How It Works
SNOW SEASON NOTE - we don't carry hard goods & therefore cannot provide any hard good services
(e.g., mounting bindings to skis, waxing snowboards, boot repair, etc.)
Buy
- CAMP
- New, higher-end models worth the investment for frequent use. Large items (e.g., tents, bags, pads, packs) are >$100. For infrequent use, rent the same gear up to 90% off!
- CLIMB
- We sell a basic, entry-level set-up (harness, rope, carabiner, ATC) to supplement our Rentals
- SNOW
- In-line with Rentals, we only sell snow clothes. New, higher-end models (jackets >$200, new pants >$100, etc.)
- How to Buy
- Visit us during Staffed hours. Note we also have a small used gear sale of mostly-donated items, final-sale
Rent
- CAMP
- Rent camping gear that's higher end (e.g., an ultralight backpacking kit) at ultra-low prices (~$20)
- CLIMB
- The only shop in the Bay Area to rent climbing gear (crash pads, shoes, guide books); weight-bearing equipment only for sale
- SNOW
- We only rent snow clothes & recommend you get skis & boards on the mountain to avoid safety & issues
- How to Rent
- Order online for 24/7 self-service pickup or delivery with no advanced notice required. Or visit us during Staffed hours
Borrow
- CAMP
- FREE community-donated gear library (deposit required; generally gear is bulkier, lower-end & in as-is condition)
- CLIMB
- N/A; we don't receive enough donations to open up this category
- SNOW
- N/A; however to increase accessibility to snowsports, we offer a 'Basic' category of snow clothes to rent (most items <$9)
- How to Borrow
- Visit us during Staffed hours
Click to see up-to-date Staffed hours, location, & directions
See how we compare to REI or Sports Basement here
Some of our brands...
Buy
or
Rent & Borrow
- Spending more, or settling for less
- Quality gear is cost-prohibitive & cheaper options are often less durable or lack key features
- Spending less, and getting more
- Rent the same higher-end outdoor gear up to 90% off; if you rent so often that it would've cost less to buy, we'll give you the gear, & borrowing is FREE!
- Researching gear that will work over time
- To accommodate changes in body, needs (e.g., new family), or seasons & weather
- Getting perfect gear for the trip right now
- Rent different models to figure out what you like without having to commit
- Keeping your gear in good condition
- You have to wash & dry gear, then store it in large, open spaces... it can be a hassle!
- Relaxing... that's it
- Take a nap & enjoy that after-trip glow, we'll take care of the rest
- Will you get your money's worth??
- Having gear won't make you do anything more, no matter the new years' resolution! Especially outdoor trips, which require more planning logistics & herding friends
- Living more carefree
- No clutter in your closet, no stress on your finances. Sharing resources is also better for our community & environment
Should you buy outdoor gear?
Use our calculator to see for yourself!
Savings = cost of buying per trip - cost of renting per trip. Cost of renting per trip = simply our rental prices for one. Cost of buying per trip =
- The value of basic gear necessities / total number of trips (trips per year * number of years) + time cost (1 average hours to prep, clean, repair gear per trip * $25/hour SF living wage)
- The value of basic gear necessities LMG provides across seasons = $1200 for camping & backpacking (includes $150 for a roomy car-camping tent, $300 for a lightweight backpacking tent, $150 each for warm & cold-weather sleeping bags, $100 for a sleeping pad, $200 for a backpack, etc.), and = $700 for snowsports (includes $250 for a jacket, $150 for pants, $100 each for helmet, gloves, etc.). While you can get a basic gear package cheaply, folks have told us about cheap gear breaking on first use!
Testimonials
Sara & friends
Backpacking in Yosemite
Farrah & Monty
Camping in Mendocino
Nathan & Jerrod
Skiing at Tahoe
Also featured on...
Expert Help
Gear Guides
Accessible enough for beginners & technical enough for seasoned adventurers
Protips
Packing lists, tips on where to go, and general advice for your outdoor adventures
Repair & Cleaning
We repair rips in tents, patch holes in sleeping pads, wash sleeping bags, and more!
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions address 95% of all inquiries! Thank you for taking 2 minutes to find an answer here, first. You're helping us save time which we then pass back to you as low prices!
- If you're looking to BUY...
- Generally no; we primarily sell new gear purchased directly from manufacturers just like any other retailer. We have a very limited selection of used gear for sale, but we don't buy-back used gear from the public
- If you're looking to RENT...
- Our rental gear is purchased-new from manufacturers, we rent the same high-end items we sell. At the end-of-its life, we may move rental gear to our small used gear sale or donate it to community organizations
- If you're looking to BORROW...
- Yes, this is the only program we have that features only used gear, donated by the public in as-is condition
We don't buy-back used gear, but we do accept donations. If you're looking to see used gear, we recommend Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace or other such online platforms and we're not aware of any stores that buy-back generally. You're welcome to drop-off donations during our Staffed hours, most donations go into our Borrow program
Yes, this is part of our Rental Savings Guarantee: If you end up renting so often that it would have made more sense to buy, we'll offer to give you the gear!
- Renting
- We rent the same higher-end gear that we sell & maintain it in good, usable condition. While we don't do daily pricing there is still a fee to rent gear.
- Borrowing
- The borrow program consists of used gear donated by the public in as-is condition; we take a deposit (~$20 per item), refunded when the item is, so it's net free!
It's up to you! We generally recommend booking online as soon as your trip is decided to secure your reservation. If you wait to visit us during Staffed hours, we may rent out of popular items (like booking a hotel online vs a walk-in)
We don't have any deadlines or cut-offs, it's all based on availability. We also have a self-service access system (that's smartphone-basd, so if you don't have a smartphone, please visit us during Staffed hours). With self-service you can order & get gear on-the-spot at 3am even when no one is at the store. That said, if you wait until the last minute, gear may not be available because we're rented out which can often happen for popular items. We always recommend you place the order as soon as your trip is decided, you can always cancel for a full refund 24 hours in advance of your selected pickup time
Yes! We use both local courier & national/international shipping services. Learn more about how delivery & shipping work
Yes! For more info, please email: [email protected] with what you need, from when to when, and if you need other add-on services (like on-site set-up or take-down)
If it's not on our catalog, we don't carry it. Clicking on an item in the catalog will show you an example model we carry as well as link you to our gear guides which show other models that we carry (for buying or renting only, since borrowing is donated gear). If you're looking for a specific model of an item from a brand that we do carry (e.g., you want a specific Marmot sleeping bag other than the models we have), we can special order it for you if it's available from the manufacturer. Special ordered items can only be purchased (e.g., we can't special order it for you to rent), no discounts will be able to be applied, and items are final sale (since we do not normally stock it in our inventory). Of course if there are defects, you can work with the brand's warranty department. Email us for special order requests
Click here
Enter your start & end dates on our catalog to check availability & pricing (price is for that date range, and not per day)
If you order or choose to pick up during Staffed hours, you have the option to pick out exactly what you'd like off the rack, just like shopping. Otherwise, for all clothing items we can prepare +/- 1 size upon request & given availability; the extra sizes will also be ready in a locker or for your delivery and you just take what fits
Not necessarily. The items pictured are just examples of what we have. If you order or choose to pick up during Staffed hours, you have the option to pick out exactly what you'd like off the rack, just like shopping. Otherwise, we will pick stuff out for you, but in your order you can also freely write-in any specifications
You can read the details of our philosophy & process here. In short, we maintain rental gear in good, usable condition, but you should not expect things that look new. As part of our rental process, you always have the chance to inspect the gear yourself before taking & let us know if you need any exchanges. You can also come during our Staffed hours to browse; we don't hide our rental gear in the back, it's all out on display so you can have a shopping-like experience ensuring you get what you want!
REI in San Francisco doesn't rent gear, the nearest shop would be Berkeley. Sports Basement & Last Minute Gear do share a lot of overlap but there are some key differences, check our comparison
We try to be as flexible as possible! If you want to pickup & return to our store yourself, we offer convenient 24/7 self-service, or you can come during our Staffed hours. We can also deliver or ship the gear to you, or pickup or give you a return shipping label for the gear for an additional fee
Self-service is our innovation that allows you to pickup & return gear to our shop when no one is onsite during Unstaffed hours. Self-service is the reason we are able to offer such low prices versus the higher end nature of our rental gear, as well as free gear borrowing. We encourage you to self-serve whenever possible, even if we're Staffed. To do self-service:
- Pull up the confirmation email we sent to you on your smartphone
- Click the link to the Order dashboard
- Follow the step-by-step instructions to unlock the door and use our lockers
Each page of our self-service process has a troubleshooter at the bottom where you can find tips. If nothing works, unfortunately you'll have to come back during Staffed hours, we always recommend folks therefore plan accordingly (e.g., adding a buffer for when they want to get gear)
No need to ask us for permission, just return as soon as possible (if you're in traffic, nothing we say will clear the road!). We try to be super flexible, and have generally not charged late fees for returns the next day, though this does depend on our availability which we can't predict or check in advance (e.g., if you're returning late the Friday before a holiday weekend, you're more likely to impinge on someone else's order, which is one of the few situations in which we'd charge a late fee; but then again if they cancel you may be off the hook)
Sometimes! It just depends on if we had gear available earlier than your selected time or not! If your gear is ready to be picked-up or returned, you will see the appropriate button that will say 'Here to pickup' or 'Here to return' in the yellow 'ACTION ITEMS' box on the top of your Order Dashboard, which was linked in your original confirmation email. If that box doesn't indicate it is ready and it should be, please contact us.
To return, yes. To pickup, no; unfortunately we've had thefts and so for security purposes we no longer allow substitutes. Ask the person who will be pickup to just make the order themselves; you can pay them back yourself later
Go to your Order dashboard, linked from your confirmation email; click Edit Order in the top right. This will work up to 24 hours before the start of your pickup time. Within 24 hours, please contact us to make changes