Deuce of Spades Seconds!! They go fast…

Mike This offer is openly published on your web site. It is not exclusive to BPL members. That does not comply with the rules, which require some sort of DEAL exclusive to BPL members. Would you like to add a BPL-only discount, to comply with our published rules? Cheers Roger caffin Online Community Monitor Backpacking Light

You get him Roger ! Way to stick it to the abusive corporate man that is always posting here with these fake offers.

So stupid and lame to be BPL exclusive. Who's got the massive ego. Cripes! never was so complicated before, and seem to work just fine for years and years. Not interested at all in hearing your spin. Blah, blah….

I like that Roger is A) sticking to the rules and B) trying to score us a good deal.

I like that Roger is A)Making up nonsensical rules and B) trying to rewrite decade old policy. Blah blah…

I just like the whiners and trolls.

Roger, I understand that you don't want the gear deals section to turn into an advertising board, but this whole thing is getting ridiculous. I vote for a rework of the rule. Maybe gear makers can only post one gear deal per x amount of time? Without the requirement to be BPL elusive. You are just going to run into this issue over and over again and the recent post section will get crowded with it.

As I recall, the last time Deuce of Spades seconds were posted here it wasn't a super-sekrit exclusive deal either. I bought one and it's been a good use of my money. Wouldn't have known about it without the BPL posting. So, one data point where enforcing the current rule would have made my backpacking day worse.

I second what Justin said, get back to before the "rules that were written to justify a particular stance with a bpl member".

Assuming Roger is not the sole author of the rule I'm not concerned with his actions…after all he's simply playing by the rules. I will vote for the rule being overly restrictive, likley poorly considered, and almost certainly not efficiently addressing whatever concerns gave rise to it. Why not address the "problems" when they appear? Posters abusing the forum are easily identified, and certainly such posts can be removed and the posters contacted. That action couldn't posibly take any more effort by the moderator than what is being expended now. The BPL audience is small enough that I think it unlikely anyone other than small independents and cottage makers would take the time to post adverts here. I say that rather than attempting to head of any possible abuse before it happens, we should address the problems WHEN they happen, IF they happen PS: I bought a Deuce via the Kickstarter campaign and love it. I really don't see anything wrong with Mike's post.

Your assumption is wrong. this rule was concocted by Roger to interfere with Mike several months ago. It was not made because of abuse or any other bullshit fantasies. It was created to interfere with Mike. It has to only been used to interfere with people Roger does not like, like Mike, and Josh. I don't understand why the MLIFE members continue to vote to not have any representation among the forum moderators at their annual meeting.

"I just like the whiners and trolls" Yeah, they're unhelpful, like your post. This is a discussion. Check out other non BPL exclusive Gear Deals. Almost all of them are non BPL specific.

Thank you all for your comments and support. Roger did make up the BPL exclusive rule because he didn't like my Kickstarter tent postings. I carefully checked BPL forum rules before I started posting last year. There was no such rule published. I would urge the BPL moderator(s?) to consider these points: 1) This is a VERY relevant post to BPL readers. 2) It IS a good deal that your readers would like to hear about. 3) I don't ever post and run. I always try to contribute to the discourse with a thoughtful and measured response – I don't respond to trolls in kind (as much as I'd like to). 4) I NEVER ask another BPL member to post for me to get around the rules. I'm just going to see what happens. If the post disappears, then so be it. Best, Mike

Discussing BPL policies and their legitimacy does serve to keep this posting refreshed in the forum. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect I took the opportunity to order four deuces. I'm enough of an evangelist on things like the BRS-3000T, etc, that I keep a few around and let people buy them at my cost when see how light they are. P.S. that can be an advanced weight-saving technique mid trip – sell your gear on the trail and let someone else carry it out for you.

I scored a great deal on a couple of these because of the original post. So it was very helpful to me to be able to find out about it through BPL.

seems like folks are happy the OP is letting them know about a product they are interested in purchasing for a good price. bump!

This type of deal serves our community well… PLEASE, BPL, let this kind of post/thread to be "ok"!!! As someone who paid dues here for years prior to paying for "MLIFE", I appreciate these threads. It matters NOT to me whether it is BPL-exclusive.

"seems like folks are happy the OP is letting them know about a product they are interested in purchasing for a good price." Indeed. I bought a factory second earlier this year from a post on BPL IIRC. Nice little tool..and glad it was posted.

If it wasn't for him posting here – i would never know about it and would not have one of these by now. So the fact that he posted this deal – is a terrific deal to me.

"So, one data point where enforcing the current rule would have made my backpacking day worse." +1 And I just ordered 3 @ $13/ea (2 for gifts). Please change the rules (again), and allow cottage gear manufactures to advertise whenever, wherever, and to whomever they please. And I would definitely want backpacking kick-starter adds posted here (not car camping adds). Thanx, -Barry

I have no issues with this being listed as a deal. If I post a link to something on sale at Backcountry or REI not a person bats an eye, but if a backpacker and entrepreneur posts an item, somehow its against the rules? I see more spam from Moderators whining about stuff than I see from manufacturers offering deals. Edited to add. I already have trowels from multiple manufacturers, but just purchased one simply because I vote with my dollars, and I think the rules here in the gear deal section are ridiculous.

I couldn't care less one way or the other. OP Mike is getting a couple great benefits from posting this way. 1) There's no corporate rate that I'm aware of. Even if he was a lifetime member, where can you get this kind of targeted advertising at such a low price. Sure, we here at BPL are getting a great deal, but he's getting the best deal of all. 2) Skirt the posted/easy to understand rules to create a flame war, which helps to bring attention to this thread, and keeps it bumped. Bravo sir. Well played. Perhaps the rules need review. Perhaps a corporate membership is in order. That's between Ryan and the world. Roger continues to be my favorite unpaid curmudgeon here who has the thankless job of herding us cats. I salute you sir.

Use the built in loophole to better effect From the rules, "On the other hand, if you are reporting on what could be a good deal you have seen somewhere else, not connected in any way to you, that is usually OK. " I love the ambiguity of the "usually OK". In a RULE.

Roger I have always liked and respected you, but I agree. This is deal, and there is no reason it should have to be exclusive to BPL members to post it here. I feel that as long as its not spam, and that its related to backpacking that all relevant deals should stay.. I believe so strongly in this, that if this thread is removed then effective immediately, I will buy a dot.com name and I will start my own outdoor forum. While there is no guarantee that anyone will join me on my new forum, I do promise to whoever would be interested that the membership will be free and it will be full of gear deals. Gear deals from the big names as well as cottage guys/gals who love the activities they participate in and the gear they make. It seems to me that this new rule took effect once we started seeing banner ads, so my thinking is that the string puller up top said, "Roger, do you like your job? If so, we can't charge some companies for banner ads and let others advertise deals for free, so enforce the gear deal postings better, or else…" So whoever is up top pulling the strings, if you think I am bluffing, then please note. A outdoor forum would give my business a huge boost as it will give me a whole website of free advertising.. Respectfully, Lawson