy when buying new gear is to check out several reviews, to get an overall picture. As you say it’s difficult to go to a shop to see , touch, examine products first hand, as we used too. I think ive reached a pinnacle in the products i need and use, as i find myself buying less kit lately. Merry Christmas , enjoy life !!
What you're talking about is exactly my philosophy, I don't buy products that I've seen once, I look at the product for a long time and read about it, I don't want to buy a product just because a RUclipsr praises it and then it turns out that the product works broken. Try to go for famous brands. When it comes to tents, I visit an outdoor store and get to see the tent and feel it. Then if I decide to do it, after a few test nights I can post a video about what I think about it. I don't want to mislead my viewers, it could happen that they are looking for their first product and then I don't want to deceive them by saying something is great before I have properly tested it myself. 🙂 Well done Paul
Patrick Dickinson is surely the king of using gear for what it is and making the camp the star if the show. We all like to see gear though.but most tents are just so similar, not even many tents are even puter pitch tents! Trying to get a deveht weight outer.pitch tent is like hens teeth
Patrick Dickinson does indeed let the camping experience be the star of the show. His "High there!" and warm personality are always welcome. He and Paul Messner live in the same city of Sheffield and I believe finally met not so long ago.
Thanks for the suggestion, not watched his channel before. Swedwoods is another hardcore bushcraft youtuber who massively utilises canvas shelter halves
Always like your stuff because it always come over as truthful and not full of what others have said. Motorcyclist follow channels like yours due to the need for solid, lightweight kit that does what it says on the packet and can be utilised in alternative ways. We have all got cupboards full of kit that didn't work, was to much faff or was another useless unnecessary piece of kit that just added weight. Keep doing what you do please Paul 👍
This is great to hear Paul. Time to get back to filming your journeys in the great outdoors and to allow us to share in your experiences which we appreciate very much. The gear stuff is becoming saturated with influencers pushing brand after brand at you that it detracts from the outdoor experience and they become nothing more than a doorstep salesman flogging stuff. Your right it is wasteful and as outdoor enthusiasts we should be promoting sustainability, as should the entire outdoor industry. Atb.
I love it! Thanks, Paul! I like watching your videos to inspire me to get outdoors myself. I’m a gear nerd, but find I’m usually simply spending money I don’t need to spend. I keep coming back to the simple things like the trangia alcohol stove. Thank you for what you do. Keep enjoying the outdoors for the outdoors sake!
Its getting ridiculous. I've got under 1k subs and ive been contracted 3 times this month alone to demo kit. I dont do reviews i just show and tell then update down the line. Your quite correct there is to much pushing insignificant kit. Facebook market place is full of RUclipsrs selling kit a week after telling us it was 'a beast'. Great honest video well done Paul.
Thanks for your honesty. Creating content for YT must ruin what should be an awesome outdoor experience for you. As much as I love the gear reviews, I'd prefer to see you enjoying the mountains and having a great time. We're all part of the problem too. I've spent weeks staring at gear reviews of tents when I already have a perfectly good one for my needs. That's time I could have spent out in the mountains... Happy New Year to you and yours - make time for yourself in 2025
Your message is commendable and you need to do what is good for you. I understand the point that you don't need to constantly upgrade, but for many of us either starting out or looking to level up, we need reviews of the latest gear so that we can choose what to buy at that point in time. We don't necessarily have the back catalogue that you do, nor can we purchase what you bought 6 years ago. I value your opinion of what is available in the current marketplace if I'm about to spend my hard earned cash. I guess that you will leave that to the other content creators and you'll keep paddling your canoe in whichever direction makes you happy and I'm sure you'll continue to be a success.
Well done Paul, ethical and honest is always best so i applaud you for taking this approach. Providing an incite into what works for you will help me and many others make the correct choice but not promoting consumerism is also very environmentally friendly. Well done lad
A great review of free gear suppliers, a lot of gear is made to make sales, like fishing the gear it catches more fishermen than fish. Keep it honest well done Paul
I'm still using my £20 quid Vango stove. If it ain't broken: don't fix it 😂 If I do get another one (let's face it: I will coz we all love a new bit of gear) , I'll try an alcohol one. You have to take every gear review with a pinch of salt. Especially when the person is probably only using the piece of gear for the purpose of the review. You've never steered me wrong so you're my first port of call if I'm on RUclips. Not that I don't have the experience but we're all always learning and being able to identify good sources of information is imperative.
Your channel is my second-favorite camping channel, and I love the way you celebrate the outdoor experience over reviewing gear, but because I live in the U.S., I'll likely never camp where you do. My favorite channel is TOGR (The Outdoor Gear Review) both because I trust Luke's reviews completely and because he camps not far from me in the Appalachian mountains. I support his channel because his budget gear reviews have saved me far more than the support. I only started camping seriously in the past year or two, and I have accumulated more gear than I really need, but I am tapering off. The Light Tour sleeping pad I'll receive today should complete my ensemble of winter camping gear and hopefully will be the last gear I'll purchase for a while. The last high R-value pad I bought was a disappointment in my experience and according to some online reviews. I still like it and use it primarily in three seasons, but I wouldn't use it in sub-freezing conditions. I ordered the Light Tour from AliExpress because it's not sold much in the U.S., not even on Amazon, but it has rave reviews from the U.K. though I don't think you've reviewed it. It gets high marks for warmth and not so much for durability, but since I don't camp much in the winter and often use a cot, I worry less about durability. I always take two pads in case one fails anyway. I live in the southeastern U.S. and generally hate cold weather, but I'm determined to overcome my reluctance this season. Luke recently started a second channel for outdoor adventures without gear reviews. You might do the same. I respect your decision to review only gear you've bought yourself, but unlike other camping channels, I usually watch your videos for your thoughts on the outdoor experience and not so much for gear reviews. Gear review channels are a dime a dozen, really, but you are a philosopher of the outdoors.
Well done for not bowing over to these big companies. So many really good RUclips channels have sold themselves to this utter nonsense. Keep it up Paul👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Great vid i was sponsored as a fell runner and had to give 'honest' feedback -it was hard and in the end after a couple of years i hated it. I like your honest approach well done i will keep watching your vids. I still use a Trianga and pocket fuel systems depending on trips out. An old silk liner or a thermal liner i baught in early 90's in my sleeping bag will add warmth.
A poignant message especially at this time of year. I’ve just been planning on treating myself to something for Christmas and after looking at my kit I don’t actually need anything. It all works. It’s lasted. Thanks.
Really enjoying the variety of vids you do Paul. Some of the stuff you review has been useful for educating some of my choices, and other times I have thought "yeah, na, I don't need that". But what I have enjoyed the most is where you do the vids. As an Aussie who lived in the north, I too have hiked up Kinder for a camp, as well as trekking the Pennine Way and the Lakes, Scotland, etc. I have watched your vids with interest, but ended up settling on different gear that, after much research suited *me*. But your vids are just as good for showing what you think works as what I may not think works. It's all experimentation, and I do enjoy watching the Peak District in the background while you try lots of stuff I will never buy. Now that I have returned to Oz, these vids are a more nostalgic view of England's great North in winter while I swelter in 40°C heat here. So I hope you will continue to do whatever you want on that hill, so I can continue to look at the hill, regardless of whether you are looking at a stove, a tent, cooking something in your fry pan or watching stuff break. It's all good. Thanks for being you :)
Thank you for your video. A few weeks ago I mentioned on an online forum that gear reviews were to be taken with a grain of salt as they were not fully impartial and I was slammed by two reviewers who told me they were fully impartial but as you said, there are biases when you don't get to pay for the gear you review or you develop a relationship with reps from a gear company. In my comment, I did not want to say that gear reviews were not useful because they are as you said because it provide a close-up look at some products that you may not be able to see at a store but to be cautious because some of the issues may be overlooked for many reasons. This is not only related to online reviews, magazines have done that and only review gear where the manufacturer has purchased a full-page ad in the edition so manufacturers who do not purchase ads do not get mentioned.
Absolutely MASSIVE respect to you Mr. Messner! You and TOGR are the real, *REAL* ones and thank you for all your good, non-biased work! Keep on keeping on Mr. Messner and cheers from Sweden🇸🇪🙏
Great getting gear from companies etc, but one thing you will miss out on is doing the research and checking through all the reviews etc what you check out when you are after a new bit of kit, and for me that’s part of the fun doing all my own research into a certain bit of kit, then deciding on what to go for, that’s me anyway, great video Paul, atb Mick 👍
Great video, thank you for being honest and straightforward. You cannot review an item straight out of the box. You have to use it for an amount of time that’s common sense to me.
I’m not rich enough to be a “gearhead”. What I buy has to last. A site like yours made by a responsible bloke like you (whatever your wife says 😅) is important to me. I still trust you and so do I my Trangia Triangle, the one you suggested to me. What you do has a utility and I thank you for showing the path!😊
Thanks for being honest. There’s certain brands that are so blatantly using “influencers”. It’s such a huge turnoff, so I don’t use those brands or watch those channels. Couple of channels are particularly bad for that, but they shall remain nameless!
when this video ended there was a commercial for Bearskin hoodies with THREE of my go-to bushcraft content creators. I cant say i blame them but jesus how timely and to the point of this episode… Brovo, Paul!
Its an interesting point you make. Black friday is usually when i get a dump of kit. This year, im looking and seeing cool stuff. I basket it, and then ponder if i should pull the trigger. If im being honest, the kit I've got (a lot of which i got after watching your review) is actually bang on, so i didnt buy. Id suggest that some of the blame has to rest on the person making the choice to push buy. Ive seen many of your reviews, and either thought, no thanks Paul or that looks lovely but I've got a jetboil( or whatever). Like you say, it has to enhance the experience or be fit for a certain situation, and it almost always has to be able to do at least 2 things.
A bit cheeky with a company as big and expensive as Hilleburg not offering you anything in return for using your image to promote their business. It wouldn't cost them anything.
That's Paul's fault though , he could at least ask for a decent top of the range tent to keep for himself, then do a review on it. Sounds as though he dropped a bollock on that one with him being too much of a fan boy. I bet they made a few quid off that too, if they would not at least let him have a tent for free of his choice then no way would I let a company who are robbing people to start with use a name brand that was built to sell loads of extra tents.
Hilleberg don’t send tents to anyone free Iv never seen a free hilleberg get sent out and reviewed but I do agree they should give something in return for usage of content
I agree with you comments, I am still happy to use 2/3 of a beer can to heat water. Lets hope you're educating the new campers who are getting to start.
when i left the army 25 years ago, i got myself a trangia.... then got into making my own stoves, alcohol, twig and such, and as yet, have never taken my trangia into the field !
What dials you in is longer trips where the stuff you don’t need gets left behind and the necessities take over and keeping your kit dry and serviceable. All with the added hassle of batteries and video production makes it even harder. And is added hassle.
Great video. There’s a channel from here in the States called Outdoor Gear Review. He never accepts freebies, and he doesn’t create a review video until he puts a gear item to a long term test. I can really trust his reviews as a result.
Great vid Paul with some good points. I think all items of hiking gear have a sweet spot for price/quality/weight. It takes a little bit of research but generally the same item will start appearing over again that hits that spot - whether it's clothing or equipment. I love having a durable piece of kit that ends up with the scars and stories of previous trips and always feel a bit gutted when it eventually needs to be replaced.
Hi Paul. Not sure if you will read this. I love your honesty about all the products you test but can’t get how you love hilleburg tents. We brought the nallo 2 gt for a 4 year cycle trip. Yes it was lite weight but the condensation was horrendous. It didn’t matter how we pitched it all our kit got dripped on due to the large flat area and the foot area always got wet because it was to close to the fly and the open vent at the base. Even when it wasn’t raining. Also the pressure on just 1 entrance zip and no ability to get a good air flow in hot conditions. We told hilleburg and they offered a discount on a different tent. We went for the kiron 3 gt which not only needed almost 7 metres to pitch and 3 metres wide it also leaked on every seam on the first rain storm we had. We then used a 3 man alpkit zhota which although was heavy was excellent. Then moved to a hubba hubba. I complained to hilleburg with a video showing them water dripping through the seams and although they gave us a full refund they didn’t accept there was anything wrong with their £1000 tent which I found surprising. One thing I would love your review is the difference between all the paramo jackets. There are reviews on a few models but what is the difference between them pros and cons. I’ve got a velez that’s almost 20 years old and still us the best rain jacket by a mile. Thanks for you hard work
I think what you are saying is exactly right! As a dyed in the wool honest Englishman!❤😊 Or Briton, depending on your mindset. Too many people, companies, and politicians are trying to buy their way into being recommended!
One of the things many people won’t talk about is satellite trackers as a gadget. Maybe it’s not rough and rough and hard or manly or something. I use one all the time. And a select few people follow and know exactly where I am and have a process incase I suddenly stop moving and are not contactable. There are a bucket of people that don’t have one, never had use of one but slag them off. Using them helps you and rescue teams as they know where you are more or less just about as “somewhere in Scotland or somewhere on Cairngorms “ is pretty useless. But if your hard as nails you don’t need one, you just bite your own leg off and hop 5 miles to the nearest farmhouse, or maybe just start crying and die freezing.
This is why I watch your videos over others. Speaking for myself , I want honest reviews, not a solicitation of a product. I'm also not looking to forest Gump across the yukon . So ultra light is out the window . Im your age, and it's just nice to get exercise and enjoy nature. Thank you for being genuine.
Maintaining your integrity is the key to a quality review otherwise the review is pointless. A quality company should have faith in it's gear and should be able to take criticism and feedback without getting the 'ump. ...and perhaps they'll learn something themselves from your honest critique.I think your stance is the correct one Paul.... Well done that man.
You've highlighted some very good points here, Paul. I've always been sceptical of sponsored reviews, but I hadn't thought about the fact that the reviewer has a different perspective because its been given free.
Thanks for your candour on this Paul. I agree with the problems you have pointed out, and there is a similar but more subtle issue here as well. Even when sponsored product reviewers are 100% honest, we only get to see products from those companies who send them out and gain traction with the big channels. If we are considering a piece of equipment from a company that doesn’t market this way we might get the impression that it is inferior simply because it doesn’t end up in the hands of folks like yourself. If you were a new backpacker in the US who was watching RUclips videos to choose which gear to buy, you would end up choosing from a very small selection of equipment and probably missing out on the perfect gear for your own needs. Reviewers who beat the bushes to find interesting new gear to purchase and review on their own often have a much wider and more interesting range of things to show (Luke at The Outdoor Gear Review is a great example). Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
I know you mention it when you get a product sent for free and I like how you review stuff. But, it could be argued, that if you get to keep a product for free that review is still sponsored, even if you don't get any money in return for the review. I think this video was excellent in pointing out the pitfalls of youtube reviews.
Thanks Paul 👍 I back this 100% 🙌 things become obsolete so quickly these days. We dont need the newest things, we need robust things that are fit for purpose. I've always appreciated your honest reviews of things and could tell you never sold out. I get how freebies are appreciated and appreciation (as well as not parting with your hard earned pennies) may cause a different opinion of a product or direct the focus of a video. 😊 You do a great job 🏆
Something I've always admired about Murray from Scotland's Mountains is he pretty much uses the same gear every time. He must be getting sent stuff and offered stuff all the time.
@@AndyMacaskill so true. He’s been using the scarp for donkeys now.
@boolay75 I think he might be onto his third one!
@@AndyMacaskill. . . Third donkey-?.. I’ve missed those one’s … Murray going ‘up hill and down glen’ - on a donkey?.. Chuckles aside, what is a ‘scarp’?.. of which he may or may not be … ‘on his third’?..
I don't recall Murray ever reviewing a product; his content is always excellent.
@tuttobicci during lockdown down, he did do a few videos on the stuff he uses, and possibly his video editing software, etc. But that is all I can think of.
Honesty and integrity are a rare quality nowadays online. You should be proud that you have built such a successful channel whilst still holding onto both of these attributes. Top bloke.
I used to run a fairly successful youtube channel in the earlier days, if I'd concentrated on it, perhaps like you I could have ditched the day job and done gear reviews and trips full time (albeit for a slightly different market). I only made honest, unbiased reviews on things I'd bought with my own money. That was my golden rule, to tell the TRUTH. Steadily manufacturers contacted me and there were always strings attached, and I couldn't even keep the gear with a hand on heart, clear conscience. So I walked away from it. Respect to you and Luke for managing to walk that fine line. Atb
For myself, it was actually your comparison videos of two or three similar products. They were great because you never trashed one product and praise the other, you'd take the time to explain (in detail) why product a might be more suitable over product b and vice versa whilst giving a really good overview. Very efficient way of getting through overviews of products in a single video.
You have over 190k subs, me personaly i think you should carry on doing the exact same thing aslong as it makes you happy. You've obviously been doing something right, ive bought alot and done alot because of this channel and i enjoy it.
I think it is tough because what works and/or what is sold in the US vs UK can be rather different. What trends due to weather, camping styles, and individual preferences varies so much. I am in the US, but a very rainy part of it. Most of what US RUclipsrs profile is not something that will work for me. What works in the Arizona or Colorado desert won’t be great on say the very rainy Oregon coast or Olympic Peninsula. So that has to make doing these reviews hard. I really value what you do and your integrity. So much of what you have shown over the years has helped me refine what goes into my core kit. Another great video. Thank you!
You are a man with integrity Paul..a seemingly rare commodity these days..Thank you! 🥰
Me & my friends ( girls )we sit around the campfire in our aldi sleeping bags. Have lasted years . We camp loads and none of us buy much new stuff . Air mats are replaced if they burst or new gas is all we buy. Started watching you coz we needed water filters & had no idea which one to buy or how they work .
Exactly don't need the fanciest stuff to camp. It's easy to watch all these RUclips and almost get put off taking up the hobby
Thats all you need to be honest. I do but stuff a bit and do reviews but just because its part of my hobby. But i would be just as good without 80% of the stuff i got 😂
It might be a good suggestion to do a gear revisited. What old gear is still good and has stood the test of time. Not everyone buys new but most of the reviews were done, as you say, as soon as they came out. Once again a good honest video, it’s why I follow your channel.
The big benefit of these kind of review videos is that they show products that are generally not available to look at in the majority of outdoor gear shops.
Even most main brand tents are no longer possible to look at in major outdoor retailers.
I think tents are fair enough and I will use them frequently, but it’s always a red flag when as he mentioned you’ve got a glut of people reviewing the same tent that’s hardly been used. Nortent are a great example of that.
@@DABOutdoorsthere are too many outdoors channel to count these days some are really decent I'm still stumbling across canny ones these days but in my opinion the majority are people wanting Internet fame/money from RUclips and free gear see it from really small channels and ones with massive subscriber counts
Spot on with everything mate 👏🏻
It's interesting for me to look back over the 10 years of making videos myself, which has been heavily gear focused all that time. It's unbelievably exciting to be sent free gear, and often really cool gear. And that feeds the brain of excitement. But at some point that just becomes too much. Transparency and honesty is by far the most critical and important part of sharing gear. I think it's totally fine to share first impressions of a new product, but shouldn't be drawing final conclusions after 10 minutes with the item. Experience is everything, and sometimes that experience gets shared through time with a product too.
It's an important conversation that may feel tiring to have over and over, but it's important to keep ourselves and such in check of what is right, what our integrity is rooted in and being honest.
Thanks, Paul!
Love this video and the comments you’ve made. It shows real maturity and a sense of what is going on in the industry right now, well for a long time. I’m looking forward to seeing where your channel goes. It’s been great watching your videos. I like the honest approach to reviewing. It’s a breath of fresh air 👍🏼
A very honest look in the mirror.
It's this down to earth, no bullsh*t approach that keeps me subscribed and interested.
You're very easy to relate to. I like that.
I remember buying my first trangia back in the 70s when i was a lad , they were advertised on the back page of the Karrimor brochure back then , just a diagram . I still have it still works like it always did although i wore out the saucepan
I think those things are almost impossible to destroy. lol
Beyond the points you make about integrity, I really appreciate your thoughtful, philosophical approach. It's worth stepping back from time to time to think about *why* you're continuing to do this and whether the channel still does what you wanted it to do from the beginning. While I appreciate the gear reviews and look forward to more, I also really enjoy your thoughts, Paul. Please keep it up!
Well said Paul. Why fix it if it's not broken? Experienced people like you and others should guide the beginners. The most expensive doesn't mean the best 👍
True that!
Also why I'm soo hooked on mil-surp gear, it's both affordable and it will take many beatings and keep on chuffing on! 😝👌
Personally, I only listen to long term, well used gear reviews. If it’s a box opening, a first time seen or used, then I hit the off button. Shaking my head, why anyone would make a video of a box opening and first time used…I don’t know. Paul, thank you for sharing your honest, sensible commentary…from an old veteran, retired in the US, foothills of the east Tennessee Smokies.
Box opening videos are great, if you think somethings missing.
You can see if that parts included or not.
Yes no. Something I'd just like to see before buying online. A few regrets but few.
Box opening is pretty useless. With some gear the setup is valuable.
We are all pulled in once we start a RUclips channel. Personally I think your supporters are the ones who know you. You are always honest with your opinions and that's all we need. If you find something new you like, feel free to tell us about it. Finding stories every week is hard, but something always pops up. 👍
Thanks for your input on this.
Thanks for watching
There is another approach Paul, called purchase justification. Where you have stretched yourself to buy something and made sacrifices, you need to reinforce the justification for your purchase.
I think fair reviewers will present the facts and test in a range of conditions, without gushing opinions. I agree with a lot of what you said, but I see the manufacturer sending gear, the reviewer showing it ( enjoying it!) and the viewer getting entertained and seeing the detail is a win all round really.
Up to you mate to stop reviewing free gear, but you did it well! I know you are going to be more selective and buy yourself. I understand about gear saturation.
I love the Lyng sleeping bag, BTW, as it was sent free, alas you will have to keep it hidden now or send it back!
Regarding the Vern 1, 'a few of these tents have been destroyed'. I know of one vern 1 video where there was a pole damaged in extreme conditions, which could happen to any tent, given the right circumstances. Pretty unfair, considering you too spoke highly of the tent in windy conditions. I had a problem with the Vern 2, my bad, I know, but Nortent were responsive and helpful in upgrading the poles after that.
As regards people buying what the reviewer shows, is somewhat dumming down the viewer. We see offers to buy stuff every time we switch the telly on and walk in a shop, doesnt mean we buy them. The same applies to camping gear reviews, just because we show a range, it does'nt mean we expect people to change all the time.
On the note on guidance from manufacturers, no-one has ever asked me to show anything in a video or comment in a particular way, with the exception of one electronics distributor. They just gave helpful guidelines on usage and what features made it stand out from the competition, that i MAY wanted to show in the video. I always just do my own thing anyway.
Anyway, interesting video ATB.
"The Outdoor Gear Review" (TOGR) is, in my mind, the holy Grail when it comes to Agenda-Free product reviews
AGREED! Most RUclips, so-called product review are nothing more than glorified "Infomercials"
Warm Regards from Reno, Nevada, U.S.A.
Thanks, Paul! Well done. While I appreciate gear reviews and they do save me bother and money, unless a piece of gear is truly unique, I'm like you. I already have several iterations of the same gear. Stoves, sleeping bags, pads, tents, etc. I usually come back to using the same gear. Same twig stove, same Trangia burner, same pad, same bag, same tarp and bivi, etc. After awhile, all this stuff just became background stuff to the real enjoyment: hiking, canoeing, sleeping under the stars, and staring at my campfire with my dog.
I love your reviews, the filming, sound, editing and your enthusiasm. It is easy to tell if you really like a product or not, and I think you give an honest point of view.
💯👍 on everything. I don’t use tables while camping because I think they are silly but when you mentioned that table came with a board game I was dying 😂🤣.
I always thoroughly research everything before I pull the trigger and buy anything, but I still have too much kit 🤣
I think like yourself, I need to go through everything that never gets used and get rid of it....... it might even finance an extra camping trip 😁
What a great conversation. Respect earned. Its funny seeing you say they wanted you to play the game. I watched another channel and the person played the game and did not even give the proper dimensions of the table. Its like they are putting a video just to put out a video. Not to genuine in my opinion. Keep up the good work Messner!
What a breath of fresh air! I personally still have gear that I’ve either made or adapted and bought over forty years ago! I think there will always be channels - whatever their thing is - who are swayed by freebies or payment to review or product place gear. I think that detracts from what bushcraft/camping/wild camping etc.. is supposed to be: getting away from it and living (for however short a time) in and around nature.
Personally speaking when I’m looking for replacement kit, I never go for the newest releases - I’ll wait to see how it fares with others down the line or even go for older proven gear. I’m 66 now and retired so I don’t have as much disposable income theses days as I used to, so I have to spend it wisely.
The things I find more valuable than the “next best thing” is ideas and innovative approaches to the outdoors that a lot of people share on YT - even at my age I am willing and ready to adopt new methods!
Anyway - keep ‘em coming mate! Good Yule!
Spot on! Specifically talking about reviewers not putting a piece of kit through its paces was so accurate. Even when I'm looking through Amazon reviews for random things, anything, I'm looking for the reviews that are from people that have actually used the item, not just take it outta the box, snap a pic and talk about how perfect it is lol. Like, take it outta the sealed bag and actually USE the damn thing for a bit? But everyone has to be first so, it's hard to find anything worth a damn.
Congratulations Paul, welcome back. I personally watched your reviews, when I was upgrading my setup, reliable. But it’s so easy for gearheads to go down the hole. While justifying outrageous profit pricing.👍
A man with integrity a rare quality these days well done mate 👍😀
It seems a man capable of remembering Paul's 'I’m DONE making gear reviews' vid from 12 months ago is also a rare quality these days.
Best wishes Paul, love the channel and the direction you are going.
This is why your the GOAT of RUclips 🫡 respect Paul 👍🏼
I find it funny that the more gear reviews I watch, the more choice paralysis I get, and then I can't choose anything at all! It's tricky to find reviews that perfectly match anyone's particular camping style. Honestly, I think it's more helpful to just see people camping and sharing their best and worst moments instead of focusing too much on the gear they used.
Well said Paul..ive been following you for years, I’ve always found you to be sincere and honest with your reviews whether you paid for the product or not. My policy when buying new gear is to check out several reviews, to get an overall picture. As you say it’s difficult to go to a shop to see , touch, examine products first hand, as we used too. I think ive reached a pinnacle in the products i need and use, as i find myself buying less kit lately. Merry Christmas , enjoy life !!
What you're talking about is exactly my philosophy, I don't buy products that I've seen once, I look at the product for a long time and read about it, I don't want to buy a product just because a RUclipsr praises it and then it turns out that the product works broken. Try to go for famous brands. When it comes to tents, I visit an outdoor store and get to see the tent and feel it. Then if I decide to do it, after a few test nights I can post a video about what I think about it. I don't want to mislead my viewers, it could happen that they are looking for their first product and then I don't want to deceive them by saying something is great before I have properly tested it myself. 🙂 Well done Paul
Patrick Dickinson is surely the king of using gear for what it is and making the camp the star if the show. We all like to see gear though.but most tents are just so similar, not even many tents are even puter pitch tents! Trying to get a deveht weight outer.pitch tent is like hens teeth
Patrick Dickinson does indeed let the camping experience be the star of the show. His "High there!" and warm personality are always welcome. He and Paul Messner live in the same city of Sheffield and I believe finally met not so long ago.
Lets not forget the late great Nagualero who took things bushcraft to the highest levels with his Lavvu expeditions.What a hardcore dude he was.
He was awesome, a great painter also
Never knew he'd passed I remember watching his stuff time ago now
It’s been some time since I heard that name.
Thanks for the suggestion, not watched his channel before.
Swedwoods is another hardcore bushcraft youtuber who massively utilises canvas shelter halves
I was blown away by his passing,just like that other guy woodswalker RIP
Stick by your ethics and moral compass Paul! Credit to you for being authentic... its the only reason I return to your videos. Keep it up.
Always like your stuff because it always come over as truthful and not full of what others have said.
Motorcyclist follow channels like yours due to the need for solid, lightweight kit that does what it says on the packet and can be utilised in alternative ways.
We have all got cupboards full of kit that didn't work, was to much faff or was another useless unnecessary piece of kit that just added weight.
Keep doing what you do please Paul 👍
This is great to hear Paul. Time to get back to filming your journeys in the great outdoors and to allow us to share in your experiences which we appreciate very much. The gear stuff is becoming saturated with influencers pushing brand after brand at you that it detracts from the outdoor experience and they become nothing more than a doorstep salesman flogging stuff. Your right it is wasteful and as outdoor enthusiasts we should be promoting sustainability, as should the entire outdoor industry. Atb.
I love it! Thanks, Paul! I like watching your videos to inspire me to get outdoors myself. I’m a gear nerd, but find I’m usually simply spending money I don’t need to spend. I keep coming back to the simple things like the trangia alcohol stove. Thank you for what you do. Keep enjoying the outdoors for the outdoors sake!
Great video Paul, be happy with what you’ve got. Do not replace your gear until it’s in a state of beyond repair.
Its getting ridiculous. I've got under 1k subs and ive been contracted 3 times this month alone to demo kit. I dont do reviews i just show and tell then update down the line. Your quite correct there is to much pushing insignificant kit. Facebook market place is full of RUclipsrs selling kit a week after telling us it was 'a beast'. Great honest video well done Paul.
Thanks for your honesty. Creating content for YT must ruin what should be an awesome outdoor experience for you. As much as I love the gear reviews, I'd prefer to see you enjoying the mountains and having a great time. We're all part of the problem too. I've spent weeks staring at gear reviews of tents when I already have a perfectly good one for my needs. That's time I could have spent out in the mountains...
Happy New Year to you and yours - make time for yourself in 2025
Your message is commendable and you need to do what is good for you. I understand the point that you don't need to constantly upgrade, but for many of us either starting out or looking to level up, we need reviews of the latest gear so that we can choose what to buy at that point in time. We don't necessarily have the back catalogue that you do, nor can we purchase what you bought 6 years ago. I value your opinion of what is available in the current marketplace if I'm about to spend my hard earned cash.
I guess that you will leave that to the other content creators and you'll keep paddling your canoe in whichever direction makes you happy and I'm sure you'll continue to be a success.
Well done Paul, ethical and honest is always best so i applaud you for taking this approach. Providing an incite into what works for you will help me and many others make the correct choice but not promoting consumerism is also very environmentally friendly. Well done lad
Well said Paul. I guess we are all guilty of buying gear we don't need and what's worse don't use.
Paul, i appreciate your advise and do take it on board when looking for new gear.
I'd be interested to see some 'long term' gear reviews. Stuff you've been using for 5 years and still rocks. Could be a little series or playlist
Total respect mate ❤ I’m excited to see you using all the old gear. Top man
Very honest. Make a few Jo videos too - i always enjoy it when she puts you in your place!
You could do a re-review.
A review of all the gear you got or still have, still use.
Look up the current pricing. and see if it's still worth it.
A great review of free gear suppliers, a lot of gear is made to make sales, like fishing the gear it catches more fishermen than fish. Keep it honest well done Paul
I'm still using my £20 quid Vango stove. If it ain't broken: don't fix it 😂 If I do get another one (let's face it: I will coz we all love a new bit of gear) , I'll try an alcohol one. You have to take every gear review with a pinch of salt. Especially when the person is probably only using the piece of gear for the purpose of the review. You've never steered me wrong so you're my first port of call if I'm on RUclips. Not that I don't have the experience but we're all always learning and being able to identify good sources of information is imperative.
Your channel is my second-favorite camping channel, and I love the way you celebrate the outdoor experience over reviewing gear, but because I live in the U.S., I'll likely never camp where you do. My favorite channel is TOGR (The Outdoor Gear Review) both because I trust Luke's reviews completely and because he camps not far from me in the Appalachian mountains. I support his channel because his budget gear reviews have saved me far more than the support. I only started camping seriously in the past year or two, and I have accumulated more gear than I really need, but I am tapering off.
The Light Tour sleeping pad I'll receive today should complete my ensemble of winter camping gear and hopefully will be the last gear I'll purchase for a while. The last high R-value pad I bought was a disappointment in my experience and according to some online reviews. I still like it and use it primarily in three seasons, but I wouldn't use it in sub-freezing conditions.
I ordered the Light Tour from AliExpress because it's not sold much in the U.S., not even on Amazon, but it has rave reviews from the U.K. though I don't think you've reviewed it. It gets high marks for warmth and not so much for durability, but since I don't camp much in the winter and often use a cot, I worry less about durability. I always take two pads in case one fails anyway. I live in the southeastern U.S. and generally hate cold weather, but I'm determined to overcome my reluctance this season.
Luke recently started a second channel for outdoor adventures without gear reviews. You might do the same. I respect your decision to review only gear you've bought yourself, but unlike other camping channels, I usually watch your videos for your thoughts on the outdoor experience and not so much for gear reviews. Gear review channels are a dime a dozen, really, but you are a philosopher of the outdoors.
Well done for not bowing over to these big companies. So many really good RUclips channels have sold themselves to this utter nonsense. Keep it up Paul👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
What a fantastic little spot with which to do whatever you see proper... congrats.
Great vid i was sponsored as a fell runner and had to give 'honest' feedback -it was hard and in the end after a couple of years i hated it.
I like your honest approach well done i will keep watching your vids.
I still use a Trianga and pocket fuel systems depending on trips out.
An old silk liner or a thermal liner i baught in early 90's in my sleeping bag will add warmth.
A poignant message especially at this time of year.
I’ve just been planning on treating myself to something for Christmas and after looking at my kit I don’t actually need anything.
It all works. It’s lasted.
Thanks.
Really enjoying the variety of vids you do Paul. Some of the stuff you review has been useful for educating some of my choices, and other times I have thought "yeah, na, I don't need that". But what I have enjoyed the most is where you do the vids. As an Aussie who lived in the north, I too have hiked up Kinder for a camp, as well as trekking the Pennine Way and the Lakes, Scotland, etc. I have watched your vids with interest, but ended up settling on different gear that, after much research suited *me*. But your vids are just as good for showing what you think works as what I may not think works. It's all experimentation, and I do enjoy watching the Peak District in the background while you try lots of stuff I will never buy. Now that I have returned to Oz, these vids are a more nostalgic view of England's great North in winter while I swelter in 40°C heat here. So I hope you will continue to do whatever you want on that hill, so I can continue to look at the hill, regardless of whether you are looking at a stove, a tent, cooking something in your fry pan or watching stuff break. It's all good. Thanks for being you :)
Thank you for your video. A few weeks ago I mentioned on an online forum that gear reviews were to be taken with a grain of salt as they were not fully impartial and I was slammed by two reviewers who told me they were fully impartial but as you said, there are biases when you don't get to pay for the gear you review or you develop a relationship with reps from a gear company. In my comment, I did not want to say that gear reviews were not useful because they are as you said because it provide a close-up look at some products that you may not be able to see at a store but to be cautious because some of the issues may be overlooked for many reasons. This is not only related to online reviews, magazines have done that and only review gear where the manufacturer has purchased a full-page ad in the edition so manufacturers who do not purchase ads do not get mentioned.
Absolutely MASSIVE respect to you Mr. Messner!
You and TOGR are the real, *REAL* ones and thank you for all your good, non-biased work!
Keep on keeping on Mr. Messner and cheers from Sweden🇸🇪🙏
You're fast becoming not only my favourite outdoor youtuber, but my favourite youtuber.
Great getting gear from companies etc, but one thing you will miss out on is doing the research and checking through all the reviews etc what you check out when you are after a new bit of kit, and for me that’s part of the fun doing all my own research into a certain bit of kit, then deciding on what to go for, that’s me anyway, great video Paul, atb Mick 👍
Paul I’ve been using my setup for over a decade. No plans for new gear!
Oh yes I did get a Mini pump - the best bit of kit I ever bought!
Great video, thank you for being honest and straightforward. You cannot review an item straight out of the box. You have to use it for an amount of time that’s common sense to me.
Honesty is the best policy……..well done Paul👍
I’m not rich enough to be a “gearhead”. What I buy has to last. A site like yours made by a responsible bloke like you (whatever your wife says 😅) is important to me. I still trust you and so do I my Trangia Triangle, the one you suggested to me. What you do has a utility and I thank you for showing the path!😊
Thanks for being honest. There’s certain brands that are so blatantly using “influencers”. It’s such a huge turnoff, so I don’t use those brands or watch those channels. Couple of channels are particularly bad for that, but they shall remain nameless!
If they show up in an ad on Facebook for some weird brand it’s a sure sign they sold their soul and you can’t trust anything they say anymore
when this video ended there was a commercial for Bearskin hoodies with THREE of my go-to bushcraft content creators. I cant say i blame them but jesus how timely and to the point of this episode… Brovo, Paul!
Great change of direction. Very honest. You will pick up many more subs from this I am sure.
Refreshingly honest and insightful video as ever 👍🏻
Its an interesting point you make. Black friday is usually when i get a dump of kit. This year, im looking and seeing cool stuff. I basket it, and then ponder if i should pull the trigger. If im being honest, the kit I've got (a lot of which i got after watching your review) is actually bang on, so i didnt buy.
Id suggest that some of the blame has to rest on the person making the choice to push buy. Ive seen many of your reviews, and either thought, no thanks Paul or that looks lovely but I've got a jetboil( or whatever).
Like you say, it has to enhance the experience or be fit for a certain situation, and it almost always has to be able to do at least 2 things.
A bit cheeky with a company as big and expensive as Hilleburg not offering you anything in return for using your image to promote their business. It wouldn't cost them anything.
That's Paul's fault though , he could at least ask for a decent top of the range tent to keep for himself, then do a review on it. Sounds as though he dropped a bollock on that one with him being too much of a fan boy. I bet they made a few quid off that too, if they would not at least let him have a tent for free of his choice then no way would I let a company who are robbing people to start with use a name brand that was built to sell loads of extra tents.
Hilleberg don’t send tents to anyone free Iv never seen a free hilleberg get sent out and reviewed but I do agree they should give something in return for usage of content
@@lewiswines3107 I would have asked 'what are you going to do for me', have to hustle in this game
@@antduke2361 For sure, I would have asked and if they said no then no photo. Need to hustle a lot in this game.
Completely agree. You mentioned a while back about not naming gear in your videos, but I've noticed them still creeping in there
Brilliant, honest video. Respect Paul, you're a man of integrity! 👍
I agree with you comments, I am still happy to use 2/3 of a beer can to heat water. Lets hope you're educating the new campers who are getting to start.
I like your ethics and 'down to earth' reviews, I've used them and am happy with my new gear ! 😅
when i left the army 25 years ago, i got myself a trangia.... then got into making my own stoves, alcohol, twig and such, and as yet, have never taken my trangia into the field !
What dials you in is longer trips where the stuff you don’t need gets left behind and the necessities take over and keeping your kit dry and serviceable.
All with the added hassle of batteries and video production makes it even harder. And is added hassle.
Great video. There’s a channel from here in the States called Outdoor Gear Review. He never accepts freebies, and he doesn’t create a review video until he puts a gear item to a long term test. I can really trust his reviews as a result.
Luke !!! Great channel...
Great vid Paul with some good points. I think all items of hiking gear have a sweet spot for price/quality/weight. It takes a little bit of research but generally the same item will start appearing over again that hits that spot - whether it's clothing or equipment. I love having a durable piece of kit that ends up with the scars and stories of previous trips and always feel a bit gutted when it eventually needs to be replaced.
Hi Paul. Not sure if you will read this. I love your honesty about all the products you test but can’t get how you love hilleburg tents. We brought the nallo 2 gt for a 4 year cycle trip. Yes it was lite weight but the condensation was horrendous. It didn’t matter how we pitched it all our kit got dripped on due to the large flat area and the foot area always got wet because it was to close to the fly and the open vent at the base. Even when it wasn’t raining. Also the pressure on just 1 entrance zip and no ability to get a good air flow in hot conditions. We told hilleburg and they offered a discount on a different tent. We went for the kiron 3 gt which not only needed almost 7 metres to pitch and 3 metres wide it also leaked on every seam on the first rain storm we had. We then used a 3 man alpkit zhota which although was heavy was excellent. Then moved to a hubba hubba. I complained to hilleburg with a video showing them water dripping through the seams and although they gave us a full refund they didn’t accept there was anything wrong with their £1000 tent which I found surprising. One thing I would love your review is the difference between all the paramo jackets. There are reviews on a few models but what is the difference between them pros and cons. I’ve got a velez that’s almost 20 years old and still us the best rain jacket by a mile. Thanks for you hard work
I think what you are saying is exactly right! As a dyed in the wool honest Englishman!❤😊 Or Briton, depending on your mindset. Too many people, companies, and politicians are trying to buy their way into being recommended!
One of the things many people won’t talk about is satellite trackers as a gadget. Maybe it’s not rough and rough and hard or manly or something.
I use one all the time. And a select few people follow and know exactly where I am and have a process incase I suddenly stop moving and are not contactable.
There are a bucket of people that don’t have one, never had use of one but slag them off. Using them helps you and rescue teams as they know where you are more or less just about as “somewhere in Scotland or somewhere on Cairngorms “ is pretty useless.
But if your hard as nails you don’t need one, you just bite your own leg off and hop 5 miles to the nearest farmhouse, or maybe just start crying and die freezing.
Great talk Paul. The information you put out. Is extremely valuable. Cheers 🍻 mate
This is why I watch your videos over others. Speaking for myself , I want honest reviews, not a solicitation of a product. I'm also not looking to forest Gump across the yukon . So ultra light is out the window . Im your age, and it's just nice to get exercise and enjoy nature. Thank you for being genuine.
Thanks for being so honest
Maintaining your integrity is the key to a quality review otherwise the review is pointless. A quality company should have faith in it's gear and should be able to take criticism and feedback without getting the 'ump. ...and perhaps they'll learn something themselves from your honest critique.I think your stance is the correct one Paul.... Well done that man.
You've highlighted some very good points here, Paul. I've always been sceptical of sponsored reviews, but I hadn't thought about the fact that the reviewer has a different perspective because its been given free.
I could never take seriously a product review of something that’s been given free to the reviewer.
Can't believe its nearly 2025, hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a healthy and happy 2025. Big love from N Wales.
Thanks for your candour on this Paul. I agree with the problems you have pointed out, and there is a similar but more subtle issue here as well. Even when sponsored product reviewers are 100% honest, we only get to see products from those companies who send them out and gain traction with the big channels. If we are considering a piece of equipment from a company that doesn’t market this way we might get the impression that it is inferior simply because it doesn’t end up in the hands of folks like yourself. If you were a new backpacker in the US who was watching RUclips videos to choose which gear to buy, you would end up choosing from a very small selection of equipment and probably missing out on the perfect gear for your own needs. Reviewers who beat the bushes to find interesting new gear to purchase and review on their own often have a much wider and more interesting range of things to show (Luke at The Outdoor Gear Review is a great example). Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
Merry Christmas, I am looking forward to the year ahead and the new way of doing things.
Good honest video Paul. Fair play to you. Although I would have like to have seen the pocket sized pop up table. Minus the Ludo game of course 🙂
It's on my latest video if you want to see it, minus playing ludo.
My comment keeps disappearing. I've done a review in that table without and ludo 😂
I know you mention it when you get a product sent for free and I like how you review stuff. But, it could be argued, that if you get to keep a product for free that review is still sponsored, even if you don't get any money in return for the review. I think this video was excellent in pointing out the pitfalls of youtube reviews.
The MSR Hubba Hubba is still my favorite tent.
@Paul Messner. Good points, well made. Keep it up fella. (and remember dont let the barstewards get you down)