Last Updated: September 2026 | Effective Date: September 2026
This Cookie Policy explains what cookies and tracking technologies are utilized by GearBuddha (gearbuddha.com), how we deploy them across our gear reviews, comparison tables, and buyer guides, and how you can exercise full control over your browser tracking preferences.
1. What Are Cookies and Web Beacons?
Cookies are small text files placed on your computer, tablet, or smartphone by websites you visit. They are widely utilized to make web platforms function efficiently, provide secure browsing environments, and deliver aggregated reporting to site publishers. Web beacons (or pixel tags) are transparent graphic images that track whether specific pages or email newsletters have been viewed.
2. The Types of Cookies We Deploy
GearBuddha categorizes cookies into three distinct operational groups:
A. Essential / Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are required for the fundamental technical operation of GearBuddha. They enable core site navigation, secure HTTPS communication, edge server routing via Cloudflare, and responsive image scaling. Without these cookies, basic platform features cannot function.
- Cloudflare Security Cookies (
__cf_bm,cf_clearance): Identify trusted web traffic, distinguish humans from automated botnets, and defend against DDoS attacks. Duration: 30 minutes to 1 year. - User Session State: Maintains temporary preferences when sorting gear tables or navigating paginated review archives. Duration: Session only.
B. Analytics & Performance Cookies
We use aggregated analytics to understand how readers interact with our travel gear content, identify broken links, and determine which gear categories warrant additional lab testing resources.
- Google Analytics 4 (
_ga,_ga_*): Measures visitor counts, bounce rates, average time per review, and page flow. We configure GA4 with strict IP anonymization, ensuring your individual IP address is never stored. Duration: 14 months maximum.
C. Commercial & Affiliate Marketing Cookies
GearBuddha is supported by our readers. When you click an outbound button to check pricing or purchase gear from verified retail partners (including Amazon Associates, Decathlon, AvantLink, CJ Affiliate, and Impact), an affiliate cookie is stored on your device by that partner merchant.
- Affiliate Tracking Tags: These cookies record that you reached the retailer via a GearBuddha referral link, allowing the merchant to credit us with an editorial referral fee. They do not transmit sensitive personal information, banking details, or home addresses.
- Cookie Lifespans: Merchant referral cookies typically remain active between 24 hours (e.g., Amazon standard session) and 30 days depending on the retailer’s commercial affiliate terms.
3. Detailed Cookie Inventory
| Cookie Name | Provider | Classification | Lifespan | Primary Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
__cf_bm |
Cloudflare | Essential | 30 minutes | Bot management & rate limiting defense |
_ga |
Google Analytics | Analytics | 2 years (max) | Distinguishes unique anonymous sessions |
_ga_GB* |
Google Analytics | Analytics | 2 years (max) | Maintains session state on gearbuddha.com |
amzn_assoc_* |
Amazon Associates | Affiliate | 24 hours | Qualifying purchase referral tracking |
impact_trk_* |
Impact.com | Affiliate | 30 days | Outdoor brand affiliate referral attribution |
4. How to Manage and Disable Cookies in Your Browser
You have full authority to accept, decline, or delete cookies at any time through your web browser settings. Disabling cookies will not prevent you from reading our gear reviews, but it may impact interactive features such as the gear comparison tool or gear finder.
- Google Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Third-Party Cookies > Block Third-Party Cookies.
- Apple Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Prevent Cross-Site Tracking & Block All Cookies.
- Mozilla Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Enhanced Tracking Protection > Strict.
- Microsoft Edge: Settings > Cookies and Site Permissions > Manage and Delete Cookies.
- Global Privacy Control (GPC): GearBuddha honors universal opt-out signals, including the Global Privacy Control header sent by privacy-focused browsers like Brave.
5. Inquiries & Related Legal Resources
For more details on how we safeguard reader privacy and process data, review our full Privacy Policy, our Terms of Service, and our Affiliate Disclosure. If you have questions regarding our cookie practices, reach out via privacy@gearbuddha.com or our contact page.