When I heard Eddie Bauer had a rental program I was excited to test out some of their offerings on a close-to-home overnight camping trip. My husband James and youngest daughter Poppy and I headed out. We had a great time enjoying the fall colors, plus the temperatures dropped, creating the perfect backdrop and environment to try some of the rental gear.
The Gear Rental Process
Reserving gear on the website is simple and easy:
- Go to the Eddie Bauer Rental Site.
- Click on “Reserve Today.”
- Select items for your adventure.
- Choose rental and return dates.
- Add your selection to your cart. (You will be charged 10 days before your items arrive.)
- Check out and wait for your items.
- Happy adventuring!
I felt all the items were affordable and the available gear was perfect for any backpacking, camping, or travel getaway. When you receive your rentals, they come with a packing slip, return labels, and some heavy duty tape strips for the return packaging. Hold onto the shipping materials so you can use them to send everything back. You don’t have to worry about cleaning anything – the rental program handles professional cleaning between rentals. It’s easy-peasy!
What We Selected
I chose these items from Eddie Bauer’s Rental Collection for our overnighter:
• Katabatic 2 Tent
• Camp Rocking Chairs
• Alchemist 40/55 Packs
• 170 Lumen Camp Lanterns
• Wild + Wolf Hammer Multitools
• Snowline 20 degree Down Hybrid Mummy Bags
• 350 Lumen LED/COB Headlamp
• Maximus 2.0 Duffel-90L
• Oversized Down Throw
• Women’s Microtherm 2.0 Down Jacket
• Men’s Guide Pro Work Pants
Setting Up And Testing Out The Gear
We got to our site before sunset with just enough light to set up. We pulled out the Katabatic 2 Tent and saw there was an inner patch with set-up directions. The instructions were concise, and all the components fit together well. It was roomy enough to hold our self-inflating mattress, and the gear pockets inside the tent held all our personal items.
This tent is built to withstand high altitude and serious winds, so it has more structural support and takes more time to set up than your average casual camping tent. We’d choose a less-complicated model for future overnights.
The 2 Wild + Wolf Hammer Multi Tools came in handy when putting our stakes in the ground and Poppy loved using them to help set up the tent.
James and I knew temperatures were forecast to drop to the 30s that evening, so we came prepared. We rented the Men’s Guide Pro Work Pants since James wanted to try stretchier pants that would protect him from the wind. He loved the fit of the waistband and minimal branding on the outside.
I wore the Women’s Microtherm 2.0 Jacket and ended up sleeping in it since I run cold at night. It was comfortable, lightweight, and provided so much warmth. We slept in the Snowline 20 Degree Down Hybrid Mummy Bags. The sleeping bags fit well side-by-side, the zippers were easy to use, and there was plenty of room for our heads to fit inside the top. The body of the bag was narrow and I unzipped it halfway through the night to move my legs freely. I recommend going with a rectangular bag if you move around a lot.
We used the Oversized Down Throw as an extra layer of warmth. Poppy used the throw several times to cuddle with her bunny in the Camp Rocking Chairs. The chairs were a lovely camping addition! They were easy to unfold (unlike some rocking chairs that you have to contort your body to open) and rocked smoothly on our gravel campsite.
As the sun was setting, we switched on the 170 Lumen Camp Lanterns. We set them down in various spots around our site and they kept areas near our tent and table well-lit. We forgot to bring bungee cords but made a note to bring them next time so we could hang the lanterns. We also loved how the 350 Lumen LED/COB Headlamp had several light settings that were easy to cycle through with one button, something a smaller person like Poppy could figure out on her own.
Packing up the next day was a breeze. We used the Maximus 2.0 Duffel-90L to store our sleeping bags, lighting, tools, tents, and blanket. The rocking chairs had handles on the outside of the bags making them easy to carry and load into our vehicle.
The Alchemist 40/55 Packs held all our clothes plus any extra items like snacks and shoes. The tops of the packs had a bungee system that cinches inward to keep belongings extra-secure and dry before clasping the tops. The outside of the duffle and the packs had a weather-resistant coating, and the thick polyester material was tough enough that we felt comfortable tossing them about through the packing and unpacking process.
Last Thoughts About Our Experience
I really enjoyed testing out Eddie Bauer’s rental gear. I appreciated that the process was simple from start to finish. We don’t have a ton of storage space for keeping gear, so knowing that we wouldn’t have to hold onto everything alleviated post-trip stress. The pricing for each item is affordable and accessible for our family – something we can appreciate since we take multiple camping trips throughout the year.
The rental gear made it easy to pack up for an impromptu getaway. We stayed focused on enjoying our trip since we knew all we had to do was put the items back into their original packaging and send them back in a flash.
