If you have outdoor questions

If you have outdoor questions If you want to know who can take you horsepacking in the Montana wilderness, what water filter you'll need in the Himalayas, or when the salmon spawn in Labrador, help is only a telephone call away.

Several mail-order equipment suppliers have recently set up outdoor information services--complete with experienced staffs and toll-free numbers. Armed with first-hand knowledge, files, and reference books, these four- or five-person, operations answer as many as thousand calls a week about outdoor gear and activities.

These services can help you compile equipment lists, locate guides, or learn climate conditions in various locations. When it comes to product recommendations, however, do remember that each company has a vested interest in emphasizing its own wares.

Patagonia's Guide Line, (800) 523-9597. Handles queries about outdoor activities ranging from camping to climbing, skiing to sailing.

REI, (800) 426-4840. Ask for Outdoor Advisors; they can field queries on a wide range of subjects including differences among synthetic outdoor wear, camping in the Cascades, travel conditions in Nepal.

L.L. Bean's Fishing Line, (800) 341-4341, ext. 3100. Intended as a "how-to" service for fishermen. Advice covers anything from tackle to travel.

Orvis's Technical Line, (800) 548-9548. Concentrates exclusively on hunting and fishing. Advice ranges from how to construct a fly rod to how to outfit an Alaskan fishing trip.