Camping is one of the cheapest holidays going — until you add up the gear. A tent, sleeping bags, a stove, a cool box, chairs, a lantern. Buy it all for one weekend in the Lakes and you've spent more on kit than you would have on a hotel.
Which is exactly why renting your camping gear makes so much sense, especially if you only go once or twice a year. Here's how to do it in the UK in 2026 — what to rent, what it costs, and how to get the best of it.
The short answer
If you camp occasionally, rent the big-ticket items — tent, sleeping bags and stove — rather than buying. A weekend's worth of rented kit typically costs £30–£70, against several hundred pounds to buy the same gear new. And you skip the storage headache the rest of the year.
| Item | Why rent it | Typical UK weekend rate (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Tent (2–6 person) | Expensive, bulky to store | £20–£50 |
| Sleeping bags | Used rarely, take up space | £5–£10 each |
| Camping stove | Occasional use | £8–£15 |
| Cool box / electric coolbox | Seasonal | £8–£15 |
| Chairs, lantern, table | Awkward to store | £2–£6 each |
What's actually worth renting
The tent
This is the big one. A decent family tent costs £150–£400+ to buy and swallows a cupboard for the other 50 weekends of the year. Renting one means you can take a roomy 6-berth for a family trip one summer and a lightweight 2-man for a festival the next — without owning either.
Sleeping bags
Bulky, used rarely, and tricky to store properly so they don't lose their loft. Renting a couple for a weekend costs less than a takeaway and saves you the wardrobe space.
Cooking and cool storage
A camping stove, a gas canister and a cool box turn a campsite from grim to genuinely pleasant. None of it is expensive to rent, and it's all stuff that otherwise lives in the garage gathering dust.
The comfort extras
Camping chairs, a fold-out table, a lantern, a sleeping mat. Individually cheap, collectively a faff to own and store. Rent the ones that make the trip nicer and leave the rest.
What it might cost — a worked example
A family of four heading off for a long weekend might rent:
- 6-person tent: £40
- 4 sleeping bags at £7: £28
- Camping stove: £12
- Cool box: £10
- 4 chairs at £3: £12
That's around £100 for a fully kitted weekend — versus £400–£600 to buy the same gear new, most of which you'd use a handful of times before it ages in the loft. For occasional campers, renting wins comfortably, which is the same logic we ran in our rent vs buy breakdown.
How to rent camping gear the smart way
- Book early for school holidays. Tents and family kit get reserved fast around the summer break and bank holidays.
- Rent locally and collect. Picking up from someone nearby beats posting bulky gear back and forth — cheaper and greener. That's what Rentify is for.
- Check what's included. Confirm whether pegs, a groundsheet, the gas canister and the inner tent are part of the deal before you set off.
- Pitch the tent once before you go. A two-minute test in the garden saves a lot of swearing at the campsite.
- Return it clean and dry. It keeps your deposit safe and keeps hosts happy to rent to you again.
Got gear sitting idle? Rent it out
If you already own a good tent and a stash of camping kit that only comes out once a year, it could be earning between your own trips. Camping gear is in heavy demand every summer weekend — and it's exactly the kind of seasonal, bulky stuff people would rather rent than buy.
We've covered realistic earnings in How Much Can You Earn Renting Out Your Stuff, and you can list your gear in minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to rent or buy camping gear?
For occasional campers, renting is far cheaper. Buying a tent, sleeping bags and a stove can cost £400–£600+, and it all needs storing year-round. If you only camp once or twice a year, you'd keep that kit for many seasons before buying works out cheaper than the occasional £30–£70 hire.
What camping gear should I rent instead of buy?
Rent the expensive, bulky, occasionally-used items: the tent, sleeping bags, stove and cool box. These cost the most to buy and are the biggest pain to store, so they give you the most benefit from renting.
How much does it cost to rent a tent in the UK?
In 2026, a tent typically rents for around £20–£50 for a weekend depending on size, with family tents at the higher end. Renting locally from someone nearby is usually the cheapest option.
Where can I rent camping equipment near me?
You can hire from outdoor shops and specialist rental companies, but renting locally from people nearby is usually cheaper and easier to collect. Browse camping gear and other equipment to rent on Rentify.
What should I check before renting a tent?
Confirm the size and condition, and check what's included — pegs, groundsheet, inner tent and any poles. Pitch it once at home before your trip so you're not learning at the campsite.
The bottom line
Camping should be cheap, simple and spontaneous — not a £500 shopping trip for gear you'll barely use. Rent the tent and the big kit, enjoy the weekend, and hand it back. No clutter, no waste, and a lot more left in the holiday budget.
Heading off this summer? Find camping gear to rent near you →
Ionut-Cosmin Lixandru — Burton upon Trent, UK Founder of Rentify. Building a marketplace to help people rent items locally, earn from unused things, and connect with local service providers more easily.