The UCI Field Gear Library provides outdoor and field equipment that students can borrow for coursework, research, and other field experiences. The library is intended to reduce financial barriers to those participating in fieldwork/field courses and safely conducting research.
Equipment available for checkout includes hiking boots, backpacks, rain gear, camping equipment, tents, sleeping bags, trekking poles, headlamps, and other field essentials. The collection will continue to grow based on student needs and available funding.
The equipment is housed on the 4th floor of Steinhaus Hall. Students can browse the inventory online, reserve available items, and check them out according to the borrowing guidelines. For applicable equipment, please return the equipment clean by the agreed-upon return date so it is available to others.
You can email fieldgear@uci.edu if you have any questions.
Browse the online inventory to view available equipment. Use the library system to check availability, and sign items in and out.
The Field Gear Library is available to support UCI students participating in field courses, research projects, internships, and other educational field experiences. Equipment is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
To Borrow Equipment:
- Browse the online inventory to view available items
- Items in the Gear Exchange fall into two categories:
- Take-home gear: These items are yours to keep; no need to return them.
- Loaner gear: Items highlighted in yellow in the inventory are available to check out for your field experience and should be returned afterward so other students can use them.
- Items in the Gear Exchange fall into two categories:
- Reserve or sign out the equipment you need using the inventory system.
- Pick up your equipment at the designated location during the scheduled pickup time. Pickup times are on Mondays on the 4th floor of Steinhaus Hall; You must email fieldgear@uci.edu to schedule an exact time and location to pick up your item. If Monday doesn’t work, please email for alternative times.
- Return all loaner gear items by the agreed-upon return date so they are available for other students.
Borrowing Guidelines
- Equipment is intended for UCI-affiliated educational, research, and outreach activities.
- Borrowers are responsible for inspecting equipment at checkout and reporting any existing damage.
- Please return all equipment clean, dry, and in the same condition in which it was borrowed. This helps extend the life of the equipment and ensures it is ready for the next user.
- If equipment is damaged, lost, or requires repair during your loan period, please notify us as soon as possible. Reporting damage promptly will not automatically result in penalties; it simply allows us to repair or replace the equipment before someone else needs it.
- Loan periods may vary depending on demand and the type of equipment being borrowed. Extensions may be available if another user has not reserved the equipment.
- Repeated late returns or failure to follow borrowing guidelines may result in a suspension of borrowing privileges.
If you have questions about equipment availability, pickup, returns, or whether a particular item is appropriate for your project, please contact fieldgear@uci.edu.
Need something that isn’t available? Submit a request for equipment that would enable you to participate in fieldwork, research, or coursework.
Thanks to generous support from Professor Kathleen Treseder, funding is available to purchase equipment for individual students or to expand the shared Field Gear Library. Student requests will also help guide future purchases.
The UCI Field Gear Library is continually expanding to meet the needs of students participating in field courses, research, and other outdoor learning experiences. If equipment would enable you to participate in fieldwork or improve your safety and success in the field, we encourage you to submit a request. Before submitting a request, please check if the equipment you need is already available in the Field Gear Library Inventory Link.
How Requests Are Used
Requests generally fall into two categories:
Individual equipment
Some items are most appropriate for individual ownership. Examples include hiking boots, base layers, or other personal equipment that must fit the user or is difficult to share. When these requests are approved, the equipment will be purchased for your use and will remain yours after your field experience.
Shared library equipment
Other items are better suited for the Field Gear Library because they can be shared among many students. Examples include lightweight backpacking tents, camp stoves, water filters, and other specialized field equipment. When these requests are approved, the equipment will be purchased for the library. You can borrow it for your project, and it will remain part of the shared collection for future students.
Request Priorities
Because funding is limited, requests will be evaluated based on factors such as:
- Whether the equipment is needed for a UCI field course, research project, or educational experience.
- Whether the request removes a financial barrier to participation.
- Whether similar equipment is already available in the library.
- The potential for the equipment to benefit multiple students over time.
Submit a Request
Complete the request form below and provide a brief description of the equipment you need, how it will be used, and the course, research project, or field experience it will support. Please provide a link to purchase the item.
Requests will be reviewed on a rolling basis as funding is available.
Pick up your equipment at the designated location during the scheduled pickup time. Pickup times are on Mondays in Steinhaus Hall; email fieldgear@uci.edu to schedule an exact time and location to pick up your item. If Monday doesn’t work, please email fieldgear@uci.edu for alternative times.
Have field gear you’re no longer using? We welcome donations of clean, functional equipment that can support student participation in field experiences. Donations from faculty, graduate students, staff, alumni, and community members help expand the library and reduce barriers for future students.
Examples of useful donations include backpacks, hiking boots, rain gear, tents, sleeping bags, trekking poles, headlamps, field clothing, and other outdoor equipment.
Donations are an important part of the UCI Field Gear Library. By donating gently used outdoor and field equipment, you can help reduce financial barriers for students and expand access to field-based learning and research opportunities.
We welcome donations from faculty, graduate students, staff, alumni, and community members. Donated equipment should be clean, functional, and safe to use. Whenever possible, we will repair or refurbish donated items before adding them to the library.
Items We Commonly Accept
We are particularly interested in equipment such as:
- Hiking boots
- Backpacks and daypacks
- Rain jackets and rain pants
- Warm clothing and insulated layers
- Tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads
- Trekking poles
- Headlamps
- Camp stoves and cookware
- Water filters and water bottles
- Binoculars
- Waders and waterproof boots
- Other outdoor or field equipment in good working condition
If you are unsure whether an item is appropriate, please contact us before donating via the donation form, below.
How to Donate
- Complete the donation form below to tell us what you would like to donate.
- A Field Gear Library coordinator will contact you to arrange drop-off or pickup.
- We will inspect the equipment, clean or repair it if needed, and add it to the collection for student use.
Faculty are encouraged to include support for the Field Gear Library in grant proposals. Even modest allocations for shared field equipment can substantially expand the collection and improve equitable access to field experiences for UCI students.
The UCI Field Gear Library is sustained through donations, departmental support, and grant funding. Expanding the library allows more students to participate in field courses and research regardless of their financial circumstances.
Faculty are encouraged to include modest requests for shared field equipment in grant proposals. Even small allocations can have a lasting impact by creating a pool of equipment that supports many students over multiple years and across multiple projects.
Examples of equipment that grants can support include backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, rain gear, safety equipment, GPS units, binoculars, sampling gear, and other durable field equipment.
Boilerplate Language for Grant Proposals
Broadening Participation / Project Description
Field-based research often requires specialized outdoor equipment that can present a substantial financial barrier for students. To promote equitable participation in research and field experiences, this project will contribute durable field equipment to the UCI Field Gear Library, a shared lending program that provides students with access to essential outdoor and research equipment. Equipment purchased through this project will remain available to future students, extending the investment’s impact beyond the grant’s lifetime.
Budget Justification
Funds are requested for durable field equipment that will support student participation in project-related fieldwork. Equipment purchased through this award will be added to the UCI Field Gear Library, where it will be maintained as a shared resource for current and future students participating in research and field-based educational activities. This approach reduces financial barriers to participation while maximizing the equipment’s long-term value across multiple projects and student cohorts.
Facilities
The UCI Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology maintains a dedicated Field Gear Library in Steinhaus Hall. The library occupies an approximately 10 × 15 ft (150 ft²) room equipped with shelving for the organized storage of field and outdoor equipment. The space serves as the central location for inventory, storage, checkout, and return of shared equipment used by UCI students participating in field-based research and coursework. The dedicated storage space provides capacity to maintain existing equipment and incorporate additional durable field gear purchased through this project.