Is It Better to Rent Gear in Puerto Natales or Inside Torres del Paine?
By Claudia Squadrito, trekking guide and former park ranger in Chile’s Magallanes Region. Updated September 2026.
Quick answer: Sleeping gear (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat) works well either in Puerto Natales or inside Torres del Paine. Personal hiking equipment such as trekking poles, microspikes, gaiters and backpacks should be sorted in Puerto Natales, where you can still check the size and the fit.
Puerto Natales or inside Torres del Paine?
This is one of the questions I hear most often before the W Trek, and the answer is not that one place is better than the other. It depends on how much weight you want to carry, how much you want to spend and, above all, how you want to experience the trek.
Arriving after a long hiking day and finding your tent already set up is very different from unpacking and pitching it yourself. Using your own equipment for the whole circuit is also very different from sleeping in a different tent and sleeping bag every night. Both options work. You only need to decide which one makes sense for you.
| Rent in Puerto Natales | Equipped campsite in the park | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight on your back | You carry tent, bag and mat | Lighter backpack |
| Same gear all week | Yes, the same set every night | A different tent at each campsite |
| Planning | Pick up in town before you leave | Book ahead and check what each night includes |
| Control over the gear | You see and test it first | You take what is waiting for you |
| Poles, microspikes, packs | Sorted here, fitted to you | Not reliably available inside the park |
Renting your gear in Puerto Natales
Many travellers collect their tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat in town before starting the trek. That gives them time to check the equipment, learn how to set up the tent, and use the same gear along the whole route. It is also a good option if you want more control over your budget, or if you plan to keep camping elsewhere in Patagonia afterwards.
The trade-off is obvious: you carry everything. A tent, sleeping bag and mat take up space and add weight, and every morning you pack your camp again. For many people that is part of the experience. But I have also seen hikers start the W Trek with an enormous backpack and realise on the first day how much every extra kilogram counts.
Booking an equipped campsite inside the park
The other option is to reserve a campsite that already includes a tent set up and, depending on the booking, a sleeping bag and mat. You hike with a lighter backpack, arrive, leave your things, and your sleeping space is ready. After a long day on the trail that can feel like a real luxury, especially if you have little experience pitching tents.
It does require more planning. You book in advance and check carefully what is included each night, because not every campsite offers the same. You also have less control over the model and condition of the gear waiting for you, which for most people is not a problem, but it can matter if you are particular about your equipment.
Sleeping gear is one thing, hiking gear is another
This is where travellers get confused. You can have every night of the W Trek perfectly organised and still need trekking poles, a backpack, waterproof trousers, gaiters or microspikes. That kind of equipment is better arranged in Puerto Natales.
Inside the park you cannot simply walk to another shop. The sectors are far apart, services are limited, and you may not get a second chance to find the right size. Poles are adjusted to your height, microspikes have to fit securely over your boots, and a backpack should feel comfortable before you start walking. I would much rather someone discovers that something does not fit here in town than at the start of a trail.
So which option is better?
If you want to hike with less weight, have little experience with camping equipment, or simply want to arrive and rest, an equipped campsite inside Torres del Paine is a good choice. If you prefer independence, the same equipment all week and more control over your budget, renting in Puerto Natales makes more sense. There is no single answer for everyone.
For tents, sleeping bags and mats, both options work well. For trekking poles, microspikes and anything that needs to fit you, arrange it before entering the park. At Natales Outdoor we help you check, test and rent hiking gear in Puerto Natales, so you leave prepared. Inside the park the hiking begins. Puerto Natales is where you still have time to get ready.