A paranormal investigator needs a healthy dose of curiosity to stay immersed in their work. And securing simpler, more accessible equipment is something every investigator craves. That’s exactly what seasoned researcher turned entrepreneur Pete Renn had in mind when he set out to take his Ghost Gear store to the next level.
Five years ago, the transplanted Londoner and Kamloops, B.C., resident launched an online shop on Etsy, selling motion-triggered wires, yes/no boxes, and LED-triggered objects like stuffed toys. With nearly 30 years of experience in the field, Renn’s curiosity led him to take apart REM-pods and K-II meters to understand how they worked.
“I started building stuff for our team, taking things apart, and thinking about electronic sensors,” he said. “I flooded myself with YouTube tutorials, learning how the devices work.”
Rather than focusing solely on ghost-hunting gadgets, he honed in on how the sensors operated. One of his first clients was a fellow investigator in Ontario. He built her a REM-pod — a small device that generates an electromagnetic field and alerts investigators to changes within it — and sent it over.
“I told her, ‘Just cover the cost of materials and throw in 40 bucks for my time,’” Renn recalled. “And she said, ‘Really? If you sold that in a store, you could get three times that amount.’”
Renn made a trigger object for investigators by
placing sensors in a stuffed bear.
That realization pushed the 46-year-old plumber by trade to set up an Etsy page. By January 2024, his customer base was steadily growing.
“I built my business around the idea that I don’t want to get rich off this,” the Canadian Paranormal Society co-founder said. “I just want to make the field more affordable because ghost-hunting equipment is ridiculously expensive.”
For example, REM-pods typically start at around $200, while K-II EMF meters can cost upwards of $160. Stuffed animal trigger objects can run about $150. But for Renn, he said the materials for a trigger object cost around $20, and he can assemble one in about an hour.
“It’s phenomenal. It’s taken off,” he said, adding that his business has grown to the point where the passive income helps cover some of his bills.
As a veteran investigator, Renn finds that many devices used in the field have too large a margin for error. Through reverse engineering and online research, he’s been able to build more reliable alternatives.
“I have a hard time with EMF detectors and other tools you can’t validate,” he admitted. “During an investigation, if your K-II meter starts flashing, you don’t know if it’s your phone or something external causing it.”
His approach is about keeping things simple and returning to the basics of paranormal investigation, without unnecessary gadgets.
“The field has too much technology now, and it just creates confusion. We lose sight of our own abilities,” he said during a late-March Zoom conversation. “Not saying we’re all psychic or anything, but we should be relying on our senses — listening, watching. We’re not scientists. We’re not splitting the atom. What we do is common sense.”
In mid-March, Renn officially launched his new Ghost Gear online store. While it features ghost beacons, ghost bells, and other investigative tools, he’s also tapping into his love of horror movies, offering decorative Halloween-themed tchotchkes to complement the practical gear.