Last Updated on July 27, 2026 by Daniel Globe
If you are trying to decide whether OST Hiking & Outdoors is trustworthy before joining its gear-tester program or buying a decal, the key is to separate two questions: does the brand have a real operating website, and do its sales practices inspire confidence? As of July 27, 2026, OST has an active web presence, but there are important billing, subscription, and complaint signals to review before paying.
Quick Answer
OST Hiking & Outdoors appears to be a real operating brand connected to Other Side Travel and Page One Advantage LLC, but I would use caution before paying. Its live beta-tester funnel includes recurring subscription offers, and BBB currently gives Other Side Travel an F rating with a pattern of complaints, many involving billing or cancellation.
Key Takeaways
- OST Hiking & Outdoors is presented on its own website as a hiking and backpacking product/community brand, not a guided hiking-tour company.
- Its terms identify Page One Advantage LLC and theothersidetravel.com as the operator behind the site.
- The current beta-tester checkout page includes optional recurring subscription offers after trial periods, so every checkbox and line of checkout text deserves close attention.
- BBB currently lists Other Side Travel with an F rating, a pattern-of-complaints alert, 19 complaints in the past three years, and 17 unanswered complaints.
- If you see a charge you did not authorize, save your records, contact the company, and promptly follow your card issuer’s dispute process if the charge is not resolved.
What Is OST Hiking & Outdoors?
OST Hiking & Outdoors describes itself as a brand focused on hiking, backpacking, outdoor products, and community. Its website promotes products, a beta-tester application, giveaways, email-list signups, and brand partnerships. The site lists the contact address as 977 Seminole Trail PMB 225, Charlottesville, Virginia.
The company’s Terms of Service identify Page One Advantage LLC and refer to theothersidetravel.com. That is important because the original description of OST as a company offering guided hikes, wilderness expeditions, and trained outdoor guides is not supported by the current official site.
Note: A working website and identifiable business name show that an operation exists, but they do not by themselves prove that every offer is a good value or that every customer will have a trouble-free experience.
Is OST Hiking & Outdoors Legit?
The fairest answer is nuanced. OST has a functioning website, published contact details, product pages, terms, and a business profile under Other Side Travel. In that limited sense, it is not an anonymous website with no visible operator. However, “legit” can also mean trustworthy, transparent, and low-risk to buy from. On that question, the available evidence raises enough concerns that consumers should proceed carefully.
| Signal | What the current evidence shows |
| Official web presence | Active OST/Other Side Travel pages advertise hiking products, a beta-tester program, and customer contact information. |
| Business identity | The site’s Terms of Service identify Page One Advantage LLC as the company behind the website and online services. |
| BBB profile | BBB lists Other Side Travel as not accredited and currently assigns it an F rating. |
| Complaint pattern | BBB shows a pattern-of-complaints alert. Billing and cancellation concerns appear repeatedly in the complaint record. |
As checked July 27, 2026, BBB lists 19 complaints in the previous three years and says 17 were unanswered. That does not prove every complaint is correct, but it is a meaningful consumer-risk signal.
How the OST Beta-Tester Program Works
The current OST beta-tester funnel tells applicants they have qualified and says they should obtain a decal to become an “official” beta tester. The page says testers may be offered products such as multi-tools, action cameras, stoves, packs, flashlights, trekking poles, tarps, and hammocks in exchange for feedback.
The same checkout page also contains additional offers that can create recurring charges. On the page checked July 27, 2026, one offer advertised a $1 sticker with a 14-day trial to a Wholesale Program that renews at $9.97 per month. Another advertised four decals for $3 with a seven-day trial to an Outdoors Decal Club that renews at $29.95 per month.
Warning: Do not assume a low-cost sticker or trial is a one-time purchase. Read the text beside every checkbox and offer before submitting payment, and make sure you understand whether a trial converts to a recurring charge.
This distinction matters. The presence of a recurring subscription offer is not automatically improper when the recurring price and trial terms are clearly disclosed and the customer knowingly accepts them. The concern is whether the customer understands exactly what is being accepted at checkout and can cancel it without unreasonable friction.
What BBB Complaints Say
The BBB complaint page for Other Side Travel currently shows 19 total complaints over the past three years. Of those, 10 are categorized as billing issues, and the profile says 17 complaints were unanswered.
Several complaints describe customers who believed they were buying decals or joining a gear-testing offer and later noticed recurring charges. Others describe difficulty canceling or getting a response. Those are customer allegations published by BBB; they are not court findings, and they should not be presented as independently proven facts. Still, repeated complaints about the same type of billing or cancellation problem deserve attention when deciding whether to enter payment information.
Pro Tip: Before completing an OST order, save screenshots of the full checkout page, including the selected quantity, every checked or unchecked offer, the trial language, the renewal price, and the final total. Also save the confirmation email and your cancellation request.
What the Terms Say About Cancellation and Refunds
OST’s Terms of Service state that users may cancel subscriptions to online services by written notice sent by email to info@theothersidetravel.com or by mail to the company address listed in the terms. The same terms also say the product refund policy does not apply to memberships, registrations, or subscriptions to online services.
A separate Return & Refund Policy describes a 30-day return window for physical items, subject to its stated conditions, and says return shipping costs are not reimbursed. Because physical-product returns and subscription cancellations are treated differently, consumers should not assume a merchandise return automatically cancels a recurring program.
Note: This is general consumer information, not legal advice. Your rights can depend on your payment method, state, and the facts of the transaction.
What to Do If You See an Unexpected Charge
The Federal Trade Commission recommends reading trial and auto-renewal terms carefully, keeping proof of cancellation, watching statements after cancellation, and disputing charges with the card issuer when a company does not resolve an unauthorized or unwanted recurring charge.
- Check the receipt, order confirmation, and any trial or renewal terms you agreed to.
- Send a clear written cancellation request using the company’s published cancellation method.
- Save the email, screenshots, dates, and any response you receive.
- Watch your credit or debit card account for additional charges.
- If a charge was not authorized or continues after cancellation, promptly contact the card issuer and use its dispute process.
- If appropriate, report unresolved subscription problems to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
How to Evaluate OST Before Paying
- Read the final checkout screen, not just the ad. Social ads and landing pages can emphasize a low introductory price while the renewal terms appear later.
- Identify recurring costs. Look for words such as “trial,” “monthly,” “renews,” “membership,” or “club.”
- Check cancellation instructions first. Know where and how you would cancel before providing a card number.
- Compare the offer with retail alternatives. A “free” product can still have shipping, membership, or other costs.
- Use a payment method with dispute protections. Review your issuer’s policies before purchasing.
- Recheck current terms. Prices, trial periods, and offers can change, so do not rely on an old screenshot or review alone.
Hiking Benefits Are Real, but They Do Not Prove a Brand Is Trustworthy
Much of the original article focused on the benefits of outdoor hiking. Those points can be useful background, but they should not be used as evidence that OST itself is trustworthy. A brand can market a healthy, social, environmentally responsible lifestyle while still needing to be judged separately on its prices, disclosures, customer service, and billing practices.
Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Hiking
Hiking is a form of physical activity, and regular activity can support heart health, stronger bones and muscles, healthy weight management, sleep, and lower anxiety. The CDC’s current physical-activity guidance supports these broader benefits. Research on nature exposure also suggests benefits for mood, stress, and mental well-being, although results vary by population and study design.
Environmental Responsibility and Trail Safety
Heavy use can damage soil and vegetation, so hikers should reduce their impact. The Leave No Trace principles recommend planning ahead, traveling on durable surfaces, disposing of waste properly, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of others.
Safety is better addressed with practical guidance than with unsupported national accident numbers. The National Park Service Hike Smart guidance recommends checking weather and park alerts, carrying essential gear, making a backup plan, and preparing for local hazards.
Community, Accessibility, History, and Local Economies
Hiking can be social through clubs, volunteer trail work, and shared trips. Access also varies widely by trail rather than by hiking as a whole. The National Park Service accessibility program notes that mobility devices can expand access to outdoor areas, while individual parks publish trail-specific accessibility information.
The Appalachian Trail is also better described with specific history. The National Park Service says the trail was conceived in 1921, built largely by private citizens and volunteers, and completed in 1937. That is more precise than calling it an undefined “historical route.”
Outdoor visitation can support gateway communities, but broad economic numbers should not be attributed to hiking alone. In its 2024 visitor-spending report, the National Park Service estimated that 332 million park visitors spent $29 billion in local gateway regions and supported $56.3 billion in economic output. Those figures cover national-park visitation overall, not just hikers.
If you are also planning hiking-focused travel, this separate guide on the best time to travel to Argentina covers seasonal considerations for destinations that include the Andes and Patagonia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is OST Hiking and Outdoors?
OST Hiking & Outdoors is presented on its current website as a hiking and backpacking product/community brand connected to Other Side Travel. Its terms identify Page One Advantage LLC as the operator of the website and online services.
Is OST Hiking and Outdoors Legit?
OST has a real operating website and published business information, but that does not settle whether every offer is a good or low-risk purchase. BBB currently gives Other Side Travel an F rating and lists a pattern of complaints, while OST’s own checkout includes recurring subscription offers. I would read all terms carefully before paying.
What Services Does OST Hiking and Outdoors Offer?
The current website promotes hiking and backpacking products, a gear beta-tester program, product discounts, email-list membership, giveaways, and brand partnerships. I did not find current official evidence that OST operates guided hiking trips or wilderness expeditions.
Are the Guides at OST Hiking and Outdoors Qualified?
The current OST website does not present the business as a guided hiking operator and does not publish guide qualifications or certifications. Because no current guided-trip service is shown, there is no basis for claiming that OST employs qualified outdoor guides.
How Can I Book a Trip with OST Hiking and Outdoors?
The current official site does not show a guided-trip booking system. It focuses on products, promotions, and the beta-tester program. Do not send payment for a supposed guided trip unless you can verify a current trip page, itinerary, operator, refund terms, and contact information directly with the company.
Does the OST beta-tester offer include a monthly subscription?
The beta-tester checkout page currently contains additional offers that state they convert to monthly subscriptions after trial periods. The exact price and trial can change, so read the live checkout language before submitting payment rather than relying on an older review.
How do I cancel an OST or Other Side Travel subscription?
The published Terms of Service say subscriptions to online services may be canceled by written notice sent to info@theothersidetravel.com or by mail to the company address stated in the terms. Keep a copy of your request and continue checking your statements afterward.
What should I do if OST charges me for something I did not authorize?
First review the order and trial terms, then contact the company in writing and save proof. If an unauthorized charge is not resolved, the FTC recommends promptly disputing it with your credit or debit card issuer and keeping records of the dispute and cancellation request.
Sources
- OST Hiking & Outdoors official site — current brand description, products, contact details, and beta-tester navigation.
- OST beta-tester checkout page — current beta-tester language, decal requirement, trial offers, and recurring prices checked July 27, 2026.
- Page One Advantage LLC / Other Side Travel Terms of Service — operator identity, cancellation method, and refund limitations for subscriptions.
- Better Business Bureau profile for Other Side Travel — accreditation status, rating, and complaint totals.
- Better Business Bureau complaint record — complaint categories and recurring billing/cancellation allegations.
- Federal Trade Commission consumer guidance on subscriptions — how to evaluate trials, cancel recurring services, document requests, and dispute unresolved charges.
