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Co-founders Rob Auston and Alex McClary
The worst part about that upcoming outdoor adventure is often getting all that gear. All that expensive gear.
Even here in ski country, there are a lot of people who “want to go skiing but don’t want to spend a couple grand on the gear to do it a couple of times a year,” said founder and CEO of Outdoors.io Rob Auston.
After working at Vail Resorts for five years, Auston wanted to figure out a way to remove purchasing gear as that initial barrier to doing things outside.
Auston and his co-founder found inspiration in the shared economy and paired that with their passion for the outdoors. They want to make those outdoors experiences more accessible, by removing one of the biggest barriers – the cost of the equipment – and make it easier than renting equipment from a sporting goods store. By renting, users also don't have the hassle of storing the gear.
Denver-based Outdoors.io plans to be the “single place you go to for peer-to-peer sharing” for the adventure economy. "We have a hybrid model where the gear comes from existing rental shops as well as individuals who list their own gear for rent," said Auston.
Need a tent for a summer camping trip? His site worked to hook up individual suppliers with renters this summer. Now, the two-person team has switched their focus to winter sports.
From Tents to Skis
The new startup spent the summer at the accelerator CoolHouseLabs in a remote resort town in Michigan, removing all the distractions of big city living. From Michigan, the team was able to prove their concept and double revenue on a monthly basis throughout the summer, mainly driven by rentals for camping gear. Working far from their home market was difficult, but it taught the duo how to operate in a market where they don’t have a physical presence. The team plans to use those lessons learned as they expand outside Colorado.
Now, the team has transitioned away from camping gear and summer sports to winter fun. Auston thinks the rental market for ski/snowboard gear is fragmented and opaque from the consumer’s point of view. Consumers no longer need to do long, tedious searches on Google or walk into a shop and be at the mercy of their pricing — his site is making things easier for the would-be-renter.
“Our process is fundamentally a lot faster and quicker,” Auston said of online renting.
Beyond single time rentals, the company is also offering a rental pass for winter, allowing more frequent users or vacationers the ability to rent numerous days of gear. Auston is working with rental shops from Colorado, Utah, California, Wyoming and the British Columbia to make it easier to get outdoors.
Their entry-level pass for eight days of ski or snowboard rentals starts at $199. Auston claims that's a 30-40 percent savings from just walking into a rental shop.
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Users Want More
Users who rented their equipment online this summer gave positive feedback and told the company they want the option to offer more, including “experiences” (such as tour guiding). Auston wants to provide this, saying “our vision is to have a platform where anybody can become their own rental or tour operator,” but adds that “the biggest roadblock is liability and damage experience.”
The company has figured out liability insurance, but needs more revenue or funding to make that a reality.
Still, offering an experience in addition to gear fits in with his view of the outdoor pyramid. First, users need gear, then they need to know where to go. Finally, they need someone to do it with, someone to give them that truly authentic and great outdoor experience.
With easier access to the ski and snowboard rental market, there’s no excuse for not taking full advantage of powder days this winter. The team even made a special promo code for Built In Colorado readers: $20 off a pass purchase with promo code “BIC20” (case sensitive).
