RE: [Paddlewise] What's Wrong with Kayaking

Generally, magazines had to appeal to the widest consumer market, and most
of the time that refers to the young consumer eager to see the coolest
photos and most interesting pieces of gear that they can get their hands on.
As someone else had remarked, there is a big exchange market for river
running and playboating gear which comes and goes every season. 

Likewise, climbing magazines more frequently feature strong sport climbers
and bouldering sports doing impossible moves rather than seasoned climbers
slowly making their way up natural routes. The former group of climbers will
tend to consume those magazines rather than the latter, or rather, that's
what the magazine publishers assume.

Wanting to know that our sport is a popular activity probably makes us feel
good, but ultimately glamorizing it will probably make our waterways more
crowded, and bring risks to amateurs who jump into the sport. Perhaps for
me, it's a way of wanting to always keep the beautiful for those who deserve
it. It is good that famous peaks are unreachable for most people; pristine
environments will not be preserved if visiting them is a walk in the park. 

Ong Yong Hui
Singapore