Buying a good lightweight backpack, a two-person tent, a portable stove, and a quality sleeping bag and pad will cost about $1,270, according to an estimate from Maine GearShare. That's before boots, rain gear, or a cooler, and before the cost of getting any of it to a trailhead a few states away. Shipping skis ahead of a trip with a service like Ship&Play runs about $140 round trip, and a mountain bike about $135. For a lot of people, that math is the end of the conversation about trying a new sport.
A growing network of gear libraries is changing that math. These programs lend outdoor equipment the way a public library lends books, and they're spreading across the country, from lodges in New England to a free sharing shed outside Glacier National Park. Writer Kris Ann Valdez profiled the movement for Afar this summer, and the model is worth understanding for anyone who plans adventure trips, wants to try a sport before investing, or travels with a family.
How a Gear Library Works
The basic idea is simple: borrow the equipment, use it, bring it back. What varies is who runs the library and what it costs. Most are operated by nonprofits, grassroots programs or recreation groups, and they can be anything from a dedicated storefront or outdoor center to a shelf inside a public library, a lodge or a community space.
Josh Bossin, executive director of Maine GearShare, describes the pricing as discounted or subsidized compared with a traditional rental shop, or free through a membership or similar model. Jon Cocina, director of membership at the Appalachian Mountain Club, says the libraries help people keep getting outdoors "without all the financial hurdles."
The concept isn't new. The AMC's Youth Opportunities Program, founded in 1968, is often cited as the oldest gear-lending effort in the country. What's new is the scale and the shift toward serving visitors and travelers, not only locals.
Where to Find Them
Gear libraries are scattered and inventories vary widely, but several programs show the range of what's out there.
Maine GearShare
Maine is the only state known to have a formal statewide gear library network. Maine GearShare lends clothing and footwear for kids and adults, snowshoes, cross-country ski gear, sleeping bags, tents and canoes. Residents can use county library cards to check out gear for free, and some branches let out-of-state visitors buy a three-month pass. The organization puts rental revenue toward trips that bring more people outdoors.
Appalachian Mountain Club lodges
The AMC runs nine gear libraries at its lodges in Maine, New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey. They're open to the public as well as lodge guests and stock rain gear, trekking poles and tents. Members and lodge guests borrow for free, which makes an AMC stay a practical base for a first backpacking trip in the White Mountains or a Catskills hike when the forecast turns wet.
Skowhegan Outdoors Basecamp Gear Library
In Somerset County, Maine, the Skowhegan Outdoors Basecamp Gear Library shifts with the seasons, lending whitewater gear in the summer and fat-tire bikes and ice skates in the winter. Its pricing shows how tiered access works: Somerset County residents rent free, Maine residents get an affordable membership tier, and out-of-state visitors can buy a $15 day pass for unlimited rentals.
The Sharing Shack near Glacier National Park
In Columbia Falls, Montana, a short drive from Glacier's west entrance, the Sharing Shack is a community-run hub where visitors can borrow gear for free. The inventory includes bear spray, camping supplies, coolers and hiking gear. Bear spray alone is a meaningful item here: it's strongly recommended in grizzly country, and the TSA doesn't allow it in carry-on or checked bags, so travelers flying in usually have to buy a new can on arrival.
Public and university libraries
Mesa Public Library in Arizona runs a "Stuffbrary" that lends hiking backpacks, walking sticks, binoculars and other gear to cardholders. Colorado State University sells semester or summer gear passes, starting at $25, to students, faculty and alumni, covering camping, mountaineering and winter equipment. In Washington, the Washington Trails Association maintains gear libraries for educators and youth leaders who take groups outside.
What It Actually Costs
Pricing varies, but the pattern is consistent: free or far cheaper than retail rental. Some libraries lend for free outright. Others require a membership, which can run about $100 a year or $50 a season for families, with larger discounts for bigger groups. Day passes like Skowhegan's $15 option are aimed at travelers passing through.
Put that against the roughly $1,270 starter camping kit, and the savings for a single weekend are obvious. For a family of four trying a sport for the first time, the gap is even larger. A library also lets you test a category of gear, such as a particular style of tent or a pair of snowshoes, before deciding what to buy for yourself.
How to Use One on Your Next Trip
Search before you pack
Bossin's advice is to search online for "gear library" or "community gear library" plus your destination. "There's more of them than folks think," he says. Check the websites of local public libraries, outdoor clubs, university recreation departments and state outdoor recreation offices.
Call ahead and reserve
Inventory depends on donations and demand, so popular items such as tents and sleeping bags in peak season can go fast. Calling ahead or reserving in advance is the safest way to make sure what you need is there when you arrive.
Check eligibility and residency rules
Many programs prioritize locals, and some require a library card or membership. Look for out-of-state options such as day passes or short-term memberships, and confirm whether you'll need ID or a deposit.
Inspect gear before you head out
Borrowed equipment is used by many people. Before you leave, set up the tent to make sure every pole and stake is there, check zippers and seams, test the stove, and make sure sleeping pads hold air. Bring your own critical safety items when it matters, especially anything you need to fit well, such as boots or a climbing harness. Footwear in particular is personal, and a poorly fitting borrowed pair can end a hike.
Return it the way you found it
Clean, dry and complete gear is what keeps these programs running. A tent packed wet can grow mildew and be out of rotation for the next borrower. Treat it like a friend's gear, and report any damage so it can be repaired.
Why the Model Is Gaining Ground
Cost is consistently one of the top reasons people give for not getting outdoors. A 2018 Outdoor Industry Association report found it was the second most-cited barrier. Gear libraries go straight at that problem, and many are funded with donated or discounted gear from brands and retailers, along with membership fees and donations.
They also make sense for travelers trying to cut back on what they haul. Airline baggage fees and gear shipping costs make it expensive to bring equipment across the country, and borrowing locally eliminates both. For gateway towns, a gear library can be a way to welcome first-time visitors and point them toward local guides and shops.
The bigger picture is that these programs lower the entry point for the sports this magazine covers. Someone who borrows a canoe from Maine GearShare or a fat bike in Skowhegan this year may be the person buying their own gear, booking a guided trip, or volunteering on a trail crew next year. That's a pipeline the outdoor industry and the people who already love these places have every reason to support.
