Create Gear and Manage Inventory
Quick path: Resources → Gears → + Create gear type → Fill details → Add units → Save
What this helps you do
Section titled “What this helps you do”Gear in Bloowatch represents the sports equipment you rent out to customers — surfboards, wetsuits, kayaks, dive tanks, ski sets, etc. Each gear type groups individual units (the actual physical items) that can be booked on the Rental Agenda.
Setting up your gear inventory lets you:
- Track which units are available, rented, or under maintenance
- Record serial numbers, purchase dates, and condition for each unit
- Schedule check dates to stay on top of equipment maintenance
- Link gear to rental products so customers can book equipment
Before you start
Section titled “Before you start”- You know the equipment types you want to create (e.g., Surfboard, Wetsuit)
- You have details for each unit — serial number, purchase date, condition
- You know which category to assign each gear type to (optional)
1. Go to Resources > Gears
Section titled “1. Go to Resources > Gears”Click Resources in the left sidebar, then click the Gears tab. The gear list shows all your equipment types.
2. Click ”+ Create new gear”
Section titled “2. Click ”+ Create new gear””Click the + Create new gear button. The gear creation form opens.
3. Fill in the gear type details
Section titled “3. Fill in the gear type details”| Field | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name * | e.g. “Surfboard” | Required. The equipment type name shown across the app. |
| Description | e.g. “Foam surfboard” | Optional. Internal description for staff reference. |
| Category | Select from dropdown | Optional. Groups gear for easier filtering and organization. |
Tip: Use clear, specific names. Instead of just “Board”, use “Surfboard” or “Bodyboard” — your staff will thank you when the rental desk gets busy.
4. Save the gear type
Section titled “4. Save the gear type”Click Save. The gear type is created and you’re taken to its detail page where you can add units.
5. Add units to the gear type
Section titled “5. Add units to the gear type”Each unit represents a physical item — an individual surfboard, wetsuit, or kayak with its own identity and availability.
Click + Add unit to create a new unit. Fill in the unit details:
| Field | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name * | e.g. “Surfboard #01” | Required. Identifies this specific unit. |
| Serial number | e.g. “SB-2025-001” | Optional. Manufacturer serial or internal code. |
| Purchase date | e.g. 2025-06-15 | Optional. When the unit was acquired. |
| Condition | e.g. “New” / “Good” | Optional. Current state of the equipment. |
| Pax capacity | e.g. 1 | Optional. How many people can use this unit at once. |
| Last check date | e.g. 2026-03-01 | Optional. When the unit was last inspected. |
| Next check date | e.g. 2026-06-01 | Optional. When the next inspection is due. |
Watch out: Each unit is independently bookable on the Rental Agenda. If you have 10 surfboards, you need to create 10 units — one per physical board.
6. Repeat for all units
Section titled “6. Repeat for all units”Add as many units as you need. Each unit appears in the gear detail list with its name, serial number, and status.
7. Mark a unit as unavailable for maintenance
Section titled “7. Mark a unit as unavailable for maintenance”When a unit needs repair or inspection, you can mark it as unavailable so it won’t be booked:
- Go to Planning in the left sidebar and open the Rental Agenda
- Find the unit in the agenda
- Click on the unit and select Mark as unavailable or create a Gear Unavailability block
- Set the start and end dates for the unavailability period
Tip: Use the Next check date field on each unit as a reminder. When the date approaches, inspect the unit and update the Last check date after completing the check.
What should happen next
Section titled “What should happen next”- Your gear type appears in the Gears list under Resources
- Each unit shows up on the Rental Agenda (Planning > Rental Agenda)
- Units are available for rental bookings through the POS and online widget
- Unavailable units are blocked from being booked during their maintenance period
Common mistakes
Section titled “Common mistakes”| Mistake | Why it happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| ”Gear doesn’t appear on the Rental Agenda” | No units were added to the gear type | Open the gear type and add at least one unit |
| ”Customer booked a unit under maintenance” | Unit wasn’t marked as unavailable | Create a Gear Unavailability block on the Rental Agenda for the affected dates |
| ”Can’t tell units apart” | All units have generic names like “Unit 1” | Rename units with meaningful identifiers (serial numbers, colors, sizes) |
| “Forgot to schedule equipment inspection” | Next check date wasn’t set | Edit the unit and fill in the Next check date field |
If it still doesn’t work
Section titled “If it still doesn’t work”- Verify the gear type exists in Resources > Gears
- Check that units have been added to the gear type
- Make sure your plan includes the Rental App feature (PRO or GOLD)
- Contact Bloowatch Support via the chat widget
