Are you interested in becoming an affiliate for an outdoor retailer?
If so, read on for some of the best programs for outdoor bloggers.
Even if you're not a mountain trekker yourself but got a website targeting outdoor enthusiasts, these affiliate programs are for you.
The companies we have chosen, offer high-quality products for your crowd while at the same time providing you with high-converting marketing material. We use most of them personally, and they all have outstanding affiliate - and customer - support.
Our Methodology - How We Chose The Best Outdoors Affiliate Programs
We have access to several websites in a lot of different niches, either because we own them, operate them on behalf of others or because we run marketing campaigns for them. Some of these sites are sites in niches related to trekking, mountain hiking, fishing and hunting.
We therefore started by looking at the affiliate programs we use ourselves and rated them based on conversion rates, quality of products and commission percentage.
In addition, we took a look at what other outdoor affiliate sites are promoting and tried to figure out what they have most success with.
Alright, I hereby present to you the top outdoors affiliate programs for outdoor related websites (in no particular order):
REI
If your visitors love outdoor activities, then you may want to join the REI Affiliate Program.
We run this affiliate program on one of our bicycle sites. Their most expensive electric bike at the moment of writing is $6350 and we're looking forward to the day we can make a sale for that bike. 🙂
REI is the largest outdoor brand, and is one of the largest online stores dedicated to outdoor activity. With 20+ Million users, you know they can be trusted and their customer support is second to none.
Sure, you don't have to be a camping expert or have any interest in the outdoors whatsoever to promote outdoor products these days as everything can be researched online.
However, if you do enjoy the great outdoors just as much as I do, then promoting a great program and at the same time earning money is a win-win.
The REI Co-op has been in business since 1938 and has a great reputation for providing high quality products at reasonable prices. They also offer expert advice on the gear you need and information on different outdoor activities. All of which helps the customer stay interested in their offers.
They also offer a REI Outlet where people can score gear at discounts ranging from 20% to 70% off (but hey, as an affiliate you want them to purchase online of course *blink blink*).
The REI affiliate program pays 5% commissions on all sales.
That's not a lot but luckily their average order value is in the $120+ range, with customers ordering for several thousand dollars at once. That all adds up and can provide you with some niche income.
Additionally, all orders over $50 receive free shipping, which helps drive sales.
Commission: 5%
Cookie: 15 days.
Outdoorsy
The Outdoorsy Affiliate Program is one of the best options for travel bloggers.
It's basically an AirB'n'B for recreational vehicles. RV owners list their RV for rent, and accept booking through the platform.
The affiliate program is, just like REI's partner program, run by Avantlink. In addition, it is also available on HasOffers and Commission Junction (CJ).
That's great, because if you have an account with one of these networks but not the other, you don't have to apply to another network just to join Outdoorsy.
You will need to apply to become a member of the program even if you are already on CJ, but the application process is smoother if you already have an account with them.
You will be asked to provide personal information and the promotional plans you have for Outdoorsy. Once you have been approved, you can begin earning commissions on bookings. It's all pretty straight forward in our experience.
The Outdoorsy affiliate program pays a flat $60 for acquiring new bookings or listings. The Outdoorsy website also offers campers, SUVs and caravans for rent in addition to RVs.
Commission: $60 ($100 in some cases)
Cookie: 30 days
Under free license from rawpixel.com
Backcountry
If these affiliate programs were ranked by order, this one would be high on top.
First off, the Backcountry affiliate program pays up to 8% commission on every sale, and you can earn up to 10% if you are a top performer.
The program is easy to join, and Backcountry offers dedicated affiliate management and complete access to its data feed.
If you're an experienced marketer, Backcountry can help you find ways to make your website even more successful.
Their product range is somewhat similar to REI's, but maybe of a bit higher average quality.
Their customer experience experts make sure that whoever you send their way gets the best shopping- and support experience.
In addition, they have so-called "Gearheads" that are true specialists within their niche, be it trekking equipment or fly-fishing rods.
Commission: 8-10%
Cookie: 30 days
Cabela's
Oh, Cabela's.
My old man's favorite mail-order catalog.
If you're looking for an excellent outdoor gear affiliate program, consider Cabela's.
This company was founded in 1961 and has become one of the largest outdoor outfitters in the world, shipping out paper-back catalogs to 120+ countries!
Cabela's is a division of Bass Pro Shops. The company offers clothing, camping equipment, and outdoor sports gear.
Cabela's offers a wide variety of products and has a long-standing reputation for quality products and service.
The Cabela's Outdoors Affiliate Program pays out 1- 5% on sales made.
That's... well. It's "meh" at best.
1-5% simply ain't good enough.
However, they do offer you a lot of creatives as well as support from your affiliate manager to help you convert as many customers as you possibly can.
There are several different categories of outdoor- & sport gear stuff to promote within the Cabela's Outdoors affiliate program.
Basically, you can promote anything sold by Bass Pro and then some.
This includes fishing apparel, electronics, hard water lures, terminal tackle, camping equipment, clothing and a lot more. Cabela's also offers a bargain cave section for clearance items.
Commission: 1-5%
Cookie: 14 days.
Patagonia
If you own a website dedicated to adventure sports and outdoor clothing, the Patagonia Affiliate Program may be a great fit.
This outdoor apparel company is dedicated to building the best quality products while keeping the environment in mind.
The company donates 1% of its annual sales to grassroots environmental organizations. The Patagonia Affiliate Program is open to all webmasters.
Patagonia has an excellent conversion rate of 5 % and an 8% commission according to their website.
However, when we dug into the affiliate stats of a friend of ours, selling to the Scandinavian market we saw a conversion rate of 9.8%. So as with everything, it all depends on you and how you market.
You can make money through the Patagonia Affiliate Program by selling their apparel or gear to outdoor enthusiasts. The company offers a range of products in different price ranges, and has products for all income levels. Patagonia's range is quite diverse.
The average order value is above >$185.
Commission: 8%
Cookie: 60 days. (That's really great and far above average in this niche)
North Face
Wanna look cool?
Wanna look like someone who just casually walks into the coffee shop after a morning of skiing?
Wear a North Face jacket!
Joking aside, North Face is probably worn more often by trendy city goers than by hikers.
Still, they offer excellent outdoor products.
With the North Face affiliate program you can earn up to 4% commissions on purchases made through your affiliate link.
The 4% is on the low end, but with high price points you can still make some good income by offering North Face's product line to your visitors.
North Face has partnered with Commission Junction and Brandreward to run its affiliate program, making it easy for you to get started.
You can access a variety of banners, offers, and products, making it easy for you to start promoting.
The program rules are straightforward, so you can get started without any hassle.
North Face is an outdoor clothing company that was established in 1968 by Douglas and Susie Tomkins. The company is known for its rugged apparel and other extreme weather gear. It also sells accessories and sporting equipment.
Commission: 4%
Cookie: 60 Days but depends on the network.
RVShare
RVshare offers hundreds of recreational vehicles for rent, with prices starting at just $99 per night. You can even rent out your own RV and make money doing so. In that regard, it is similar to Outdoorsy.
The affiliate program is run by the CJ Affiliate Network and offers a thirty-day cookie period, and many tools and resources for marketing your website.
Before joining the RVShare affiliate program, you should familiarize yourself with the product.
Maybe you even have your own RV that you don't use all that often? Then, why not rent it out whenever you are not using it?
This is an affiliate program we just recently got to know, but it made it to the list for the following reasons:
- Earn 5% of the total booking order value.
- Average order value is $950 according to RVShare. However, the average from the few sales we have referred so far shows that the average order value is WAY above that.
- No Cap on commissions. If someone books a RV like the Thor Motor Coach for 30 days at $700/night you would earn a hefty $1050 affiliate check.
- Leading brand = Trust and easy conversions.
Give it a try!
Conclusion
Alright, you've reached the end of our list of recommended outdoors affiliate programs to promote.
I decided to start with these 7 referral programs, but we will expand the list as we test new outdoors affiliate programs and see that they meet our criteria.
Meanwhile, check out the companies we have listed above and make up your own opinion.