[pct-l] Nike - The great conspiracy

[ronm@fallingwater.com (Ronald Moak)]

Brett write >> With all due respect, I'm not. And I'm not impressed to see
PCTA tacitly
endorsing that particular corporate entity. As with the equestrian
allowances on the trail, this sort of thing likely alienates a fair number
of would-be association members. <<

To my limited knowledge, the PCTA neither tacitly nor formally endorses Nike
or any other company. 

The choice to place the request for testers was solely up to my digression.
So if you feel the need to charge someone, at least charge the right person.

I chose to place the announcement totally as a public service to the readers
of the PCTA website, interested members of this and the Backpacking Light
mailing list. 

The PCTA was not paid by Nike to post the article. And since the hundreds of
hours spent in both developing and maintaining the PCTA website are
voluntary, I did not receive any money either. 

As a member (hopefully in good standing) of the Long Distance Hiking
community, I don't necessarily feel that hikers and equipment manufactures
should have a standoff relationship. Without good feedback from us, we are
doomed to the equipment dumped on us. Given your apparently close
relationship with GoLite, I expect at some level you feel the same. If other
manufactures were to approach me with a similar request, I'd have the same
response as with Nike.

On a personal level I don't condemn or praise Nike products, in spite of the
fact that I only live a couple of miles from the corporate headquarters and
know a number of people who work there. If I were in the process of choosing
sides, I'd probably pick New Balance since in my experience their fit and
durability far exceeds the Nike products. However, Nike contacted us not New
Balance.

If you feel that running the announcement is grounds for disassociating
yourself from the PCTA, I can only say I'm sorry. It is my only intention to
provide a site that informative, interesting and balanced.

Ron
-------------------------------------------------------------
Ron Moak
Pacific Crest Trail Association Web Master
http://www.pcta.org/