Where to Rent Camping Gear (Anywhere in the US)
Anyone who has bought camping gear has probably experienced some sticker shock. I know I did when I spent $100 on a tent because I struggled to find a cheaper option with a decent rainfly! And after buying everything you need to go camping – a tent, sleeping bag, camp stove… the costs can add up fast.
But did you know that you don’t have to buy a whole set of camping gear? You can rent it! And I don’t just mean that there are one or two tiny shops that offer little-known programs – I mean that you can rent camping gear from anywhere in the continental US.
Renting camp gear might be right for you if you’re not sure that you’ll go camping often enough to justify the investment in a whole set of equipment. It could also make sense to rent if you don’t have much space to store your own equipment or if you just want to test out a specific item before you make a purchase.
Whatever your reason for renting instead of buying, you can save a lot of money by choosing to rent.
If you think that rental gear could be the right fit for you, how do you go about renting your gear?
There are three main ways to rent gear: through brick-and-mortar outfitters, online, and through universities. I’ve listed companies that provide rentals in each of these categories. Note that I’ve chosen to focus on companies that offer rentals throughout the continental US in order to make this information relevant to as many people as possible, but there may be additional options near you (e.g. outfitters that only have a regional presence).
Be sure to read each company’s website for more specifics about their rental policy!
Gear Rentals from Brick-and-Mortar Outfitters
Most people probably think of REI as THE place to buy everything for all of their outdoors needs. But the outfitter chain offers gear rentals as well! They offer packages and a la carte items for camping, backpacking, and hiking at select locations. Note that availability of specific items as well as the reservation process (online vs. in-store) varies by location, so be sure to check their list of locations that offer rentals for more information.
Online Gear Rentals
- Outdoors Geek: This Denver-based company has the largest selection of rental camping gear. They rent out individual items as well as packages containing everything you need for camping, backpacking, and even glamping! Rentals can be picked up at their Denver location or shipped and returned through UPS.
- Arrive Outdoors: Arrive Outdoors offers individual items for camping and hiking as well as sets for camping, backpacking, and bike touring. The backpacking sets can provide enough equipment for 1-2 people and camping sets are available for 1-4 people. Rentals are shipped and returned through Fedex. A cool bonus to note about Arrive Outdoors: they have a partnership with Washington State Parks. If you rent gear through the link on Washington State Parks’ Gear Rental web page, a portion of the revenue goes to the state’s parks!
- Xscape Pod: This company offers pre-made sets (aka their “pods”) for camping and backpacking with enough equipment for 1-8 people. Despite their emphasis on the pods, they also offer a la carte items. Rentals can be shipped and returned through Fedex or picked up at Xscape Pod’s Portland, OR location. Starting in 2021 they will begin to offer 3-day camping trips in the PNW.
- Mountain Side Gear Rental: Through this website you can rent specific items or complete kits with all of the essentials for backpacking in groups of 1-3 people or camping for 1-4 people. They will ship their gear to anywhere that UPS delivers, but you can also pick up your items in-store in Golden, CO. 1% of their revenue supports the outdoors and youth programs.
- Gear Up for Adventures: This company has the smallest range of options as they are focused on camping rentals (as opposed to backpacking, glamping, etc.). However, they stood out to me for two reasons. First, the Raleigh, NC-based company is the only online rental company I’ve found that is located on the east coast. Second, they are the only company that I’ve seen that offers local delivery (within about a 30 mile radius) – it’s way cheaper than shipping through Fedex or UPS, and can even ask about same-day delivery! Like all of the companies listed above, Gear Up for Adventures will ship within the lower 48 states, though their FAQ page mentions that customers outside of this area can still reach out to see if they can work out a shipping arrangement.
University Rentals
This technically is not a single nationwide program like all of the options I’ve mentioned above. However, I have heard that many universities throughout the US offer outdoor gear rentals. Unfortunately, many of the university programs I have found are only available to students and employees. It can’t hurt to check your nearest university though to find out! (And if you do find university gear rentals that allow the public to participate, please contact me so I can mention it here!)
As always, enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Leave no trace on all of your adventures.
