thruhike rentals

[mweinstone]

imagine winton at neels gap mountain crossings or any hostle close to the start in georgia, rented you all your gear. all used. repaired. collected from an exchange program for discounts on new gear.all able to squeeze out one thru hike. all for rent with the option to buy for a fair cost.and profits would cover repairs and loss and replacement . being able to rent equiptment and clothing you normaly could not afford to buy and learning about good gear use and care might qualifi this program for some sort of grant. the newbee would have less intrpidation about the costs of a thruhike and it might boost overall hikeing. oppinions?

[Lone Wolf]

won't work. next idea?

[Helios]

rental gear = used and abused

The cost one would have to charge would not offset the cost of outright purchasing gear. I could see renting for a weekend hike. Then again, who wants to sleep in a rental sleeping bag?

[mweinstone]

wrong answer.









good morning mouth to you sir

[LIhikers]

rental gear = used and abused

Then again, who wants to sleep in a rental sleeping bag?

I've slept in what was essentially a rental bag. It was part of the gear provided to us by a lodge where my wife and I did a 5 day dog sled camping trip. Even though obviously heavily used it did its' job and kept me warm and comfortable. Of course, I was fully clothed from head to toe and didn't make much skin to bag contact.

[Slo-go'en]

Gear is only a fraction of the cost of a thru-hike. If you can't afford the gear, you can't afford a thru-hike.

Of course, a fair number of wanta-be thru hikers only make it a week or two on the trial. Maybe if you rented the gear to start with the option to buy if you actually keep going...

[mweinstone]

um,...sl go in?,..(read in baltimore jacks matter of fact voice),...my first thruhike attempt never left the city cause i had food and equiptment and no travel money or emergency money at all. wait,....that supports your comment....

[Jonnycat]

Why do you want to "boost hiking"? People should do things in their lives because it is something *they* want to do, not because someone is sponsoring/encouraging/egging them on to do it.

HYOH, and all of that.

[mweinstone]

because hikeing is good for my people.good for life.duh.

and why do people want to boost crack sales? cause its bad for life and devilish.

this life thinggy is a war. good and evil. and hikeing is what good soldiers do to get in shape to fight the evils of our lives.

[Peaks]

A lot of gear is pretty worn out after a 2000 mile thru-hike. If it's not worn out, then it's certainly beat.

[mweinstone]

quitters rental fees pay for all losses. the ones who make it want to buy their gear at discount for the memories in some cases.

[mikec]

There's an outfitter in Brooklyn that does this now:

http://www.geartogooutfitters.com/

[mweinstone]

nols has for years.