A guest post BY JUSTIN LUCAS
Justin Lucas recently started a new website with two friends called WeekendSwap.com where people can log on to lend or borrow gear so they can enjoy the outdoors. Justin explains how Weekend Swap works and why it is great for state park users.
What’s WeekendSwap.com all about?
We allow people to borrow and lend outdoor gear. One of our main goals is to inspire people to get out there and try something new. Want to go camping for the first time but need a tent? You can simply rent one through us without having to buy one. Want to go kayaking this weekend? Weekend Swap has a kayak for you. Want to try stand up paddleboarding? We’ve got you covered.
So how does it work?
If you’re borrowing gear, you simply browse our website for an item in your area. We recently launched in the San Francisco area, so most of the items will be from there, although we are still accepting listings from all over the world. Once you find something you like, you then pay for your rental online and determine a meeting spot to pick up your item from the lender. Then you return your item to your lender when the rental period is over.
As a lender, you can make some cash on the gear you just have lying around. Why let these awesome items go to waste? All you do is list your item on our site then set a per-day rental fee. You also determine a deposit amount for your item. So let’s say you listed a stand up paddleboard for $25/day that’s valued at $1000. You can set your deposit amount to $1000. If your borrower damages your SUP, you can charge part of that deposit amount or if it wasn’t returned, you can then charge the full deposit amount.
Once an item is rented out, then you’re given your rental fee minus a 9% transaction fee.
Who is Weekend Swap for?
Everyone, of course!
If you’re a seasoned fan of the outdoors, maybe there are still many activities you want to try out. If you’re someone who desires to be more active, maybe buying expensive items or dealing with your typical rental shops might seem too intimidating at first.
Either way, Weekend Swap has a little something for everyone.
California State Parks Foundation blog 