Yes, agreed. I have yet to find a worthy counterpart, and I search regularly.

The other salient fact: forums are hopelessly old-fashioned. The under 30 (40?) crowd goes straight to YouTube using their smart phones.

Oh, that's why at thirty-two I'm the youngest member here. Seriously, you're right. When I started to use the Internet twenty years ago, all it had were E-mail, forums and chat rooms.

Jeanette Isabelle

My participation in this forum wanes from time to time. And the reasoning for that, is multitude - but mostly, I don't have much to say on a lot of topics that are not of real interest to me.

Also and although probably younger then most regulars here, the hardcore activities are not once what they used to be for us. In the last 2-3 years, it is apparent to feel that the miles are getting longer, the packs are getting heavier and the trails are getting steeper. So the halcyon hardcore days of which I lived all my life are (mostly) in the twilight and now changing to a more sedate life of weekend camping, day hiking etc. That means that the formerly high priority ETS mindset is not as important as it once was - but there is certainly still a need for the core aspects of which this forum will always be a great resource.

On the topic that ChaosMagnet mentioned re: backup MOD's. I think it is really needed as CM is the only active MOD / Admin the last few years. If he or Doug plan to add a couple/few more, there are some excellent, and knowledgeable members in this forum to choose from.

Edit:
Forgot to add - other fav forums.

https://forums.clubtread.com/

https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/

https://bushcraftusa.com/forum/

It's as much the social aspect as the info for me. I'd miss you folks!

If Hikermor won't be coming out to the dig now, perhaps I'll get out his way now that I'm in Idaho.

So true. When I first joined this site, I was in my late 40's. And I was mostly interested in prepping for things like long day hikes above timberline, multi-day backpacking trips. etc. Now, 13 years later, I am more concerned about prepping for a drive across town. Do I have enough gas? Is there a water bottle in the car? It's sad really. I can't believe I've declined that much in only 13 years. I'm doing fine for my age. But "being in your 60's" is a lot different than "being in your 40's". Geez ... I still have a cabinet in the basement with some of my preps for Y2K! I wonder if those Kraft macaroni and cheese dinners down there are still good? Probably not a whole lot different than the ones I bought last week, the packaging looks identical!

The usefulness will NEVER diminish! I'll add to the comments that this is the ONLY place that gives level headed and clear REAL information from real people without any 'spin'.

While I too may not always post, I check in regularly to keep up. I initially took the post offensively but I see the point. I hope it remains for a VERY LONG TIME!

"The other salient fact: forums are hopelessly old-fashioned. The under 30 (40?) crowd goes straight to YouTube using their smart phones."

I think that pretty well nails it. The whole way people use the internet and gain information has undergone change since the dawn of the internet. As bandwidth grew, formats such as youtube became viable, while lower bandwidth aspects such as forums have fallen by the wayside.

Add to that the spate of "survival shows" from Les Stroud, Bear Grylls, "man v. Wild," "Dual Survival", "Man, woman Wild", "I shouldn't be alive", "SOS, Could you survive" et. cetera., have made every casual watcher into a survival expert.

Or have you visited the Survival book section in your local bookstore? It usually averages 20 to 30 differing books. The last one I have seen that offered anything new, novel or different was Cody Lundin's book, "98.6 degrees, the art of keeping your ass alive." Most everything else is of little value.

ETS is a bit different however, in that it is more like sitting around the campfire with people who really know what they are talking about, and you can bounce any idea around at any time. As most of us are mature, we no doubt remember those few occasions in youth when we got to sit around with the grownups in a patio culture and listen to them regaling their stories of youth. Amazing times that are well remembered, but I don't think it happens much if at all today.

Yeah, Things are changing in the world around us. One day, this forum will only be viewable on the wayback machine.

Thanks for reminding me that I'm getting older you guys (I'm 59 BTW.)

I think I've posted here less than 10 times over the last 10 years, but I still keep coming here to read. I find the ETS forum just as useful and full of useful information as I did when I first found it.