Your Security Deposit and Our Equipment

Buttermilk_Falls_CatskillsBefore diving into our simple suggestions on equipment use, here’s a brief explanation of why the care and quality of our equipment matters to us–and why it matters to our customers.

~ We prefer to return 100% of our customers’ security deposits. And, when our equipment is returned with no more than normal wear, it makes our job really easy. We’re pretty sure our customers feel the same way.

~ Damaged equipment has a shorter working life, which adds to the expense of running our business. This can lead to slightly higher prices. And, truth be told, we don’t enjoy raising prices. We take pride in offering some of the industry’s most competitive rates. We’ve been able to accomplish this through our remarkable customers, and their commitment to treating our equipment as it was their own. We hope you’ll help us to continue the valuable service we’re offering, at the amazing prices we’re doing it for. 

~ We launched this business, in part, because we wanted to reduce some of the negative environmental impacts of the outdoor industry. By maximizing the utility of our equipment, we hope to play a small role in achieving this lofty mission. Please use your rental equipment with an eye towards extending its working life.

Helping us achieve these aims is pretty simple. Please, take a moment to review our suggestions below on how to maximize the utility of our equipment, while making the most of your wilderness experience. And, if you have any questions, please reach out: 917-830-5419. 

–Avi David Edelson, Owner

Simple Suggestions: Equipment Use and Care

Cooking, Eating and Campfires

~ Cooking in a tent, or a tent vestibule, is dangerous and will likely cause damage. It is strongly advised that you do not cook inside, or in close proximity to, your tent.

~ Eating in a tent is usually messy, and often a bad idea. Eat outside your tent whenever possible. If you must eat inside, prepare your dinning area wisely. Use a plastic bag or something similar as a place mat. This will help to prevent food from landing directly on the tent floor. If you’re in bear country, please follow regulations regarding food prep, eating and storage.

~ Keep your sleeping bag and pad packed away until after dinner. This will help to keep them clean and dry, just in case food or liquid gets spilled.

~ When choosing your tent site, select a spot upwind of the fire pit–locating your tent upwind will protect it from blown hot embers. At a minimum, your tent should be no closer than 20 feet from the fire.

~ If you’re concerned about warmth, we’d be happy to offer suggestions on sleeping bag and pad combinations.

Smoking and Bug Sprays

~ Please, do not smoke cigarettes, etc. inside your tent. Cigarette smoke is incredibly pungent and does not come out of tent fabric, even after washing.

~ Bug sprays, lotions and candles can cause significant damage to tent fabric. Do not spray or apply these, or any other repellent, to tent fabric or mesh. 

~ Moreover, do not apply bug spray to your skin or clothing when inside your tent. Do this outside, away from any synthetic fabrics. 

Physical and Mechanical Damage

~ When selecting your tent site, choose a level area free of rocks, limbs and other debris. Clear away anything that may puncture the floor of the tent. 

~ Choose a site away from nearby tree limbs or anything that may snag a tent wall. 

~ Each of our tents includes a ground cover, which is intended to go down first, under the tent. Please use it. In addition to protecting the floor of the tent, it will block moisture from the ground from seeping through–which will help to keep your personal items clean and dry. 

~ Before entering your tent, please remove your shoes. They store conveniently in the tent’s vestibule: the enclosed area between the tent body and the rain fly. 

~ If this is your first time camping, or using one of our tents, take a few minutes before heading out on your trip to familiarize yourself with its set up. Contact us at anytime with questions. 

~ Regarding our inflating pads, please limit their use to inside your tent or lean-to. Using an air mattress as a seat at the campfire will likely result in a puncture. If you’re packing-in, keep your inflating pad inside your pack. When strapped to the outside of a pack, a pad can be damaged by tree limbs, brambles or rocks. 

Rain and Wet Equipment

~ Over the course of a camping trip, equipment invariably gets wet–even if it hasn’t rained. Morning dew collects on tent walls and often requires a bit of drying time. However, in the rush of an early morning pack up, it’s difficult to accomplish this. While packing a tent wet isn’t bad on its own, leaving it in that damp state can cause significant damage. Wet tents are ideal environments for mildew and mold, the growth of which will seriously damage tent fabrics. To mitigate this we ask that our customers air dry their rental equipment following the end of their trip. This is particularly important if you have a day or more between returning your equipment. If you have questions on how to do this, just send us an email or call our line: 917-830-5419.

And, Thanks

All of us at Traverse Outfitters appreciate your assistance in maintaining the quality of our equipment. Your efforts will go a long way in helping us to continue the high-level of service and gear our customers have come to expect. Enjoy your adventure and let us know if there is anything we can do to help make your outing a success.