Mr Hoop is one of my favourites. I like Doug Linker (Doug Outside), Explore the Backcountry, Jim Baird and I'm starting to become fans of Harlan from solotripper and Alexis Outdoors. Edit - Added Tumblehome. And PineMartyn.

I like Jason Eke, Tumblehome (Jason), and AlexisOutdoors (Careena). They operate at a pace with which I'm comfortable and all seem like really good, down to earth people. Tumblehome can be a little cheesy at times, but he acknowledges that and I get it - I'm the same way when I'm immersed in something I love doing. Chris and Julia are responsible for getting me back into canoe camping.

Today's top seven...

GRS Riverrider, for peace and quiet.

Backcountry Angling, great scenery combined with narration and fishing.

Pecos Hank, for storms and tornadoes but no paddling. Texas-style narration and humor.

Tumblehome, for high quality production and great humor.

Explore The Back Country, and The One Canoe, tell it like it is.

Maddy The Goose, nice narration, and dogs are half the show. Too few vids lately.



What did HOOP talk about this year if you don't mind me asking.... he also has some informative vids, most still need to be seen.

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Oboy now you are putting me on the spot because it was in March (I think) and I don't have my notes handy.

He talked a lot about traditional gear and how he was an advocate of it even when he was a kid.

He showed some interesting overhead shots of lakes with spider holes in the ice which was kinda scary.

The big "nugget" that I took from it was that almost every body of water is essentially a river. Lakes are part of river systems so there is a "flow" of the water in lakes from the inlet to outlet that although sometimes imperceptible to us does effect the quality/condition and safety of ice. Despite severe cold this is something that can and will create situations that make lake travel potentially trick/dangerous in winter.

Thanks!

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I have seen all his videos and read all his books. I do have respect for Mr. Callan but booze and a younger audience don’t mix. I’ll leave it at that.

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"It's healthy to be dirty" - Lars Monsen

He drinks some whisky in his videos - I don't at all get the impression he is drunk.

Any chance you are a tea totaler Sam82?

The title is "..who are your fave..." I've been biting my tongue to avoid commenting on why I don't like certain content (which is provided for free, that we can choose to watch , or not). It's way too easy to critique on the Internet and lest we forget, these are our people and who likely visit this site. Personally, I avoid writing anything that I wouldn't be prepared to say to the subject's face.

You call that drinking?

THIS is drinking...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9ySVOtgyn0

Sponsored by the area firemen so safe, nobody will burst into flames, nor will 1700 alcoholic canoes.

Advice to kids in the last few seconds, it's OK. The much-anticipated nudity mentioned about halfway through was not included.... could have been fave content.

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YouTube campers are a dime a dozen eh!! Kidding...but also true. At the same time, I still find I don't have nearly enough to watch in this genre.

Channels that have given me the most - Kevin Callan and Brad (ETB). Both have taught me a lot and been a source of inspiration over the years, as two of the originals in this category (at least for Ontario).

Videos I'm most excited for - when the Northern Scavvies release a big trip (stoked for their Labrador video that they're filming right now).

Most artistic - Rolf Nylinder from Sweden. Beautiful fly fishing videos, and I don't even fly fish. Honourable mention to Tumblehome, whose videos never fail to remind me that I am a hack lol.

Most entertaining - probably Careena and Ryan (Alexis Outdoors). Very light and fun. They make me laugh out loud.

Gotta say that I don't think Kevin has ever been drunk drunk...he's just a spirited man. He does trips with youth, but I wouldn't say he targets youth with his videos. If you've seen what kids watch these days, I don't think it's this. YouTube shows creators all kinds of analytics and demographics about their audience. For instance, for BAO it's:
0.4% 13-17 years
6.8% 18-24
26.5% 25-34 (I'm 31, makes sense)
25.3% 35-44
22.8% 45-54
13.2% 55-64
5.1% 65+.
I reeeeally don't think Kevin's 13-17 ratio is going to be any higher.

scratchypants, well said about saying things online that you would only say to someone's face. It's amazing how tactless and unduly hurtful people can be to people they don't know. We should never forget Bart Simpson heckling Darryl Strawberry and the tear rolling down his cheek. Darryyllll......Daaaarryyylll.

JMC, an excellent choice of word: self-aggrandizing. It's a real turn-off. It's one thing to try to appeal to people and make content exciting, and another to unduly pump your own tires. Wintertrekker has a nice humble way about him.

PS Thanks guys for a couple mentions here. Means a lot.

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@Lost Lakes

I’ve got zero problem stating my own opinion. It’s mine that’s it. To each their own. I still support Kevin likely more than most on here...I own all his books. I’ve also given him credit for getting me out solo when I was young. It’s a hard thing to watch one of your idols do something’s that we strongly disagree with but I also reckognize no one is perfect. That’s all I’m saying on the subject.

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"It's healthy to be dirty" - Lars Monsen

Due to my current influences I’m sort of becoming one lol.

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"It's healthy to be dirty" - Lars Monsen

I like Hoop, Swampwalker & Martin Kehoe's videos. I prefer videos that try and show a route, gear, technique, etc and don't focus on themselves. I love it when people show mistakes and wipeouts in whitewater rather than editing to make themselves look good. I dislike a focus on things like lost routes, distances, obstacles, etc because it sometimes comes across self-aggrandizing like jmc said.

My biggest pet peeve is content creators - especially ones whose content larger manufacturers use - who don't use PFDs or (in whitewater) helmets. If you want to paddle without a PFD or skip the use of a helmet in < class III, go right ahead; you're not hurting anyone else. The problem is that posting media without PFDs and helmets normalizes it. Many new paddlers do what they see and don't understand the risks. Because of this I do not watch media from content creators who consistently do it.

That said, I know I appreciate negative feedback on my content. Sometimes it is the best feedback you get if you can let the brutal part of it slide off your back. Sometimes it is just assholes of course.

Like for example I never realized I do this thing where I'm always wiping my mouth with my thumb and forefinger. Some guy called me out on how gross it was - he did it in a really brutal and not very kind way - but then I looked at my videos and was like "wow, I do that A LOT and it looks TERRIBLE every single time I do it!" So I made a very conscious effort to eliminate it, and I think my videos have gotten better as a result.

I really like Frank Wolf and David Hartman. Though I dont know that they are content creators. They just have some awesome videos. I think Back Country Angling Ontario is great. Another interesting Northern Ontario one is In Season Studios.