Feeling a bit jaded this AM, maybe the weather has something to do with it. So, I will slip out my old trusty "soapbox".

I often see posts asking "do you prefer this or that" or which is best? Currently, there is discussion about yoke pads. Is a sling better than a brick? Many opinions come in.... but whose opinion is correct? I see a lot of negatives about Cliff. Hey, wouldn't you like to be in his shoes

In respect to the yoke pad, I might respond "brick". Why? Because that is what I own. I made my first pair before I realized I could buy them and after I was very tired of wrapping a cheap closed cell foam pad around the thwart........ poor people have poor ways. But, I can honestly say that I prefer the brick of foam to a wrap of closed cell foam.......

I am not sure there are many of us who can piss away money on the latest "do-dad", and then step up to the podium as an "authority" and then state, I prefer brand X and the reason follows..... If you are thinking of buying a new "do-dad" then it is worth asking is "A" better than "B". But to say, which you prefer?

I guess if I had the bucks, I could have one of each thing (maybe more), and then tell you which I prefer. But, as for now, I prefer what I own. Simple and complicated as that.

What kind of soapbox is it? Do you appreciate the quality of build? Does it support you or is in unstable? Was it made in the USA?

I appreciate your comments but I prefer and use "Mr Sparkle" brand soap boxes. Yeah, I know it's made in Asia, but you just can't beat the colorful label.

Sincerly,
Fish-Bulb

i responded "brick" because i HAVE tried two other styles before... so there is some backgound involved in that recommendation. (and personal opinion of course)

I had the semi curved pads when I first bought my canoe. Didn't like them and sold them to Snakecharmer. He may still have them. I've never tried the sling type pads, but alot of folks seem to like them. My brother has the U shaped pads and he doesn't seem to care for them.It's all about preference. Best means what is best for you.

hexnymph-

Nice Simpsons reference!

well asking questions is what it's all about..there is a million days on the water represented here with more than likely every bit of gear and way of doing things up for us all to see and chose from.
on any message board you find people who like a good hassle and some who just want it straight--no lake water in my Everclear please.
and poor old Cliff..if he was six foot two with a big beard everyone would fall at his feet as "Mr Minnesota Canoe"..but he's "everyman" and likes to canoe and as a teacher knows how to write so he churns out books,which is fine and if nothing else it gets people to ask questions--"filter-no filter-hang,no hang"--so on
so thats my soap box--i'll go back to taking photos for my next post--

If we posted just facts and no opinions, this wouldn't be much of a site...my opinion anyway...:)

Opinions are like...

The lens on my photographic memory is currently fogged so I will have to paraphrase…

The great thing about America is that everybody has an opinion but the other great thing is that you don’t have to listen to them; so, that’s a good thing. – Denny Green

i place a lot of value on the gear opinions i see here.i would not be here if i did not--the way i see it most posters did not come to rate something because they saw it on TV or a friend of a friend told them but because they struggled with a tent that would not go up in the wind and rain or the stove burned fuel like a hog or they could not control the flame--so on..i think most of what we see here is "real life"--

Regardless of how a question is posed, most people seem to answer based on their experience. I've seen many "Which do you prefer?" questions answered by people who may not have tried both, but who have had good or poor experiences with one of the choices. I value that information even though the specific question may not have been answered. I guess I weigh the value of this site more on the answers than on the way the subject or question is presented.

HPD -- Try a bit more fiber in your diet. You'll find you can get away with a smaller soapbox (lol)....

I like folks on this site to tell me what they use. The members on here are not on the payroll of any gear company and very few if any, get free gear. I doubt Cliff can say that. I have Cliff's books, and I read them and have learned a thing or two. Calvin Rustrum wrote alot of it many years before Cliff but that is another story. I have learned much more from reading this website and once in a while, I learn something about paddling and tripping from the chat room crowd. I guess I want more folks on here to state their opinions and give me their reasons. Keep having opinions and keep stating them!! Some of us value them.

Some opinions are informational and others are entertaining. Either way, I enjoy most if not all of them.

Very nice points here, I see some of these comparisons like a "Ford, Chevy, or Chrysler" discussion, or maybe "Democrat, Libertarian, or Republican".

The point is we often do invest ourselves in a product or method as a way to justify our own buying decision, at least subconciously.

I do it myself and I am amused at the strong feelings evoked by these discussions. Consider when someone raises a question about which canoe is best? The SR, Bell, Wenonah, etc. loyalists all express their preferences, occasionally wrapped around a denigration of another persons product preference.

Is this OK? Yes, because there are some absolutes in some cases, but in most there are none. We all agreed carrying a loaded canoe across a portage of any distance was a bad idea, but the guy who did not even carry a tent on his BW trip was considered nuts by some and a fine example to be emulated, by others.

I believe it is a fine thing to offer your opinions, experience, and your best guesses here. I enjoy reading them myself, I learn from many of these posts. Rarely do i see somebody "get nuts" in their opinion or disagreement and I enjoy that part of the synergy of this online community as much as any.

Tolerance in most, if not all things, is a desireable attitude.

hummm?

sage words, winemaker.... in moderation and aged very nicely.....

I've seen a lot of "this or that" questions on this and other boards. Most of the time, they get answered the same way.

"I like 'this item' because I own it and it works."

I suppose, to some extent, that's what the original poster of the question may be looking for - testimonials from all of us on the products we all have. That way, when the poster goes out to look for that particular type of product, name brands and/or makes and models can be examined and a somewhat educated buying decision can be made.

It's far more rare to hear from someone who has thoroughly examined multiple brands or styles of a given product, let alone used them, and made a buying decision based on the information gathered. Knowing what gear everyone has is helpful, but a poster who can offer an opinion based on thorough examination or usage of several similar products can offer a far more valuable testimonial for those of us looking to make an investment in that type of product.

"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true!" --Homer Simpson