DU Gear Garage

The Center for Sustainability

The DU Gear Garage advances the equity of outdoor recreation by offering a way for DU community members to venture out into the Rocky Mountains without having to buy expensive and bulky gear on their own. We offer free rentals for any student at DU, along with resources and information about the best hiking and backpacking trails near campus, Leave No Trace and safety in the wilderness. 

The Gear Garage is now open for the Fall 2023 quarter! Follow in the instructions below to book your gear rental.

How to Use the Gear Garage

  1. Plan Ahead. Our inventory is almost completely booked every weekend, so we are unable to accommodate day-of rentals or last-minute additions. We’d love to help outfit you for your trip, so please make sure that you have made your reservation in time for us to fulfill it.

  2. Reserve Your Gear Online. All reservations need to be received by Wednesday at 4pm. Head on over to our website www.tinyurl.com/dugear (log in using your DU email and password) and let us know what you need to make your weekend trip perfect.

  3. Refundable Reservation Fee. Each rental basket comes with a $5 holding fee. That means if you rented three things, you will pay $5 for the weekend. Unfortunately, we can only accept card for these rental fees. You will be charged this fee when you pick-up your items. Once the items are returned, you will be refunded your $5 deposit.

  4. Pick Up Your Gear. To pick up your gear, please make an appointment using the link below. You will need to make two appointments, one for picking up your gear, and one for dropping gear off. To pick up your gear, head to the DU Bike Shop (basement of Nagel, accessed down the ramp on the west side). You can only make an equipment pick-up and drop-off appointment during Bike Shop open hours. https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/DUGearGarageRental@du.edu/bookings/

  5. Take only Photos, Leave only Footprints. We hope you have the best time while you’re out enjoying the amazing wilds of the Rocky Mountains. Remember to be a responsible backpacker, hiker or snow-shoer: pack out whatever you packed in, don’t harass wildlife, don’t pick wildflowers and generally treat the land with respect so that others can enjoy it like you got to.

  6. Clean Your Gear. If it rained, please let your gear dry out before you pack it up and give it back. If you got it muddy or nasty, please try to clean it the best you can before returning it. If you cooked food in one of our pots, please wash the food out before returning it. Like the mountains, more people can use our gear if treated with respect.

  7. Return Your Stuff. Like with picking up gear, you will need to make an appointment to drop-off your gear. Gear is expected back within TWO business days of your reservation. That means, if your reservation ends on a Saturday, it is due on Monday. If your reservation ends on Monday, the gear is due back by Wednesday. You will be charged a $5 late fee per day if your reservation extends past this date (unless otherwise discussed with Gear Garage staff). Again, please make your return appointments using the link below.
    https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/DUGearGarageRental@du.edu/bookings/

rack of items for rent

What We Rent

The Gear Garage has a variety of items to help make your outdoor trips easier and more accessible:

  • Camping
    • 2-4 person tents
    • Sleeping bags
    • Sleeping pads
    • Tarps
    • Coolers
    • Large two-burner stoves
  • Backpacking
    • Large packs
    • Backpacking stoves
    • Pots and pans
    • Rain covers
    • Water filters
  • Hiking
    • Snow shoes
    • Day packs

What We Do Not Rent

While we want to provide all the gear you need to have a fun and exciting outdoor adventure, there are some pieces of gear that we do not rent out to students as a matter of safety and liability:

  • Ski gear
  • Climbing gear
  • Helmets
  • Ropes
  • Bicycles

Group Rentals

The Gear Garage's mission is to help get more people outdoors and foster sustainable use of our natural areas. We offer discounts and accommodations to like-minded organizations who partner in our mission. If you are an organization associated with DU that may fall into this category, send us an email at geargarage@du.edu