BPL Subscription

[BlackHatGuy]

"anything that reduces the number of buyers or sellers is basically shooting yourself in the foot "

Sorry, but that's too simplistic a statement. It all depends on what your intent is……

[James holden]

online its absolutely true … unless you want to run a small members only club

put it simply … if you are a seller do you really care who buys that ULA pack that doesnt fit? … as long as you get yr money

if you are a buyer do you care who sells you that montbell EX … as long as the goods are in good condition and you get it at 50% off retail?

the more people, the more likely you are to find or sell what you want

[BlackHatGuy]

You keep putting it simply. It's a complex world we live in…..

As I said, it depends on your intent, which your first sentence acknowledges.

And yes, I care on both counts. Doesn't mean anyone else does, though.

[James holden]

its a numbers game … thats the internet

with access to the numbers you can make a rough estimate of the value free access to the forums brings to BPL … and even figure out the value of allowing non members selling and buying rights

its not rocket science

[BlackHatGuy]

"its not rocket science"

Thank god! I'm not a rocket scientist! I was worried for a bit there…..

[James Verlander]

.

[Travis Leanna]

…multiply the coefficient by the derivative…carry the 2….divide the cosine of theta by the lowest common denominator…..subtract pi….DAMMIT!!! The internets is a confusing place! ….find the unknown variable of 2x + 3……………………..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….

[James holden]

lol … its a science now …

dont believe me … just ask google, netflix, amazon, or anyone else

a 10% increase in conversion is monstrous …

netflix had a million dolla prize for anyone who could beat their own algorithms by 10% … they made WAY more than a million off it ….

course if you just want to be a small members only private club, none of it matters ;)

[Eric Lundquist]

While I'm not a member yet, I've considered it as some of the articles do peak my interest.

Wouldn't it make more sense to price the "member price" annual subscription so that a person who buys the year-only membership can upgrade at no additional cost than if they had purchased the lifetime membership to begin with? I think it would get a lot more people trying it out for the first year and probably converting them to lifetime members if they feel the service is that good.

I think that's my main hangup from signing up right now. The frugal guy in me says it makes sense to get the lifetime membership but I just don't know if it's worth it yet.

[John S.]

http://www.ultralightbackpacker.com/updates.html
7/13/01: Removed link to Bob Gross' Ultralight Backpacking, per his request to do so immediately. (Your guess is as good as mine.)

http://web.archive.org/web/20070108140248/ourworld.cs.com/robertwgross/ultralig.html
Ultra-Light, Maximum Hike by Bob Gross

[David Chenault]

Access to the full article archive is worth the money. The 2004-2007 articles were, on average, much better than the current ones.

Will I renew next month? Not sure.

[Nick Gatel]

Is it worth it? Yes and no.

Part of my reason to pay, is to help keep the forum going. I enjoy it. So it is a selfish reason for me.

$25 or $100 is a small percentage of my disposable income compared to many students. So it "hurts" less.

Some of the articles are outstanding, such as Will's winter footwear series (not sure if that was a members only article). Plus after reading an article, there can be a lot of debate on the subject matter, which is a good thing.

Is there a lot of opinion versus fact? You bet. Selecting gear, techniques, and philosophy is not science; it is opinion, preferences, and life experiences. Most of the information you need to stay safe and comfortable can be found for free.

Do I agree and lap up everything published? Absolutely not. Do I respect some of the authors? You bet. Do I respect the opinions and posts of some non-members? Absolutely.

Can a lot of the information presented be found somewhere else? Yes. But sometimes I can find information here that saves me a boat-load of time.

Will it be of value to you? Yes. But maybe not $25 of value. For example, many of the articles compare the merits of some very expensive equipment, that you may not be able to afford, or do not really need. Can a young man or woman get by with a mass-market synthetic sleeping bag, or do they need the latest and greatest cuben fiber quilt?

No one has a monopoly on knowledge, including the BPL experts.

[Bob Gross]

"(Your guess is as good as mine.)"

Yes, the old web domain went away.

The original articles were written on an electric typewriter in the 1980's. Some were published within the last five years. Then I got smart and got my own domain.

–B.G.–

[Erik Danielsen]

While I'm not likely to be dropping $200-500 on any single piece of gear anytime soon (though I am putting away ~$150 for a cuben flat tarp sometime next spring) I'm getting the impression, more and more, that the articles regarding technique and gear usage would be worth $25 to me to access for a year. I also suspect that a lot of the info, even if written specifically in reference to more expensive gear, could have relevance in using cheaper but similar gear or could be informative for MYOG projects, which I'm getting rather interested in.

[Travis Leanna]

Erik, now you're thinking like a BPL'er! :) You'll enjoy yourself here!

[Erik Danielsen]

I find more and more that I already am! Just last night I crammed all the gear I'd need for 3-season hiking in my wet-climate locale into a tiny EF Tours backpack (the blue and orange ones they give away free to students who go on their tours), tossed it on my back, and went camping in the backyard. :D The mercury dropped below 40 and I never noticed, so I'd say it was pretty successful. My main frustration is currently the 5×8 thick blue tarp I'm using, which weighs more than my quilt and takes up far more pack space than it's worth. Hence the plans for cuben! I found a source of much thinner, lighter blue tarps at a different hardware store so that'll be my stopgap until I can spring for cuben. It's just kind of scary what I now find I can fit in what I used to consider such a small pack. Non-member visits to BPL have had a large influence on that.

[Roger Caffin]

> The 2004-2007 articles were, on average, much better than the current ones.

Easily said, but we are left wondering WHY?
What are you looking for that BPL is not providing?

Cheers

[Travis Leanna]

>What are you looking for that BPL is not providing?

Can it do something about a crappy government?

[BlackHatGuy]

"Can it do something about a crappy government?"

That depends. Whose?

[Sam Farrington]

Roger,
The excellent survey article on single wall tents was maybe a couple years ago now, and if I remember, such articles on double wall and WPB wall tents were promised. Haven't seen them.

Can't put my finger on it, but have the feeling that BPL has tightened its belt and cut back its offerings somewhat.
Too bad about the print magazine, for example.

However, the information I get from other posters alone makes it worth it for me. Specific example: There is no place around here I know of to try out the Inov footwear, but there was a post about one of the La Sportiva shoes addressing the same fit issues I have. Since we do have a La Sportiva dealer here, I called him, he had the shoe in my size, as well as a Goretex version, which I bought and I wear them now more than anything else – super comfy for my feet.

Compare that to other buying experiences – spending half a day in a store with much hiking footwear, finally buying something, taking it out, getting my feet chewed up, and throwing out the used shoes. (Most dealers here will not take back anything once its been outside).

That's just one of many examples I could give of not only saving money, but getting better stuff through the gear forums.

The forums are also enjoyable and entertaining to wind down with after working. All in all, worth the $25.
Sam F.

[Franco Darioli]

"Can't put my finger on it, but have the feeling that BPL has tightened its belt and cut back its offerings somewhat."

What happens is that the first time we came across this site everything was new, everything…
Then, every next time less and less was new.
Same reason why your primary school teacher appeared to be (then) an old and wise person.
Twenty years later all you see are teenagers teaching your kids…..
And by the way. Shop assistants do not know less than they used to, we know more than we used to.
Franco

[Travis Leanna]

I was thinking about adding a thought to this thread, but I see that Franco had already nailed it down.

It's hard to keep an objective view that does not skew with time, and that is because we're constantly changing.

There was this tree I used to climb. It was huge, with vast, thick branches great for perching up in a tree for hours. A few decades later I visit that tree and it seems somehow smaller, less grand and of less use to me. The tree hasn't changed a bit.

[Bob Gross]

Travis, I noticed the same thing. Except that it was my own trunk that had gotten bigger.

–B.G.–

[Eugene Smith]

I still think it's $25 well invested. The articles have been spotty lately, or perhaps I'm just increasing in my cynicism? Probably the latter. Anyways, the community and breadth of information offered by the staff, reviewers, Members and non-Members alike all culminate to form a thorough website for the UL outdoor enthusiast. I cannot find a single website on the internet that merges: photo essays, trip reports, articles, informed gear reviews, technical data, and current and relevant beta concerning the state of the market the way BPL manages to do it.

[Jesse H.]

I got a really nice backpack in the mail one day… thanks osprey and bpl!

even with out that, this place is worth it. I've learned A LOT ! when I first came here I had just bought a backpack and sleeping bag from big5, those two items together weiged about 7-8lbs… I thought "there has to be a better way" and found myself here. Also, and something I didn't really expect out of this place, were friends. there's some awesome people on here to chat and hike with, I personally can't wait for the next bay area "GATHERING OF GEAR GEEKS!" gonna be epic!

anyways, I guess I'm trying to say, stick artound and give it shot ;)

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