An outfitter is a shop or person that sells men's clothes (an outfit is a set of clothing). More specifically, it is a company or individual who provides or deals in equipment and supplies for the pursuit of certain activities. The term is most closely associated with outdoor activities such as rafting

Rafting

Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...

, hunting

Hunting

Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...

, fishing

Fishing

Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....

, canoeing

Canoeing

Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....

, hiking

Hiking

Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...

, and trail riding

Trail riding

Trail riding sometimes called horse or pony trekking is riding outdoors on natural trails and roads as opposed to riding in an enclosed area such as a riding arena. The term may encompass those who travel on horses, on mountain bikes, or on motorcycles and other motorized all-terrain vehicles...

 using pack station

Pack station

A pack station is the base of operations for transporting freight via pack animals in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The station facilitates the transition from mechanized transportation to pack animals, and necessarily includes a corral for the animals and sometimes a stock loading ramp...

s. In this context, outfitters include those that offer services for outdoor tourism including accommodations and guide

Guide

A guide is a person who leads anyone through unknown or unmapped country. This includes a guide of the real world , as well as a person who leads someone to more abstract places .-Guide - meanings related to travel and recreational pursuits:There are many variants of...

 services. Furthermore, many retail stores and chains that sell outdoor sports gear are sometimes branding or calling themselves "outfitters", such as: Bass Pro Shops

Bass Pro Shops

Bass Pro Shops is a privately held retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor recreation merchandise. Bass Pro Shops is known for a large selection of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor gear.-History:The owner, John L...

, Cabela's

Cabela's

Cabela's is a direct marketer and specialty retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor recreation merchandise, based in Sidney, Nebraska. It also has "Trophy Properties LLC , "Outdoor Adventures" , and the "Gun Library"...

, REI

Rei

-People:*Rei, the Biblical term for those who retained their allegiance to King David when Adonijah rebelled, as mentioned in 1 Kings 1:8*Rei Hiroe*Rei Igarashi*Rei Kawakubo*Rei Kikukawa*Rei Mikamoto*Rei Munakata*Rei Okamoto*Rei Omishi...

 (Recreational Equipment Inc.), and Mountain Equipment Co-op

Mountain Equipment Co-op

Mountain Equipment Co-op is a Canadian consumers' cooperative, which sells outdoor recreation gear and clothing to its members exclusively. MEC is notable for its commitment to environmental protection and other causes. As a co-op, MEC sells only to customers who hold a lifetime membership, which...

.

Canada

In the Canadian province of Alberta

Alberta

Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...

, guides and outfitters are monitored by and members of APOS (Alberta Professional Outfitters Society). APOS members adhere to strict guidelines in regards to their outfitting operations, thus APOS is the governing body of the outfitting industry in Alberta. In the province of Quebec

Quebec

Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....

, the Québec Outfitter Federation Inc. (Fédération des pourvoiries du Québec inc.) represents 375 member outfitters.

United States

In the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 outfitters may be required to hold a state license to operate. Many outfitters provide equipment and services on lands administered by the National Forest Service and other federal agencies; these outfitters may be required by those agencies to obtain special use permits.