Customer Reviews

Backpacker [1-year]

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

I'm new to Backpacker [1-year], but so far find it to be a great magazine. Here's a little of what to expect:

-info about lots of places to go hiking around the world
-hiking and camping equipment reviews
-hiking skills and tips (i.e. recipes, survival skills...)

Some people may get irritated with the ads, but for me, they keep me on top of the latest useful hiking products.

With great pictures and human interest articles to boot, its one of the best hiking magazines I know of. Also recommend The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution if this annoying foot condition interferes with your hiking. Happy trails!

This magazine used to be a great resource for hard core bakcpackers with articles about transcendent survival stories and epic backpacking opportunities all over the world. In the past couple years they have changed their format drastically and have focused on "regional" editions and over the top gadget and gear coverage for total gear-wonks.

Don't get me started on the useless monthly section entitled "Social Climber" where people write into to ask what's socially acceptable on the trail with regard to fashion and things of that nature. You are backpacking for crying out loud...who cares?

It seems to have lost some of its humanity and original vision. I have subscribed to this mag for about 10 years and I used to be able to read it cover to cover, now I am lucky if there is one or article worth reading.

Like other reviewers have said, the content has gone downhill from informative articles on gear and places to go, to garbage that has nothing to do with backpacking. They sell out to gear companies, endorse shady gear companies ie: Big Sky, and the writing style almost requires you to have a.d.d. to read it ( tons of very short blurbs and "tips" thrown all over ).

To top it off, they have been sending me threatening letters to pay for issues they sent me after my subsription ended and I didn't renew it.

This publication has gone to an assumed automatic renewal - with no choice by the subscriber. Since I didn't agree to this arrangement I didn't bother to respond. The next thing I knew, I was receiving a collection notice.

No other outdoor magazine comes close to Backpacker to answer the questions of where to go and what to take. There are more destination suggestions in a year than one could ever visit in a lifetime, all with accompanying directions, notes, climate, visitation levels, etc.

When it comes to gear, the editors work hard to keep quality AND cost in mind and are careful to test less-well-known, but worthy brands. This is a departure from other outdoors mags that seem to sell recommendations to high retail price manufacturers. Backpacker even did a review of the gear available in large discount stores...

The free "Best Trails in America" that is offered on this page is inspiring and useful. I was almost tempted further until I read about the auto-renewal policy and sending former subscribers to a collection agency. I suppose their auto-renewal is also subject to automatic rate increases too? Maybe they want my credit card so they can do it all on their own with the notification that never arrived (I can just hear, "oops our systems malfunctioned" or "something must've happened with your mail-or email". Maybe they'll even email the "courtesy" auto-renewal notice with the new price from a server that results in it getting caught in the spam filter? Maybe they don't even send a "courtesy" auto-renewal notice--I just decided against a virus protection software package today because they auto-renew every year at the going rate without any notice unless I cancel.

I decided to tell them to: Take a hike and not with my money! I try not to support nasty businesses, and I imagine more and more people will feel the same as the weigh every expenditure.

Over the past several weeks I have received up to three calls per day from Backpacker urging me to renew my subscription "now!". The frequency and tone of these calls have crossed the line into obnoxious harrassment. A number of the calls have occured minutes after I hung up on the previous call. I am letting my subscription end and am not renewing due to this rude and intrusive treatment from Backpacker. This is coming from someone who has been subscribing to the magazine for well over ten years!

Note that there is no Masthead on the magazine to tell the reader the structure of the organization, nor is there any contact point via e-mail except on the website and that is to Customer Service. I am sure all inquiries to Customer Service are given prompt attention when they are critical of Customer Service.

If this is Backpackers new method of securing subscription renewals, I am better off without it!

This is the most complete publication for any walker, hiker, backpacker that we have found and the August 2002 interview with Colin Fletcher reminded me of why we subscribe and look for each new issue with such intense anticipation.

The Departments are: Backtalk where readers provide their feedback, Signposts which deals with politics and social news stories of interest to the readers, Body Language which deals with mind body spirit aspects of the sport.
Wild Things which is subtitled The Nature of It All. Moveable Feast which deals with food and has some great recipes that are not only healthy but taste awesome. In the August issue they have a great Almond Bar recipe.

Week End Wilderness is the section where they list great week end outings in various parts of the country. Outfitting is all about clothing choices that make walking, hiking etc enjoyable and safe.

Get Out More 2002 is a section where readers share places they have hiked and what made it special. Know How is about what it says.......Skill techniques and tips. Like leaving the tent behind and saving the extra weight and sleeping under the stars in a better warm sleeping bag set-up. Backcountry is about tales from the trails.

The Special Section carries feature articles on backpacking and things like kayaking, snow trips, fishing and backpacking etc. As well as issues like new equipment and hidden away places for hiking that most people ignore.

It is simply the best magazine on the subject and one any serious hiker, walker, backpacker all seasons enthusiast will have in their home.

Backpacker is an outstanding magazine for those who love to hike and also for those who enjoy paging through a magazine containing lots of enticing photographs of nature scenes. This magazine is, first and foremost, a publication for lovers of the outdoors and the sport of backpacking. But the pictures of mountains, lakes, streams, wildlife, etc., are enticing to anyone. They can quickly convert the non- outdoorsman type into a nature lover.

Besides the great pictures, Backpacker is also excellent for its product testing and for its advice and educational material. Backpacks, mountain bikes, tents, and so forth might seem like simple products, but you would be surprised at how many different varieties and options are available for this type of merchandise. Backpacker describes different items available for sale, complete with web site address and phone# so you can make a purchase, and it often conducts tests to see how the different products stack up. It also offers educational material on the sport of backpacking and general advice on such topics as food, exercise, proper nutrition, first aid, etc.

Backpacker averages between 90 and 120 pages in total length and it's published 9 times per year (three of the issues combine two months into one). It's one of the few special interest magazines I have read that has something to offer most anyone. Even if you don't like hiking, there is still a good chance you will enjoy thumbing through the pages of Backpacker, if nothing else, just to enjoy the great photography.

Overall, this is an outstanding outdoor publication. The articles, the personal stories, the advice, the photos, and the educational material all add up to a perfect magazine for anyone who loves to partake in outdoor activity or who just enjoys looking at the stunning photos. 5+ stars to Backpacker!

Just got a notice from a collection agency wanting money for a subscription I let expire. I'm not happy about this at all and needless to say I will never subscribe to Backpacker magazine again.