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Yes. You can pick up or return your gear on your own any time day or night. Our after-hours area is available 24/7 upon request.

When booking your rental order, let us know in the comments at checkout the time and date you'd like to pick up the gear. We will reconfirm this information with you about 24-48 hours prior to your requested date.

We'll send you access info only after we place your items in our after-hours pickup area.

All our rental tents are water-resistant but not waterproof. To protect the inside of your tent from rain and condensation, you must properly set up the tent with ground tarp and rainfly. Here's a link about best practices for setting up tents:

https://www.basecampoutdoorgear.com/post/rental-tent-set-up-instructions

This is a question we get often, and it's hard to answer because it's a personal preference. Do you prefer to be a little on the cold side and put on an extra layer if needed, or do you prefer to be a little too warm and maybe sweat a bit?

See our general rule of thumb in the comments below.

I'm going on a 2-week road trip around the Southwest. I see there's one full propane canister included in some of the Basecamp Outdoor Gear rental packages. Do I need to purchase more or will the 1 cylinder last me the entire time?

Quick answer: Ratsack

Reason: No bears in Havasupai, so you just need something that is rodent-proof

The Havasupai website lists bear box as the thing to use, but they do not require it. The only requirement is that you keep your food safe from wildlife. Ratsacks are much lighter and fold down much smaller than bear boxes. Therefore, ratsack is our answer to this above question.

Best practices for using a ratsack:

1) Place all your smelly items (food, toothpaste, etc) in an odor-proof opaque (non-see-through) ziplock bag.

2) Place that in the ratsack and suspend it for a tree limb.

In dry weather, ground tarps protect your tent from scratches, thus extending the life of your tent.

In rain, ground tarp is meant to prevent puddles inside your tent.

When rain is on the way, fold in the edges of the ground tarp to be under the tent. If the ground tarp sticks out, rain will seep underneath your tent and create condensation inside your tent floor.

A footprint is a ground tarp that is fitted to the exact size of your tent, so you don't have to fold in the edges.

Here's a video about what we mean by "fold in the edges"

A rainfly is only effective if it's taut (but not too much that it tears the fabric). Here a video of a few common knots to use to tighten a rainfly to the ideal tautness:

Use the bowline knot as your anchor, then the taut-line hitch for the rest.

What's your favorite camping knot?

Splitting zippers may result from dusty conditions. Clean the zippers instead of forcing them. Avoid breaking the zippers or tearing the fabric around them by the technique in this video:

Have you had a problem with you tent or sleeping bag zippers?

Squirrels, ringtails, and other rodents in the southwest have learned that humans come with food. Without proper protection for your food, these pesky creatures will easily rip a hole through your backpack or tent and your food will disappear forever.

Ursack and Bear boxes are expensive, and you don't need them in non-bear areas. A ratsack will do the trick. It's made of cheap metal mesh with a velcro closure, making it quite light and therefore ideal for backpacking.

Best practices for using a ratsack:

1) Place all your smelly items (food, toothpaste, etc) in an odor-proof opaque (non-see-through) ziplock bag.

2) Place that in the ratsack and suspend it for a tree limb.

Have you tried using a ratsack? What are your impressions?