YouTube gear reviewers: Is it just me...

[Michael]

... or do lots of them not seem to have used any of the stuff they're reviewing?

I certainly don't mean all of them. Some have obviously used them. Some take the stuff out into the world and film them using the stuff as part of their review. So there are certainly exceptions to what I'm saying.

But lots of reviewers take their pristine, obviously unused equipment -- sometimes unboxing it right on camera -- and try to do a review with the stuff in their home. While I'm interested in a physical description of products I'm considering purchasing, and while I'm interested in price points, neither of those things is the thing that makes a good review, well, good.

The thing that makes a good review is using a thing for its intended purpose, and then describing what went right and what went wrong. The strength of a good review isn't hearing some stranger's first impressions of something when it comes out of the box. It's hearing the impressions of someone who seems to know what they're talking about, and part of that is actually using the thing.

Please tell me this isn't just me.

 

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


I'm sure that what you're saying is very true. I'm not a YouTuber myself, but will give a look for myself.

 

[dinosaur]

It's only an indication of honesty but have you ever seen a negative review? A long time ago (mid-nineties) I used to work with my Father testing outdoor gear. We'd go anywhere to test it and we used to beat the living hell out of it to see how it performed. Of course, we would report to the manufacturer, not the media. And there were no paid advertisements for our venue which did not exist. I don't trust reviewers. They're like critics; if you can't do it, you just report on it.

It's not just you, Michael. You're so right on this you don't have a left side.

 

[bsmit212]

I normally rely on customer reviews from various sites. Now I will normally look for a trend in complaints to rule one out, rather than just a bunch of reviews where everyone seems to have something different on the product fail. People are more prone to post about a negitive expericance than a postive one (sadly) so you could just been seeing the people who got a defective one, but for the most part is a good product.

 

[ppine]

Michael,
You are right. It is now hard to find people who know what they are talking about. That is why we like this forum.

I think backpackers are easily duped by good advertising. How else can you explain $450 tents and expresso makers?

 

[Pathfinder1]

ppine;
Michael,
You are right. It is now hard to find people who know what they are talking about. That is why we like this forum.

I think backpackers are easily duped by good advertising. How else can you explain $450 tents and expresso makers?




Hi...


This time, YOU are responsible for my afternoon chuckle...thanks...!! :tinysmile_fatgrin_t

 

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...

Incidently, a lot of mags...outdoor and other...are touting the high-cost products as if it's what every person is going to run out and buy.

If only they knew how ridiculous these ads appear to us "common" readers (well, at least to me).

Name brands and high priced items are of little appeal to me...and induce me to disregard them arbitrarily (usually, anyway).

Today I was on Outdoor Strife's web site, looking at various comments on firearms shown, that "appeal" to the hunter because they "look" like military weapons. Buying just one of those "fad" firearms shown can cost you (but not me!) over $7,500.00...!!

Kinda reminds me of those recent TV programs about Lotto winers. The biggest portion of them shown ended up broke..."...it's pretty, let's buy it...". Uh, oh...!!

 

[Theosus]

I wouldn't trust anything on YouTube as far as serious product review. After all, anyone can put anything on YouTube. I did a spoof of "finding Bigfoot":

Finding Bigfoot - Hartsville - YouTube

And of course, companies might create these "amateur" videos themselves. Have Tom from accounting take the tent home over the weekend and post a review...

 

[Theo]

Everybody wants their 15min. of fame. So, yeah, there is going to be a lot of bogus reviews out there. It's the internet, after all. Caveat emptor

 

[Gunny Webb]

My favorites are the ones that review stuff in the front yard and admit they've never used it out in the woods.
Or the guys that make stuff and try it for the first time and it totally fails.

 

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


Some of my favorites are the ads for hunters' camo clothing...shown against a backdrop which is very close to blending in with the camo pattern...something very hard to find in real life.

And speaking of camo clothing...did you hear that the Military is phasing out their digital camo gear...as it was found to be practically worthless as camo? And after years of "testing" and millions of dollars of "research"...and more millions to make these uniforms...!!

Now they're starting all over to try to create a more "camo" camo...!!

(All according to the Military Times).

 

[Bojib]

It can be very tough to find a decent review of anything these days.

I very rarely can find anything on youtube that I find to be a reliable review.

My favorite place to read reviews now is to get on a site like amazon. Even then, I only scan the five star and one start reviews. I don't want to take much stock in the fanboys and the haters. I like the in between reviews, it's where I believe you can find the most reliable information, though I still only take it with a grain of salt.

Sometimes, just good research on the product, where it's made, how it's built, reputation, etc. is all that I have to go on. I win some and I lose some, but I like to think I win more than I lose.

 

[ppine]

I have one important conclusion about the digital age-

There are a lot more places to put information, than there is information that anyone cares about.

 

[Grandpa]

Extend those gear reviews to hotel/motel reviews. We travel some, stay in maybe 20 motels a year. I like to read the reviews just to see how they stack up against my views and it is obvious, some managers post their own rave reviews for their dumps and then write very negative reviews for their competition. You also have the whiners that thought the knotty pine walls too primitive or paint color just didn't match the carpet just right. The Bottom line, in my opinion, reviews are good for laughs but not much else.

 

[brumby]

A lot of the guys on YouTube get a commission for selling their stuff so they just focus on doing as many positive reviews of products as they can instead of quality reviews that take time. Unfortunate but true.

 

[Grandpa]

Hi...


Some of my favorites are the ads for hunters' camo clothing...shown against a backdrop which is very close to blending in with the camo pattern...something very hard to find in real life.

And speaking of camo clothing...did you hear that the Military is phasing out their digital camo gear...as it was found to be practically worthless as camo? And after years of "testing" and millions of dollars of "research"...and more millions to make these uniforms...!!

Now they're starting all over to try to create a more "camo" camo...!!

(All according to the Military Times).

Yes but think of all the new jobs this creates for China:tinysmile_tongue_t:

When SIL was getting outfitted for Iraq, I about lost it when I saw the "made in Taiwan" tags on his new uniforms.

 

[Pathfinder1]

Grandpa;
Yes but think of all the new jobs this creates for China:tinysmile_tongue_t:

When SIL was getting outfitted for Iraq, I about lost it when I saw the "made in Taiwan" tags on his new uniforms.




Hi...


Thanks for my best chuckle of the evening...!!

 

[Esperahol]

Mike it is not just you. However, I do so enjoy laughing at these videos. I mean sometimes me a couple of others will waste time before a trip MST3K-ing a couple of these videos. Like we're add in the things they are saying or we'll explain exactly why so-an-so is not allowed to ever test anything in the woods again. One video remains a favorite because the guy didn't even take the stuff out of the box. He just read the information off the box and then sort of smiled awkwardly at the camera for a solid minute. I need to find that link - I think it was on Dailymotion, but I hope not. Daily has issues with purging.

 

[shaun]

I don't take much notice of the majority of reviews on Youtube because the reviewers are usually paid commission for the review and it is not in their interest to give a negative review.

The same applies to reviews other reviews online, you have to be careful because companies pay people for positive reviews.