– It is brilliant to have the opportunity to borrow things that you like to use only a couple of times a year. You don’t have to buy and spend money on it, and at the same time it is beneficial for the environment due to reduced consumption, says loan enthusiast Rune Mikal Birkeland. Here, Rune Mikal Birkeland tries his hand at a SUP board. Photo: Privat When the corona pandemic swept across the country, for many Norwegians trips to the cinema and restaurant visits were replaced by trips into the wilderness and bonfires. For those who were missing the necessary equipment, the rental company BUA was already ready. Over 46,000 users so far this year Ever since the non-profit organization started in 2014, they have lent out free hiking and sports equipment to adventurous Norwegians. After the pandemic, rental figures have exploded. Tord Ingulfsen stands in a spacious warehouse in the premises called the “Treasury Chamber” in Bergen. He lends out everything from garden toys, skateboards and scooters to tents, reindeer skins and prams. – Now in the summer it is clear that tents and outdoor equipment are used the most. And SUP! Tord Ingulfsen experiences the most pressure in winter, but BUA is popular in summer as well. Photo: Benjamin Dyrdal The Treasury is in fourth place among the most used BUA branches. – I think we are popular because of the location. I think it has a lot to say that we are located right in the center of Bergen, says Ingulfsen. So far this year, all BUA branches have lent out over 319,000 equipment units compared to 216,000 in the whole of 2021. Over 46,000 people have made use of the offer in 2022. – Beneficial for the environment Rune Mikal Birkeland works as a teacher at Stend Videregående Skole, and takes the class at trips of various kinds. Not all the young people have access to equipment, and then they borrow what they need from BUA. Rune Mikal Birkeland on a snowboard borrowed from BUA. Photo: Privat Be it ski clothing, hiking trousers, or practical equipment such as sleeping bags and seating mats. Birkeland is very excited about the scheme. – As a private person, I borrow their equipment about once a month, and with my work I visit about every two months, he says. Birkeland itself borrows mostly ski equipment and tents for the winter, but also in the summer things fly in and out of the BUA shelves around the country. – In the countryside, we don’t have XXL – We mostly borrow equipment for summer activities, such as surfboards, canoes and hammocks, says Gyda Matland. Gyda Matland’s children have a great time taking turns in a canoe borrowed from BUA Manger. Photo: Gyda Matland She is another diligent user of the loan offer. She lives in Manger, a settlement on Radøy in Alver municipality, five miles north of Bergen city centre. – In the countryside, we don’t have XXL nearby, and if I lived closer to the city I would probably have bought more myself. So it’s absolutely great to have such a loan option here. Gyda Matland likes outdoor life and the offer BUA has in the field. Photo: Private Mytland says that she has several friends and acquaintances who also use the service. The message about the offer spreads quickly as more people talk about it. She hopes that those at BUA will continue the good work, and not least that they will bring in more money so that they can buy new things. – The service is free, but they still have good equipment. They also keep up with the times, and among other things acquired sup-boards when it became popular so that many people could try it, she says. After a period of rain, the warehouse in Bergen is quite full. Tord Ingulfsen believes the weather has a lot to say about how much is borrowed. Photo: Benjamin Dyrdal Want to get Norwegians out into nature The number of rented equipment has doubled every year since BUA was started in 2014. Managing director Monika Vogt is happy about the good numbers. – That is our main goal, to get as much loaned as possible, because then there are many Norwegians who get out and get to test several different sports and outdoor activities, she says. According to Vogt, they need more and more equipment and are happy to accept equipment donations from private individuals. She says that people from all backgrounds and age groups make use of the offer. – Not everyone shares the culture that you should buy skis and skates and other equipment for the children as they grow.
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A record number borrow equipment for trips and leisure from BUA – news Vestland
