How a gear closet full of camping equipment turned into Bend's go-to outdoor rental shop.
In 2021, I was working as a trail guide out of Bend and had accumulated a ridiculous amount of outdoor gear. Tents I'd used twice. Sleeping bags for every temperature rating. Three different camp stoves. My garage looked like an REI stockroom.
Meanwhile, friends visiting from Portland or the Bay Area would show up wanting to camp for a weekend but not wanting to spend $1,500–$2,000 on gear they'd use once a year. So I started lending it out. Then friends of friends started asking. Then strangers on Craigslist.
I realized there was a real gap: people wanted to get outside, but the cost of entry was keeping them on the couch. Renting made way more sense for occasional adventurers, tourists passing through Central Oregon, and folks who just wanted to try camping before going all-in.
So I quit guiding, signed a lease on a little shop on Bond Street, and opened Basecamp Gear Co. Five years later, we've helped over 10,000 people get outside — and I still lend out my personal sleeping bag when we're fully booked.
Not everyone can afford $2,000 in camping gear, and not everyone needs to own it. We believe renting makes the outdoors accessible to more people.
We stock gear from brands we'd use ourselves — and we do. Every item is professionally maintained, cleaned, and inspected between rentals.
We'll help you plan your trip, pick the right gear, and show you how to use it. We're a gear shop, not a vending machine.
Former trail guide, gear hoarder turned rental entrepreneur. Spends his days off skiing Bachelor or paddling the Deschutes.
Keeps the shop running like clockwork. Handles inventory, reservations, and makes sure every item goes out in perfect condition.
Resident gear nerd and roof rack installer. Can fit a Thule system to any vehicle in under 15 minutes. Avid rock climber.
Stop by the shop on Bond Street, give us a call, or browse our gear online. We'd love to help you plan your next trip.
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