What is wrong with selling a product specifically recommended by someone as well respected as Cody Lundin?

I suspect most readers here will agree with your basic premise - that the quality of survival gear is important.

If you're are trying to find fault with Doug Ritter for using the ETS Foundation and its web site to advertise products that he has worked to develop in order to help fund the ETS Foundation, I couldn't disagree more. Those products are uniquely developed with input based upon Doug's vast knowledge and experience to provide unique and high-quality products that are simply not available from other providers. While Doug recommends his products, his Gear section also recommends many competitive products. That section and other reviews on Equipped.org are packed with reviews and specific recommendations of products that have nothing to do with Doug or the ETS Foundation. Doug provides truely independent reviews. To suggest otherwise is simply obsurd.

If you are saying that Doug's motives put profit over the published objectives of the ETS Foundation, that is just plain wrong, and verges on liable.

The best gear in the world, poorly used, is often not as efficient a mediocre gear used well. I've used mylar sheets a number of times. As a personal shelter (ie you are wrapped up in one), the mylar sheets are mediocre. You can do better. But they are better as a shelter building component than the "superior" counterparts, due to the increased reflection of heat and light. Properly used, almost everything has a value.

By having your fit about these mylar sheets, you are also confusing a retailer, Redflare, with the designer, Doug, of an item produced by a manufacturer, Adventure Medical, which is internationally recognized as one of the best in it's industry. Neither that designer nor that manufacturer have anything to do with mylar sheet blankets, other than to say "they do work, sorta, and you can do better". Redflare has mylar sheets, and Heatsheets, and other products. You have compared apples, oranges, and grocery stores- I'm not sure I see the point you are trying to make.

But the one thing I'm not sure you are quite getting is this- the sale of those products, among other things, helps keep this forum running. That takes money. This forum is another one of those Doug Ritter products that (and I apologize in advance if I'm misunderstanding) you seem to be saying are a kind of sell out.

If you don't like the product, don't spend the money.

Aloha Doug,

I tried to send you a private message but that didn't work so I will post my question.

First of all, I like this forum and the great folks that I have had the pleasure and privilege to interact with. Also, I like and appreciate the information from the forum.

I am hoping to make a bigger contribution to the ETS Foundation than a mere donation. If it is ok with you, I would like to host a drawing for forum members. I do not sell anything. I just want to donate a box of goodies from Hawaii to the winner of the drawing. The box would include stuff like chocolate macadamia nuts, other local yummies, maybe some Hawaiian salt, some hau wood that I have already seasoned that works great for friction fire, that kind of stuff. To enter, members need to make a donation to the ETS Foundation or whatever you say they need to do to enter. After a specified target is reached, the drawing takes place and I buy and ship everything out to the winner. And if you like, I can send you a duplicate box of whatever went out.

Anyway, let me know what you think.

Mahalo!

Aloha,

I am not Doug. However, let me chime in on your idea. It is great!!! Even though I am allergic to nuts, I know plenty of people that I would gladly give them to. Kinda like a raffle except a tad different. Not sure what the legalities would be. I'm sure there is someone who knows the rules and would provide info to keep it on the up and up.

I am still saving for my DR knife.

CityBoyGoneCountry,
You don’t by chance work for the Washington Post by chance? Because you seem to use the same logic and “common sense” I find in their publication.

What was the point of your initial post? Jeff started this thread to ask a simple question. To paraphrase that question, how I interpreted it was “How can I help support Equipped to Survive (by spending money where it supports the Foundation)? (Jeff, please correct me if I am wrong.) Doug answered his question pretty directly without any of your so called marketing BS. In fact, I think you will have a very difficult time finding any BS from Doug, marketing or otherwise.

I may be wrong, but your initial post seems to be a direct attack of Doug and ETS. In a Later post you clearly attack Red Flare and then ETS for allowing them to advertise in the Marketplace. Using a pretty standard space blanket that Red Flare is selling as a example why that company is SO evil, and thus ETS by association… of so you would like us to believe. It doesn’t matter that one could pretty much get everything they need to build a good survival kit from Red Flare alone, including some the outstanding Katadyn water filtration/purification products (whose products Doug choose to include in the kits he builds as well).

You bring up the point of this forum is SURVIVAL, and you are absolutely right! That is the whole point of Equipped to Survive. In fact, you can find ETS’ mission stated very clearly here:

Doug spends quite a bit of time on that mission, more than most of the people who visit his site and forum could even imagine. His dedication to the Mission of ETS is unbelievable; I know people have been saved because of his work. What have you done? Have you done anything to even support ETS and the work that the foundation (and by that I really mean Doug) has done? Or have all you done is come on the forum ETS provides and post negative, ill informed comment?
I am lucky to have the privilege of calling Doug my friend, and being allowed to help the Foundation directly. This has given me the opportunity to see firsthand how much Doug puts into the Foundation. That work alone will not keep ETS alive, support for others and money are needed as well. Have you noticed that the only products that are advertised on the ETS website are Doug’s and that a portion of the sales of every products he has designed goes to support ETS?

I guess my real question is, since you figured you were going to get banned for posting this, why did you? If you want off the forum that bad, you know you can just leave.

To Nicodemus and the others… Thanks!

+100 Great post, you beat me to saying that.

Hey, I don't mind ppl selling stuff I want. I'd like to try some hau wood.

Well, some ppl prefer to go down in a blaze of glory. But if you can't find a dragon to kill, sometimes you have to settle for a windmill.

I would just like to point out that those “cheap” space blankets have their place, too. While I would prefer not to use one to shelter myself when there are better options available, the “cheap” space blankets are perfect for use in a first aid/medical kit where you expect them to be a short-term, one-time-use product. They also pack extremely small, so you can carry several in case you have multiple people that need treatment.

Very good point! I order those in the hundreds for medical at events, they are perfect for the job and are dirt cheap.