How to start a gear library for your outdoor club or camp
A good gear library helps people get outside without every member buying the same tent, stove or set of paddles. LendLoop is the free trust layer for lending to people you already know: your crew keeps a simple record of the gear, the member using it and when it should come back. There are no listings for strangers and no payments.
Whether your group calls it an outdoor gear library, a camping gear library or a club gear room, begin with one shelf, one responsible coordinator and rules the whole group can follow. You can expand once the basic lending loop feels routine.
Why start a gear library?
Shared equipment lowers the cost of joining a trip. Beginners can try hiking, climbing, camping or paddling before deciding what belongs in their own kit, while experienced members can borrow occasional or specialized gear.
A library also keeps durable equipment in use. The practical goal is modest: make it easy to know what the group owns, who took it and when another member can expect it back.
That shared record matters when volunteers rotate. The crew page shows every member what the group has and which items are out, so the record doesn't live in one person's spreadsheet or in old messages.
Pick your starter gear
Start with useful, durable items your group can inspect and maintain. A small, reliable shelf is easier to run than a packed room nobody understands.
Before the first loan, count removable parts, label the item with the club name and decide where it must be returned. Keep safety-critical equipment on the list only when your group has a qualified person and a regular inspection process for it.
| Category | Examples | Typical loan |
|---|---|---|
| Shelter | Tents, tarps, sleeping pads | 2–7 days |
| Cooking | Stoves, pots, bear canisters | 2–5 days |
| Travel | Packs, dry bags, trekking poles | 3–7 days |
| Group kit | First-aid kits, maps, repair kits | Per trip |
Set simple rules
Agree on a normal loan length, what clean and dry means for your equipment, how quickly members should report damage, and who approves a loan before gear leaves. Put the rules where every member can read them and use the same standard each time.
Keep consequences proportionate and easy to administer. For example, pause a new loan until overdue gear is returned, and review damage as a club instead of making LendLoop stand in for a waiver, deposit system or insurance policy.
Club gear rules
Club gear rules 1. Standard loans are for [number] days unless a gear officer agrees otherwise. 2. Return every item clean and completely dry by its due date. 3. Report missing parts, wear or damage as soon as you notice it. 4. A [gear officer / trip leader / other role] approves each loan before gear leaves. 5. If you need more time, ask before the due date so the next member is not left without gear.
Run it in LendLoop
Once the shelf and rules are ready, use this loop for each item that goes out:
Create a crew
Sign in, go to Profile → Crews and tap New Crew. Use your club or camp name so members recognize it. The Crews tab appears once you have a crew.
Share the invite link
Copy or share the crew invite link with the people who are allowed to use the gear room.
Add the club gear
Open the crew and use Create for new gear or Add Existing for items you already track in LendLoop. Each item belongs to the member who adds it, and only that member can lend it, so many clubs have their gear officer add the club gear.
Lend with a link
The member who added the item taps Lend on it in the crew, picks the borrowing member and the loan length, then shares the lending link.
Have the member accept
The member opens the link, signs in and taps to accept the lending offer.
Use due-date reminders
LendLoop sends reminders around the due date so the loan does not depend on someone remembering to follow up.
Check what is out
The lender’s Loans tab shows what they have out, who has it and when it is due back. The crew page shows every member which items are available and which are lent out.
When gear comes back, the borrower can mark it returned and the lender confirms the return. Inspect and dry the physical item before it goes back on the shelf, so the app record and the gear room stay in sync.
Worked example: lending a tent
- The gear officer adds “4-person tent” to the club crew.
- Sam asks for it for the weekend trip. The gear officer taps Lend, picks Sam and sets a 3-day loan.
- Sam opens the lending link, signs in and accepts. The tent now shows as lent out to Sam.
- LendLoop reminds Sam around the due date, so nobody has to chase.
- Sam marks it returned. The gear officer checks the tent is clean and dry, confirms the return, and it is available for the next member.
Frequently asked questions
Is LendLoop free?
Yes. Clubs, camps and groups can create a crew, add shared gear and track loans for free.
Do members need the app?
Members can open a lending link and sign in on the web, or use the LendLoop iOS app. After signing in, they tap to accept the loan.
Can we charge rental fees?
No. LendLoop is for lending within a group, not renting. It does not handle payments, deposits or rental charges.
What about damage or deposits?
Handle damage expectations in your club rules. LendLoop does not manage deposits or damage claims; it records who had an item and when.
Ready to put the clipboard away?
Create a crew, invite the people you trust and start with the gear already on your shelf.
Start your club’s crew