The Sportsman’s Guide

What The Sportsman’s Guide does

The Sportsman's Guide is a U.S.-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer specializing in outdoor recreation merchandise, including hunting gear, firearms, ammunition, military surplus, fishing and boating equipment, camping supplies, boots and clothing, and tools. The company operates exclusively through its website, sportsmansguide.com, and does not maintain physical retail locations. Its catalog is organized into 12 product departments and includes both major third-party brands and the proprietary Guide Gear private-label line for value-tier outdoor equipment. The platform is built on standard e-commerce technology with a membership/subscription layer (the Buyers Club), third-party integrations for personalization (Adobe Target) and customer reviews (Bazaarvoice), and supporting marketing channels spanning email, social media, content (The Guide blog), SEO, and an affiliate program.

The company generates revenue through three streams: one-time merchandise sales across the catalog at both regular and discounted prices; recurring Buyers Club membership subscriptions priced at $59.99/year (or $19.99 for a 3-month trial) offering category-specific discounts of 5–20% and free shipping above $49; and commission revenue from affiliate referrals. The customer base is horizontal, segmented across hunters, shooters, anglers, military surplus collectors, general outdoor enthusiasts, and outdoor workers, with no disclosed enterprise or B2B accounts. The company's go-to-market is self-serve/PLG in nature: customers browse and purchase directly through the site, driven by promotional offers, member deals, email, and affiliate traffic.

The Sportsman's Guide is a privately held Minnesota LLC headquartered in South St. Paul, operating as part of a broader affiliated outdoor retail network that includes Baseball Savings and Golf Warehouse under apparent common ownership. The company maintains a conservation partnership network funded in part through Buyers Club membership fees and holds a long-standing co-development relationship with camouflage brand Realtree, including a 40-year partnership and a recently launched Realtree Legacy co-branded collection.

Name

The Sportsman’s Guide

Legal name

Sportsman's Guide, LLC.

Website

https://sportsmansguide.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Sportsman's Guide is a U.S. direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer of outdoor recreation merchandise, including hunting gear, firearms, ammunition, military surplus, fishing, camping, and footwear, serving individual consumers nationwide via a subscription-augmented online storefront.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Recreation Retail

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911)

SIC

Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940)

akta.pro primary industry

Sporting Goods & Outdoor Inventory-led Online Retailers (CRAFADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hunting Accessories & Field Gear Retail (Calls, Decoys, Blinds, Game Cameras) (CRAMAKAE), Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories) (CRAMABAI)

Keywords

• Outdoor recreation retail
• Hunting gear ecommerce
• Ammunition and firearms
• Military surplus
• Fishing and camping gear

Headquarters

HQ city

South Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Merchandise Sales: Revenue generated from selling outdoor gear, hunting equipment, firearms, ammunition, clothing, camping supplies, fishing gear, military surplus, and related products through the e-commerce platform. Products are sold at both regular and discounted prices with member-only pricing.
2. Buyers Club Membership: Annual subscription program offering members 5% off guns and ammo, 20% off military surplus, 10% off everything else, and free shipping on orders over $49. Priced at $59.99/year or $19.99 for 3-month trial.
3. Affiliate Program: Commission-based revenue stream from affiliate marketing partners who refer customers to the e-commerce platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Sportsman's Guide is a direct-to-consumer online retailer selling outdoor recreation merchandise across hunting, shooting, fishing, camping, military surplus, footwear, apparel, and related categories. It operates an e-commerce storefront at sportsmansguide.com organized into 12 product departments and supplements sales with the Buyers Club annual membership program offering tiered discounts and free shipping.

Product overview

The Sportsman's Guide is an e-commerce platform offering outdoor recreation and sporting goods. The core offering is a multi-category marketplace organized into 12 main product departments: Ammo, Shooting Supplies, Guns/Firearms, Hunting Gear, Military Surplus, Boots & Shoes, Clothing & Apparel, Fishing & Boating, Camping, Outdoor Recreation, Tools & Power Equipment, and Home & Gifts. The company operates a Buyers Club membership program providing 10% off orders plus free shipping for an annual fee. Key proprietary/sub-brands include Guide Gear for value outdoor equipment. The platform also features Members Only Deals, New Arrivals, and Clearance sections. The site utilizes Bazaarvoice for customer reviews and offers personalization through Adobe Target.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Guide Gear: Sportsman's Guide's proprietary brand of outdoor and hunting equipment including tree stands, camping furniture, and outdoor gear.
• Buyers Club

Products and services

• Ammo Ammunition for handguns, rifles, shotguns, and rimfire firearms, including reloading supplies, sold to individual shooters and hunters.
• Shooting Supplies Gun magazines, clips, shooting accessories, body armor, optics, scopes, sights, gun safes, gun parts, holsters, belts, black powder, air guns, BB guns, paintball, self-defense, and reloading supplies.
• Guns/Firearms Handguns, pistols, rifles, shotguns, black powder firearms, airguns, BB guns, and gun safes for hunting and shooting sports.
• Hunting Gear Tree stands, trail cameras, archery equipment, optics, hunting blinds, game feeders, food plots, attractants, hunting backpacks, decoys, game calls, hunting clothing, boots, knives, and hunting dog supplies.
• Military Surplus Authentic military surplus gear including clothing, jackets, coats, boots, shoes, shooting equipment, collectibles, camping gear, first aid, survival gear, backpacks, tactical gear, ammo cans, storage, accessories, and knives.
• Boots & Shoes Men's, women's, and kids' boots and shoes including hiking boots, work boots, and boot accessories from brands like Guide Gear, Irish Setter, Danner, LaCrosse, and Rocky.
• Clothing & Apparel Men's hunting clothing, men's clothing and outerwear, body armor, tactical clothing, women's clothing and outerwear, kids' clothing and outerwear, and personal accessories.
• Fishing & Boating Gear Fishing rods, reels, combos, lures, terminal tackle, line, tackle storage, fish finders, marine electronics, trolling motors, life jackets, ice fishing gear, kayaks, canoes, and boating accessories.
• Camping Gear Tents, sleeping bags, cots, air beds, camping furniture, camp kitchen, coolers, backpacks, bags, first aid, survival gear, knives, multi-tools, flashlights, and lanterns.
• Outdoor Recreation Truck accessories, ATV and UTV equipment, electric fat tire bikes (e-bikes), and RV accessories.
• Tools & Power Equipment Tools, maintenance equipment, fuel storage and transfer, heaters, tarps, covers, outdoor power equipment, generators, logging tools, and alternative renewable energy products.
• Home & Gifts Furniture, home decor, patio and outdoor living, grills, smokers, kitchen supplies, food processing, heaters, and gift items.
• Buyers Club Membership Annual membership program ($59.99/year or $19.99 for 3-month trial) offering 5% off guns and ammo, 20% off military surplus, 10% off everything else, and free shipping on orders over $49.
• Guide Gear (Private Label Brand) Sportsman's Guide's proprietary brand offering outdoor gear, tree stands, camping furniture, clothing, and footwear at value pricing as a private-label alternative to national brands.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most members save $150+ per year through Buyers Club membership

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RealtreecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 202540-year partnership with Realtree, a leading camouflage pattern brand. Sportsman's Guide features Realtree patterns across hunting clothing, footwear, and equipment. The partnership includes co-branded products and exclusive collections like Realtree Legacy, with dedicated landing pages and product collections featuring the partnership.
• Pheasant, Inc. (Conservation)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerConservation organization receiving support through a portion of Buyers Club membership fees. Part of company's conservation efforts alongside other wildlife organizations.
• National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerConservation organization receiving support through a portion of Buyers Club membership fees. Supports wild turkey conservation and hunting advocacy programs.
• Whitetails UnlimitedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConservation organization receiving support through a portion of Buyers Club membership fees. Dedicated to preserving whitetail deer habitat and hunting heritage.
• USA Clay Target SportsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConservation organization receiving support through a portion of Buyers Club membership fees. Supports clay target shooting sports programs.
• Delta Waterfowl FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConservation organization receiving support through a portion of Buyers Club membership fees. Focused on waterfowl conservation and hunting research.
• Backcountry Hunters & AnglersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConservation organization receiving support through a portion of Buyers Club membership fees. Advocates for wilderness and public lands hunting access.
• Baseball SavingscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated brand under the Sportsman's Guide corporate umbrella, serving baseball equipment customers. Part of affiliated brands network.
• Golf WarehousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated brand under the Sportsman's Guide corporate umbrella, serving golf equipment customers. Part of affiliated brands network.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Academy Sports + Outdoors: Publicly traded multi-category sporting goods retailer with broad assortment including hunting, fishing, camping, and firearms. Overlaps with Sportsman's Guide across most outdoor categories but with a much larger store footprint and lower category depth in specialty hunting.
• REI Co-op: Large consumer co-op retailer specializing in outdoor recreation gear, camping, and hiking with a strong membership program. Comparable membership/pricing structure and outdoor assortment, though less depth in hunting/firearms.
• Bass Pro Shops / Cabela's: Largest specialty outdoor retailer in North America after acquiring Cabela's, operating massive destination stores plus e-commerce. Directly competes with Sportsman's Guide in hunting, fishing, shooting, and outdoor gear, but with a broader omni-channel footprint and physical retail presence.

Direct peers

• Brownells: Long-running direct-to-consumer retailer of firearms, reloading, gunsmithing tools, and shooting accessories. Directly comparable e-commerce-led business model and enthusiast customer base to Sportsman's Guide's shooting supplies department.
• MidwayUSA: Private, online-led retailer specializing in firearms, ammunition, reloading supplies, and shooting accessories. Highly comparable e-commerce model and customer base to Sportsman's Guide, especially in the shooting/ammo category.
• Sportsman's Warehouse: Publicly traded specialty retailer offering hunting, shooting, fishing, and camping gear across store and e-commerce channels. Closely comparable to Sportsman's Guide in assortment, target customer, and category mix, with a heavier footprint in physical retail.
• Gander Outdoors: Outdoor recreation and hunting/shooting retailer operating primarily physical stores plus e-commerce, currently under Camping World ownership. Overlaps directly with Sportsman's Guide's hunting, fishing, and shooting assortment.
• Cheaper Than Dirt: Online retailer focused on firearms, ammunition, and shooting accessories with competitive pricing and frequent promotions. Directly comparable online-only model and customer overlap with Sportsman's Guide's shooting/ammo business.

Emerging players

• Natchez Shooters Supplies: Online retailer focused on bulk ammunition and firearms accessories with promotional pricing. Comparable niche focus on shooters and value-driven pricing model, though smaller in assortment breadth than Sportsman's Guide.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/sportsmansguide
• Facebookfacebook.com/sportsmansguide
• Instagraminstagram.com/sportsmansguide
• Pinterestpinterest.com/sportsmansguide
• Xx.com/sportsmansguide

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Sportsman’s Guide