Rent-a-tent for city slickers

There are plenty of options when it comes to renting a 4WD, campervan, caravan or camper trailer for your next outdoor adventure, but what about if you just want to escape in a tent for the week-end but lack the basic gear?

A new online rental business is targetting festival goers as well as the growing number of inner-city professionals who want to go camping but don’t have the space at home to store all the gear required.

“People that are time-poor and cash-rich and live in the inner city, in one or two bedroom units with no storage and no room to keep or clean their gear, that’s our target market,” said Nick Longworth, who with high-school friend Dan Courtnall launched the CampNow website in late-2015.

CampNow currently offers four different packages, starting from $100 for two people and two nights, which includes a tent, queen air mattress, two camp chairs, 36 litre esky, tarp, head lamps, and a first aid kit.

While the four person family package costs from $399 for two nights and includes a quality two room tent, air mattresses and pillows, gas cooker, table and chairs, 75 litre esky, lamps and lanterns, cooking and eating utensils, mallet, and entertainment pack.

A longer hire reduces the nightly rate dramatically, and the Sydney-based company offers free pick-up and delivery from home or work in certain suburbs.

A minimum $250 refundable bond is required, but CampNow takes care of all cleaning. It also donates $2 from every order to the Salvation Army.

While the duo is yet to quit their regular day-jobs, the dream is to expand the business nationwide, or even globally. They’re currently looking to increase the options and are working on a “hike in, hike out” package for bushwalkers and backpackers without a vehicle.

“(Our typical customers are) the people who finish work at 6pm on Friday and we have the gear waiting for them at their door and they can jump straight in the car and head to the camp spot,” explained Longworth.

“There are plenty of camping gear providers out there, but no-one has simplified the process and made it accessible to the young, professional market that we’re targeting,” he said.

“Everyone has less time and less space at the moment, and I think that’s only going to increase.”