Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Outdoor Prolink?
2. How significant are the discounts on gear?
3. This seems too good to be true. Why do I get these incredible discounts?
4. Which companies are involved?
5. How do I join Outdoor Prolink?
6. What do you accept as supporting material?
7. Why should I join?
8. How does Outdoor Prolink approve a person for a discount?
9. Will all professionals qualify equally? What if I don't like the companies I'm approved with?
10. Can I order equipment for my friends and family?
11. Can I order equipment for my company?
12. Our company has 30 people who want to sign up... what should we do?
13. I used to be a guide, but now I have a 'real job', will I qualify?

What is Outdoor Prolink?

Outdoor Prolink is a consolidated outdoor industry pro-purchase program designed exclusively for qualified outdoor industry professionals. Outdoor Prolink matches qualified outdoor professionals (guides, instructors, recreation coordinators, ski patrollers, etc.) with the manufacturers who produce outdoor products. Using your experience in the industry, and your employer's history as a reference point, manufacturers offer Outdoor Prolink members’ significant discounts on their product.

How significant are the discounts on gear?

Outdoor Prolink offers members prices at or around wholesale (about 40-50%% off retail). Once admitted into the program, complete membership information will be found on our web site. Outdoor Prolink offers member-only discounts available to no one else in the outdoor industry.

This seems too good to be true. Why do I get these incredible discounts?

Outdoor Prolink is built on a simple marketing premise shared by all its participating manufacturers. The equipment pros choose to use influences the buying habits of the general public. Because of this, it is worth it to the manufacturer to give a significant discount just to get you using their product.

Which companies are involved?

We plan on having approximately 30-40 brands involved. The brands involved are shown on the home page.

How do I join Outdoor Prolink?

Click on the “Apply Now!” link on the far left of the home page. From there, simply fill out all the required fields and click “Process”. As a final step, you will need to send us supporting material that proves to us that you truly do work in the outdoor industry.

What do you accept as supporting material?

• Recent pay stub (or W2) from your employer (feel free to cross out the amount)
• A letter from your employer (on company letterhead or company email) stating that you are a current full-time employee – This is the same for store employees.
• Copy of your AMGA membership (Individual members and above are eligible)
• Copy of your PSIA or NSP certification
• Copy of your ATTA membership

Why should I join?

Some would ask why join when many companies allow guides to call them directly for discounts. You could call them directly and get the gear without joining Outdoor Prolink. Yes, that's true. But think about the time involved to apply with each company: You need to send in your pay stub, W2 or letter. You need to call and find the right person, and then check on your status. If you do this with 20 companies on your own, it will get very time consuming.

We feel that any outdoor industry professional who is purchasing gear regularly for their job will realize that the time it takes to fill out our paperwork to set up your account is worthwhile. –– There is also a growing number of manufacturers who do not offer deals to anyone but Outdoor Prolink members.

How does Outdoor Prolink approve a person for a discount?

Once your Application gets to us, our staff reviews it using the approval criteria given to us by each manufacturer. We will then wait for verification of your employment, and approve or deny your account for each company in the program. So you might get an account with one manufacturer, but not another. It all depends on what you do in the industry: A canoe outfitter would not qualify for discounts on avalanche transceivers, and a whitewater guide may qualify for dry bags but not mountaineering boots. If you were a whitewater guide in the summer and a mountain guide in the fall, though, you'd qualify for both.

All of the approving and denying is based on what the manufacturers tell us, not our own personal evaluation of your forms, business, or résumé.

Will all professionals qualify equally? What if I don't like the companies I'm approved with?

You will qualify based on the criteria set by each manufacturer. Therefore, no, all professionals will not qualify equally. A part-time whitewater guide, for example, will not have as many products available to them as a full-time instructor who teaches rock climbing, backpacking, and rafting in the summer and ice climbing and skiing in the winter. This should seem logical, since accounts are based on the exposure you bring the company. (A whitewater guide will not be using crampons on his guided trips.)

As for how you feel about the companies who grant you accounts, we hope that you will be happy to have relationships with them. More and more companies are joining each month and your Outdoor Prolink account number will only continue to become more powerful. If, however, you think the program is not for you, let us know and we will close your account.

Can I order equipment for my friends and family?

NO. If you order any gear for anyone other than yourself, your account will immediately be closed and we will not readmit you to the program for at least a year. Furthermore, we will send your name to all manufacturers in the industry, advising them not to sell equipment to you. Pro-purchase abuse is a serious issue and we have taken many measures to avoid having it in Outdoor Prolink.

Can I order equipment for my company?

We are able to sell you equipment for your company, simply send us an email at info@outdoorprolink.com with your request. Members can only order the amount of gear considered reasonable for a single person in a specified time period. For example, one tent, one sleeping bag, etc within a few months, (extenuating circumstances will be dealt with on an individual basis.)

Our company has 30 people who want to sign up... what should we do?

Everyone will need to sign up individually. This way every person has to submit the same information and we can easily keep track of members. The more organized we are with our members; the better we are at helping them. For simplicity’s sake, however, many companies will send a roster of all their employees so that they need not send proof individually.

I used to be a guide, but now I have a 'real job', will I qualify?

Outdoor Prolink is for currently employed outdoor professionals, not outdoor enthusiasts. We understand that many people participate in outdoor activities, and have considerable influence on their friend’s purchases, even if they are not working as a professional. However, because of the restrictions placed on the program by our manufacturers-sponsors, these people will not be permitted into the program, Sorry.