The BackCountry

Kayaks, Canoes & Paddleboards for Rent

Where to Paddle...

In Truckee: Our Truckee store is 1 mile from the incredible beauty and easy boating access of Donner Lake. Boca and Stampede Reservoirs are also a short drive away. We can help you plan the perfect paddling outing for your group, and we're a great source for energy food and recommendations for places to eat and things to do after you paddle.

In Tahoe City: We can arrange to deliver kayaks and paddleboards to beautiful free beaches where you can paddle out over Tahoe's famous clear water. Boating Tahoe's north shore is an experience you've got to try to believe! Even then you might not believe your eyes. You're paddling along and you can see the bottom clearly 30 feet down and you can still see boulders and sand when it's 80 feet or more below. A nice half-day paddle is to put in at the Tahoe City beach and head east to the public beaches at Lake Forest or Dollar Point (Skylandia Park) where you'll find good sand and picnic tables. Also popular is heading southwest to check out Lake Tahoe's outlet or eat and drink at Sunnyside.

How to Find Us!

See map here. We are only 30 minutes from Reno Airport and a 2 hour drive from Sacramento.

So what is Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP)?

Imagine taking just the board from an old-school "lake boarding" windsurfer, without centerboard or sail. Just a big, stable, unsinkable board with a tail fin. Then you stand on top with a long paddle and propel yourself forward. It's amazing! You can see so much deeper and more clearly into the water. If you paddle around the shoreline of Tahoe or Donner Lake you can see the bottom very clearly. SUP is very easy to learn, the boards are big and stable and not tippy (but pick a calm day for learning). You just plant your feet firmly and start paddling! Your body will teach itself. It's easy to do, but also a great low-impact workout for your core muscles as well as your whole upper and lower body. Come rent SUPs from us any time!

Discounts

10% off for 3 day rental, 15% off for 4 days or more. 15% discount for groups of 8 people or more.

Special arrangements

Email mike@thebackcountry.net if you need more than a few speciality items. With some advance notice, I can sometimes bring in extra gear for your party. I'll also be happy to help you plan your adventures in any way!

Reservations

We avoid making reservations because we cannot control when the previous person returns the equipment, and would never wish to have your reservation missing at pickup time. This allows us to treat everyone with more flexibility. However, our rental fleet is large and boats/boards are typically out for only a half or full day, and we will almost always have several good choices. If you require an equipment reservation to make your trip possible (such as a guided trip or a class, or just have very tight scheduling), call or email ahead and we will do our best to work with you.

Rates and Time Periods

Rates are hourly, or you save more for a half day (4 hours) or full day. A full day is opening to closing (8:30am-6pm), not 24hrs. If you keep rental equipment overnight on a 1-day rental, there is a late return fee equal to one hour charge. Overnight fees are waived for multi-day rentals.

Equipment

Most of our kayaks are sit-on-top plastic boats, unsinkable, perfect for lake use. Our canoes are sturdy plastic lake canoes, roomy and stable. Our rental boats and boards are kept in good condition, and are from top name brand manufacturers. PFDs (life vests) are provided.

Support

We can make special arrangements to support a boat outing for you, but otherwise you are on your own. Know the wind and weather forecast! Carry windbreaker and sun protection clothing, adequate footwear for launching and takeout, lots of sunscreen, food and water! Expect the belongings you bring to potentially get wet, or bring your own dry-bag.

Rental Rates

Kayaks + Canoes — includes paddle, life vest, seat
$15/hr	$45/half day	$60/full day	Kids' Kayak, 8 foot
$20/hr	$55/half day	$70/full day	Single Kayak
$35/hr	$85/half day	$110/full day	2 and 3-seater Kayak or Canoe
Paddleboards — includes aluminum paddle + life vest
$15/hr	$45/half day	$60/full day	Kids' paddleboard, 6 foot
$20/hr	$55/half day	$70/full day	11' and 12' paddleboards
$30/hr	$75/half day	$95 full day	14' paddleboards
	$10		Upgrade to performance carbon paddle for $10

Car Bike Racks

We can rent you a car rack for $15/day. We'll help get it on your car. But honestly, your best bet is to ride from our stores. There are excellent rides for all abilities, both paved and singletrack. Spend more time riding!

Delivery / Guides / Etc.

Special arrangements can be made for delivery of up to 12-15 bicycles for a group with our special van. If you are interested please call or email us several days in advance, the more the better. We also can recommend guides or instructors for your group, or caterers or other services for a bicycle-based event. Feel free to dream up any outing and let us fit all the pieces together for you! Just let us know what you need.