Urgent Notices View
Niagara Falls Public Library

Outdoor Equipment

The library now has a collection of outdoor equipment for customers to borrow. Currently, the items available are binoculars, hiking poles, crampons, and snowshoes.

Each of these items can be checked out for one week with up to two additional one week renewals (barring other holds).

The equipment cannot be returned through our drop boxes - it must be returned at the front desk of one of our locations during opening hours. Additionally, we request that you clean or wipe down the equipment before returning it if it’s dirty or wet. That helps our staff out a lot!

Binoculars

These high-definition binoculars are perfect for bird watching, stargazing, hiking, and so much more.

You can either borrow just the binoculars, which come with a handy carrying bag so that you can take them with you wherever you’re going, or you can borrow the binocular kit.

The kit comes with binoculars, a carrying bag, as well as a tripod and a smartphone attachment. These two additions allow you to take photographs with your phone while using the binoculars to zoom in on what you want the image to be.

Hiking Poles

All of the hiking poles are one size fits most. They are adjustable and can range in height from 24.5" (62cm) to 54" (137cm).

Each set comes with a carrying bag for easy transportation and 3 tip options. No tip is recommended for gravel and paved paths. The mud basket tips are recommended for muddy terrain and help prevent splash-up. The rubber tips are recommended for sand or dirt paths. Finally, the snow basket tips are recommended for snowy conditions.

Crampons

The crampons are all made of silicon (to fit over your boot or shoe) and stainless steel (to provide traction on ice or snow). Each set comes in a little tote for easy transportation.

They are available in 3 different sizes: medium, large, and extra-large. The medium fits Women’s US shoe sizes 5.5-8 and Men’s US shoe sizes 5-6.5. The large fits Women’s sizes 8.5-11 and Men’s sizes 7-9.5. The extra-large fits Women’s sizes 11.5-14 and Men’s sizes 10-12.5.

Because the crampons fit over your shoes or boots, we recommend slipping them on before checking them out if you’re unsure about sizing.

Snowshoes

The snowshoes are appropriate for most types of shoes and boots. They have two adjustable straps that go over your boots and then one adjustable strap in behind to keep your heel in place.

They are available in three sizes. Unlike most footwear, snowshoe size is determined by weight and not foot size.

The 14" snowshoes with green clips are suitable for children who weigh between 30-80lbs (14-36kg). These snowshoes also come with hiking poles to help with stability.

The 21" snowshoes with blue clips are suitable for teens and adults who weigh between 80-160lbs (36-72kg).

The 27" snowshoes with orange clips are suitable for teens and adults who weigh between 160-235lbs (72-106kg).

If you’re unsure how to put on the snowshoes, here’s a helpful YouTube video: