Does anyone know of a camping gear rental store? We need sleeping bags for use during 6 weeks in the countryside and haven't been successful finding someone to borrow from.

6 weeks? Unlikely someone would loan a bag for this long and if they did it would likely cost as much as a new one (as they would probably replace it). Recommend buying one if sleeping in it for longer than a week or two.

Do you really need one though? Even in the country side they have guest houses in China, if you are worried about cleanliness, buy a silk sleeping bag liner and sleep in that with the duvet covering you. Unless you are camping you probably won't need a bag...

It won't be used every night, but sometimes we'll be staying with families who might not have extra bedding.

And I suspect it will be hard to find someone renting them here - wouldn't be considered hygienic most likely. I once found a store renting walking/ice axes/crampons/packs but they didn't rent bags or clothes (except for a couple of big jacets). But that place was eaten by the subway construction...

cheap one in metro and carrefout. about 100rmb gets one suitable for sleeping indoors.

I vaguely recall some hiking stores advertising rentals of this stuff (to include sleeping bags). I was thinking eeeeyewww and quickly tried to forget that ad.

They rent tents, BBQ/cooking equipment, etc - so give them a whirl.

An alternative (since sleeping on the floor is harsh) is springing for a foldable chair/cot with a large plush throw blanket (and maybe a sheet).

Try the camping/hiking equipment & clothing store inside wenhua xiang (aka Salvador's Street)...and go from there (ask for possible referrals, in case you get rejected).

Don't forget a facial/head net - mosquitoes make for a seriously bad nite's sleep.

Buying new cheap sleeping bags would be cleaner. One place that has several camping equiment shops to choose from is the Yuanbo Bird and Flower Market in the North.

Suggest you just buy one, shouldn't cost much unless you need something for really serious weather, in which case you'd be better off buying one anyway, as you can freeze to death up there & you don't want to gamble on the effects of somebody else's chicken-soup spill on the thermal quality of the thing.

My gf and I recently bought some on TaoBao. They were cheaper than I expected.