Gear Buy vs Rent Calculator

Find the trip where owning a tent, kayak or paddle board starts costing less than renting one.

Should you buy or rent outdoor gear?

Renting makes sense when you’re trying something new or only go once a year. Buying makes sense when you go often enough that rental fees overtake the purchase price. The break-even point is the number of trips where the two costs meet, and it’s often lower than people expect for tents and higher than expected for kayaks.

How to use the calculator

Choose the gear. Picking a tent, kayak, paddle board or sleeping bag fills in typical US prices. Change any number to match quotes from your local shop or outfitter.
Enter the buying costs. The purchase price, accessories you’d need (a kayak needs a paddle, PFD and usually a roof rack), yearly upkeep or storage, how long you’ll use it, and what you might sell it for at the end.
Enter the renting costs. The daily rental rate, days per trip, any delivery or extra fees, and how many trips you take each year.
Read the break-even. You’ll see the number of trips and years until buying wins, a chart of both running totals, and a verdict for your expected use.

How the break-even is calculated

Break-even trips = (purchase price + accessories) ÷ (rental cost per trip − upkeep per trip)

Rental cost per trip is the daily rate times days per trip, plus fees. Upkeep per trip is the yearly upkeep divided by trips per year. The main result assumes you keep the gear. The “if you sell it later” figure subtracts the resale value, which lowers the break-even. If upkeep per trip is more than a rental, buying never catches up.

Typical break-even points

Gear	Buy (incl. accessories)	Rent	Break-even (approx.)
2-person backpacking tent	~$330	~$20/day, 3-day trips	About 6 trips
Family tent	~$390	~$30/day, 3-day trips	About 5 trips
Recreational kayak	~$800	~$50/day	About 19 paddling days
Inflatable paddle board	~$550	~$45/day	About 14 days

These use the calculator’s starting numbers. Rental prices vary widely by region and season, so enter your own.

Costs that are easy to miss

Transport. A hard-shell kayak needs a roof rack or trailer. Rentals at the water skip that cost entirely.
Storage. Apartment dwellers may pay for storage or give up closet space.
Your time. Picking up and returning rentals takes time on every trip.
Quality. Rental fleets vary. Owning means you know your gear is dry, clean and complete.

Once you know your gear costs, plug them into the camping trip cost calculator or compare a whole trip against a hotel with the campsite vs hotel comparison.

Last updated September 24, 2026. All costs are in US dollars.

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth buying a tent if I camp twice a year?

Often, yes. With typical prices a basic tent pays for itself in about two to three years of twice-yearly trips, and you can sell it later. Enter your own rental quote to check.

How many times do you need to kayak to justify buying one?

With the starting numbers, around 19 days on the water. Resale value brings that down; roof racks and storage push it up.

What resale value should I use?

Well-kept tents and boats often sell for roughly a third to half of their original price. Use a lower figure if you'll use the gear hard.

Camping & Hiking tools