re: Should I rent or buy equipment for my first backpacking/camping trip?

There are places to buy quality used. Look at whiteblaze.com. I bought a couple of ULA packs for about 30% saving. They were barely used.

Good down sleeping bag will cost you between $2-300. Tent and pack you can be under $200 each.

I use a $5 Imusa mug from Walmart as a cook pot. Either a handmade achohol stove or a $30 msr gas stove.