Talkback: Incoming - Outdoors Show, 2012 From the sponsors page:
Each month TGO is packed with over 130-pages of thought-provoking articles, exhilarating routes and outstanding phot...
From the sponsors page: Each month TGO is packed with over 130-pages of thought-provoking articles, exhilarating routes and outstanding photography to inspire your next adventure.
Not this month - exactly 130 pages - 30+ pages of advertising. That makes about 100 pages of thought-provoking articles, exhilarating routes and outstanding photography to inspire your next adventure.
It normally has around 130 pages but this month I'm told I'm getting the extra 19 page Outdoors Show Guide free! Big deal!
The mags improved of late but the BS isn't needed. Shame the forum on their website is in a mess. Can someone have a word with them if they're going!
and so starts the debate on trade shows/promtional shows per se.
For every visitor who goes and thinks its great, worth the money and will go every year..others wont.
I wont go - but then I used to be on the other side and did up to 15 shows a year for my employer (who thought they were great as an exhibitor). I still wake up in cold sweats...
I went along yesterday. Got there early on and caught Colin Prior and Kev Reynolds on the main stage. Colin was very interesting and talked about not only his photography but his passion for the outdoors and the unique and magical 'gifts' you get when spending time quality time in the mountains.
Kev sold the rolling South Downs to everyone whilst turning us green with envy about his lifestyle..2 trips to the Himalayas coming up and all summer to be spent in the Alps ! Not bad at all !
The rest of the show was a mixed bag. There was a strong presence from charities and education groups but not as much of a presence of gear manufacturers. There were a few bargains to be had..got myself en event mountain cap for £12 and a reduced book from the Cicerone stall.
This was the 2nd year i've been. Won't be going again. Gear on display was essentially non existant. F&T had a very small stand, and a couple of other 'generic' booths (the kind you see at every outdoors/county show) were selling clothes. But there were no real displays of kit; ie stoves, tents, backpacks, boots. The sort of stuff you'd expect to see. Loads of different walking/adventure holidays trying to convince you to visit their county/country. Equally loads of booths trying to convince you that their charity walk was THE ONE.
i found it moderately interesting. some interesting products, what do people thinks about these outdoor design stove-less food heating systems. had a chat with the people from the Geography Collective. Got some free gifts. Worth a 20 min cycle ride, arguably worth £12.
I went yesterday and left feeling slightly disappointed. Thought there would have been a lot more gear manufacturers than there were. Bought myself the flameless cooking system from trekmates stall. Seems like a good idea for overnight or 2 night trips but not cost effective for a weeks camping trip. Apart from that didn't really see any good bargains and got fed up with stall after stall of charity treks and holidays.. The British Mountain guides stall seemed quite interesting with skills sessions and liked the idea of the ice climbing wall from Dmm with many people getting to use ice axes and crampons who wouldn't of previously. Apart from that I can't say I was impressed. Don't think I will go again. Not unless it moved back up to the midlands anyway
Me and a friend went for the first, and last, time this year. what a complete load of crap it was. Never thought i would go to an 'Outdoors' show and not see a tent/sleeping bag etc, apart from some token display randomly placed in the middle between the countless numbers of dross stools selling crap you would find in a local town market. Took 20 minutes to walk around plus the limited stuff from F+T etc could all be bought cheaper online
