Have you ever called to inquire about borrowing your buddies Alpha Binoculars? I’m here to tell you that the awkward silence that follows will test even the best relationships. Silence was the exact opposite reaction my wife gave earlier after mentioning I was considering a new pair of 15 power binoculars. Hopefully, the ringing in my ears eventually fades away. After trying to beg, borrow or steal a pair, I heard about another option that even my wife wouldn’t shoot down – Renting! I first heard all about Rent Guns and Gear on episode #46 of the Rokcast with Darin Cooper.
Rent Guns and Gear
Rent Guns and Gear is a website dedicated to high-end gear rentals, including rifle rentals. They rent lightweight titanium and carbon rifles paired with premium scopes, precision ammo, and ballistic rangefinders. These packages ship sighted-in, completely accessorized, and ready to hunt! If your shooting and wind reading skills are up to snuff, you should be able to connect with your quarry at any reasonable and ethical range.
After a lengthy detour through fantasyland, I had to pinch myself to return focus on shopping binoculars. Rent Guns and Gear recently split the gear rental portion into its own website — RentOutdoorGear.com to help simplify and speed up the process when a rifle wasn’t needed. Click here for details.
Rent Outdoor Gear
After I jumped on the Rent Outdoor Gear website, it was obvious they’re a whole lot more than just an optics rental company! I felt like a kid on Christmas morning! They rent an impressive array of high-end hunting equipment that you can have affordably shipped to your door with just a few clicks of a mouse! I’m talking EVERYTHING that a guy would want for a western hunt. These are proven performers from top brands in backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, titanium stoves, and floorless shelters. Learn more in their camping section.
Optics and Tripods
RentOutdoorGear.com has all the top optics brands including Swarovski, Leica, Zeiss, and Vortex available for rent in their spotting scope and binocular sections. At the time I reserved my order, they offered multiple spotting scope options and 19 different binoculars to choose from! If you need to pair your optics with a tripod, they carry a wide selection including tripods designed to mount and shoot target rifles on down to lightweight models you would barely notice in your backpack when trekking miles into the middle of nowhere…
Easy Order and Return Process
The whole process is simple. As I shopped products, I entered the arrival date when I wanted the binoculars to show up, and the date I planned on dropping them back off with the shipper (UPS or FedEx). The calendar displays product availability for anything you look at using the dates you enter to automatically populate pricing for anything else you shop for. After reviewing pricing, it’s just a matter of adding the item to the cart and checking out like any other online transaction. You are prompted for typical registration requirements and shipping information. Once the order is completed, you get a confirmation and notifications when the item ships with tracking info and return instructions.
My Swaro 15×56 SLC Order
The 15×56 Swarovski SLC WB binoculars were delivered signature required on the scheduled arrival date. Inside the unassuming cardboard box was a sturdy, weatherproof pelican hard case to protect everything inside and to keep the binos safe from dust and damage during the trip. The binoculars are set up with a KUIU Pro binocular harness with a Really Right Stuff (RRS) Cynch-LR tripod adapter installed (Arca Swiss Compatible). The harness included a lens brush and a cleaning cloth.
Everything Included For Easy Return
I opened the folder containing instructions and the pre-paid return shipping label and attached the label to the box so it couldn’t get misplaced. I then cut the packing tape and flattened the box and stuffed it behind the seat of the truck along with a roll of packing tape so I could put the box back together after the trip. Now everything was stowed safely for travel in the case, but if you are anything like me, the glass was riding on the dash at the first gravel road. The LINK Swarovski 15×56 WB SLC’s were sensational to look through. It’s no wonder they come so highly recommended and sought after by hunters.
I rented the exact binoculars that I wanted to borrow from a buddy for my hunt, and the cost to rent them was a small fraction of the cost of buying them. Plus, I didn’t have to worry that our friendship might be strained if I took a tumble down the mountain and broke something other than my head. After my hunt, I had planned to swing into the nearest UPS office, retape the box and just drop them off… But then I started thinking about the Keeper Program! Don’t tell my wife, but I think I’m going to have to hang on to these SLC’s for a while longer.
The Keeper Program
The Rent Outdoor Gear Keeper Program offers customers an opportunity to demo and purchase their lightly used equipment. The hunter who prefers to own their gear can take advantage of the rental program to test and evaluate items before making a big investment. Seven days of the rental price can be applied towards the purchase of the rented item. You can read all the details about the Keeper Program here.
Whether renting for that once-a-year or once-in-a-lifetime trip or purchasing that buy-once, cry-once item after thoroughly evaluating it, Rent Outdoor Gear has you covered. Take a look at all the gear they offer here.
Comment on this article or ask Sam questions here.
