Rent from Arrive Outdoors: arriveoutdoors.com
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Xscape Pod
Portland-based Xscape Pod is designed around the idea of giving you a grab-and-go kit with all the essentials—they have pods for camping, backpacking, and, inspired by COVID times, camping in your backyard. Each comes with a tent, sleeping bags, cooking supplies, and more, all of which pack into a literal pod (save for the ultra-light backpacking kit), and are customizable for groups of one through eight. Their pods, stacked with great gear from brands like Big Agnes, are pricier than Arrive’s offerings—the camping pod for one starts at $149 for one to three day trips, and shipping is $50—but the pricing is clearly tiered based on average trip lengths from a weekend to two weeks (for larger groups or longer trips, you’ll need to message them directly about a custom shipment). When you calculate your rental price, you only need to pay for the days you’ll actually be on the road, though: they’ll make sure the pod gets to you at least one day before your trip. They do à la carte rentals, too, offering items from backpacks and camping chairs to solar chargers and water filters.
Rent from Xscape Pod: xscapepod.com
Outdoors Geek
Family-owned Outdoors Geek doesn’t offer a very sleek shopping experience (the site feels somewhat like a government website), but they’ve been around for decades. And don’t let the unassuming façade fool you: In addition to offering rentals on standard camping gear like tents and sleeping bags, the glamping rentals are what make Outdoors Geek really stand out. Because, let’s face it—not all of us are outdoors people, even if heading outside is our primary means of travel right now.
For a simple upgrade to a sleeping-bag-on-the-ground situation, check out the Dome Tent glamping rental, which comes with a tent, a queen air bed with real sheets, and a camping table to use as a nightstand (currently priced at $281 for a one to seven day rental). Or up the ante with the Bell Tent and Safari Tent glamping setups, both of which start around $400 for a week and go up to nearly $700, and come with luxe spacious tents with solid floors. The price varies depending on whether you want just the tent, air mattresses and interior bedding for four, or perhaps sleeping bags for six, though one thing’s for sure—if you’ve got a spot big enough to put this thing, you won’t regret it.
If you need more of the basics (say a dry bag, hiking boots, or sleeping bags for the family), they’ve got those too, with an option to purchase rental items that you loved.
Rent from Outdoors Geek: outdoorsgeek.com
REI
If you’re headed to REI anyway, then good news—they offer rentals, too. And not just on camping gear. They’ve got hiking essentials, snow gear, cycling and climbing must-haves, and even paddling rentals. Everything is straightforward at REI, down to the pricing, and options are streamlined: Choose between a basic backpacking kit, lightweight backpacking kit, and the classic car camping kit, all of which are designed for two people and around $175 to $250 for the first night, and under $50 for every additional night (members get a good chunk off that price).
For those in need of individual items, they’ve got those too, with basics like camp stoves, tents, and bear canisters. The only catch is that items available vary by location, with only certain stores currently open—so do your research beforehand to confirm that the REI near you has what you need for pickup.
Rent from REI: rei.com