As exciting as New York City is, sometimes you want to get out of town and see a horizon that isn’t surrounded by skyscrapers. Most NYC apartments don’t have storage space for lots of camping gear, so make it easy on yourself by renting everything you need. Get ready for a great camping trip when you get your gear from these top spots in New York.
1. Gear to Go Outfitters
Gear to Go Outfitters started out of a Brooklyn apartment almost a decade ago. Now the company not only rents gear, but the knowledgeable guides there will help you plan your trip or lead you on a guided hike. Rent everything from backpacks, bear cans, and camp furniture to camp kitchen gear, knives, and outdoor lighting, with sleeping bags, snowshoes, and tents also available. Gear to Go promises to wash sleeping bags between every use, and they also have locations in Staten Island and Queens.
217 Garfield Place, Brooklyn, NY
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 3.
(914) 402-4909
2. Lower Gear
Lower Gear isn’t located in NYC, but they’ll get gear to you there. This nationwide company ships camping and backpacking gear straight to your home, complete with packing material and prepaid shipping for the return. They also rent sleeping bags, lights, hydration equipment, and more.
3. Outdoors Geek
Outdoors Geek is also happy to ship camping gear to you in NYC, with prepaid return shipping to make everything easier. This rental company will even ship your gear to your first-night hotel or a UPS store near your trailhead or camping spot, and you don’t pay for days the gear is in transit. Outdoors Geek carries a wide variety of water filtration gear, sleeping bags and pads, stoves and cooking gear, backpacks, and tents for every type of camping trip.
4. REI
REI is the nationwide chain when it comes to top-flight camping gear, and it’s your rental destination of choice if you live in Manhattan. Head to SoHo to pick up tents, backpacks, camping stoves, and snowshoes. Find REI’s Manhattan flagship store in SoHo.
303 Lafayette St., New York, NY
10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday
(212) 680-1938
5. Eastern Mountain Sports
Head across the river to the South Somerset Shopping Center on highway 202/206 in Bridgewater, NJ to rent affordable gear at Eastern Mountain Sports. You’ll find all the camping gear you need and sleeping bags, tents, backpacks and you can also rent gear for adventurous trips that involve kayaking, standup paddleboarding, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing. Eastern Mountain Sports is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays, plus weekend hours.
Somerset Shopping Center, Bridgewater, NJ
10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
(908) 725-7255
