Don’t have room for a canoe in your apartment? Don’t have the money for a top-of-the-line backpack? Don’t know if you want to invest in a mountain bike or a big tent?

There’s a gear library for that.

People often say that going outside is free, but anyone who has tried to take a camping trip knows that isn’t true. The things you need to be comfortable and safe in the outdoors will cost you.

“It’s a shared resource,” Eva Fury, co-founder and co-director of Kindling Collective in Portland, said. “Not everybody needs one of everything, especially if you’re only using it a couple times a year or once a year. So why not put that spending power into one place? We can get the best, coolest, highest-quality equipment, and you can borrow it when you need it.”

Maine has a growing network of gear libraries designed to help people play outside even when they don’t have the requisite gear at home. Each one has a different pricing structure and unique inventory, but all share a commitment to access and sustainability.

Here are three examples of how to use a gear library in Maine. For more information about these options and others, visit the Maine Gear Library Network website at mainegearshare.org.

Explore the trails on a mountain bike

The Katahdin Gear Library started through the Millinocket Memorial Library and is now run by the Outdoor Sport Institute.

“It’s a place to not only access gear, but also to act as an information hub and a third space,” said Dan Rogan, the nonprofit’s Katahdin Region coordinator. “When we have the doors open for the gear library, it can be a place that people can come hang out.”

The library rents cross-country skis and snowshoes in the winter; mountain and fat bikes, canoes, kayaks and paddleboards in the summer. It doesn’t have apparel or camping gear. The space has a workshop for those who want to fix their own bikes with basic coaching from staff and volunteers.

Cardholders at libraries in the Katahdin Region can get a membership, which means the first night of gear rental is free and subsequent nights are discounted. Anyone who doesn’t have a local library card can rent gear for a nightly fee of $10 to $30, depending on the item.

If you want to go mountain biking, for example, Rogan would get you the right size from a fleet of specialized mountain bikes (he’d also give you a helmet). For a member, the first night would be free and the second would cost $15. For a nonmember, the rental would cost $30 per night.

Rogan said he would recommend riding at Hammond Ridge in Millinocket.

“They’re up to about 15 miles of trail now and growing,” he said.

The library relies on volunteers, so the best way to make a rental is to call 207-200-4767. For more information, visit outdoorsi.org/kgl.

Go backpacking with the whole family

Maine GearShare started because organizations that lead outdoor trips realized they needed more gear in order to serve more young people. The nonprofit has expanded to offer rentals and a repair shop to the public.

“We really love it when people are able to come in, see the gear, touch the gear, talk to the staff,” said assistant director Emily Mackeown.

The inventory at the new location in Freeport ranges from tents to paddleboards, camp stoves to apparel. The nonprofit lists adaptive gear such as a handcycle bike on its website in a partnership with the Adaptive Outdoor Education Center in Brunswick.

The model at Maine GearShare is similar to a traditional rental business. Each individual item is available for a fee. The first day is full price, and every subsequent day is 20% off. The return day is free so people can make sure their gear is clean and dry.

Mackeown has seen families use the library to outfit their first overnight hiking trip, for example. She recommended starting with packs: two adult backpacking packs ($15 each), one youth pack ($15) and one kiddie daypack for a little one who just wants to carry trail mix ($8). She would ask the family about rain gear ($8 for each coat) and hiking boots ($5 each). Add a tent ($18 for one that fits four people) and camp chairs ($5 each).

The online cart shows a total of $123 for those items for the first day. Each subsequent day would be discounted. Mackeown might also suggest cooking supplies, sleeping bags and binoculars.

“We had a family come in and use all of our gear,” Mackeown said. “They came back and were like, ‘We’re so into it. We’re going again.’ It was so cool.”

Reservations can be made online at least three days in advance, over the phone or in person. To make a rental or learn more, visit mainegearshare.org or call 207-200-3004.

Take an overnight canoe trip

Fury, from Kindling Collective, wants to challenge the assumption that gear libraries only have smelly or worn items.

“We’re able to provide people with really excellent equipment,” Fury said. “That way, the experience is going out with the best.”

Located in Portland, Kindling Collective offers individual and family memberships on a seasonal or annual basis. A tiered pricing model means people with greater financial resources can contribute more, so those with fewer resources can pay less.

“We’re queer-centered, which just means that we are making sure that queer people feel safe, affirmed and are getting really great care with us,” Fury said. “But we do want to make sure that everybody knows that if you’re down with making space for queer people to enjoy themselves outside safely, then you should also come be a member of our gear library.”

Members can borrow gear for up to two weeks at a time, and there is no additional fee for individual items.

For example, Kindling Collective has all the supplies for an overnight canoe trip. In addition to the boat, Fury ticked off a packing list: a tent, a kitchen setup including a double-burner stove, a set of pots and pans, a bear bag kit, a trowel and bathroom kit, a sleeping bag and pad, a personal dry bag or a larger one, headlamps, personal flotation devices, medical supplies and safety gear, camp chairs.

An individual could rent that gear with an annual membership that costs $45, $135 or $225. Fury said they ask patrons to request gear at least two days in advance, and the staff has a lot of knowledge to help people pack if they need advice. For more information, including about outings and events, visit kindlingcollective.org or call 207-200-4707.