Extra happy campers
Since the COVID-19 pandemic has created a red-hot market for RVS and camping gear, some outdoorsy types are making some extra dollars by renting out their vehicles and supplies
With the COVID-19 pandemic still in full swing, an increasing number of vacationers are avoiding airlines and hotels this summer. But RV rentals are red hot. That inspired National Geographic to recently dub 2020 “the year of the camper.”
“Acknowledging the pent-up desire to leave the house, but to do so safely, an RV rental becomes the best solution to get out quickly and not have to worry about crowds, confinement, or going stir-crazy,” says Jen Young, co-founder of RV rental marketplace Outdoorsy.
For people with an unused camper in the driveway — or camp stoves, tents, cots and other seasonal equipment gathering dust in the garage — this sudden demand for camping gear can provide a way to make a few bucks when jobs are scarce.
RV and camping gear in demand
Three peer-to-peer rental marketplaces specialize in recreational vehicles: Outdoorsy, Rvshare and RVNGO. All three allow RV and trailer owners to sign up free of charge and set their own rental rates. When your vehicle is rented, owners generally pay a commission to the site in exchange for providing the marketing platform and collecting payment from the renter.
Over the last three months, bookings have jumped 4,300 percent at Outdoorsy, the company says. Rvshare reported an 81 percent rise in Fourth of July reservations.
“Travelers are choosing the freedom and inherent safety of social distancing in a fully self-contained rig in pursuit of outdoor adventures,” said David Kosofsky, cofounder of Gorvrentals, a site that helps people find local RVS, pop-ups and trailers. Not all campers require an RV. And several sites, including Loanables, Rentnotbuy and Friendwitha, will help you rent out simpler camping equipment such as sleeping bags, tents, lanterns and camp tables.
Rental rates
How much can you expect to earn from renting out an RV or camping equipment? The answer varies dramatically based on where you are, as well as the age and value of what you have to rent.
Inexpensive gear, such as tents and camp stoves, typically go for between $3 and $25 per item per day on peer-to-peer platforms. Since each item rents for such a small amount, professional rental companies such as Outdoorsgeek typically create “packages.” A basic one-person package on Outdoorsgeek includes a tent, sleeping bag and lamp for $69 a day, for instance. More complete packages include cooking equipment and air mattresses, for which the site charges as much as $268 per night.
Packaging camping gear is a smart approach. It helps you by ensuring you can charge enough to make renting out your gear worthwhile. It also helps newbie campers, who might otherwise forget key equipment — such as lanterns and food storage containers.
If you have a camper, van, trailer or pop-up, there’s no need to package to command a decent rental rate. Average daily rates for Class A RV rentals, for instance, range from about $225 to $300, depending on the city. Pop-ups and trailers, meanwhile, rent for between $50 and $120, according to a recent survey by Gorvrentals.
Most sites also allow you to advertise extras — such as your out
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Rule No. 667
Deals come and go, choose wisely.
Source: From Neil Senturia’s book “I’m There for You, Baby: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to the Galaxy,” which has more than 200 rules for entrepreneurs (imthereforyoubaby.com).