219. Is Renting the Missing Link in an Outdoor Industry Circular Economy? with Reet Singh

What if the most sustainable outdoor product… is one that you never buy in the first place?

The outdoor industry has spent years talking about circularity—repair programs, resale platforms, and recycling initiatives designed to keep gear out of landfills. But there’s one idea that rarely makes it into the conversation: renting.

In episode 219 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I’m joined by returning guest Reet Singh, co-founder of TripOutside, to explore a question that could reshape how outdoor gear is designed, sold, and used: Is renting the missing link in a truly circular outdoor economy?

Reet argues that many of the products we buy—skis, kayaks, mountain bikes, even backpacks—are used only a fraction of their lifespan before spending most of their time sitting in garages or closets. What if brands made renting those products just as easy as buying them? And what if that shift could reduce waste and lower costs for consumers, all while still being profitable for companies?

Reet Singh is the co-founder of TripOutside, a platform that helps people discover and book human-powered outdoor adventures through local outfitters. When he’s not building tools to help more people get outside, you can usually find him mountain biking, scrambling peaks, snowboarding, or introducing someone new to their first outdoor adventure.

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Trip Outside

Website: https://tripoutside.com/

Email: stoke@tripoutside.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trip.outside/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tripoutside

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGv2CO1r2lfMLPmVu29wt-Q

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themanreet/