Outdoorsy Review [2023]: Reliable RV rental service?

Have you dreamt of traveling down Route 66 on a road trip around the US? Or hitting every national park? Visiting the US by car can be a fabulous way to explore all the different landscapes across the country and see it all. 

If you want to make a big road trip, you might want something more than a small car. That's where an RV comes into the picture, and so enters Outdoorsy. 

Want to know more about this rental service? Read on!

What is Outdoorsy?

Outdoorsy describes itself as an "RV marketplace for consumers and pros." Through their services, you can be connected with RV owners who are willing to rent their RVs and then hit the road on your road trip adventure!

They also have an iOS and Android app you can use to easily search RVs, make reservations, and access their helpful city guides as you drive. 

How does renting through Outdoorsy work?

When it comes to renting an RV through Outdoorsy, the process is fairly simple. Start by searching for RVs near you or near your starting destination. Once you locate one, you can reach out to the owner for availability and specs on the RV itself. The owner will then approve or deny your request to book their RV.

You can then pick up the RV or have it delivered to you, and then you're ready to go! You're expected to return the RV to its owner in the same condition as when you received it. 

When you rent with Outdoorsy, you'll be supported by 24/7 roadside assistance, insurance protection, and 24/7 customer support via email, phone, and webchat. For more information on the various insurance packages you can choose from, head here. 

Before renting an RV, you'll need to become a verified driver. You'll have to verify your ID on your Outdoorsy account through their two-step verification process. It's also important to note that only those over 25 can be verified drivers.

Anyone under that age won't have an active Protection Package and may not be able to drive any rented RVs. 

Destinations

Unlike other rental services like Airbnb or Vrbo, Outdoorsy allows you the freedom to choose where you want to explore with your rental. Currently, Outdoorsy has the best availability within the US. Still, there are countless cities where you can find an RV to rent. You can find top cities here! They are also branching out into Australia, Canada, and the UK. 

Outdoorsy also offers guides on their website to help you plan your travels (but don't have guide pages for non-US locations yet. You can explore National and State Parks and National Forests, all within the US (and even some in Canada). They also have a generic page dedicated to events across the US, so you can find one you'd like to drive towards! 

Also, they have a guide to all the RV parks and campsites for you to easily map out your whole journey! They filter by state and location, and you can read all about the hours, amenities, and regulations of any given area. 

If you're still trying to figure out how best to plan your road trip, check out our review on Roadtrippers to see if that might be a good fit for you!

How much does it cost?

As with most rental services, nightly costs will vary depending on the RV you're renting and the time of year. You'll also be charged a cleaning fee and any insurance-related costs. 

In addition to nightly expenses, there are also service fees. A 20% service fee will be charged to renters for each rental. Owners can also set a service fee and require a security deposit. 

That will be returned to you seven days after the rental is returned, provided no claims have been made. 

Contact information

While Outdoorsy boasts of 24/7 customer support, it's still important to know how to get a hold of someone, should you need it? If you're still contemplating doing a rental or have a general question, you can check out their FAQs. There you'll find articles answering all kinds of questions!

If you'd like to speak with an actual person, you have three ways of connecting with support. You can access a live chat on their website, email support@outdoorsy.com, or call +1 877-723-7232, 9am-5pm PST. 

Cancellation policy

Sometimes things come up, and you can no longer attend your trip. So, how does Outdoorsy's cancellation policy work? 

There are three levels of cancellation policies from which you can choose when booking: flexible, moderate, and strict. The strict policy gives you the most flexibility and time to get 100% of your money back. 

They've outlined the differences in policies in detail here.

Outdoorsy Reviews

On Trustpilot, Outdoorsy holds an average of 4.4/5 stars from over 20,000 reviews. Over 75% of those reviews are excellent. The latest reviews are positive and speak about good customer support. The model works well for both owners and renters. General negative reviews say about the quality of the RVs, but that's up to individual owners rather than the company itself.

Is Outdoorsy Worth It?

Outdoorsy provides an excellent service in connecting owners to renters without the hefty fees of renting an RV from an agency. They're also accommodating! Outdoorsy provides user guides to help you plan your trip better by including all the RV parks and campsites and different levels of cancellation plans for the ultimate flexibility.

While outdoorsy is excellent, their services aren't for everyone. Their service coverage only exists within the United States, but with talks of expansion to other major cities. The quality of the RVs also varies and may not be of the best standard all the time. In case of repairs or assistance, renters must cover the costs. Make sure to purchase travel insurance before you go on your trip to cover these costs!

Our rating: 4.2/5

Pros

• Variety of RVs
• Excellent customer support
• Guides to help itinerary plan
• Different levels of cancellation policies
  

Cons

• RVs might not be in the best condition
• Renters are required to pay additional costs.
• Limited coverage in US.
  

Let's hit the road!

If you're looking to plan a road trip and do it RV style, make sure you plan your trip ahead with Pilot!