Did you know that in many parts of Sweden, people can borrow sports equipment ⚽🎿🏸 almost as easily as a book? Swedes called it ‘Fritidsbanken’.

Imagine: Fritidsbanken Växjö

I knew about the Fritidsbanken first time from the Student welcome fair at LNU campus, and was really surprised that I can borrow different kind of sport equipments totally free. Fritidsbanken is a library for sports and outdoor equipment. But instead of borrowing books, you can borrow things like ice skates, skis, outdoor items like tent, outdoor chair or even board games.

What kinds of equipments can you borrow?

The equipment available varies based on the location, it means, for example, the Fritidsbanken in Växjö may not have the same items as Fritidsbanken in Göteborg. You can always check what kind of equipment is available and all the related information about the items in Växjö Fritidsbanken website. Here’s a list of some items you may find in Fritidsbanken:

Ourdoor & indoor equipment: For people who love hiking you can find many ourdoor items there like tents, sleeping bagss or even gas stoves. Indoor equipment may include badminton raquets, basketballs or protective pads.

Seasonal sport equipment: In winter, there’re several items for winter sports such as skis, skis poles, ice skates, etc. While in the summer, common items are fishing rods, inline skates, and frisbees for frisbee golf (disc golf).

Board games: They have different kinds of board games like chess, card games and dominos. The items are not fixed since it depends on the donations from the public. So always check with the staff there!

Me with the ice skates from Fritidsbanken ^^

When, where and how to borrow the items?

Like borrowing books from library, all you need to do is fill out a small form and show your ID. Usually you can borrow equipment for up to 14 days, and you can even extend the loan if no one else has reserved it. Some big cities may have several Fritidsbanken places while it can be hard to find one in other smaller cities. In Växjö, you can find a Fritidsbanken at Ljungadalsgatan 2d, 352 46 Växjö.

I would say I’m a big fan of Fritidsbanken since I feel it gives me the chance to try out new fun activities without any cost, and at the same time it gives old equipment a second chance to be used. There are lots of stuff for young and old, associations and companies. If you’re interested in sports, nature or workout, then I believe you will find something useful at Fritidsbanken. It’s time to try something new! Have fun and enjoy!

/Trang