Gear reviews in magazines
- This topic has 17 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated Jan 1, 2007 at 8:35 pm by
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I think gear reviews in fly fishing magazines suck…
The information one finds in these magazines are no more information than one finds in the catalogs and web site. What the hell do they call it REVIEW while nothing about the VIEW of the reviewer can be read?… It looks like it’s nothing but a free ad for the manufacturer.
Or am I wrong?…
I would guess it is a “don’t bite the hand that feeds you” kind of deal. Fly Fish America (in its infancy) did a fairly good job of offering unbiased opinions about the equipment they tested, and to their credit still have a section devoted to reader reviews, but the equipment the staff now tests is little more than spill over from ad copy.
Not to get my nose too dirty, but this site has been about the best place I’ve found for honest product reviews. And, not just from Zach, but from all who have contributed. Most of the posters offer, not simply an opinion based on a particular item’s heritage or brand name, but a handful of thought out reasons why they like something tempered with some things that maybe they don’t like. I personally don’t want to read or hear the opinion of some brand apologist.
But, more to your point–gear reviews in fly fishing magazines do suck, but I understand why.
Splitshot
I am sure from the magazine point of view that it is hard to fill ad space in upcoming issues when you just slammed thier product in the last issue.
The gun and ammo magazines are especially bad about this…but don’t get PoudreRiver started on that topic though.
I do some of the gear reviews for Fly Rod & Reel, so I’ll give this a shot. The magazines have considerable lead time, often several months from when copy is received until the magazine is printed and delivered. So rarely is there time for any prolonged review. Those things that show up after considerable usage (seams splitting, soles separating, lines cracking/sinking, etc) usually don’t have time to reveal their nasty selves.
Rod reviews? Well, how a rod casts is pretty personal. Some like slow, some like fast. Some want to chunk beadheads, some midges. And lines make a big difference.
There’s a lot of subjectivity, limited time, variables, etc.
And, yes, most reviewers do give manufacturers the benefit of any doubt. Years ago, when Down East (FR&R’s parent company) ran the FTD trade show, we (staffers, there were 8-10 of us, very strong minded) each picked out products we liked, independent of the others. We met on the second day of the show, compared notes, pared down the list, and then went back out to try any items we hadn’t seen yet. In the end, we did a Best-of-Show and Top Ten new items. Emphasis was on new – – – stuff we’d not seen, was new and had zero benefit of field testing (except in rare cases when some of us might have had an early prototype). Similarly, FR&R does the Kudo awards annually. The difference is that those items have been out, have proven themselves over at least a season, and have been nominated by multiple individuals on the review team. Even so, there is some disagreement there.
The point being, a quick review of a new product can’t cover everything. And over the long haul, many disagree on merits of a particular product. So don’t be surprised there.
As for only “good” reviews, I can personally attest that FR&R has not run reviews on some products that weren’t up to snuff. We do call manufacturers if we feel something is amiss, and they usually appreciate that. Ferrules don’t always fit, lines have “bumps” in the coating, a stitch is dropped – – – stuff happens.
Dealers, and really manufacturers, can’t afford to sell sorry gear.
Buzz,
I hadn’t considered the amount of time the field testers might actually have with a product before going to press — especially in the case of something new. Thanks for pointing that out.
Bryan
I have seen some reviews that just repeat what is said in manufacturers litrature. The best reviews I can recall have been the ones done in the past few years on bass rods for fly fishing done by Fly Rod & Reel.
Even after you cast a rod in the parking lot or at a show its hard to tell how you will like them when your fishing. Some rods seem to get better as you fish them. Line selection makes a big difference too.Its nice to have some info on a rod from a review but I think one of the best ways to pick a rod is to look at what more accomplished anglers are using under the same conditions and try those rods to see if they work for your casting style etc.
Obviously you have to keep a decent relationship with the fly fishing industry.
Why not keep reviews and news separated and clear: News from the industry can be pretty much the press release. Reviews should be REVIEWS because it’s what the word means.
Saying reviewing takes a lot of time, I don’t agree.
People who review items are obviously folks who know what the industry has to offer. It’s not hard to see if there’s something wrong/itchy/etc. with a product.E.g. too much space between the reel spool and reel house means that line will get caught. If you have to use a lot of pressure to hold a hook, the vice will be a dog to do production tying. Need I go further?
Saying reviewing takes a lot of time, I don’t agree.
People who review items are obviously folks who know what the industry has to offer. It’s not hard to see if there’s something wrong/itchy/etc. with a product.E.g. too much space between the reel spool and reel house means that line will get caught. If you have to use a lot of pressure to hold a hook, the vice will be a dog to do production tying. Need I go further?
We can agree to disagree. Some issues are obvious, some not. What about a new line that wears out prematurely (weeks instead of months or a couple of years), boots that fail after too-little use (felt soles wear excessively, come loose, eyelets pull out, etc), or that look great, feel great on your feet, but kill your feet after a few hours on the water?
Can a rod be evaluated on a casting pool at a show? Maybe for some gross design flaw. But having cast a few thousand rods over the years, one thing that has become obvious to me is that rods that apparently cast fine on a pool don’t always do so on the water. Add a fly, a specific distance, wind, and many rods just don’t end up behaving the way they seemed to at a trade show pool.
A bluewater rod, one that’s intended for lifting. Can it be evaluated realistically be bending it indoors? By lifting a bucket of sand? Or just by pulling on a big fish?
Some reviews can be done relatively quickly, some can’t. Tough to generalize. I’ve seen the Henry’s Fork be as dead as a hammer. Had a description of the river been based on an experience like that, the reviewer wouldn’t be given much credibility by those who have fished the river when it’s “on”. Done that too, which is one reason my son is named Andrew.
Buzz
I have been following this thread since it started and have not responded as of yet simply because I am by no means an expert when it comes to testing gear. That said, I would have to say that what Buzz is saying makes a lot of since to me. I have bought a lot of gear over the years that I am totally excited about when leaving the shop only to be dissappointed with six months down the road. You have to put gear thru the test of time and unfortunately as the consumer or the testers we are not always given that sort of time to test something.
Buzz I think your right on line and have really enjoyed your responses. Keep up the good work!
Moosedog
This talk about the magazines needing to be responsible for exposing faults in gear and the issue of CEO’s and bonuses is making it sound like we are talking about the auto industry or something. The flyfishing industry is nowhere close to that level, they produce a relatively low amount of equipment a year and these days its of suprising quality anyway. Even just looking at internet buzz, whats the last piece of high end gear you can think of that has been pronounced a lemon by most people using it?
Bad gear simply isn’t being put out there these days. I’ve got my favorites, we all do I’m sure, but the other stuff isn’t bad by any means its just not for me. I’m sure they could invest more money into R&D but I’m not sure it would have much of a noticable effect and the consumer is just going to wind up paying for it. I’m happy with where the industry is right now and where it seems to be heading. Really, go out there and try to find a piece of non-kmart gear thats of genuinly bad quality.
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