|
jonjones
Sep 16, 2003, 11:57 PM
Post #1 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 12, 2003
Posts: 2
|
I accidentally just made a post in the sport climbing section that I should have been making here in Alpine and Ice. I was just wondering what people think about Alpinist Magazine. I just became a subscriber and was wondering if other people have checked out the mag. I've just finished reading issue 4 and I think the magazine is incredible. If you've never heard of it, you can check out their site at:
http://www.alpinist.com
What do other folks out there think? I'm just curious how people think it compares to the other climbing publications.
-jon
|
|
|
|
|
brutusofwyde
Sep 17, 2003, 12:04 AM
Post #2 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 3, 2002
Posts: 1473
|
It's the only climbing magazine I subscribe to.
R&I and Climbing are trash, imho. There is less advertising in gear catalogues.
Brutus
|
|
|
|
|
melekzek
Sep 17, 2003, 12:37 AM
Post #3 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 16, 2002
Posts: 1456
|
btw why do you have started two threads ?
this and this ?
|
|
|
|
|
neadamthal
Sep 17, 2003, 12:48 AM
Post #4 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 2, 2002
Posts: 245
|
work on your grammar guys
brutus excluded
edited to exclude brutusofwyde
|
|
|
|
|
epic_ed
Sep 17, 2003, 12:58 AM
Post #5 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 17, 2002
Posts: 4724
|
Copied my reply here from another thread:
I agree entirely. The photography is beyond compare with the other industry rags and the articles are very well written. Out of all the climbing disciplines mountaineering probably interests me the least, but I've found myself drawn into the stories told by nearly all the authors and regardless of the venue.
edited to add: I just followed the link to the current edition and now I absolutely have to pick it up. There is an article on my favorite AZ crag, Cochise Stronghold.
Ed
|
|
|
|
|
epic_ed
Sep 17, 2003, 12:59 AM
Post #6 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 17, 2002
Posts: 4724
|
In reply to: work on your grammar guys brutus excluded edited to exclude brutusofwyde
?? We're not writing articles here, dude. You're lucky to see intelligible sentances.
|
|
|
|
|
phreakdigital
Sep 17, 2003, 2:19 AM
Post #7 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 24, 2002
Posts: 228
|
The Alpinist is a great magazine...it is so much more than rock and ice and climbing mag.
|
|
|
|
|
mainline
Sep 18, 2003, 12:35 AM
Post #8 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 30, 2002
Posts: 161
|
Alpinist magazine is incredible. I'm going to let my Climbing subscription expire. I only wish Alpinist had more issues per year.
|
|
|
|
|
vertx
Sep 18, 2003, 12:43 AM
Post #9 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 27, 2003
Posts: 53
|
Great magazine ... latest copy sitting in the "throne room" waiting to be re-read.
|
|
|
|
|
adamtd
Sep 21, 2003, 5:56 AM
Post #10 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 11, 2002
Posts: 187
|
The literary quality of Alpinist is spectacular. I was disappointed by the price though. I don't know how many climbers can afford a subscription that high. I'm a climber not a lawyer...
|
|
|
|
|
brutusofwyde
Sep 21, 2003, 4:40 PM
Post #11 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 3, 2002
Posts: 1473
|
my only complaint with alpinist magazine is that the printing is almost as small as the description of side effects on a bottle of over-the-counter medication... i have to put on my glasses to read anything in the magazine.
Brutus
|
|
|
|
|
beckerw
Sep 21, 2003, 5:59 PM
Post #12 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 23, 2002
Posts: 171
|
hey, i just hope someone from climbing and/or r&i read this post. AND wake up! those rags have deteriorated into absolute drivel....the photos in R&I lately must be in a dig format, becuase the colors are distorted and look like shite. boring aritcles edited to nothing and complete spraydowns.
the alpinist is pricy but worth it. doesn't bother me if they only publish 4 times a year because everything will be great. amazing photography and articles that actually pertain to the spirit of climbing that will endure. way to go christian. i guess i will have to live with the fact that teh latest extension on the sport route du jour is not in the mag.
|
|
|
|
|
don_pablo
Sep 21, 2003, 8:42 PM
Post #13 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 15, 2003
Posts: 32
|
I Agree with most of you guys, Alpinist is certainly a cut above the rest. There should be more mags like this, concerned with Alpinism, and not ads and BS stories. Alpinist has my seal of approval for sure.
|
|
|
|
|
pico23
Sep 22, 2003, 5:10 AM
Post #14 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 14, 2003
Posts: 2378
|
In reply to: It's the only climbing magazine I subscribe to. R&I and Climbing are trash, imho. There is less advertising in gear catalogues. Brutus
Ditto.
It's the only readily purchased rag for those who prefer to lead on gear and off the beaten path. According the RI and Climbing there are only a handful of great climbers around the world. This might be partially true but the list is quite a bit longer then the former two would have us believe and I love reading about all the new routes being put up, not just the handful RI ect. feel are important.
|
|
|
|
|
pico23
Sep 22, 2003, 5:52 AM
Post #15 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 14, 2003
Posts: 2378
|
In reply to: Alpinist magazine is incredible. I'm going to let my Climbing subscription expire. I only wish Alpinist had more issues per year.
In reply to: The literary quality of Alpinist is spectacular. I was disappointed by the price though. I don't know how many climbers can afford a subscription that high. I'm a climber not a lawyer...
Compare your $12 issue of Alpinist to 3-4 issues of either climbing or R&I.
I bet you in one issue of alpinist there are more quality articles, more full page hi quality photos then 4 issues of the other mags. Consider 4 issues of the other mags is $20 on the newstand or about $25 for the year. So you actually buy one $12 issue of alpinist for every 4 $5 issues of the other crappy advertising filled rags.
Alpinist is $50 for the year on the newstand or $40 by subscription. Alpinist can lower the price by turning into the other mags but then it would just be another piece of trash that you can read cover to cover on a 30 minute lunch break.
It does hurt to drop almost $13 on a single magazine but Alpinist is more like a mini book then a throw away magazine and I actually get my $12 out of it.
|
|
|
|
|
seawolf
Sep 24, 2003, 1:58 AM
Post #16 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 19, 2003
Posts: 1
|
Outstanding magazine; well-written, and the photography is absolutely superb. Well-worth the subscription price, and understandable for a new venture. I subscribed right from the start and have not been disappointed with an issue yet.
Seawolf
|
|
|
|
|
stickclipper
Sep 24, 2003, 2:22 AM
Post #17 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 3, 2003
Posts: 95
|
The Alpinist is unbelievable. And the article ("By Fair Means," issue 3) on the history of big wall free climbing was perhaps THE GREATEST ARTICLE IN THE HISTORY OF CIVILIZATION! From Preuss free soloing 5.9's in the early 1900s to Skinner's questionable ethics and exploits to the latest "freeing aid lines" craze, the article was outstanding. (A step up from an article written by John Middendorf for Ascent called "The Mechanical Advantage," though it did seem to draw from that)
Not to mention the opening photo of Croft onsighting The Shadow; years ago Climbing ran a cover pic of him doing the route, but it was taken from above and wasn't even in the same ballpark as the one in the Alpinist (i.e. didn't capture the smooth, featureless, overhanging 13b dihedral - or Croft actually sewing it up with gear for a change! And if ol' Pete Croft is sewing it up... well, we know it is extremely difficult)
|
|
|
|
|
stabla
Sep 18, 2005, 7:15 AM
Post #18 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 29, 2005
Posts: 139
|
ALPINIST is the best mag. in the industry, awesome and inspiring photos, cheers to all who assist in the production of this incredible read
|
|
|
|
|
paulraphael
Oct 4, 2005, 9:11 PM
Post #19 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 6, 2004
Posts: 670
|
Just to put complaints about the price in context, Alpinist is not making any money. In fact they bleed money. Publishing a magazine at that quality level costs a fortune, and the cover price, subscriptions and (limited) advertising don't begin to cover it.
When I met Christian Beckwith last year, the first words out of his mouth were "Hi, do you have a million dollars?" And he was serious. Their ONE major investor had temporarily pulled out and they were about to go belly up.
My subscription has lapsed because I'm dirt poor at the moment ... so I hope I don't sound like a Hypocrite when I encourage everyone to subscribe. The only way they'll ever be able to break even and have a chance at a long life is if they sell many, many more subscriptions (which will drive th advertising prices up, and the per-copy printing costs down).
And if you have any gripes, write to them! They need to know, and are a small enough outfit that they might actually listen.
|
|
|
|
|
iceisnice
Oct 6, 2005, 2:46 AM
Post #20 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 2, 2004
Posts: 874
|
they started out ok, then they go and have an entire section of BOULDERING in france??!! Alpinist??!! i'm confused.....
|
|
|
|
|
grk10vq
Oct 6, 2005, 3:38 AM
Post #21 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 7, 2004
Posts: 527
|
im an alpinist fan atw.
great photos. quality writing. tasteful editing and it is somewhat "uncensored".
i let my R&I run out. it just plain sucks. i read it when i cant fall asleep.
its an over the counter ambien.
|
|
|
|
|
climbsomething
Oct 6, 2005, 4:39 AM
Post #22 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 30, 2002
Posts: 8588
|
I really want to know. What makes R&I and Climbing trash and Alpinist hand-inked on snippets of the Shroud of Turin? Can anybody give a real answer to this, or are y'all third-string Monday Quarterbacks? I have checked out Alpinist and I am duly impressed, but... I am an intelligent, educated person, just not an alpinist or wall climber or some grizzled hybrid thereof. And because of that, I am not particularly grabbed by the mag, even though it is a solid, handsome product. I am a cragger, and R&I and Climbing at least generally reflect my interests.
In my "humble" opinion, a lot of people just say they like Alpinist, or think they like Alpinist, because it's the kewl thing to do, when they relate to the contents about as much as I do.
|
|
|
|
|
reno
Oct 6, 2005, 5:38 AM
Post #23 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 30, 2001
Posts: 18283
|
In reply to: I really want to know. What makes R&I and Climbing trash and Alpinist hand-inked on snippets of the Shroud of Turin? Can anybody give a real answer to this, or are y'all third-string Monday Quarterbacks?
My opinion only:
R&I and C have repeats of the same thing, time and time again. A story abou a local crag, a story about a national climber, a story about someone's long trip, and a gear review (shoes, harnesses, draws/biners, cams, helmets, belay devices. Repeat every year.)
Also, I prefer a dearth of full page ads. While my realist side understands that advertisements are how one pays the bills in a written publication, I don't care to have my visual sense overwhelmed by ad after ad after ad. Personally, I'm happier paying the $15 sticker price for Alpinist and not having to flip past 33% of the pages, than I am paying $5 and dealing with it.
Again... this is only my opinion, and probably not worth the monitor space it occupies.
|
|
|
|
|
slablizard
Oct 6, 2005, 5:57 AM
Post #24 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 13, 2003
Posts: 5558
|
DO not agree.
Alpinist is great, but I sit on the throne at least twice a day, so I need R+I and Climb too.
Difference is Rocky and Climby are in a pile in the garage, Alpinist is in the living room's bookshelf with the climbing books.
And sometimes the mags are great too, come on.
|
|
|
|
|
slhappy
Oct 6, 2005, 7:48 AM
Post #25 of 82
(14236 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2002
Posts: 207
|
In reply to: brutus excluded edited to exclude brutusofwyde
Always the Queens Way...brutus excluded
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
