Magazine Gear review bias

[gfisher4792]

Hi all,

While scanning the board for gear opinions, I've noticed more than a few times that it's pointed out that scuba magazine gear reviews (most often Rodales) is biased. I'm wondering whether or not there is actually any evidence of this, or just opinion/speculation. Does this hold true with other magazines that do gear reviews (Outside, Mountain Biking, etc.)?

 

[Scubatooth]

well rodales is biased and it has been proven over and over again. in there cases if you give them moeny and even the worst product on the market will get a raving review (ie reason split fins have won several years in a row)


also not to mention if oyu look closely you will notice after a product review either the page after the review or the next page is a ad for that product or its parent company (ie after the recent suunto computer review the very next page was a full page ad touting the great features of the review and quotes in the ad from the review in the previous pages. conspiracy ? i think not)

as in all advertizing money talks and BS walks.

 

[Grajan]

Scubatooth,

You may well not be wrong but your message hardly meets the standard of "actual evidence".

I would be really interested in that if it could be produced.

 

[Scubatooth]

ok well let me go back and look though rodales to prove it. as for the split fins bit, i know this because i ran into the group testing the fins for the review in coz back in feb, and got to talk to them and only needed about 5 minutes to get the drift of the review.

 

[ScubaToneDog]

Ever notice that they never publish the "bad" reports. Gear that failed to get even one star.

Reason you see those ad's for the gear is because after they test, they give the manufactures the results before they are published. Then they sell the ad space to them. The better their product did the bigger the price tag. Anything that does real bad the manufactures either resubmit another set of test samples (which Rodales has disclosed in their test results) or they pull it and go back to the drawing board. Most of the tests are done with new line models not available to the public yet by a select test group. Its about as unbiased a report you can get.

Now before anyone goes off, consider this: the gear testing is based on what its intended purpose is. If its a purge mask, it is not compaired to a non purge mask. Its tested on how its purge mechanism works and not on the opinion of its tester not useing a purge mask because its not DIR correct. Same thing with Regs, Fins, BC's, Weight belts....heck, they rated spit and toothpaste as testers choice and best value when they rated mask defoggers. If memory serves me correct Spit was the highest rated. I didnt see an Ad for Phlem on the next page!

In the end it all comes down to personal preffrence.