Answers, not marketing
Frequently asked questions
Booking & pickup
Reservations, payment and collecting your gear
Yes, and we would rather you did. Come in any time after 4pm the day before your first day and we will not charge you for that evening. Before 4pm counts as a rental day.
Your reservation confirmation, the socks you plan to ski in — this genuinely helps us fit the boot — a credit card for a security imprint, and photo ID that matches that card. Prepaid Visa, Mastercard, Discover or Amex gift cards will not work for the imprint.
No — make one reservation. The number of days each person is renting for can be changed when you pick up.
Ski, snowboard and bike reservations are paid in full when you book — that is what locks in the online discount. Plans change, flights get cancelled and roads close, so call us and we will sort it out. Vail Pass shuttle seats are paid in full too, and are fully refunded if you cancel at least 48 hours before departure; inside 48 hours, or a no-show, is non-refundable.
Equipment must be returned by 8pm regardless of the due date, and you will be refunded for any unused days.
As long as the equipment is out, you are charged for it. You can return it and be refunded for remaining days, then re-rent — but that means new paperwork and a re-fit. During peak season we honestly recommend just paying for the day. Pro tip: photograph the back of your boot and your ski to speed up the re-fit.
Gear & tuning
What we stock, what we tune, what we don't rent
Every ski and board is tuned each time it is returned, on a Montana Crystal Glide system — some of the best tuning equipment in the world — by technicians who have been doing it for years. Yours was done the night before you collected it.
Yes, but we are required to do a binding test on your skis first to confirm the bindings release properly. With a boot rental that test is half price — $10 rather than $20. Bindings more than six years old are usually no longer indemnified, in which case we cannot rent you boots.
We rent waterproof jackets and pants. We do not rent goggles, sunglasses, gloves, face shields or neck gaiters — those are for sale at fair prices all year round.
Snowshoes yes, first come first served with no reservation needed. No telemark or cross-country. Wilderness Sports in Dillon rents telemark; the Keystone Nordic Center rents cross-country and snowshoes.
You are responsible for your rental equipment, and lost or stolen gear is charged at a depreciated replacement value. Contact ski patrol or guest services at the resort first and ask for help finding it — most of these cases resolve themselves.
At the end of the season, yes. Around mid-April we sell off demo skis and boards — good deals on high-end used equipment. Call in April for what is available.
Bikes & the Vail Pass shuttle
Summer questions
It depends where you are going. Path bikes for the paved rec path and the Vail Pass shuttle, mountain bikes for singletrack, road or gravel for distance, e-bikes if you want to ride back up. Our bike rentals page explains each one — and we will help you choose at the counter before you commit.
No. Our bikes are not permitted in the Keystone downhill bike park and we no longer rent downhill bikes for use on Keystone Mountain. We recommend Norski Sports for park rentals — use code MVS20 for 20% off when you reserve online.
A light rain jacket and layers, a backpack, water, sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, phone and wallet. Water, sunglasses and sunscreen are essential even on a cloudy day. Locks are provided on request if you plan to stop. Check the forecast for zip 80435 before you come.
Yes, with two requirements: bring a helmet or rent one for $10, and get a mandatory $5 safety inspection. We check tyre pressure, brakes, bolts, bars, controls and seat before you load.
A minimum of 45 minutes before departure. You will test-ride bikes before leaving the store so everyone is comfortable, and we walk through the map, the pickup locations and the planned pickup times in detail. Shuttles depart daily at 9am and 11am.
Keystone & the area
Hours, altitude, lift tickets and getting around
Google always has our live hours. Broadly: winter, from after Thanksgiving, Sunday to Thursday 8am–7pm and Friday and Saturday 8am–8pm on night-ski days. From late March to closing day, 8am–5pm. Summer, Memorial Day through Labor Day, daily 9am–5pm. For spring and autumn shoulder seasons, please call — (970) 468-0396.
Keystone is at 9,400 feet with nearby roads approaching 12,000 — about 66% of the oxygen you get at sea level. Most visitors adjust in a couple of days; some take weeks. Stay hydrated and replace electrolytes, take your first day easy, and limit alcohol: one drink at 9,000 feet does roughly what two do at sea level.
Vail Resorts — Keystone, Breckenridge, A-Basin, Vail and Beaver Creek — offers the deepest discounts through snow.com, but they need to be bought well ahead of time. We do not sell lift tickets.
Yes, and both are free. Keystone Resort runs a shuttle through the valley and the countywide Summit Stage serves the whole county. Both stop in front of the plaza on Highway 6. Leave the car with us all day.
We hope so, but we are not forecasters. Summit Daily, snow.com and NOAA are what we check — our zip code is 80435.