Borrowing Gear from Basecamp Gear Library

The Basecamp Gear Library makes outdoor gear available to our community — bikes, skis, snowshoes, paddling gear, camping equipment and more. Basecamp is located at 65 Water Street in Skowhegan, inside Joe’s Flat Iron Cafe. Borrowing is free for Somerset County residents, and available to residents of surrounding counties for a small membership fee.

How to Reserve Gear

Browsing the inventory below, fill out the Gear Request form on this page to tell us what you’d like to borrow and when. You can also reach us directly — by email at basecamp@mainstreetskowhegan.org or by phone at (207) 612-2571. Email and phone are equally good ways to get in touch.

Please note: reservations are confirmed by our team. Submitting a request does not guarantee availability, since some gear is set aside for Skowhegan Outdoors programs. Please request gear at least 3 days in advance of your expected pickup date.

Request Gear

Name
So we can reach you to confirm your request.
Borrowing is free for Somerset County residents; a small membership fee applies for surrounding counties.
Are you a current Basecamp member?
This helps us pick the right gear and make sure you're set up safely.
For example: brand new, some experience, or very comfortable.
Please request gear at least 3 days before your start date.

Available Gear

Water Sports

  • Whitewater kayaks — 14
  • Recreational kayaks — 5
  • Inflatable kayaks — 3
  • Inflatable duckies — 5
  • Whitewater pack rafts — 3
  • Canoes — 8
  • Stand-up paddleboards — 1
  • Inflatable paddleboards — 7
  • River tubes — 14
  • River board — 2
  • Paddles (kayak, SUP, whitewater) — 24
  • PFDs / life jackets — 8
  • Whitewater helmets — 18
  • Kayak skirts — 13
  • Pogies — 5
  • Dry bags — 4
  • Air pumps — 5

Fishing

  • Fishing poles — 9
  • Fly fishing poles — 5
  • Landing nets — 1

Biking

  • Mountain bikes — 22
  • Bike helmets — 16

Snow Sports

  • Cross-country skis — 21
  • XC ski boots — 22
  • XC ski poles — 24
  • Snowshoes — 10
  • Hockey skates — 27
  • Figure skates — 3
  • Microspikes / spikes — 7
  • Spiked boots (NEOS) — 1
  • Ski goggles — 2
  • Downhill ski helmet — 1

Camping

  • Tents — 1
  • Sleeping bags — 10
  • Sleeping pads — 14
  • Backpacking packs — 3
  • Camp stoves — 5
  • Jetboil stoves — 2
  • Camp dishware sets — 8
  • Hammocks — 5
  • Binoculars — 7
  • Misc. camping gear — 21

Fitness & Wellness

  • Yoga gear — 15
  • Hydration packs — 5
  • Water-bottle waist belts — 6
  • All-terrain walker — 2