There's an article about hammocks in the latest issue of Backpacking magazine. They provide their top picks for field tested hammocks. Looks like only the big brands were considered ( Eno, sea to summit, REI, etc.).
Just got it in the mail today so I haven't even read the article yet... just flipped through it. If it's worth reading, I will post again.
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It's only been the last year or two that they have picked up any cottage vendors on the backpacking side. That's after a decade or better of cottage backpacking gear vendors producing insanely good stuff.
As quick as it feels like hammocks are blowing up... it's still pretty low profile in the big picture. So just making it in there is a sign of things to come I think for the cottage guys here.
So, finished the article... meh, not really worth reading. But gotta agree with Bill, glad to see they're starting to pay attention.
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I gave up on backpacker years ago. Like most print magazines it's very low on content and high on advertisements. I'd bet their "top pics" in most any category are the companies that coincidentally have pages of glossy advertisements on each side of the article.....
Originally Posted by -Sawg
I had a thread typed up and ready to submit, complaining about Backpacker ignoring cottage manufacturers, or, as they call them, "niche manufacturers", but I didn't submit.
I'm glad you did.
Any ideas why they ignore them? Ad dollars is my guess.
All of my cottage gear..., Warbonnet, Underground Quilts, Dutchwear, Hammock Gear..., is better made than the big names, at a competitive price, while employing my countrymen.
Justin
Life has a melody.
It's changing some...
Being a backpacker more than a hanger... There are several equivalent (and larger) cottage guys that are the equivalent of all the hammock vendors you listed. It was a good decade or more before clearly superior products were even mentioned. Hell, enlightened equipment has 100 or more employees and sells nearly 90 quilts A DAY. Zpacks is bigger. Hate to say it, tons of very serious outdoors folks have no idea WTF "bling" is.
That said... economics of publishing like that are newbie oriented and ad driven. But backpacker has been reaching out to folks like Snorkel and a few other LD hikers to try to at least circle back to where the sport really is.
Cottage guys do guerilla marketing... they build on rep, customer service, and quality. That's where their advertising dollars are spent so it'll be awhile before you see them dropping money on add space.
Most bought things at sporting good stores, or still do when they started.
Graduated to an REI or similar store... then discovered cottage vendors.
That growth curve of the consumer is like any other... Tons of folks who will buy on the bottom so the magazine goes where the market is. And they like to hear about stuff they can get to a store and check out as they are new to things... getting your hands on stuff is important.
The encouraging thing nationwide... is that cottage goods are becoming a serious part of the market. From the craft beer boom on down American's are buying niche products more.
http://www.trailgroove.com/
If you want to check out a homegrown magazine...
Trailgroove is a free online magazine. It is LD hiking oriented but those who fondly recall the early trip oriented focus of a magazine like backpacker will likely enjoy it. And Aaron is very eye candy photo heavy too. He did show some questionable judgement when he published something of mine... but other than that slip up it's a pretty nice magazine.
Good points, thank you.
Life has a melody.
I only bother with Backpacker when I find a real deal on the subscriptions. I can usually find a full year for under $3. If it lapses for a year or so before I find a deal again, I don't care.
On the other hand, if it weren't for those little adds in the back for Hennessey, I would never have gotten into hammocking years ago.
Most places I go, it's probably a full 2/3rd hammocks now. It's absolutely crazy how quickly it's blowing up.
It's starting to feel like tents are the specialized oddball contraption. For doing the Hayduke trail or the southern PCT or something...
I think it is as much that they are lazy. The big companies have marketing departments that give them samples, sample articles, and pester them. Not that much different from the main street media where most articles are either regurgitated press releases or someone with a bone to pick feeding it to them. Backpacker seems to be a little better in that someone actually went on the trip for their trip reports, although if I go there I find that the trip they did is often the locally recommended trip so not a lot of trailblazing. I don't think there is a lot of real reporting going on anymore. People complain that the tv news is do negative but that is because it is easy to go and read the police blotter.
Oh come now DrPhun. Journalists are not all bad and many work tirelessly to provide well-researched stories in a fair approach. I should know, my wife is a newspaper reporter.
But let's put that aside.
I am just excited that the topic is being written up in Backpacking. If nothing else, the article will drive new hammock enthuiasts to find this forum, discover the rich world of insightful posts, entertaining and educational Shug videos, beautiful Dutchware, DIY plans and new acronyms like UQ.
The future is bright. 😎
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