7 Camping Equipment Rental Success Stories [2024]

Updated: November 1st, 2023
Start A Camping Equipment Rental

Camping with family or friends is always a great experience. People have the option to purchase camping gear or a camper van and keep it for the rest of their lives or rent it for the days they are not camping themselves.

Renting a camping gear or camper van is cheaper and more convenient as you do not have to worry about storage, nor do you worry about ongoing maintenance.

If you are passionate about both camping and entrepreneurship, camp equipment rentals can be a great low-maintenance business idea.

Renting camping gear generates income over its lifetime, hence a good passive income source. However, invest in what is needed, and provide quality and comfort. Market your business online, and partner with the camping tour operators in your area.

Here are some real life success stories of starting a camping equipment rental:

1. ROAMERICA ($120K/year)

After experiencing the discomfort of traveling in their old Toyota Tacoma, Taylor and Gretchen began dreaming of a vehicle that could keep them dry and comfortable during their adventures. One night, Taylor suggested the idea of renting campervans, and both instantly knew it was a great idea. They started with one campervan and quickly realized the demand was high, leading them to expand their fleet and build their own campervans in-house.

How much they make: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $25K
Current team size: 5

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How We Started A Camper Van Rental Business and Quit Our Full Time Jobs

ROAMERICA, a campervan rental company founded by Taylor Hood and Gretchen Bayless who quit their full-time jobs to focus on their business and have expanded their fleet quickly to meet the demand of adventure-seeking customers, with most of their web traffic coming from organic Google searches and a focus on social media and brand awareness.

About
Gretchen started ROAMERICA about 8 years ago
Revenue
Gretchen grew the business to $10K/month
Costs
It cost Gretchen $25000 to start the business
Read by 36,099 founders

2. Bay Sports ($1.2M/year)

Founded by Hamish, Bay Sports started as an idea when his business partner purchased a kayak at a fraction of the price in a retail store. Recognizing the demand for affordable and high-quality water sports products, Hamish and his partner decided to launch an online store, offering a wide range of kayaks, SUP boards, and more. With the growth of online shopping and the use of platforms like Shopify, Bay Sports has become one of the largest online water sports businesses in Australia.

How much they make: $1.2M/year
Current team size: 1

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Growing A Kayaks & Outdoor Gear Company to $100k/mo

Bay Sports, an online water sports business, started with just kayaks and now offers a wide range of products, able to offer competitive prices due to being primarily online, with over 70% of customers shopping on mobile devices, emphasizing the importance of a strong online presence.

About
Hamish started Bay Sports over 11 years ago
Revenue
Hamish grew the business to $100K/month
Read by 6,859 founders

Learn more about starting a camping equipment rental:

Where to start?

-> How much does it cost to start a camping equipment rental?
-> Pros and cons of a camping equipment rental

Need inspiration?

-> Examples of established camping equipment rental
-> Marketing ideas for a camping equipment rental

Other resources

5. unknown

Where they're located: Aurora, Colorado, USA
Website traffic: 130K/month

6. newyorkrentalbyowner.com/

Browse and Book a variety of Vacation Rentals in New York. No Booking Fees means you can save hundreds on your next vacation.

Where they're located: Manhattan Community Board 1, New York, USA
Website traffic: 60K/month

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7. Tentrr Signature

Tentrr connects adventurers like you with private landowners who want to share their land to experience unique private camping. Find a campsite near you!

Where they're located: Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Website traffic: 150K/month

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