Camping gear rental in Iceland: tents and sleeping bags
Hire a tent and sleeping bag in Reykjavík from about €40 instead of flying with them. What it costs, what to pick and when renting stops making sense.
The short version
- A synthetic sleeping bag with liner is about €40, a down one about €58, both listed as Reykjavík pick-ups.
- Tents start at about €65 for a light one-to-two person model and about €64 for a two-to-three person tent.
- A self-inflating mattress is about €19, and it matters more for warmth than the sleeping bag does.
- Renting beats carrying your own for one trip under about a week. Beyond that, the sums change.
Rent if you are camping for a week or less and would otherwise check a tent, a bag and a mattress onto the plane. The gear is listed from Reykjavík, the prices are low, and you skip the baggage fee and the airport queue. If you are camping for three weeks, do the sums again.
What the gear costs
All of this comes from Iceland Camping Equipment, a Reykjavík hire company. Prices are the listed adult price, per item, and the listings are priced as one-day products. Check the hire length and the deposit at checkout, because that is where the real total appears.
- Light Hiking Tent, one to two person: €65
- Tent, two to three person: €64
- Sleeping Bag, synthetic with liner: €40
- Sleeping Bag, down with liner: €58
- Self-Inflating Air Mattress, 5 cm: €19
Odd detail: the light tent costs a euro more than the roomier two-to-three person one. You pay for weight, not space. If you are driving between sites, take the roomier one. If you are walking with it on your back, take the light one.
Synthetic or down
Synthetic. Iceland is damp, and wet down is a cold, heavy lump. Synthetic filler keeps some warmth when it gets damp, dries faster and survives being stuffed into a boot of a rental car.
Down is the better bag if you are walking in and can keep it dry. It packs smaller and weighs less. For a car camper, that advantage is mostly wasted, and the extra €18 buys you nothing you will notice.
Do not skip the mattress
The ground is the cold part. A sleeping bag’s filler is crushed flat under you, so the insulation that matters is the mattress. The 5 cm self-inflating one at €19 is the cheapest item here and the one you would miss most at 3 a.m. Rent it even if you own a good bag.
Wind, not rain
Icelandic campsites are often open and flat, and the wind will find your tent. Pitch with the narrow end into the wind, use every guy line and carry spare pegs. A light one-to-two person tent is the more fragile choice here. We would take the roomier one for a car trip even for two people, since it gives you somewhere to sit out a wet afternoon.
Campsites also run to a season. Many close around mid-September, and some stay open all year. Check the one you want before you plan around it. If your dates are late in the year, a campsite may not be an option at all.
When renting stops making sense
Price it per week, not per item. For a small group, the gear adds up quickly: a tent, two bags and two mattresses is around €180 for a single hire period before any extras. A decent entry-level kit bought new costs not much more than that, and you keep it.
So: renting wins for one short trip, and buying wins if you will camp again or stay long. Bringing your own wins only if you already own a kit you trust and your airline does not charge for the bag.
Who should not camp
Early spring and late autumn. Nights can sit near or below freezing and the daylight is short. A hire tent will not change that. If you are travelling in those months, a guesthouse is the better call and you can spend the saving on a tour.
Our honest take
Rent the mattress and a synthetic bag, and pick the tent by how you travel: roomy if you drive, light if you walk. That is €100 to €125 of gear for two items of comfort and one of shelter, and none of it comes on the plane with you.
Do not rent down unless you are hiking in and know how to keep it dry. And confirm the hire period and any deposit before you pay, because the listing price is the start of the cost, not the end.
