What influencers do you trust?

@me

Well, marketeers always lie; a few scientists might fake it a bit but they get called out!

Cheers

Sorry Roger, but it’s more than a few, and many do not get called out, or if they do, it’s too often long after their ‘science’ became the norm.

And not all marketers lie. It’s a pretty ignorant statement to say that they do.

Perhaps we can agree to disagree?

Cheers

As we have on other occasions, yes, most certainly. :-)

[referring to Roger’s pasta] Those are *fusilli* *ai funghi* (con piselli e formaggio).  The end.

Now, does this mean Franco is an influencer?

Cheers

Ai funghi o al fungo. Almeno in Toscana si può anche dire “al fungo”.
Pellegrino Artusi ;)

Well it’s not Olive Garden but it sounds fancy.

“Now, does this mean Franco is an influencer?”

you posted the picture of your pasta not me.

I’m planning spaghetti alla puttanesca for tonight.

This will be used

when we were both working we often had this brand

Martelli is very good indeed but expensive. La Molisana is close enough at about a quarter of the cost.

Are you guys trying to make me hungry?

I know how to stop that. Going back to meal reviews. Don’t trust any positive review of Good to Go “Three bean chili with caramelized onions”. Two issues: It was kinda bland and my hiking buddies politely requested that I NEVER bring it again.

some people get the wind up just looking at a can of beans.

I find most prepared hiking food to be bland, and most recipes out there are also bland. I think Americans just really like blandness. How else did we come up with the Big Mac being so popular? I last ate one in 1995 (and got diarrhea). There, now y’all aren’t hungry any more.

I really like the Hungry Spork recipes, because of all the spice blends. I’ve made up a few of those and put one into every meal. I recently tried MH biscuits and gravy and …I was hungry enough to eat half. Blech. Yeah, real food every time. It’s easy enough to come up with simple meals, no need for rehydrated dust bunnies.

You have to try the stuff to know what you like, and sometimes it’s a success, but I’ve tried enough manufactured food to know that I don’t like it much any time. If an “influencer” – still not sure I fully understand the definition we’re all using, or if we’re all defining that differently – is promoting some new treat, I might try it if it fills a specific need, like more protein snacks. But most of the meals or meal substitutes (why would anyone want a substitute for sitting down to a nice hot meal?) are not very interesting.

Next Mile Meals are the only prepared meals I’ve had that I’d eat at home with no issue (and have, actually). While expensive, I think they’re the best tasting meals I’ve had while backpacking, even before adding a packet of ghee. They’re marketed to keto followers, so few carbs. Maybe that’s why they taste so darn good.

I was going to once again name Doug as a top tier influencer.  Next Mile Meals are indeed the bomb.   I’ve also had good luck with Packit Gourmet, at Doug’s suggestion.

“ I think Americans just really like blandness.”

Ok..

I don’t know this to be true but if it is it can only be blamed on the brits very bland  cuisine.

I thought the problem was Americans liked salt and spices to much…

Ai funghi o al fungo. Almeno in Toscana si può anche dire “al fungo”.
Pellegrino Artusi ;)

Pellegrino has been dead a while — his language is both 100% comprehensible and yet not how you are meant to speak now.

Well I did leave Italy when I was 20 so I am not sure what changed since I regularly ordered something “al fungo” but according to my brother (who never left Italy) it is used both ways but the plural ( funghi) is more frequent at least where we are from. Where  in  Italy are you from?

@Luke I heard the same and used to make wholesale statements like that myself.

In the past I’d look to what gear backpackers used for various trips to get an idea as to what to bring with me. Now, I’ve lost trust in those lists as “celebrity” backpackers have gone from sponsored to influencers. (If you don’t know what I mean, google it.) I don’t know how much they’re being paid to mention a particular piece of gear. At the end of day, I don’t feel like a lot of the gear has really been field tested.  I now have an instinctive distrust of them.

Would you consider Ryan Jordan a “celebrity” backpacker/influencer? How do you determine when they go from one to another?

How do you determine…?

It’ll vary depending on both the poster and the viewer.  If I’m going to spend the time watching for a gear choice, it’ll only be posters who either hike with the gear relatively long distances – enough time to wear n’ tear on designs and fabric – and/or try it out in marginal weather (short-cuts and demos? .. manicured lawn is fine to see the actions).    RJ usually posts out of Montana, thru hikers see enough weather, set-ups, and restuffing, etc.., so if I want some more info, that’s typically where I’ll look.

Just read an interview with comedian Eddie Murphy in WSJ magazine, and he points out, going towards 60 is probably the time to get off the computer screen and live life.  Not sure about these younger generations health facing computer and television screens all the time with snack food/calorie laden drinks, but that’s their business.

..[pasta] .. Are you guys trying to make me hungry?

Fortunately here in the US, we have al Safeway.  Actually some quick cook whole wheat angel hair, some pesto.. what else can one want?

Read where the Italians did not traditionally eat the massive dishes of pasta that most Americans do; could do a “stir-fry fusion” and add grilled vegetables to a small amount of pasta to add to satiety.  A light pesto, with soy sauce and a little habanero sauce tossed in… mmmm

Nick hit it on the head what many backpacking “celebrities” are actually being paid for is essentially writing, but also there’s the burgeoning field of video.

There is a price however.  So instead of dozing off in a tent (especially high mileage days), many aspiring bloggers are writing and editing content on the small screen.   Same thing with Nero and Zero days, so it is work taking over recreation, in a sense, … but it’s also that individuals’ choice.

Video-wise, this year a larger aspiring PCT hiker “Second Chance” took off early to lose weight and also videographed his journey, while also documenting his weight loss … iirc, he was able to monetize his YouTube videos.   He had someone back home editing the videos, so that’s something that may occur more in the future (not new to marketing of course).   As long as the viewer knows a slick video didn’t get edited in the backcountry, I guess.

Still the editing and finding a signal to upload takes away from the relaxation part of any trip IMHO.

In Italy pasta is a primo piatto (first course) at lunchtime.

It is followed (NOT on the same plate, therefore secondo piatto (second dish) ) by some meat with salad or vegetables.

“A light pesto, with soy sauce and a little habanero sauce tossed in… mmmm”

please don’t post something like this where children could be reading.