> > What specific proposals do people have in mind? > > The main one I've heard is that we'd like to know the identity of the > reviewers. Along with their identity I would find it useful to know > what their experience, preferences and what kayaks they own or have > owned are. Would it be so hard for Sea Kayaker Magazine to try > something different for one or two issues? That is what several of us have been saying. Identify the reviewers the way Backpacker does with its reviews of gear. Some are writers and staff of Backpacker; some are just darn good backpackers and their experience is stated. Also, Backpacker generally specifies where the gear was tested, in which seasons, and what actual conditions were. Backpacker reviews are also side-by-side comparisons of say 5 lightweight single tents or medium-weight boots. It must drive the manufacturers bonkers to have their gear compared with competitors but it is helpful (I can't imagine how sea kayak manufacturers would react to having their boats tested that way :-)). Also Backpacker grades each item along some 6-8 criteria for example, in tents looking at assemby time, breathability, waterproofness, etc. Then it gives an overall rating indicating how the individual criterion were weighed. The tent with the best overall rating is not always the best for you. You might feel that breathability is most important to you and pick the tent that is best on that combined with a high rating on another criterion of importance. > > Taking a different leap - what are the components of an ideal kayak > review? It would be great if we could take the compiled comments of > paddlewise and synthesize it. Perhaps it could be posted to > paddlewise.net? There is really no ideal kayak review. Rather different types of ideal reviews depending on the type of boat. A Greenland style boat review should differ in its components from that of a review of a recreational sit-on-top. What is considered differs for the two. (Backpacker would never review light duty, trail running boots with the same criteria as it would heavy-duty multi-day backpacking ones.) Imagine if recreational kayakers reviewed a Greenland boat. "It is not easy getting into this thing. This thing won't stay upright!" Or a Greenland paddler reviewed a recreational kayak, "I can't lean the thing on its side!; it won't roll!" Also these type reviews would differ from some aspects of reviewing folding kayaks. That the two folding kayaks that were reviewed in Sea Kayaker did not doing any real commenting or rating of assembly was a major shortfall. Assembly specifics are important in reviewing a folding kayak; just ask any buyer or the thousands of folding kayakers I have talked with or corresponded with. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Aug 16 2000 - 10:46:12 PDT
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