The Honest Truth About How Fama Operates
Welcome to the official affiliate disclosure for Fama. Here’s the deal: running this site costs money (hosting, domain, gear testing, and time), and we cover those costs through trusted affiliate links and display ads.
What that means for you as a reader:
When you click a link to a product we recommend (like hiking boots on Amazon or a backpack from REI) and buy it, we earn a small commission. It doesn’t cost you anything extra—the price is exactly the same whether you use our link or find the product yourself.
We only recommend gear we’ve actually tested or would buy ourselves. As outlined on our About Fama page, we are a zero-judgment resource for beginners. We’re not going to tell you to buy a $200 jacket just because it has a higher commission. If we say something is good, it’s because we genuinely think it’s good.
Specific Affiliate Program Disclosures
Effective Date: February 14, 2026
Last Updated: September 1, 2026
Amazon Associates Program:
We are 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.
What this means: If you click our Amazon links and buy something (even if it’s not the exact product we linked to), we earn a small percentage of the sale. This doesn’t increase your price—Amazon pays us out of their profit margin.
Other Outdoor Retailer Affiliate Programs:
We also participate in select affiliate partnerships with leading outdoor retailers, including:
- REI Co-op
- Backcountry.com
- Moosejaw
- Other reputable outdoor equipment providers
Same deal—if you buy through our links, we earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Display Advertising:
You might see banner ads on the site served by Google AdSense or premium ad networks. We earn revenue based on ad impressions and clicks. We don’t control every individual ad that appears, but we actively filter categories we find inappropriate or irrelevant to hiking.
Our Strict Editorial Integrity: What We Don’t Do
1. We don’t accept payment for positive reviews.
If an outdoor brand ever sends us free gear to test, we will clearly disclose that in the article (“Brand X sent us this backpack for review”), and our feedback remains 100% candid. If a product fails on the trail, we state that plainly.
2. We don’t recommend gear just because it pays higher commissions.
Some items offer higher commission rates than others. We ignore commission structures when formulating our roundups in our Hiking Gear Guides. If a $50 daypack is better suited for a beginner than a $180 technical alpine pack, we recommend the $50 pack every time.
3. We don’t inflate prices or hide budget alternatives.
Our foundational goal is helping beginner hikers save money and avoid buyer’s remorse on expensive, unnecessary gear.
4. We don’t track you across the web.
Our affiliate links lead directly to the official retailer stores without intrusive tracking scripts or third-party data broker tools.
Why We Use Affiliate Links & How They Support Free Content
Creating comprehensive gear breakdowns, field-testing footwear, maintaining server performance, and writing in-depth safety guides requires substantial time and resources. Affiliate revenue directly supports:
- High-speed web hosting and maintenance
- Purchasing footwear, daypacks, and accessories for independent testing
- Keeping 100% of our hiking guides free for readers with zero paywalls
- Developing new trail resources, calculators, and safety checklists
Your support keeps Fama independent. We genuinely appreciate every reader who uses our links when preparing for the trails.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Compliance
In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR Part 255 (Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising), this affiliate disclosure confirms that Fama receives financial compensation when readers make qualifying purchases through merchant links across this website.
All opinions, evaluations, and ratings expressed across Fama are strictly our own. They are never dictated, previewed, or influenced by affiliate merchants or advertising partners.
Questions Regarding Our Affiliate Relationships?
If you have any questions regarding this affiliate disclosure or our editorial standards, please visit our Contact Us page or email us directly at [email protected].
You can also review our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, or browse our complete directory on the HTML Sitemap.