Terms

Terms of Use

By using thrupicks.com you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, do not use the site. Last updated August 30, 2026.

Agreement

These Terms of Use are a contract between you and Thru Picks, the operator of thrupicks.com. They cover every visit, every ranking, every Pack Shakedown kit, every Field Notes page, and every link out from this site.

What this site is

Thru Picks provides informational rankings and recommendations only. The slogan is the job: the gear that gets you there. Content is based on published thru-hiker surveys, independent tests we read, and our own analysis. It is opinion offered for information. It is not professional advice, legal advice, medical advice, a safety certification, or a guarantee of performance or safety. It is not a promise that a piece of gear will finish your trail.

We are not the brands named on the cards. Product names identify gear and are trademarks of their owners, used here nominatively. Scores, badges, and kit lists are Thru Picks editorial — not awards from OutdoorGearLab, Wirecutter, REI, or any other publisher.

You assume the risk

Outdoor travel involves risk of injury, illness, loss, and death. You assume all risk related to gear selection, product use, and outdoor use. You are responsible for choosing and using gear appropriate to your route, weather, experience, and risk tolerance. You are responsible for permits, bear-canister rules, water treatment, first aid, and emergency communications.

Listed prices, ratings, weights, and availability can be wrong, delayed, or incomplete. Confirm specifications, recalls, and current stock with the manufacturer or merchant before you buy and before you hike.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent allowed by law, Thru Picks and its operators are not liable for injury, loss, damage, claims, or any outcome arising from use of this site, from products recommended here, or from outdoor travel. Rankings and kits are opinions. Thru Picks is not liable for outcomes related to product use.

The site is provided “as is” and “as available.” We disclaim warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular hike, and non-infringement, except where a warranty cannot be disclaimed. We do not warrant that a merchant page will be up or that a price will match the register.

If a court finds liability anyway, it is limited to the greater of ten U.S. dollars or the commissions Thru Picks actually received from your clicks in the twelve months before the claim. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations; in those places, the limit applies only as far as the law allows.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Thru Picks and its operators from claims, damages, and reasonable legal costs arising from your use of the site, your outdoor activities, or your violation of these terms, except to the extent caused by our willful misconduct.

Affiliate links and third-party sites

Some links are affiliate links. Thru Picks may earn a commission when you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Rankings are not paid placements. Read the Affiliate Disclosure.

Links to merchants, manufacturers, surveys, and other publishers leave this site. We do not control those pages. Their terms, prices, stock, and privacy practices are theirs. A link is not an endorsement of everything on that page.

Intellectual property

Thru Picks copy, original illustrations, layout, the ranking lists as compiled here, and the site design are ours. That includes the PickCard field order, kit-pick-wide kit cards, Trail Score track, and the Trail Trials Directory chrome as compiled on this site. You may quote a short passage with credit and a link. You may not scrape the site to republish our copy or illustrations as your own, or to train a commercial model on our full catalog without permission.

The Thru Picks emblem is original artwork. Do not copy, alter, or recreate it. Product photographs are for identification. Product names and logos remain the property of their owners.

Acceptable use

Do not present a Thru Picks ranking as an OutdoorGearLab, Wirecutter, or REI award. Do not attack the site, inject malware, harvest the catalog for a competing storefront that presents our writing as theirs, or use the site in any way that is unlawful.

Privacy

How we handle information is described in the Privacy Policy.

Changes and termination

We may update these terms. The date at the top is the effective date. Continued use after that date is agreement to the new terms. We may stop publishing a page, a ranking, or the site at any time. We may refuse access if these terms are broken.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Colorado, without regard to conflict-of-law rules, except where your local consumer law cannot be waived. Exclusive venue for disputes that may be brought in court is the state or federal courts located in El Paso County, Colorado, except where a non-waivable law requires otherwise.

If a provision is held unenforceable, the rest of these terms still apply. These terms, together with the Affiliate Disclosure, Privacy Policy, and Sources & method page, are the entire agreement between you and Thru Picks about the site.

Questions: [email protected].

Last updated August 30, 2026. Affiliate Disclosure · Privacy Policy · Contact · Methodology · About