About Author - Chris Hayes
Hello there, my name is Chris Hayes. I am from Bosie, Idaho, and I am an avid hunter and survivalist. Being outdoors, alone, somewhere in nature, holds an exceptional meaning for me. I love any kind of active recreation; it is my passion and my lifestyle: hunting, fishing, camping, and survival in the wild. All of that makes me feel alive.
Without any false modesty, I can say that I am a professional. And as one, I know how essential both the equipment and constant improvement of your own skills are. That is the reason why I write my articles and reviews – I want to share my expertise with people who are like me! I have been gathering information for many years, tested dozens of gears, weapons, and whatnot, all so that you don’t have to do it!
Under-the-open-sky.com is my project, created specifically for such purposes. There you can find various reviews on different types of equipment for any outdoor activity.
What’s my story: How did I become a hunter and an outdoorsman? What inspired me?
All the men in our family were hunters. It was something that we did for generations. And I was going with my dad deep in the forests since I was a little boy. He taught me how to handle a weapon, how to navigate myself in the wild, and many other extremely useful things.
When I became an adult, it all transformed from a simple hobby into a full-time passion. Not even the hunting part itself, no. It was more about being alone somewhere in the wild, man versus nature, surviving. The adrenalin that you feel, the emotions, and the experiences you have are all priceless.
What is “Under the open sky”, and what does my company do? What is its purpose?
Under the open sky is a project whose primary goal is to give reliable and objective reviews on the different things a person may need while hunting, fishing, or camping. But that is not the only thing you can find here. We also provide you with guides and tips. Each and every one item from them has been tested, and if it has some flaws – you can be sure, we will mention it.
And that is the primary purpose of this company – we just want to help you to get the best activity experience, with the right gear, weapon or tactics. Anyone who doesn’t have much expertise on the subject can just read a couple of articles and already avoid at least the most common mistakes! And you know what the trickiest part for any newbie is? It’s about choosing the equipment. Our website allows you to save yourself hours of research. You are welcome!
How did I come up with the idea of making a site on this subject
I was not born with all of this knowledge. I have been learning through my experiences for many years, trying out new things and new gear. Sometimes it was successful, sometimes not. And that is an absolutely normal part of the process. However, there were a lot of moments when I needed information about something specific, and I could not find it anywhere. There is no Ultimate Master book where you can find all the answers.
As time passed, I gained a lot of knowledge that I knew could help many fellow outdoorsmen. So, I had to think of a way to pass on my knowledge. That is how I came up with this site.
Do I only review hunting goods or other things as well?
At first, yes, it was more about hunting, how to hunt, which equipment to choose, decoys, and all that. But now we are expanding, and there are fishing and camping sections as well. We post guides, tips and tricks, equipment reviews, and much more.
How do I do the reviews?
Well, the first thing to mention would be that we personally test every single part of the gear. When we do a review on a camping coolers, we go camping and check them out in the natural environment, so that it can pass real challenges. Mostly, we buy the equipment ourselves, but sometimes companies send us their products. It does not mean, however, that we will treat them differently and give them better marks.
Do I get paid by companies for the reviews? And to have their goods to be put in the first place?
No, absolutely not. It goes against our policy. We will gladly take a product for tests, and if it is good, we will say so. But if it is terrible, then we will not hide it from our readers. We are providing an objective opinion. And how can one be fair if he’s taking money? Many companies-manufacturers have gotten in touch with us, offering money for a positive review on their products. We do not do that. We respect our readers.
What does the word ‘best’ stand for? How do I define the best products?
Well, usually, this is quite a hard question to answer. However, in our sphere of operation, it is relatively easy. You see, in every activity, there are specific requirements for your equipment. Let’s take a camping coolers, for example. What are the main things to consider? Its capacity, weight, durability, the quality of the material, and the ice retention. The BEST camping cooler would be the one that meets all of these criteria. If the cooler is made of the best possible material, if it is light and has good ice retenction, but it costs a fortune, that is not the best cooler and vice versa.
How do I choose the products I want to test? And usually, how many are tested?
Generally, we listen to the ideas that our readers give us because there are always numerous products they want us to test and review. Of course, they should all meet the criteria of the subject. Usually, it is about five to 10 items per test.
What is my motivation to do an objective review?
It is all about trust. If we do a review, we want it to be profound, informative, reliable, and trustworthy. Otherwise, we will simply lose the faith of our readers. And, we most certainly do not want that to happen!
How do I plan to develop the company further?
Our expansion will focus on increasing the number of reviews in currently existing sections, such as camping and fishing, and then adding new ones. We are thinking about hiking, kayaking, or something like that. Also, we want to create more informative content: not just reviews, but complete articles on some particular topics.
That’s about everything I wanted to tell you about my project. I really hope that you liked the idea and that our outdoors “family” will grow even more! Good luck!
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