Right on, mate. I watch your videos because I'm curious about WHY you use what you use, or go where you go, or do things the way you do. I respect that. I don't waste my time on promotional stuff. 👍
The trips and adventures and your skills are paramount in why I watch your channel. I agree, I don't get why there are so many channels devoted to being part of companies marketing departments. You mentioned that your original mission was to document your trips early on - I'd stick to that. I appreciate secondary recommendations of gear and what works for you or your strategies. Let the other channels be 'gear reviews'. :)
Fantastic topic man, I was thinking the same way, but then I decided to do some kind of review of the equipment that I think my subscribers would benefit from and give their money for that equipment. You nicely elaborated this.
Appreciate the reflection and honesty. I primarily watch your channel for the locations and experience. I also appreciate when you talk about what you like, don’t like or tips how you use equipment- for example your video on how you set up the Front range tent really helped me when I bought it. I also think you do a great job talking about why gear works for you. I have a Garmin Fenix and love it! But your video highlighted why it wasn’t the watch for you - totally fair. I also agree the Garmin ecosystem seems like it runs on code from the 90s.
Haha the Fenix is growing on me! Been using it for several months now just to try and understand if I was way off. I still think it’s a little overrated but it means I check my phone less often and end up saving battery life as a whole.
I appreciate the rant. On one hand it drives me crazy that everything in outdoor branding tells me that I need to buy more crap, when the thing I love about backpacking is getting away from all of the crap that I cant carry with me. On the other hand I really love to innovate product solutions, and want try that in the space where I would spend most of my time if I had the option. So I'll be playing the game for a while!? Hope I can come up with something that you will *want* to share with your audience 😜
What I love about your channel Kane is its authenticity. I personally think this whole "thing" depends on what you are doing YT for? Are you trying to make money, i.e. is it a full-time gig or is that the aim? Or is it a passion project where you are you trying to inform? I enjoy the gear reviews you do because they feel authentic. I believe a discerning audience can tell the difference between an authentic opinion and a less authentic promotion. Keep up the great work
That’s a great point, and something I think about quite a bit. What’s the end goal? Originally, it was to share experience based knowledge and connect with like minded people. For that you don’t need the newest gear, nor will it help to connect if people watching the videos detect a sales pitch. There was no financial end goal. Things changed a bit was once the channel started gaining traction. It’s a positive feedback loop: when I publish more videos, the channel gains more traction. The flip side to that is videos take time (and I enjoy making them) but there’s an opportunity cost since I’m self employed/freelance. If I could offset the cost then I could make more videos, but that would likely make them less authentic, and authenticity is in general what people appreciate. Catch 22!
This is an idea I struggle with as I continue to make videos. I don’t really enjoy making gear videos. But I understand that those are the videos that seem to gain the most traction. In six years on YT I’ve only agreed to make videos for a very small handful of companies that have reached out to me. I had a bad experience with one company and kind of lost interest in doing any more of those kinds of videos. I’ve agreed to act as an affiliate for four companies, and only stuck with two who I really believe in. (In all fairness one of the companies went out of business, I’d still work with them if they were still around). I want people to see the trip videos and more creative videos I make, and it sometimes feels like you have to do gear videos just to get folks to pay attention to your channel. All that said I enjoy your channel, and your personable approach. It’s all very relatable and entertaining.
I like talking gear, especially from a high level perspective: eg tarp vs tent without really mentioning brands. What I don't like is being taken advantage of. Gear reviews on youtube have a long lifespan (basically as long as the product is on the market) that exceeds anything on other platforms. For example if you are a big instagram influencer with 1M followers and you promote a product, a lot of people will see it on the day of the post but only a small fraction of people might even consider buying it. Whereas on youtube, you can have zero followers and put up a review that gets seen by 100K people who are searching specifically for that product. It could be over a period of 1, 2, or even 5 years. That can translate to a lot of sales, or steer people in that direction. If a person posts a video that gets 10K views, and the review is positive for the most part, what is that worth to a brand? 20$ that it cost to send me a 100$ retail product? That's where I feel taken advantage of. The more I break it down and analyze the economics, the less I enjoy it. I may as well make the videos I want, when I'm inspired to talk about a specific piece of gear I will. If not, I won't. If I'm inspired to talk about a specific item it's either really good or really bad, and that way I feel like it's useful for the community. I do see the value in having both the "hobbyist" reviews from small channels, "enthusiast" reviews from medium channels like mine, and "pro" reviews from big creators, but the viewer/consumer needs to recognize the potential for bias at all levels. Trip videos are an interesting topic in itself. Very few channels make a name for themselves doing only trip videos. The ones that do select and execute with the intention of making a video that gets views: ie are entertaining in some way. Some don't, but if they are successful it's based on another X factor: the creator's personality, location etc.
@@KaneDoesOutdoors I’ll happily talk about a piece of gear that really made my experience better in the backcountry. Or one that failed spectacularly. But I think in terms of actual reviews, I’m over it. My channel is pretty small. I reckon I should be focused on the aspects of YT I enjoy. I don’t really have my sights set on “making it” on RUclips. I had the opportunity to monetize the channel awhile back, and didn’t do it. Then I took an eight month break due to a family emergency, and am pretty much starting over from scratch now. I have an XMid review I did a long time ago (the Drop version) that still gets a significant amount of views. It feels weird because the version of the tent that’s available now, is so different from the one I have. I don’t know how useful that video is to anyone anymore.
@KaneDoesOutdoors - so many things said, so much to unpack. Fascinating thoughts that you're trying to convey. The research by Adam Grant, PhD (Wharton Business School) shows that most of us consumers cringe at Self Promotion, yet really value Idea Promotion. I watch your channel because you're "idea centric". The second part is "congruency"... the Flex Tail pump was really congruent with your channel and the rest of us. You had access to the product before a lot of others, and we appreciate your critical review. What's ultimately the real challenge for you?
Vince! As usual you're able to distill it down to the essentials as I'm fumbling to get a coherent sentence together. Possibly the 700 m climb in 75 minutes that was the problem... The challenge is creating content that offers a fresh perspective, while being interesting at the same time. It's easy to get sucked into gear reviews since they can generate quite a bit of traffic to the channel and do lead to people seeing the non gear centric videos.
@@KaneDoesOutdoors I love it... all of it. The multi-published author, Seth Godin, would say, "I write for me. I don't write for you. The people who buy and recommend my books are the people who resonate with what I write." Vlog for you... and let others self-select or de-select accordingly. You likely already do this... Knowing what you know now, Vlog for you intentionally.
@@JustinOutdoors thank you. Trying to figure out what the mob wants will drive creators insane. You do you, and those who appreciate it will follow. +1 for social science 😉 PS. I really enjoyed your last video.
Interesting video. I personally gravitate to creators like yourself because of the hike, trip, adventure, etc... and then "This is the gear or type of gear I'm using for this trip and here is why and how it's working out for me". For example a pyramid tent on a -30 winter trip. I have the internet so I can look up specs, prices, and so on. I tune in for the adventure, views and story and a little bit about a piece of gear (or type of gear) and how it performs is a little icing on the cake. And honestly I think myself and most other viewers can see that you're honest and experienced and we are knowledgeable enough to incorporate your thoughts into how the gear would work for us. I guess my point is I don't watch your videos only for the gear so I will continue to tune in but as a viewer I would still appreciate a mention or quick thought on a piece of gear as it applies to your specific use case, if it is particularly useful, stands out, solves a particular problem or is and outright failure or inappropriate piece of gear. Just my 2 cents. As always I enjoy the videos.
I respect you more now, I'm tired of the channels that constantly promote products as I feel its not genuine. I feel that you are genuine so the vibe is matching what you are saying for the channel. Keep doing what you are doing and have fun!
Do your trips with your gear that you use and works for you! Every trip is a different experience, from location, weather, season, time hiking vs time camping, solo or group... Its never the same. So your gear choices might be slightly different, more gear, less gear. You have everything you need! You can always talk about the same gear but how it works on certain trips in certain weather and conditions. Make it about the experience! By the way.. Sick location right there for this post!! Great backdrop man! I love your videos .
I am thrown back at the questions you asked yourself and the audience with that other video of yours (the one about social media, "dichotomy" or so). Again, my thoughts are similar, and others here seem to agree. For me, the main pull factor is relatability and your frankness. Oc, it's all aesthetics, we are talking YT here after all. But still: I watch your content because I have an easier time seeing myself scrambling on a rock behind you than in other content. That is no value judgment, just an observation. You are carving out a somewhat new niche (at least in the NA space, there are others w/ a similiar profile over here in europe), and you are doing a great job at it. Thanks for the content.
I like your take on this. Just this week I unsubscribed from a channel that I used to follow religiously because every video is now 'sponsored by' this or that product. Keep it real
In my opinion camping, hiking, backpacking should be the more affordable option in terms of vacation. No hotel, mostly no flying around in airplanes, no expensive destinations. Only you and nature and maybe friends and family at your side.... the more cooperations ooze into this hobby the more exclusive and expensive it'll be. I love being outdoors, I also like to prepare and look up the nicest or most remote trails in my region but everywhere I look there are promotions about stuff and things and they all suggest:"if you want to do it right... you need this... you have to have that... you can't go without this stuff"
I spend a lot of time doing different things from hiking and backpacking, to car camping, fly fishing etc. I'd say 75% or more of the people I run into are exactly as you describe - just getting out and doing fine with whatever they own. Most camping can be done with pretty basic stuff. Look at my "camp kitchen" video. Almost everything I talk about in that video are regular household items. Things like tents and ground pads are where I do think it's worth spending a bit of money on.
But what do you think about the battery warmed gloves????!! LOL!! Looks like a cozy spot man. Glad to see you drawing a line in the sand where it matters.
I think you answered your own question - you are uncomfortable promoting. Good on you for being honest about it. In the end, if you can look at yourself and say you are good with what you are providing to those of us watching, you are still square. If, like you mentioned, a piece of gear comes along that is the cats pajamas, provide your honest opinion. If that turns into sales, I hope you're rewarded for it.
Appreciate your feedback Craig. As usual I will continue to post videos that talk about different types of gear when I think there's value for it, how it can work in specific situations, why I might choose one over another etc.
Gear videos get views and they definitely have their place. It's mostly the uptick in extensive deliverables (multiple videos, photos for their website etc), emphasizing the fact that they are looking for promotion, and statements about what "my audience" would like that irks me. If the agreement is an "honest review" it's a slightly different story. That being said I have been hounded by brands after a not so positive review, when I had clearly stated that I would only do the review if it could be completely unbiased.
That sux if companies are hassling you for giving honest advice on their products. They should put the effort into changing the product if they want to do better? I really like the channel because it feels genuine. It's funny because Daily outdoors this week also came out and said he's not doing any more "we'll send you free stuff" videos, and it's the same thing I like with his channel that I do yours. Simply being genuine. You can really tell when it starts changing in some cases. Where monetisation becomes a most important thing. Sure, everyone's gotta make a living, so I guess that's the fine line. How do you stay genuine if there is subtext? Very cool video. Appreciate it, and the others.
@@andycjohnston I hadn't seen the Daily outdoors channel, just checked it out. I get so many requests for flashlight reviews, it's actually pretty crazy. I don't have any problem with the ask, but it's the switch to promotion with an extensive list of deliverables that I've noticed in the last few months that is the real problem. They are typically: 1 full length video (8-10 minutes), 1-2 video integrations, posts on other social media platforms (IG), and 10-15 "lifestyle" photos for their use on social or website. All of that in exchange for an inexpensive product. If you're promoting, you're not reviewing... People watch reviews to understand if a product is good, is it worth the price etc, not for a sales pitch.
Thoughts on Northern Ultralight? I was very interested in their backpacks line a while ago but the lack of information and reviews out there made me go for Zpacks…
I’ve had mine for 5 years, it’s still going strong so I’d say it’s well made. They are a very simple packs, and realistically hard to differentiate from similar UL designs. I think other companies have tried to innovate more in the last few years.
Your take on promoting stuff matches the vibe of your channel in general. No ADHD video editing, no clickbait etc., just well thought out videos that you want to make. You don't seem to force out videos (no "I need to upload every X days, here's this filler video for views") and the same for brand promotions (no "I need this money/gear/whatever, here's a video of it with fake enthusiasm because the product is boring or bullshit") - it's easy to spot. I really like the vibe you've got, but I think it's totally cool if you get gear or even money from these videos, you deserve it.
I wont bow down to sponsors...haha keep it real. sadly youtube is the evolution of tv ads etc, so much content is like this now, its hard to get away from it,
You bring up an interesting point. I have no issue with video sponsors. I just like them to be 100% transparent. I watch a channel by @vanneistat and he just slaps a short "commercial" at the start of his videos and is done with it, out of the way. It gives him the opportunity to make some of the most creative videos on youtube. On the other hand, when I watch a whole video and then realize that it's 100% an ad, it literally makes me angry. If a brand came to me and said "we'll pay you X dollars" and all I would have to do is say "this video is sponsored by XYZ and it allows me to make more content", I would feel 100% comfortable with that. Short and transparent. That's getting more and more rare since brands want metrics on conversion... it's all about sales, not charity.
It's been really hard to find real user reviews. Too many of them touch on the specs (which I can read) and don't talk about how it fit in their pack and worked on a multiday trip
A good review is based on extensive use or a pre-defined testing system. This is relatively simple (and complex at the same time) for things like cameras since they can be evaluated using a standardized test panel for dynamic range etc in a "lab environment". For outdoor equipment, it can take months to fully evaluate a product - unless there are obvious problems which pop up immediately. Putting together a review on RUclips is also quite a bit of work, and for most people there is no incentive to invest that amount of time pro bono. My friend @justinoutdoors does extremely thorough reviews, has experience with multiple brands, the evolution of products, and real use. I check in with him regularly since he has valuable insights from 100+ days a year in the field. I spend 20-30 days a year in the field so I can only dedicate so much time to trying different gear out. In short I trust his recommendations 100%.
If someone starts raving about products all the time, telling me that I need to go out and buy this and that, I just stop watching their channel. Justin Outdoors is an example - he had some useful videos, but now he's mostly just a shill for stuff that few of us need.
I watch your channel for the adventures not the gear. If you talk about a piece of gear during an adventure, I will still watch your channel but if it turns to gear reviews….see ya.
Man trip videos are tough. I post a video for about 1 out of every 10 trips that I do, even though I film 5 of 10. I’m normally exhausted and slurring words, nothing “interesting” happens, I get to where I’m camping and people are there making it awkward, or I’m with people and it makes the video hard to frame. I still haven’t figured out the perfect recipe for videos that capture the adventure without ruining it for me or people I’m with. It’s a fine balance. I’ve done about 5-6 trips in the last few weeks and I won’t ever post anything about them. Maybe it’s something I need to focus on more.
That’s a long rant… your not Justin outdoors and those guys go around interviewing each other like they were navy seals of some famous battles and quoting one another like there scholars… be independent and do your own thing and delete the rest.
Right on, mate. I watch your videos because I'm curious about WHY you use what you use, or go where you go, or do things the way you do. I respect that. I don't waste my time on promotional stuff. 👍
The trips and adventures and your skills are paramount in why I watch your channel. I agree, I don't get why there are so many channels devoted to being part of companies marketing departments. You mentioned that your original mission was to document your trips early on - I'd stick to that. I appreciate secondary recommendations of gear and what works for you or your strategies. Let the other channels be 'gear reviews'. :)
WoW! That’s Incredibly Awesome And Breathtaking Adventure! 🤩❤️✨
The honest truth, gotta love it
Fantastic topic man, I was thinking the same way, but then I decided to do some kind of review of the equipment that I think my subscribers would benefit from and give their money for that equipment. You nicely elaborated this.
Appreciate the reflection and honesty. I primarily watch your channel for the locations and experience. I also appreciate when you talk about what you like, don’t like or tips how you use equipment- for example your video on how you set up the Front range tent really helped me when I bought it.
I also think you do a great job talking about why gear works for you. I have a Garmin Fenix and love it! But your video highlighted why it wasn’t the watch for you - totally fair. I also agree the Garmin ecosystem seems like it runs on code from the 90s.
Haha the Fenix is growing on me! Been using it for several months now just to try and understand if I was way off. I still think it’s a little overrated but it means I check my phone less often and end up saving battery life as a whole.
I appreciate the rant. On one hand it drives me crazy that everything in outdoor branding tells me that I need to buy more crap, when the thing I love about backpacking is getting away from all of the crap that I cant carry with me. On the other hand I really love to innovate product solutions, and want try that in the space where I would spend most of my time if I had the option. So I'll be playing the game for a while!? Hope I can come up with something that you will *want* to share with your audience 😜
As our friend Vinnie says, "the mission dictates gear." 🙌🏼
Vince is pretty good at distilling things down to the essential!
What I love about your channel Kane is its authenticity. I personally think this whole "thing" depends on what you are doing YT for? Are you trying to make money, i.e. is it a full-time gig or is that the aim? Or is it a passion project where you are you trying to inform? I enjoy the gear reviews you do because they feel authentic. I believe a discerning audience can tell the difference between an authentic opinion and a less authentic promotion. Keep up the great work
That’s a great point, and something I think about quite a bit. What’s the end goal? Originally, it was to share experience based knowledge and connect with like minded people. For that you don’t need the newest gear, nor will it help to connect if people watching the videos detect a sales pitch. There was no financial end goal. Things changed a bit was once the channel started gaining traction. It’s a positive feedback loop: when I publish more videos, the channel gains more traction. The flip side to that is videos take time (and I enjoy making them) but there’s an opportunity cost since I’m self employed/freelance. If I could offset the cost then I could make more videos, but that would likely make them less authentic, and authenticity is in general what people appreciate. Catch 22!
This is an idea I struggle with as I continue to make videos. I don’t really enjoy making gear videos. But I understand that those are the videos that seem to gain the most traction. In six years on YT I’ve only agreed to make videos for a very small handful of companies that have reached out to me. I had a bad experience with one company and kind of lost interest in doing any more of those kinds of videos. I’ve agreed to act as an affiliate for four companies, and only stuck with two who I really believe in. (In all fairness one of the companies went out of business, I’d still work with them if they were still around). I want people to see the trip videos and more creative videos I make, and it sometimes feels like you have to do gear videos just to get folks to pay attention to your channel.
All that said I enjoy your channel, and your personable approach. It’s all very relatable and entertaining.
I like talking gear, especially from a high level perspective: eg tarp vs tent without really mentioning brands. What I don't like is being taken advantage of. Gear reviews on youtube have a long lifespan (basically as long as the product is on the market) that exceeds anything on other platforms. For example if you are a big instagram influencer with 1M followers and you promote a product, a lot of people will see it on the day of the post but only a small fraction of people might even consider buying it. Whereas on youtube, you can have zero followers and put up a review that gets seen by 100K people who are searching specifically for that product. It could be over a period of 1, 2, or even 5 years. That can translate to a lot of sales, or steer people in that direction. If a person posts a video that gets 10K views, and the review is positive for the most part, what is that worth to a brand? 20$ that it cost to send me a 100$ retail product? That's where I feel taken advantage of.
The more I break it down and analyze the economics, the less I enjoy it. I may as well make the videos I want, when I'm inspired to talk about a specific piece of gear I will. If not, I won't. If I'm inspired to talk about a specific item it's either really good or really bad, and that way I feel like it's useful for the community. I do see the value in having both the "hobbyist" reviews from small channels, "enthusiast" reviews from medium channels like mine, and "pro" reviews from big creators, but the viewer/consumer needs to recognize the potential for bias at all levels.
Trip videos are an interesting topic in itself. Very few channels make a name for themselves doing only trip videos. The ones that do select and execute with the intention of making a video that gets views: ie are entertaining in some way. Some don't, but if they are successful it's based on another X factor: the creator's personality, location etc.
@@KaneDoesOutdoors I’ll happily talk about a piece of gear that really made my experience better in the backcountry. Or one that failed spectacularly. But I think in terms of actual reviews, I’m over it. My channel is pretty small. I reckon I should be focused on the aspects of YT I enjoy. I don’t really have my sights set on “making it” on RUclips. I had the opportunity to monetize the channel awhile back, and didn’t do it. Then I took an eight month break due to a family emergency, and am pretty much starting over from scratch now.
I have an XMid review I did a long time ago (the Drop version) that still gets a significant amount of views. It feels weird because the version of the tent that’s available now, is so different from the one I have. I don’t know how useful that video is to anyone anymore.
@KaneDoesOutdoors - so many things said, so much to unpack. Fascinating thoughts that you're trying to convey.
The research by Adam Grant, PhD (Wharton Business School) shows that most of us consumers cringe at Self Promotion, yet really value Idea Promotion. I watch your channel because you're "idea centric".
The second part is "congruency"... the Flex Tail pump was really congruent with your channel and the rest of us. You had access to the product before a lot of others, and we appreciate your critical review.
What's ultimately the real challenge for you?
Vince! As usual you're able to distill it down to the essentials as I'm fumbling to get a coherent sentence together. Possibly the 700 m climb in 75 minutes that was the problem...
The challenge is creating content that offers a fresh perspective, while being interesting at the same time. It's easy to get sucked into gear reviews since they can generate quite a bit of traffic to the channel and do lead to people seeing the non gear centric videos.
@@KaneDoesOutdoors I love it... all of it.
The multi-published author, Seth Godin, would say, "I write for me. I don't write for you. The people who buy and recommend my books are the people who resonate with what I write."
Vlog for you... and let others self-select or de-select accordingly. You likely already do this... Knowing what you know now, Vlog for you intentionally.
That's fascinating Vince! I really like those perspectives
@@JustinOutdoors thank you. Trying to figure out what the mob wants will drive creators insane. You do you, and those who appreciate it will follow. +1 for social science 😉
PS. I really enjoyed your last video.
Interesting video. I personally gravitate to creators like yourself because of the hike, trip, adventure, etc... and then "This is the gear or type of gear I'm using for this trip and here is why and how it's working out for me". For example a pyramid tent on a -30 winter trip. I have the internet so I can look up specs, prices, and so on. I tune in for the adventure, views and story and a little bit about a piece of gear (or type of gear) and how it performs is a little icing on the cake. And honestly I think myself and most other viewers can see that you're honest and experienced and we are knowledgeable enough to incorporate your thoughts into how the gear would work for us. I guess my point is I don't watch your videos only for the gear so I will continue to tune in but as a viewer I would still appreciate a mention or quick thought on a piece of gear as it applies to your specific use case, if it is particularly useful, stands out, solves a particular problem or is and outright failure or inappropriate piece of gear. Just my 2 cents. As always I enjoy the videos.
Thanks for the feedback
I respect you more now, I'm tired of the channels that constantly promote products as I feel its not genuine. I feel that you are genuine so the vibe is matching what you are saying for the channel. Keep doing what you are doing and have fun!
Never seen your channel before, just want to say bravo. Good mentality
Love your vids…
Keep em coming
Do your trips with your gear that you use and works for you! Every trip is a different experience, from location, weather, season, time hiking vs time camping, solo or group... Its never the same. So your gear choices might be slightly different, more gear, less gear. You have everything you need! You can always talk about the same gear but how it works on certain trips in certain weather and conditions. Make it about the experience! By the way.. Sick location right there for this post!! Great backdrop man! I love your videos .
I am thrown back at the questions you asked yourself and the audience with that other video of yours (the one about social media, "dichotomy" or so). Again, my thoughts are similar, and others here seem to agree. For me, the main pull factor is relatability and your frankness. Oc, it's all aesthetics, we are talking YT here after all. But still: I watch your content because I have an easier time seeing myself scrambling on a rock behind you than in other content. That is no value judgment, just an observation. You are carving out a somewhat new niche (at least in the NA space, there are others w/ a similiar profile over here in europe), and you are doing a great job at it. Thanks for the content.
You know that I totally agree with what you just said
I like your take on this. Just this week I unsubscribed from a channel that I used to follow religiously because every video is now 'sponsored by' this or that product.
Keep it real
In my opinion camping, hiking, backpacking should be the more affordable option in terms of vacation. No hotel, mostly no flying around in airplanes, no expensive destinations. Only you and nature and maybe friends and family at your side.... the more cooperations ooze into this hobby the more exclusive and expensive it'll be. I love being outdoors, I also like to prepare and look up the nicest or most remote trails in my region but everywhere I look there are promotions about stuff and things and they all suggest:"if you want to do it right... you need this... you have to have that... you can't go without this stuff"
I spend a lot of time doing different things from hiking and backpacking, to car camping, fly fishing etc. I'd say 75% or more of the people I run into are exactly as you describe - just getting out and doing fine with whatever they own. Most camping can be done with pretty basic stuff. Look at my "camp kitchen" video. Almost everything I talk about in that video are regular household items. Things like tents and ground pads are where I do think it's worth spending a bit of money on.
But what do you think about the battery warmed gloves????!! LOL!!
Looks like a cozy spot man. Glad to see you drawing a line in the sand where it matters.
Ha! I don’t even want to know about those gloves. More wires I don’t need.
FYI camped in my hammock last weekend, geez did I sleep well.
@@KaneDoesOutdoors yeah you did! Imma hit my tent again this weekend I think.
I think you answered your own question - you are uncomfortable promoting. Good on you for being honest about it. In the end, if you can look at yourself and say you are good with what you are providing to those of us watching, you are still square. If, like you mentioned, a piece of gear comes along that is the cats pajamas, provide your honest opinion. If that turns into sales, I hope you're rewarded for it.
Appreciate your feedback Craig. As usual I will continue to post videos that talk about different types of gear when I think there's value for it, how it can work in specific situations, why I might choose one over another etc.
FWIW - RUclips Gear Schills are a dime a dozen.
Gear videos get views and they definitely have their place.
It's mostly the uptick in extensive deliverables (multiple videos, photos for their website etc), emphasizing the fact that they are looking for promotion, and statements about what "my audience" would like that irks me.
If the agreement is an "honest review" it's a slightly different story. That being said I have been hounded by brands after a not so positive review, when I had clearly stated that I would only do the review if it could be completely unbiased.
That sux if companies are hassling you for giving honest advice on their products. They should put the effort into changing the product if they want to do better?
I really like the channel because it feels genuine. It's funny because Daily outdoors this week also came out and said he's not doing any more "we'll send you free stuff" videos, and it's the same thing I like with his channel that I do yours. Simply being genuine.
You can really tell when it starts changing in some cases. Where monetisation becomes a most important thing. Sure, everyone's gotta make a living, so I guess that's the fine line. How do you stay genuine if there is subtext?
Very cool video. Appreciate it, and the others.
@@andycjohnston I hadn't seen the Daily outdoors channel, just checked it out. I get so many requests for flashlight reviews, it's actually pretty crazy. I don't have any problem with the ask, but it's the switch to promotion with an extensive list of deliverables that I've noticed in the last few months that is the real problem. They are typically: 1 full length video (8-10 minutes), 1-2 video integrations, posts on other social media platforms (IG), and 10-15 "lifestyle" photos for their use on social or website. All of that in exchange for an inexpensive product. If you're promoting, you're not reviewing... People watch reviews to understand if a product is good, is it worth the price etc, not for a sales pitch.
Means we trust your reviews more :)
So maybe you'll just get more requests now ^^"
Due to the advice given in this video, I've just bought 10 hilleburg soulos and i'm not even going to camp in them.
🤣
Thoughts on Northern Ultralight? I was very interested in their backpacks line a while ago but the lack of information and reviews out there made me go for Zpacks…
I’ve had mine for 5 years, it’s still going strong so I’d say it’s well made. They are a very simple packs, and realistically hard to differentiate from similar UL designs. I think other companies have tried to innovate more in the last few years.
Your take on promoting stuff matches the vibe of your channel in general. No ADHD video editing, no clickbait etc., just well thought out videos that you want to make. You don't seem to force out videos (no "I need to upload every X days, here's this filler video for views") and the same for brand promotions (no "I need this money/gear/whatever, here's a video of it with fake enthusiasm because the product is boring or bullshit") - it's easy to spot. I really like the vibe you've got, but I think it's totally cool if you get gear or even money from these videos, you deserve it.
I wont bow down to sponsors...haha keep it real. sadly youtube is the evolution of tv ads etc, so much content is like this now, its hard to get away from it,
You bring up an interesting point. I have no issue with video sponsors. I just like them to be 100% transparent. I watch a channel by @vanneistat and he just slaps a short "commercial" at the start of his videos and is done with it, out of the way. It gives him the opportunity to make some of the most creative videos on youtube.
On the other hand, when I watch a whole video and then realize that it's 100% an ad, it literally makes me angry.
If a brand came to me and said "we'll pay you X dollars" and all I would have to do is say "this video is sponsored by XYZ and it allows me to make more content", I would feel 100% comfortable with that. Short and transparent. That's getting more and more rare since brands want metrics on conversion... it's all about sales, not charity.
It's been really hard to find real user reviews. Too many of them touch on the specs (which I can read) and don't talk about how it fit in their pack and worked on a multiday trip
A good review is based on extensive use or a pre-defined testing system. This is relatively simple (and complex at the same time) for things like cameras since they can be evaluated using a standardized test panel for dynamic range etc in a "lab environment".
For outdoor equipment, it can take months to fully evaluate a product - unless there are obvious problems which pop up immediately. Putting together a review on RUclips is also quite a bit of work, and for most people there is no incentive to invest that amount of time pro bono.
My friend @justinoutdoors does extremely thorough reviews, has experience with multiple brands, the evolution of products, and real use. I check in with him regularly since he has valuable insights from 100+ days a year in the field. I spend 20-30 days a year in the field so I can only dedicate so much time to trying different gear out. In short I trust his recommendations 100%.
If someone starts raving about products all the time, telling me that I need to go out and buy this and that, I just stop watching their channel. Justin Outdoors is an example - he had some useful videos, but now he's mostly just a shill for stuff that few of us need.
I watch your channel for the adventures not the gear. If you talk about a piece of gear during an adventure, I will still watch your channel but if it turns to gear reviews….see ya.
Man trip videos are tough. I post a video for about 1 out of every 10 trips that I do, even though I film 5 of 10. I’m normally exhausted and slurring words, nothing “interesting” happens, I get to where I’m camping and people are there making it awkward, or I’m with people and it makes the video hard to frame. I still haven’t figured out the perfect recipe for videos that capture the adventure without ruining it for me or people I’m with. It’s a fine balance. I’ve done about 5-6 trips in the last few weeks and I won’t ever post anything about them. Maybe it’s something I need to focus on more.
That’s a long rant… your not Justin outdoors and those guys go around interviewing each other like they were navy seals of some famous battles and quoting one another like there scholars… be independent and do your own thing and delete the rest.
🤣 I had to look back and refresh my memory after your comment: 14 minutes is kinda long.