The Etiquette of Borrowing Camping Gear

It’s no secret that camping gear can be very expensive. If you are new to camping, it doesn’t make sense to buy gear because you don’t even know if you will like camping, or what type of gear you actually need. Renting gear is an option, but even that is surprisingly expensive. A better option is to borrow camping gear from friends. But, there are certain rules of etiquette that should be followed when borrowing camping gear.

1. It’s Okay to Borrow Pretty Much Anything

Personally, I love it when people ask to borrow my camping gear. I know that, by letting them borrow the gear, I am helping them get into nature and be more adventurous. Many times, they love the experience so much that they go on to buy their own camping gear and start going regularly. So, don’t be shy about asking 🙂

Also see: Camping Checklist (Printable)

2. Don’t Borrow Expensive Gear If You Are Worried You’ll Break It

Even though I love letting friends borrow gear, I don’t let them borrow my good headlamps or sleeping pads. Instead, they get my cheaper ones (I have a lot of camping gear!).

Why? Those items are expensive, and if you aren’t careful, they break fairly easily. I don’t want friends to be stuck with a high bill if they break the item and have to buy me a new one.

3. Always Test Gear with the Owner First

One of the most important rules of camping is to always test gear before you take it camping. That means setting up the tent in your backyard, taking sleeping bags out of their compression bags, turning on every flashlight, turning on the camp stove…

This is important so you know:

Nothing is missing
Howto use the gear

With borrowed gear, you want to test it with the owner. That way, you can hear if the owner has any special instructions for the gear that you might not have thought of.

4. Make an Inventory of the Items You Borrowed

Write down the details of what you borrowed from people. By details, I don’t just mean “flashlight” or “tent.” Write down the brand names and models too. In the unfortunate situation that you lose or damage the gear, you will need to replace it. Trust me, no one is going to be happy if you replace their awesome headlamp with a crappy generic one!

5. Clean and Dry Tents Immediately After Your Trip

Tents usually end up a bit dirty and wet when camping. The dirt isn’t too much of a problme. But, if you pack if up while wet, mold will quickly grow on the tent. To prevent this, it’s important that after you return home you immediately:

Take the tent out of its bag.
Shake all the dirt and sand out of the tent. If it’s really dirty, wipe it down with a cloth.
Hang the tent up somewhere to dry.
Only repack it after it’s fully dry.

6. Check Rules about Washing Sleeping Bags

Most sleeping bags can be washed in the washing machine. However, don’t wash a sleeping bag without checking with the owner first. Some people have specific instructions that are different than the ones you see on the label.