Transparency First: GearBuddha is reader-supported. When you click links on our site to purchase gear, we may earn an affiliate commission from retailer partners. This comes at zero additional cost to you and allows us to purchase our own test equipment, maintain our lab facilities, and deliver 100% independent reviews.
How Affiliate Marketing Works on GearBuddha
Throughout our reviews, comparison guides, and listicles, you will see links to merchant websites (such as Amazon, Decathlon, REI, Backcountry, Travelpro, and others). If you click on one of these links and complete a purchase, the retailer pays GearBuddha a small percentage of the total transaction as a referral fee.
Crucially: The price you pay is completely identical whether you click our link or navigate directly to the retailer’s homepage. Retailers pay affiliate commissions out of their existing marketing budgets.
Our Strict Editorial Firewall
Affiliate relationships do not and will never influence our editorial coverage:
- No Commission-Driven Rankings: We regularly award our highest Editor’s Choice ratings to products with low or zero affiliate commission rates if they are genuinely the best gear on the market.
- Critical Flaws Are Never Suppressed: If an affiliate partner’s product fails our water column test, features poor zippers, or breaks under stress, we document the failure in detail.
- Writers Are Insulated: Our testing staff and contributing writers are not informed of affiliate commission rates and have no financial incentive to favor one brand over another.
Amazon Associates Disclosure
GearBuddha is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, and affiliated retail properties.
Questions or Feedback?
If you have any questions regarding our affiliate relationships, business model, or disclosure compliance, please reach out to our team at compliance@gearbuddha.com.