Buyer’s remorse is real. It can be fleeting, like when you order a sub-par meal at a restaurant, but with larger purchases, it’s deflating. It sucks to invest in an expensive backpack only to find out that the zippers are faulty, or to pick up a new pair of running shoes and blow through the toe in a matter of weeks. We aim to help you avoid these situations by providing thorough and informative reviews, but what if you want to try something out for yourself? Arc’teryx has a plan for you, and it’s called the Gear Library.
Outdoor gear rental programs aren’t uncommon; local outfitters, as well as big players like REI, manage extensive collections of everything from tents and backpacks to snowshoes and stoves for short-term use. But these are set up more to benefit those who don’t own these items rather than inform a future purchase. Arc’teryx’s model can work that way too, but it sees its Gear Library more as a venue for people to experiment with items they’ve maybe never used, or try out something new to see if it integrates with the system they already use. Testing is the purpose, although it’s undeniable that Arc’teryx, as a high-end outdoor brand, also hopes that these experiences will eventually lead to purchases.
Gear Libraries are located in various Arc’teryx stores (call your local location to find out if it’s participating in the program). Loans can be kept for up to four days — enough time for a long weekend trip — and the collection includes backpacks, footwear and apparel from the brand’s long distance running, mountain days, splitboard touring and backcountry ski touring collections.
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