Anyone can slap affiliate links on a page. Here’s how Breckenmendations actually chooses what to recommend — so you know our picks are worth your money.

We start with real Colorado experience

We live and play in the Colorado high country across all four seasons. Our recommendations start from what actually works up here — at altitude, under intense sun, in fast-changing mountain weather — not from a spreadsheet in another state.

We vet every product

• Proven, not obscure. We favor products with long track records and thousands of genuine reviews over no-name listings.
• Correctly priced. The same product often shows up on Amazon at wildly different prices from different sellers. We check, and we link to the fairly-priced, legitimate listing — never an inflated duplicate.
• Top-rated and Amazon’s Choice. Where it makes sense, we lean toward the listing Amazon itself vouches for.
• Budget and premium options. When a category has a great cheap pick and a worth-it splurge, we show both, so you can choose what fits your trip and your wallet.

We keep prices honest and current

Prices on our site update automatically from Amazon, so what you see is what you’ll pay. We revisit our guides regularly to keep the picks and prices fresh as seasons and inventory change.

We stay independent

We earn a commission when you buy through our links (see our affiliate disclosure), but that never changes what we recommend. If a product isn’t worth it, we say so.

Found something we missed?

We’re always testing new gear and updating our picks. Tell us what’s worked for you out on the trail.