Backpacker Magazine - Bears and Hammocks (Ask a Bear)

[Raul Perez]

Water Monkies whipe using backpacker magazines.

Timbabaluka - your quote stings the nostrils!

[UncleMJM]

As much as I like to promote the value and benefits of Hammock Camping, at least I can depend on articles like this to help keep the trees from becoming too crowded for me to hang.

[Triptease]

Backpacker magazine is interested in the BUSINESS of selling magazines, not in promoting safe or efficient backpacking. They, for the most part will put in their magazine whatever it takes to sell more of their magazines.

No, they are not in the business of selling magazines... they are in the business of selling the ads IN the magazines. Hence, why hammocks get absolutely no love in that magazine. Because the major tent manufacturers who pay for their ads in the magazine and in turn get Backpackers Choice Awards don't want some small cottage industry hammock or backpack manufacturer to cut into their precious market share that they have paid so much for.

[UncleMJM]

Water Monkies whipe using backpacker magazines.

Timbabaluka - your quote stings the nostrils!

Gotta love those slick glossy pages.

[Yukon]

I dunno... they've done studies--60% of the time the bear attacks the hammock every time.

Awesome Anchorman reference...

[MAD777]

Backpacker Magazine has always disgusted me. They are merely pimps for their advertisers. Their headlines are obviously written by the same people that do the National Enquirer.

[JasonJones]

hrm, maybe the link took me to a different article than you guys are reading? I didn't see that they said hammocks are more likely, but that sleeping open air could increase the risk of being bothered by a bear.

Now I'm not defending the magazine, its ethics or the article, but maybe, just maybe a little too much is being read into it? At least I didn't get that vibe reading it.

[deerfu]

No, they are not in the business of selling magazines... they are in the business of selling the ads IN the magazines. Hence, why hammocks get absolutely no love in that magazine. Because the major tent manufacturers who pay for their ads in the magazine and in turn get Backpackers Choice Awards don't want some small cottage industry hammock or backpack manufacturer to cut into their precious market share that they have paid so much for.

Ding Ding Ding!!!!! We have a winner folks!

[flannery]

I read that a little different. I understood that they felt a bear would probe a tent or a hammock just as likely but that when probing a tent they would hit the wall but not likely the person inside. On the other hand, if the bear probed a hammock they would very likely hit the person inside. So, its not the bear behavior that changes but the distance from persons skin to wall of shelter. There are videos of a "study" in grizzly country where the bears grabbed the tent with everything in it and ran away with it. In that case I would argue a hammock is much safer. At least the bear can't take you to it's home where it could do some damage!!:-)

[Doctari]

No, they are not in the business of selling magazines... they are in the business of selling the ads IN the magazines. Hence, why hammocks get absolutely no love in that magazine. Because the major tent manufacturers who pay for their ads in the magazine and in turn get Backpackers Choice Awards don't want some small cottage industry hammock or backpack manufacturer to cut into their precious market share that they have paid so much for.

You are right. But so am I Gotta sell the mag or you cant sell the Ad.

Now that you mention it, the fact that my last issue, 12 years ago or so, had 5 FULL PAGE ads for the SUV's that do NOT go off the pavement, Ever! (see one of the final scenes in "Cars") I was so disgusted I never got another issue.