Barb Outdoors
Message to start

Find a guide on the site

Search a place, narrow the list, and read a guide's page before you message Barb.

Colin Van DykeColin Van Dyke on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)

Updated 3 min read

Searching

  1. Step 1: On the home page, choose an activity and type where: a town, river, lake, or state.
  2. Step 2: Pick a place from the suggestions (each shows how many guides it has), or press Find guides.
  3. Step 3: On the place's page, sort by Recommended, Top rated, Most reviewed, or Lowest price, and narrow by trip type or group size.

Recommended puts guides on Barb first, then the most complete listings, then the best rated, weighted by how many reviews they have.

Reading a guide's page

The label under the photos says how you can book them, and the main button does it:

  • Book online with Barb: the guide takes bookings right on the page. Book now picks a trip and a time, and you pay at checkout: see Book and pay on a guide's page.
  • Books by text with Barb: the guide uses Barb, so you book and pay by text. Book with Barb starts the message.
  • On Barb · we'll pass on your request: Request to book starts a message to Barb, which passes your request to the guide's Barb.
  • Not on Barb yet · we'll pass on your request: Request to book writes your request, and Barb invites the guide to join Barb, free, so they can answer you: see Request to book a guide who isn't on Barb yet.
  • No "we'll pass on your request": the guide can't take requests through Barb Outdoors now. Find guides like them asks Barb for others.
  • Reviews marked Booked through Barb are from clients who took the trip. Others come from Google.

Book with Barb starts a message to Barb, already written for you. Add your date and group, and send it:

Client: Hi Barb, I'd like to book a trip with Madison Drift. June 14, two of us.

Barb: Hi, I'm Barb, Barb Outdoors' automated assistant (reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help; terms and privacy: barboutdoors.com/legal). Madison Drift books by text. Want me to send them your request for June 14, for 2?

Before anything goes to the guide, Barb asks in fixed words what they'll get, and waits for your SEND: see Sending your request.

By message

Everything on the site works by message too: text Barb where and when, and it searches for you. See Find a guide by texting Barb.

Questions

Why can't I find a guide I know?
Not every guide is listed yet. Message Barb the name or the place, and Barb looks.
What does "Find guides like them" mean?
That guide can't take requests through Barb Outdoors right now. Message Barb, and it finds guides like them.
Book now said online booking is paused. Now what?
The guide isn't taking bookings on the page right now. The sheet offers a message to Barb instead: Request to book (tell Barb your dates and group, and it passes on your request) or, when they can't take requests either, Find guides like them.

Related

All of Getting started

Still stuck? Ask Barb, or email [email protected].

Message Barb