The company’s plan to transform gear rentals across its resorts reflects a broader shift in travel and recreation, where personalization, digital booking, and convenience increasingly shape guest expectations.
Vail Resorts has announced plans to expand features from its My Epic Gear program into traditional ski and snowboard rentals across its network of mountain destinations. The initiative is part of a multi-year effort to reshape how visitors access equipment, emphasizing personalization, digital booking, and streamlined pickup experiences.
The company’s strategy reflects changing expectations among travelers who increasingly value convenience and flexibility when planning outdoor recreation. Ski resorts, once known for long rental lines and standardized equipment packages, are now exploring ways to make gear selection and pickup resemble the more tailored experiences common in online retail.
Under the new plan, visitors renting high-performance equipment will be able to choose specific ski or snowboard models online before arriving at the resort. Initially available across a dozen major destinations, the system allows guests to browse gear options digitally and select equipment designed for particular terrain, weather conditions, or personal preferences.
The program also introduces new technologies intended to improve comfort and usability for renters. Features such as advanced ski boot adjustment systems and step-in snowboard bindings are expected to become more widely available as the program expands.
Vail Resorts says the changes are informed by feedback from its earlier My Epic Gear membership program, which was launched as an alternative to traditional rentals. That initiative offered a curated gear experience for frequent skiers, and the company now plans to apply some of those ideas to everyday rental services without requiring a membership fee.
Over time, the company envisions a system in which returning guests can save their equipment preferences in digital profiles. This information would allow rental shops to prepare gear in advance, reducing the need for repeated fittings and potentially shortening wait times during busy periods.
The broader goal is to modernize a part of the ski industry that has changed little for decades. While resorts have invested heavily in lifts, snowmaking, and hospitality amenities, equipment rentals have often remained a time-consuming step at the start of a ski day.
By integrating online selection, delivery options, and personalized recommendations, Vail Resorts is betting that rental experiences can become smoother and more predictable. For visitors, particularly those who ski only occasionally, the effort could make trying the sport less complicated and more accessible.
