Renting camping equipment isn’t ideal, but if you don’t have storage space at home, you already know that borrowing is a fact of life.
So get acquainted with . For the past two years, the online rental company has been loaning high-quality ski equipment, shipped free to your home or lodge (think brands like , , and ). Starting this month, it’ll do the same for camping equipment.
The company is working exclusively with , whose interest lies in showcasing its latest gear and converting you into a paying customer. It’s OK to roll your eyes, but the partnership works to your benefit.
First, Kelty makes some solid camping gear, and it wants GetOutfitted to offer only current-season equipment, so your rentals won’t feel like they were culled from the lost and found (which can be the case when renting through a retailer).
Next, there’s value. GetOutfitted’s pricing is the same as or better than rentals at retailers—the cost of camping loaners fluctuates depending on where you’re traveling, and GetOutfitted’s prices fall around the average mark. But consider that the gear found at retail shops, while perhaps cheaper, usually isn’t from the current season.
Finally, GetOutfitted will deliver the gear to your home. That means you can check out the equipment—and pinpoint any problems—before you head into the wilderness. This also makes the service a smart option for non-city folk to test out products before committing.
You can rent a la carte: rain jackets ($5 to $8 a day), sleeping pads ($4 to $5 a day), trekking poles ($2 to $3 a day), and camp stoves ($2 to $3 a day). Or go with designed for everyone from the solo camper to the four-person family. The , for example, comes with a Catalyst midsize backpack (women’s or men’s), a Trail Ridge two-person tent, a Tuck 20-degree sleeping bag (available in regular or long sizes), and a PDa sleeping pad. This setup will run you between $22 and $36 a day. An extra $20 fee insures all equipment. GetOutfitted includes a cardboard box and prepaid shipping label for returns.
In addition to your loaners, Kelty extends a 20 percent discount coupon on its gear. If you’re patient, you can snag GetOutfitted’s Kelty inventory at 70 to 80 percent off as it makes room for the new stuff at the end of camping season in late September.