I would like to make a suggestion. Doug's reviews of products are generally regarded as excellent and I hold them in the highest esteem. Not just because of whom "Doug is" but also the quality of the reviews in of themselves. That being said, I would like to suggest opening the review process up to a "larger contribution base". Ok so what the heck does that mean? What it means is, I value Doug's reviews. So much so I would like to see them more often. However it is obvious that he is extremely busy and can not do all the reviews he would like to. That being said, I think that the MOST senior members of the forum could perform reviews in "absentia" or in addition. With the reservation that Doug have final say on anything posted on his site, but the generation of product reviews could come from some of the other extremely qualified members of the forum. Then he could approve/validate and we all benefit from the experience of the contributing author in a more formalized setting. If I am not considering something let me know...

P.S. In case anyone was thinking I am angling for free stuff, I would consider myself unqualified to review anything relevant to the site.

P.P.S. Yes I am trying to sign up the war horses of the forum to some work. Sorry, <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Actually, I see reviews for gear on the forums all the time. Whenever I need opinions on a certain product, this is one of the first places I go to ask. I guess you're hoping that forum member's reviews could be on the main site, to be more accessible (and just to get more reviews up)?

It would be neat, especially if the companies would lend their new products to people on this forum, and we could pass things around to test under various conditions, mailing them to each other. That would be so fun. When the tests were over we could just mail back the gear to the company along with our review. But the only way that would work is if the companies actually value what we think, the way they value Doug.

Or, if the companies donate the items, it could be auctioned off after the reviewers are done. Of course, that assume that something is left of the item by the time the reviewers are done. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Marc,

ETS has always welcomed contributions. I receive about an offer a month to write reviews and such for ETS. Some want to be paid, which I would love to be able to afford, but cannot. If I could, I know good writers whom I would have write for me. Most don't want to be paid, which is good, though I expect everyone is looking for freebies, which is really not a problem from my perspective. I always ask them to submit a sample review in the ETS style. I can count on one hand the number that have actually followed through in the past four years <!> and of that, only a couple passed muster such that I could use it without extensive editing. Even then I have to find time to edit the article and convert it to HTML, etc. I've even tried farming the editing and HTML conversion out for a modest stipend with poor results. I have two such articles that I have been trying to get edited for months. :-( I'd love to have additional contributions, but I also won't lower the high standards that have gotten us to where we are today. I am working to complete yet another major research project and hope to be able to get back to doing more product reviews, editing the few articles I have in , and updating the site this Fall. In the meantime, anyone who is interested, the information about writing for ETS can be found at: http://www.equipped.org/submission.htm

Doug,
The "major research project" you're working on wouldn't happend to be a book, would it?
I, for one, would love to see some of your accumulated experience and material in a bound, hardcopy format.

Sorry, but no. It''s the second 406 MHz GPS-enabled Emergency Beacon Evaluation.

Perhaps what Marc is suggesting is a 4th category for "Reviews" in addition to "Survival," "Campfire," and "Lending" where equipment and books could be discussed.