By Sara Wiercinski
Longtime Kansas Citians Brad and Leslie McTighe were camping with their children in Arkansas when the idea behind Waldo Outfitters was born.
That was back in fall 2021. “The campfire was going, we were listening to great music, the kids were playing closeby,” described Brad.
“It was so completely relaxing,” added Leslie.
“We thought, why don’t more people do this?” said Brad.
Then and there, the couple made a list of the many reasons preventing people from camping–families with children, in particular: equipment, cost, being intimated about the process, among several barriers.
“We thought, ‘We’re pretty well dialed into this, we can help.’” said Brad.
The McTighes have always enjoyed camping and backpacking, and the adventures continued after their children were born, first Holden, followed by Harper.
“We love it, and now they love it, too.” said Brad.
The dream of helping more families camp continued, and in January 2022, Brad and Leslie decided to start their own camping equipment rental company– Waldo Outfitters.
They worked on procuring the business license and LLC. A friend built the website, and another friend designed the logo with an owl– a nod to the Waldo owls the family hears outside their home.
They invested in gear, with attention to high-quality products.
“Nothing’s worse than a crappy camping experience,” said Brad. “And you can’t camp well when you don’t sleep well.”
The online store launched May 1, 2022, renting tents, sleeping bags and pads, backpacks, camp chairs, kayaks, baby hiking carriers, propane camp stoves and other accessories.
“One of our first customers attended a camping reunion,” said Brad. “It stormed and rained, and other people got wet, while she stayed warm and dry. She had a great time.”
“We’re proud of that first five-star rating,” added Leslie.
One perk for busy folks or camping neophytes are bundles for 2 or 4 adults, or family bundles with kid-size options, each containing the tent, sleeping bags, cook stove and all the camping necessities.
The McTighes store the inventory in the basement of their Waldo home. Equipment pickup and return takes place at their front porch.
“I usually get to swap great stories about where people are heading, or hear about their adventures,” said Brad.
Waldo Outfitters rents a two-person Marmot-brand dome tent at $18 per night. Purchasing an inexpensive two-person tent at the local big box retailer would cost $89, and would require permanent storage in a basement or garage.
A kayak rents for $32 per day–a cost-efficient way to get on the water before investing in a $400 starter boat.
Fall is the busiest camping season, beginning after Labor Day and into October. April and May are also popular.
Holden and Harper, ages 12 and 10, help sort, clean and store the equipment.
“We’re a very, very small business,” said Leslie. More like microbusiness, really.”
Both she and Brad also work full-time jobs. She is a former teacher and school principal, now the Chief Program Officer at The Educator Academy, formerly the Kansas City Teacher Residency. Brad teaches English at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy.
Though they have local customers, many renters come from out of town passing through Kansas City, on their way to a festival or camping vacation.
There is certainly potential as the World Cup 2026 approaches.
“There are some awesome outdoor experiences to be had within just a few hours of here,” said Brad. “You can hike to backcountry sites along Clinton Lake in Lawrence. There are the State Parks… Stockton Lake is beautiful.”
Further south into the Arkansas Ozarks, the McTighes recommend camping at Devil’s Den State Park, Mountain Home and Sylamore Creek.
“It’s such a chance to get away from the screens and feel at peace,” said Leslie.
Learn more at waldooutfitters.com.
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