Today we’re announcing the new, free Crew membership that makes it easier than ever to get into the wild with Wilderness Union and join the crew.
Our mission has always been to connect more people to the outdoors and help them find their kind of people along the way. I know not everyone is ready to dive in to the commitment of a paid membership right away - many of the people who would most benefit from what WU has to offer, never get past the front door.
So we've opened a second door. Crew Membership is the way in. Explorer Membership is how you make the most of it. Most people will start as Crew, do a trip or two, see what we're about, and find their way from there.
There are now two ways to be part of Wilderness Union.
Crew Membership (free). You can book any beginner or intermediate WU trip at standard pricing. You get our member-led clubs, an invite to WU-organised socials around Toronto, and Discord access. The membership creates itself in the background the moment you sign up for a trip, so there's no card on file and no annual fee. We still vet every account and the age band stays at 18 to 45.
Explorer Membership (paid). Explorer is for people who want to go further. You get everything in Crew, plus:
Annual is $180 the first year. After that, it drops to $90 every year. Quarterly is $75. The full breakdown lives on the membership page.
Crew Membership is built as a starting point.
The trips open to Crew are our day hikes, beginner clinics, and shorter introductions. They're designed to be the first step, not the last one. Most people who come out on a Crew trip and like it will, within a few trips, want more. More overnights and the longer, harder, more committed trips. That's when Explorer becomes the obvious move.
The progression is the point. You start on a day hike, learn what you like, meet people you keep showing up for, and grow into the kind of trips that need a vetted, returning crew. The Wilder Series, multi-day backcountry and The Epics.
If you sign up as Crew and never want more than the occasional day out, that's a perfectly fine place to land. If you want to keep going, the path forward is clear and the door is open.
If you're a current Explorer Member (until now, simply called a "Member"), nothing changes for you. Every benefit you signed up for stays yours along with a few new ones. Discounted pricing, priority booking, advanced trips, the Epics, top-tier partner discounts, your overnight pre-approval, your cancellation leniency. All of it stays exclusive to Explorer.
If you've had an account in the past that lapsed, a trial, a previous Explorer membership, a sign-up that never quite went anywhere, you don't need to do anything. The next time you log in, your account will automatically convert to a Crew Membership. You'll see a quick prompt explaining the change, your trip history will carry over, and you'll be able to book any Crew-eligible trip the same day. Upgrading to Explorer at any point is one click.
The partner side of Wilderness Union is changing too. We're rolling out a tiered partner discount program where Explorer Members get the best of every offer.
First up, Fjallraven. We've taken them on as our official guide outfitter. Explorer Members will be eligible for a discount at the Queen West store, year-round. A coupon will appear in your account when it goes live. More partners and more details rolling out over the coming days.
We wan to mark this launch with a room full of people.
On Sunday May 24, we're hosting an event at MEC Toronto on Queen West. There’ll be food, drinks, live music, discounted shopping and much more. The headline is a talk with Ann-Marie Brissett, one of the most welcoming voices in Canadian outdoor content. After almost a decade competing nationally in powerlifting, Ann put the singlet aside for a tent (her "nylon mansion," as she calls it) and has been quietly building one of the warmest corners of the Canadian camping community ever since. She's funny, she's honest about how late she came to all this, and her arc is the exact one Crew Membership is built for: an ordinary adult deciding to go outside, and finding a whole life out there.
Featured in the book Tent Life, Ann reminds us that getting outside shouldn't be difficult. It's about doing the damn thing and living in the moment of it all.
If you've been thinking about Wilderness Union for a while and you've never met any of us in person, this is the night. There's no trip to commit to and no pressure to sign anything. Just come and see what the room feels like.
Find the full details here.
What's the difference between Crew and Explorer in one sentence? Crew is the way in (free, day trips and socials, no commitment). Explorer is the way deeper (paid, the full trip ladder including advanced trips and Epics, the lower trip pricing, the cancellation leniency, and the top-tier partner discounts).
Can Crew Members book the Epics or advanced trips? No. Advanced trips and the Epics are Explorer-only. Crew Members can move up to Explorer at any time.
I was a member before but let it lapse. What happens to my account? You're now a Crew Member. Log in and you'll see a short prompt explaining the change. Your trip history is intact. The upgrade back to Explorer is one click.
\Can anyone join nowm? No. We still vet every account and the age band stays at 18 to 45. The point of Crew is to remove the commitment to a first trip, not the quality bar of who's coming on it.
If you're already an Explorer, your trips are open. Have a look at what's coming up in May and June.
If you're not, your Crew Membership is waiting. Pick a trip and get started or get back into it.
Either way, we hope to see you at MEC on the 24th.
