The magic math of a single sleeping bag
When you are camping, a sleeping bag not only is an important survival tool but can provide a lot of comfort while you’re away from home. For people who are new to camping, a quality sleeping bag can make or break an entire trip.
Story by Erin McQuin
Video by Victoria Obermeyer
When you're camping, a sleeping bag is not only an important survival tool but can also provide a lot of comfort while you’re away from home. For people who are new to camping, a quality sleeping bag can make or break an entire trip.
Through Washington Trails Association’s Outdoor Leadership Training (OLT) gear lending libraries in King and Pierce County, educators and community leaders can borrow sleeping bags, tents and more so that they can take their classes or groups on outdoor adventures. This summer, community partners borrowed sleeping bags more than 200 times from our Pierce Country Gear library alone.
From the shores of the Hoh River to the craggy peaks of the Goat Rocks Wilderness, our sleeping bags have traveled across Washington to support our community partners’ outings and keep folks safe and warm on their adventures.
Gear libraries make life-changing trips possible
Across all summer trips supported by Pierce County Gear Library, we helped 227 youth by providing the gear they needed to get outside, from sleeping bags to tents, sleeping pads, cooking equipment, backpacks, and clothing.
This summer, we purchased an additional 15 sleeping bags for the Pierce County Gear Library, increasing our inventory to 96 bags. WTA offers sleeping bags in various lengths and that are rated for 15-degree to 35-degree temperatures so that we can support a wide range of participants and types of adventures.
For example, Wa-Ya Outdoor School facilitated 7 trips with gear from the Pierce County gear library. In August, they spent the night camping at Millersylvania State Park.
“We had several kids who had never been camping before and they had a great experience,” said Becky List, Executive Director.
Terra Forma Education facilitated a 2-night backpacking trip to Lena Lake in Olympic National Park in July.
“[The students] worked together to support one another up to the lake. The group learned many new skills for backcountry living and were able to excel and initiate cooking, cleaning and making camp. One outcome was increased confidence in participants, and many said they would like to backpack again.” said Tara Nichol, Youth Mentor at Terra Forma.
Youth hiking at Hurricane Ridge during their Rest Retreat on the Olympic Peninsula with Braided Seeds
Photograph by Ashleigh Shoecraft
The magic math of a borrowed sleeping bag
Sleeping bags and other outdoor gear can be an expensive investment. Through our gear libraries, we provide all the equipment nonprofits and school groups need for free allowing them to direct funds towards other expenses in their programs.
Let’s break down the savings:
Compared to buying:
- The sleeping bags we purchased this spring were Big Anges Benchmark bags, which typically cost $119.92 before tax.
- If our community partners bought bags to be reused between trips, a total of 86 bags would need to be purchased to support the 207 individuals who used sleeping bags this summer.
- $119.95 X 86 bags = $10,315.70
Compared to renting:
- At REI, each sleeping bag costs $24 to rent, plus $8 per additional rental day.
- The 207 bags borrowed this summer from the gear library were lent for a total of 70 days. (This does not include additional days to buffer picking up and dropping off gear).
- ( ($24 + $8 X #Day) X #Bags ) All Trips = $10,320.00
This summer we saved our community partners roughly $10,300 in gear rentals or purchases just through sleeping bags alone. When you consider what other gear is needed to create a comfortable and positive trip — tents, sleeping bags, stoves, and more — the savings quickly add up!
Join us in making a lasting impact, by donating you help provide essential gear resources that create opportunities for youth to enjoy trails.
Most of the items in our gear libraries are generously donated by gear companies that share our belief that everyone should have access to the outdoors.
Is your organization interested in supporting WTA’s Outdoor Leadership Training program through a gear donation? Please contact Erin McQuin, Outdoor Leadership Training Manager, at emcquin@wta.org. You can also make a lasting impact by providing the gear youth need to begin a lifelong love for outdoor recreation by donating at wta.org/donate
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