Camping Gear Rental For The National

Eddie Bauer has started a new camping gear rental program.
In the past people have been able to ship their gear to the rally site and then ship it back home.
This rental program may work for some.
https://rentals.eddiebauer.com/collections?gp=collection&category=32&collection=90

$32.50 per day for two people
https://rentals.eddiebauer.com/products/sleep-under-the-stars-camping-set-for-two

Carbon River 6 Tent
Comfort Camper 2.0 40° Sleeping Bag
Comfort Camper 2.0 40° Sleeping Bag
Bygone Backpack Cooler
Camp Chair - Low
Camp Chair - Low
250 Lumen Pop-up Lantern

Looks like a tent, sleeping bag and chair would be $22 per day for one person.
https://rentals.eddiebauer.com/collections?gp=collection&category=32

Interesting concept. But if it were me (I am not a camper) I would ship my gear directly to the rally site and then ship back home. Not only would the cost be about 1/2 but I would have the benefit of having my own gear. But I suspect if you did not have gear then this rental would be a great deal vs buying gear just for the event. Also, not sure if you have to pick up the Eddie Bauer gear or if they will deliver but having to pick it up would be another pain. But as noted for some this would be a great deal.

Speaking of rentals .... do they still rent tents on site at the Rally? I recall in years past I think it was called The Sherpa who would have a line of tents ready to be occupied at the Rally. I thought that was a pretty cool deal if you wanted to camp. Me .... I like my AC and hot shower just steps away

You may not have shipped anything lately
OM

Omega Man said:

You may not have shipped anything lately
OM

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I really have and realize rates have gone up. But FedEx ground is still pretty reasonable.

gsinnc said:

Interesting concept. But if it were me (I am not a camper) I would ship my gear directly to the rally site and then ship back home. Not only would the cost be about 1/2 but I would have the benefit of having my own gear. But I suspect if you did not have gear then this rental would be a great deal vs buying gear just for the event. Also, not sure if you have to pick up the Eddie Bauer gear or if they will deliver but having to pick it up would be another pain. But as noted for some this would be a great deal.

Speaking of rentals .... do they still rent tents on site at the Rally? I recall in years past I think it was called The Sherpa who would have a line of tents ready to be occupied at the Rally. I thought that was a pretty cool deal if you wanted to camp. Me .... I like my AC and hot shower just steps away

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I think it might interest people who do not own their own camping gear.
The site shows they ship the gear to your location (rally site) and you ship it back free.
I think the MOA uses UPS at the rally site.

I have never shipped our camping gear to the rally. One concern I had was UPS does not hang around long on Sunday. I would hate to ship my gear before it was completely dry and have it boxed up for a week or so before we could open it at home. I bet UPS would easily be more than $100 to ship tent, two sleeping bags, 2 sleeping pads and 2 chairs to the rally and back home.

Sherpa was at Des Moines, not sure if they were at Lebanon or Great Falls.
Seems like Sherpa was about the same price as a motel.

The rental will not work for everyone but it's one more option.

I haven't shipped gear but if I do I won't ship chairs. Some rallies we don't even haul chairs. They are too cheap and easy to buy locally - the last one I bought cost me $7. Then we donate them to some family who came in a car, or one of the locals at the rally site.

With the Rallies being quite far from Charlotte in the past few years I have shipped my oil and filter to the Rally site so that I can do an oil change there. That works like a champ! Also, over the past 30 years I have attended Americade in Lake George NY. Since we are there for a week there is some stuff I like to have with me but don't need on the way up or back and it takes up too much room. Items like tennis shoes, warmer jacket, extra jeans, etc. I use Fed Ex ground and the box is there waiting for me when we arrive and then I set up a ground pickup at the motel in Lake George. It's usually about $30 each way and gives me all the comforts of home. That is the only time I have shipped to a MC event. Having a Fed Ex account really makes it easy and much less expensive than using a place like UPS Store or USPS.

PGlaves said:

I haven't shipped gear but if I do I won't ship chairs. Some rallies we don't even haul chairs. They are too cheap and easy to buy locally - the last one I bought cost me $7. Then we donate them to some family who came in a car, or one of the locals at the rally site.

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That's a good idea as it's easy to find someone who will take the chairs.
One time at the Kansas Rally we spotted some nice used plastic chairs for sale cheap.
I found some one with a vehicle to go get them and at the end of the rally they kept the chairs.

All the years we camped we never carried chairs because we usually stayed at places with picnic tables and we also carried a sheet we could place on the ground and sit or lay on that.

Lee said:

That's a good idea as it's easy to find someone who will take the chairs.
One time at the Kansas Rally we spotted some nice used plastic chairs for sale cheap.
I found some one with a vehicle to go get them and at the end of the rally they kept the chairs.

All the years we camped we never carried chairs because we usually stayed at places with picnic tables and we also carried a sheet we could place on the ground and sit or lay on that.

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I've done the same when traveling by car with coolers. Would buy a cheap cooler when we landed and then give it away when we were ready to return home. Good idea for sure.

It is an interesting concept. But if folks are camping at the rally, they are probably using the camping gear and camping on the way to the rally. At least that is what I do if it is over a day's ride to get there.

DaveSlash5 said:

But if folks are camping at the rally, they are probably using the camping gear and camping on the way to the rally. At least that is what I do if it is over a day's ride to get there.

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Yes and no. I dislike camping now after doing it for many years and packing all the gear, but I like staying on the grounds during the rally.
We like to take back curvy roads on a trip and dislike the extra weight and balk of camping gear.

Hi Lee,

That's one of the great things about the MOA; our diversity. Whether in our own tent, a rental tent or a room at least we're at the Rally.

I normally spend around twenty to thirty nights per year in my tent. This year I spent 14 nights camping just on my way to, from and at the Great Falls Rally. I did also spend three nights in motels due to weather and heat. At campgrounds in Nebraska and Montana I found other riders camping and going to the rally; I guess we would much rather be in the outdoors than in a motel room. I can remember each campsite but for some reason I just don't remember much about the motel rooms...

I definitely enjoy the curvy back roads, and since I swapped my RT for a GS dirt roads too! Backpacking weight camping gear still adds some weight, but mine is usually adds less than 20 pounds. When I set up the bike properly it does not affect the riding enough to bother me while travelling. Once I set up camp the bike is back to it's normal handling again.

There are many paths to the destination and we all find our own way. Enjoy!