Official Rules: Readers' Choice 2015 Survey

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING

1. “BACKPACKER Readers’ Choice 2015 Survey Giveaway”– How To Enter: Beginning September 25, 2014 at 12:01 AM (ET) through October 5, 2014 at 11:59 PM (ET), go to www.backpacker.com/survey and fill out the survey pursuant to the on-screen instructions. Winner Selection: Contest winner will be selected by October 15, 2014.

The winner will be selected by Backpacker editors, whose decision shall be final and binding. Canadian residents area not eligible to win. All submissions must be made by October 5, 2014 at 11:59 PM. (ET) Winner Selection: The winner will be chosen at random. BACKPACKER reserves the right in its sole and unfettered discretion to disqualify any entry that it believes contains obscene, offensive or inappropriate content, that does not comply with these official rules or that is not consistent with the spirit or theme of the contest. The decision of the Sponsor and judges is final and binding on all matters relating to the Contest. Prizes & Approximate Retail Value (ARV): The winner will receive a (slightly used) Eddie Bauer First Ascent Propellent Jacket valued at approximately $250. Prize values are in U.S. currency. Any portion of the prize not accepted by the winner will be forfeited, and there will be no substitutions except at the discretion of the sponsor.

2. ENTRIES: To qualify contestants must complete the entire survey. Entries using macro, robotic, script or other forms of automatic entry will be disqualified. Entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be returned. Proof of submission does not constitute proof of receipt. Entries using macro, robotic, script or other forms of automatic entry will be disqualified. Entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be returned. Proof of submission does not constitute proof of receipt. Sponsor shall not be liable for entries and winner notification responses that are delayed, lost, misdirected, misdelivered, marked postage-due, illegible, mutilated, incorrect or incomplete, and such entries will not be eligible for this Promotion. Mail-in entries are not accepted.

3. ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 years or older, at time of entry. Void in Puerto Rico, Canada and where prohibited by law. Employees of Sponsor, its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries, participating advertising and promotion agencies and prize suppliers (and members of their immediate family and/or those living in the same of household of each such employee) are not eligible.

4. CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION: Online entrants must have valid e-mail address and it is entrant’s responsibility to update Sponsor of any change in e-mail address. Expenses not specifically included in prize description and all taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Each prize is awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied outside of manufacturer’s limited warranty. No transfer, assignment or substitution of a prize permitted, except Sponsor reserves the right to personalize and change prizes based on the needs and challenges individual to each winner. All federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations apply. Entrants agree to be bound by the terms of these Official Rules and by the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding on all matters pertaining to this Promotion. By participating, entrants agree that the Sponsor, those involved in the development, production, implementation and distribution of this promotion and their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, service providers, and agencies, and their directors, officers, agents, employees, attorneys, and any other person or entity associated with such entities and/or promotion shall not be liable for any and all claims, damages, losses or injuries, including any third party claims, damages, losses or injuries, arising from or relating to, in whole or in part, this Promotion, including entry and participation in this Promotion and acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the prizes. All entrants further agree that in the event of any third party claims, damages, losses or injuries, arising from or relating to this Promotion, they will indemnify Sponsor for any and all such claims, including attorneys’ fee related thereto. Winners may be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, a Liability Release and where legally permissible a Publicity Release within 7 days following the date of first attempted notification. Failure to comply with this deadline may result in forfeiture of the prize and selection of an alternate winner. Return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Winner hereby further agrees that it will sign any documents necessary to transfer copyright of the entry to Sponsor within 7 days following the date of first attempted notification. Acceptance of the prize constitutes permission for Sponsor and its agencies to use winner’s name and/or likeness, biographical material and/or entry (including an altered form of the entry) for advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law. By accepting prize, winner agrees to hold Sponsor, its advertising and promotion agencies and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, representative agents, successors, assigns, officers, directors, and employees harmless for any injury or damage caused or claimed to be caused by participation in the Promotion or acceptance or use of the prize. Sponsor is not responsible for any printing, typographical, mechanical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the Promotion or in the announcement of the prize.

5. INTERNET: Sponsor is not responsible for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind, or inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive entry information by Sponsor or presenter on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Web site or any combination thereof. If for any reason the Internet portion of the program is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Promotion, Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Promotion. Sponsor reserves the right to select winners from eligible entries received as of the termination date. Sponsor further reserves the right to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process. Sponsor may prohibit an entrant from participating in a Promotion if it determines that said entrant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Promotion by cheating, hacking, deception or other unfair playing practices or intending to abuse, threaten or harass other entrants. Caution: Any attempt by a participant to deliberately damage any Web site or undermine the legitimate operation of the Promotion is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such participant to the fullest extent of the law.

6. DISPUTES/CHOICE OF LAW: Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Promotion or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by state or federal courts, (2) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (3) no punitive, incidental, special, consequential or other damages, including without limitation lost profits may be awarded (collectively, “Special Damages”), and (4) entrant hereby waives all rights to claim Special Damages and all rights to have such damages multiplied or increased. Colorado State law, without reference to Colorado choice of law rules, governs the Promotion and all aspects related thereto.

7. SPONSOR: The sponsor of this Promotion is Active Interest Media, 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301. Questions regarding this contest should be directed to: Backpacker Magazine, Attn: Readers’ Choice 2015 Survey, 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301. Active Interest Media is not liable for payment of any prize to entrants who have violated these official rules. Void where prohibited by law. All federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations apply.