I'm wondering about the feelings of the Admins regarding people slipping advertisements into their posts. There are alot of them lately, and it seems to be becoming more, and more prevalent..

Pets on Raw diets?

Wiggi's poncho liner sale..

The "Gas O Haul" and it's benifits..

Sorry, but I'm missing the point here. This is a discussion forum, not a place to suggest suppilers, distributors, or retailers. We have a place on this site for that sort of thing if I remember correctly.

I'm not suggesting that any of the original posters of the above mentioned material are INTENTIONALLY trying to hock wares, and goods here, please let me be clear on that.

I just think that mentions of websites, and other info would be best in another section.

Perhaps a separate catagory could be created where people could share sites, and deals they have found on the internet?

A "Look What I Found" section would be nice. I know I'd post there with some of the things I've found.

I've just simply noticed a trend in adverts popping up in posts these days. It's getting annoying..

I watch these. If the post is blatantly an ad, I kill it immediately. Often, it's just a "I like this, I bought this, you should buy it too" sort of stuff.

If it's by a member with 500 posts, I leave it alone. If it's the first or second post, I kill it.

As always, complaints will be heard and acted upon quickly.

I do apologize of my post about the Gas-O-Haul seemed as more of an advertisement than anything else. It was not meant to be, as I tried to make clear by the post-scripted disclaimer. I simply wanted members of the board to be aware of this product since (I think) many might think it is a preparedness product worth consideration... especially since storing spare fuel for your vehicle is almost impossible to do safely or effectively.

Hi Martin,

I totally understand where you are coming from.

I've just noticed that there are a lot of web links popping up in here. It gets a bit old in the discussion forums.

I was just thinking that a "gee, look at this deal I found!" wouldn't be a better venue for it.

Matt

Goodevening,

I usually appreciate a post about a product that an ETS member has found to be useful, or poor for that matter. My outdoor equipment budget is quite limited and I try to research every significant purchase I make, therefore I value the equipment reviews on this forum (this is EQUIPPED to Survive).

I had never heard of the Gas-O-Haul container before and thought it was an inventive idea.

I would read these posts whether they were on the regular Survival Forum or if they were in a stand-alone equipment section such as the proposed "Look What I Found" section.

Either way would be fine with me, but I would miss the opportunity to learn about these products if the practice was to be prohibited.

Mike

You can always ignore the posts that annoy you.

I regularly skip posts that go on ad-nausem about how unrealistic or dangerous Bear's show is. I don't really care if he sleeps in the swamp or not. It's a TV show.

I think the product posts are interesting and useful, especially when someone includes personal experience using the products.

ETS is a great source of what's new. The objective real-people reviews, assuming the posters aren't company reps, are useful.

In my post, that bat69 finds annoying, I don't have any interest in the companys I mentioned either.

I am not going to apologize for posting it.

If you raw feed your pets, emergency evac is a problem. There aren't many good solutions for this available. Just because this doesn't interest you, doesn't mean it doesn't interest others.

JCWohlschlag....Thanks for your post, if you hadn't posted it I would haven't known this was even available.

I happen to like it when someone points out a good sale they found. If there's a post that I don't wanna read, I just don't. Why complain about something like that? I posted one recently, for a company that I have nothing to do with. If it were some troll, that has like 2 post, then you have a point. I for one have been here for awhile & have over 100 post. None of which are "trying to hock wares". Someone reminded us all of the return of Surviorman, does he work for Les? No, he knows that we here on these boards would be interested in the info. If there is a problem on these boards, it's people getting all bent outta shape for no good reason. C'mon guys we're all here to learn from one another & to chat with like-minded people, not to nit-pick & complain about stupid stuff...I hope no one here got offended...it wasn't meant as an attack.



I'm kinda sick of the demonization of Bear Grylls too....

Nah, don't apologize for it.

raw feeding pets, "emergency evac is a problem".

Like the Geico caveman said: "Yeah I have a response:
Umm? Whaaaaaaaaaattt? "

I never said I found you annoying.


Reread the original post.

If you read the entire original thread "BOB for pets on a raw diet", you can figure it out on your own. No need to repeat it here.

ETS policy from day one asks that anyone directly connected to a product or commercial venture be allowed one courtesy post if directly stating that connection. Anything beyond a casual mention in future related posts is spam.ETS enjoys many contacts and friendships within 'the industry.' It would be foolish to exclude their learned replies and input.

I think the mods do a good job of policing the board. I like hearing about new products here. I never see commercials on TV that show anything I'd be interested in. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to log on to the Equipped forum for one big infomercial, but a reasonable amount of product awareness is welcome to me. It's part of the reason I come here. I solicit information by asking what people recommend for a certain application. But if all I heard about was information I was soliciting, I'd miss out on a lot I might find useful and a small amount I might find indispensable. Frankly, I don't care if the information comes from some shmo that happened that come across it or in a press release from the company. I'm sure the mods will keep the forum copacetic.

Oops. Must have slipped.

I enjoy seeing what others have found and also if/how it worked for them. I lurked around this site for quite awhile and finally decided to become a member because of all the info, personal experience, and various "I Found This".

If a thread doesn't interest me, I simply don't follow it beyond the initial reading. I don't expect every thread to 'tickle my fancy.'

That said, I find product-related posts to be a good resource. Sometimes I learn about a bit of gear I didn't realize I couldn't live without (much to the chagrin of my pocketbook). Other times, a full-scale review — and input from users — influences a buying decision. Rarely do I buy a new toy without first searching past threads to see what might've been discussed. Some of the online retailers I regularly patronize were discovered here.

For me personally, the present 'sub-forum' structure works well. Welcome your opposing thoughts, but gonna have to respectfully disagree.

Yep, that's about the size of it. The mods do a pretty good job for us, and it'd be hard to have a site dedicated to equipment without people talking about items they've found and what they're like etc.

I liken it to a Buyer's Guide publication that takes products and does practical research on quality, usefulness, performance, price, availability. Saves me a lot of time and money if someone else takes the plunge first and tells me about what they found, especially if it's someone with interests common to my own and others.

Product peddlers get pretty obvious about their intentions. You won't see that on this forum much. If you do, there's about 20 or so folks that will call them out and the mods usually dispatch them shortly thereafter. There is opportunity here for folks with a product to sell can tell us about it, but like Chris said, there are limitations they must abide by.

Last thing I remember posting about was the KA-BAR folder I carry. It was probably too long a post, but I felt given that we dedicate so much of our traffic here to the discussion of knives that I ought to elaborate some. Telling all about it didn't garner me any favors with the company, and didn't enhance the value of the knife I already had, just let everyone here know what I thought of the thing. I reckon that's what we do here, so it seemed appropriate.

Otherwise, all we have to talk about here is another poor sod who decided to climb Mt. Hood without being properly prepared and burning up more tax dollars in his needless resuce. Good debate value, but a bit less informative perhaps, or maybe not.

I dunno, I just like to come here and read what y'all have to say.

I agree completely. I don't think the people on this forum are likely to go out and buy everything mentioned in a post here - that kind of impulsive behavior is not consistent with people interested in emergency preparedness. IMO we want to know what each other's experiences with new gear has been so that we can add that to the planning/decision-making process.

Frank2135

If I'm considering the purchase of a particular piece of equipment, I will usually run it past the forum members (most of whom have more experience in this area than I do) to get their opinions on the equipment. Many of them have used the item and give great advice on its pros/cons. I value their opinions and would be "buying blind" without some feedback.

On the other hand, if a member asks a question regarding a particular aspect of survival that can be addressed with a piece of equipment that I'm familiar with, I'll provide a link to its website and whatever info I have on it.

I've purchased quite a bit of kit based upon reviews and sales postings from ETS members. I've always thought that was one of the forum's strong points. Don't ever recall seeing any outright shilling, due to the moderator's attention.

Besides that, I'm a huge fan of Schwert's gear porn postings.

M

I find it annoying and lazy when someone asks for input about a specific piece of gear and then fails to provide a link to the equipment's description, sometimes they don't even spell it right which makes it tough to find even with a good search engine.

When I discuss a specific piece that I like I will post a link so you can read the description for yourself. I don't care whether you order or not, I'm not affiliated with any product manufacturing or sales.

I ignore a lot of stuff that doesn't interest me. I do the same thing everywhere else.

As AROTC said, if we didn't see it mentioned here as being possibly useful, many of us wouldn't see it at all.

I'm rather tired of knife discussions, so I just skip over them. But why should the guys who DO want to talk knives stop doing so just for me? That would be silly.

I've been here for a few years now, and it occurred to me that this board isn't tailored exactly to my every whim. HOW AWFUL!


Sue

Yeah, I have to say that I rather enjoy the whole, check this out threads. Sometimes I need/want/covet the item...other..blah. Regarless, I don't think ETS has a problem with it and I applaud the admins handling of the forums.

"...I find it annoying and lazy when someone asks for input about a specific piece of gear and then fails to provide a link to the equipment's description, sometimes they don't even spell it right which makes it tough to find even with a good search engine..."

EXACTLY!!!

When I happen upon a new, at least to me, piece of equipmennt that looks interesting, I will stick a link in, hoping that someone here already has it and can comment, or that it will be exactly what someone else is looking for.

If you go to the ETS homepage you will find all kinds of links to products that Doug has tested. That is how we learn...

It's interesting that every post other than the original one is in favor of members linking new products and/or websites they found useful. I would have expected at least one other poster would feel the same way as bat69. To me, this seems significant. I too enjoy hearing about products that other members have found helpful.

Now, having said the above, I ABSOLUT(vodka)ly PROMISE(spread) never to mention any brands, products, etc., and what's MORA(knives), if anyone ever DISCOVER(card)'s me doing so, no matter how much it HERTZ(car rental) me, I give you permission to SPRINT(cell phone) to the nearest moderator and report me.

I like reading about products for the preparedness minded, so I love being able to read the posts about some piece of gear that someone found, or better yet tried out and gave feedback on.

I think the admins have done a great job covering the forums and rooting out the people who were hawking things.

And by the way, here's a link to some indespensible prep gear I'm selling! j/k

Yes, -but sometimes in the course of Discussion, -and up to a certain Proper Point, -one's got to discuss Suppliers, Distributors, Retailers, et al. Within that Frame, -it is Not undue commercialism.