Affiliate Disclosure, Privacy & Terms

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Affiliate Disclosure

Best Hockey Gear participates in affiliate marketing programs. This means that when you click on certain links on this website and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you — you pay the same price whether you use our link or go directly to the retailer.

We currently participate in the following affiliate programs:

  • 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.
  • Pure Hockey Affiliate Program — We earn commissions on purchases made through our Pure Hockey referral links.
  • Hockey Monkey Affiliate Program — We earn commissions on purchases made through our Hockey Monkey referral links.

All affiliate links on this site are clearly marked with rel="nofollow sponsored" attributes and open in a new tab. We identify affiliate relationships in the text of our reviews and category pages.

How Affiliate Relationships Affect Our Reviews

Our editorial content is produced independently of our affiliate relationships. The decision to recommend or not recommend a product is made solely on the basis of our testing and evaluation — not on the commission rate, affiliate relationship, or any incentive offered by the manufacturer or retailer.

Specifically:

  • We do not accept payment from manufacturers or retailers to rank products higher in our reviews or roundups.
  • We do not remove or soften negative reviews because of commercial relationships.
  • Our affiliate commission rate is the same whether we recommend a product or critique it.
  • We disclose when gear has been provided to us for testing rather than purchased independently.
  • We have discontinued affiliate relationships in cases where a brand has pressured us to modify editorial content.

We believe transparency about these relationships is essential to maintaining the trust of our readers. If you ever have questions about a specific review or perceived conflict of interest, contact us at hello@besthockeygear.com.

FTC Compliance

In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR Part 255 guidelines on endorsements and testimonials, Best Hockey Gear discloses all material connections between our site and the companies or products we review. Affiliate links, sponsored content, and gifted products are all disclosed at the point of mention.

Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how Best Hockey Gear ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and shares information about you when you visit besthockeygear.com (the "Site").

Information We Collect

Information you provide directly: If you subscribe to our email newsletter, we collect your email address and, optionally, your name. We use this information only to send you the newsletter you requested. We do not sell or share your email address with third parties for marketing purposes.

Information collected automatically: Like most websites, we collect certain information automatically when you visit our Site, including:

  • IP address and approximate location (country/region level)
  • Browser type and version
  • Device type and operating system
  • Pages viewed and time spent on pages
  • Referring URL (the page you came from before visiting our Site)
  • Affiliate link clicks (to measure referral effectiveness)

Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies for the following purposes:

  • Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our Site. Google Analytics collects data such as pages visited, session duration, and general geographic location. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
  • Affiliate tracking: When you click an affiliate link, the retailer (Amazon, Pure Hockey, Hockey Monkey) may set a cookie to track your purchase and attribute the commission to our site. These cookies are set by the third-party retailer, not by us directly.
  • Preferences: We store your cookie consent preference locally so we don't ask you again on subsequent visits.

You can disable cookies in your browser settings. Doing so may affect site functionality but will not prevent you from reading our content.

Third-Party Links

Our Site contains links to third-party websites, including retailer pages. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit through our links.

Data Retention and Deletion

Email subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe. Analytics data is retained in accordance with Google Analytics' default retention settings (14 months). To request deletion of any personal data we hold about you, contact us at privacy@besthockeygear.com.

Children's Privacy

Our Site is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, contact us immediately at privacy@besthockeygear.com and we will delete it.

Terms of Use

By accessing and using besthockeygear.com, you agree to the following terms:

Content ownership: All written content, original images, and site design on Best Hockey Gear are the property of Best Hockey Gear and are protected by copyright law. You may not reproduce, republish, or redistribute our content without written permission.

Accuracy disclaimer: While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our reviews, product specifications, and pricing information, we cannot guarantee that all information is current or complete. Prices change frequently; always confirm the current price at the retailer before purchasing. Product specifications may vary by region or model year. We are not responsible for any purchasing decisions made based on information on this Site.

No professional advice: Content on this Site is for informational purposes only. We do not provide professional advice of any kind. For medical concerns related to sports injuries or equipment safety, consult a qualified professional.

External links: We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or availability of external sites linked from our pages.

Limitation of liability: To the fullest extent permitted by law, Best Hockey Gear shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of this Site or any products purchased based on our recommendations.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this disclosure, privacy policy, or terms of use periodically. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policies.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this disclosure or our privacy practices, contact us:

  • Email: legal@besthockeygear.com
  • Mailing address: Best Hockey Gear, [Address on file]