Keep YouTube Weird

I’ve been increasingly aware of the rise of mega channels and super corporate channels on YouTube, and this makes me nervous that the small channels won’t get as much attention.

I love YouTube because of the niche content that goes deep and really geeks out on a specific topic, and I don’t want to change.

To help call attention to channels that I think meet those criteria, I figured I’d post a list of my favorite small channels (Sub 100k) that make YouTube what it is!

JD FollowCam

https://youtube.com/@jdfollowcam?si=yY5Un5jz6rsMIzL8

Absolutely hypnotic smooth footage of some of the best wingers in the world doing their thing in some of the best conditions on the planet. If that’s not enough, the background music to the videos always puts you in a good mood. What I really want to see more of is his insane kitefoiling skills…

Mr Bennets

https://youtube.com/@misterbennetts?si=i8BV43-KXNVTuMZX

Probably tied with JD FollowCam above, but Mr Bennets reset my expectations for what was possible on a foil. Though I’ve never tried prone foil surfing, his buttery smooth footage makes me dream of the day I get to try out. If you want to see the future of what’s possible on a foil, follow this guy.

Flatlander Tech - 8k

https://youtu.be/UwJi7FU5Q_w?si=f0Wshy24sp6Hs56F

This channel is a combination of 3d printer maker and videographer. He’s super technical, cares about design, is willing to hack stuff together and builds really cool useful things. My favorite is this video editing station.

Dracomies - 8k

https://youtu.be/NM-kSVRBpOM?si=ayQxGwwZ9fU4fa0Z

EDC with out all the fluff and fanfare. I love gear in all its forms, but some of the EDC channels out there verge on fetishizing keychains. This guy just makes fast, direct content where he’s not afraid to share his hot take, and he often thinks about things in a more practical way than the bigger channels that are probably being bought and paid for.

Ben Vallek - 80k

https://www.youtube.com/@BenVallack

I nerd out about keyboard ergonomics… but Ben goes completely off the deep end and puts me to shame. His technical knowledge far exceeds my own, but he always has simpler parts of his videos that I can understand, and his topics are varied.

Matthew O’brien

https://youtube.com/@matthewtobrien?si=D9kb7TtwjM0taOBv

No one on YouTube is going deeper on Final Cut Pro. Matt keeps me on the loop on what’s possible on the platform and tips me to things that I should be learning to use to improve my workflow.

The Lift Journal - 698 Subs

https://youtube.com/@theliftjournal?si=0CA_5w-auK2VhCuD

A guy documenting his journey to learn how to surf foil. He talks about the good, the bad, and the ugly, so very much in line with my ethos for my channel. Love seeing his persistence.