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A day of skis, boots and poles from Charter Sports costs $50 for the basic Sport package, $89 for Performance and $99 for Demo skis at its Lionshead shops. Reserve online at least 24 hours ahead and those rates fall by up to 20 percent in Lionshead and up to 30 percent at the West Vail shops. Helmets cost extra, and the final bill adds tax, a 4 percent rental facility fee and a $5-a-day damage waiver.
Daily rates at Charter Sports
Charter Sports publishes its full rate card online, with two sets of prices: one for its Lionshead shops (Lion Square Lodge and Lion Square Lodge North) and one for its West Vail shops (inside Highline Vail and Marriott StreamSide). Package rates cover skis, boots and poles; the online rate applies to reservations made at least 24 hours before pickup.
| Package, per day | Lionshead walk-in | Lionshead online | West Vail walk-in | West Vail online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sport ski | $50 | $40 | $69 | $48.30 |
| Performance ski | $89 | $71.20 | $79 | $55.30 |
| Demo ski | $99 | $79.20 | $89 | $62.30 |
| Junior ski | $55 | $44 | $50 | $35 |
| Junior demo ski | $65 | $52 | $60 | $42 |
| Performance snowboard | $89 | $71.20 | $79 | $55.30 |
| Demo snowboard | $99 | $79.20 | $89 | $62.30 |
| Junior snowboard | $55 | $44 | $50 | $35 |
| Helmet | $18 | $14.40 | $18 | $12.60 |
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The two shop groups price the tiers differently. West Vail is cheaper for Performance, Demo and junior gear, but its Sport ski package costs $19 more a day than Lionshead's at walk-in rates. Skis-only rates for skiers who bring their own boots run $4 or $5 a day below the package price. At the daily rates above, five days of a Performance ski package in Lionshead come to $445 walk-in or $356 booked online; the same package in West Vail is $395 walk-in or $276.50 online. Both figures are before helmet, tax and fees. Current rates are on Charter Sports' Vail rental page.
Sport, Performance or Demo
Rental shops sort skis into three tiers, and the label matters less than what the tier is built for. Epic Mountain Rentals, the operation behind Vail's rental delivery page, describes them this way:
| Tier | Built for |
|---|---|
| Sport | Forgiving, flexible skis for people who are just beginning and building confidence |
| Performance | More stability for intermediate skiers who want to carve smoother turns |
| Demo | The latest premium models. New for winter 2026/27, a "Pick Your Own Gear" option lets you choose an exact demo model with upgraded boots at select locations |
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Charter Sports draws the same lines and aims its demo skis at intermediate to advanced skiers, with current models from brands such as Atomic, Blizzard, Head, K2, Nordica and Rossignol. A $99 day of demo skis against a $50 day of Sport skis is a $49 gap per skier per day at Lionshead walk-in rates, which is worth paying only if you ski hard enough to feel the difference.
Children's gear is priced separately. Charter Sports has junior ski and snowboard packages, and its junior demo skis are pitched at advanced skiers aged 12 and under. Christy Sports runs Kids Rent Free: a child 12 or younger gets a Kids Sport ski or snowboard package at no charge with an adult (18 or older) ski or snowboard package rented for four or more consecutive days. Blackout dates apply, the offer does not extend to group pricing, and upgrades are charged at the price difference.
Ways to pay less
- Book online, at least 24 hours ahead. An online reservation is what earns Charter's savings; walk-ins pay the walk-in rate, and neither rate card offers walk-in discounts. Christy Sports also takes 20 percent off an adult rental package reserved at least 24 hours ahead.
- Use the Epic Pass. Holders of a 2026/27 Epic Pass get 20 percent off ski, snowboard and bike rentals at Epic Mountain Rentals through Epic Mountain Rewards, plus up to 20 percent more for booking online in advance. Epic Mountain Rentals will soon become My Epic Gear.
- Step down a tier. Choosing Sport over Performance saves $39 a day at Lionshead walk-in rates, and Performance over Demo saves $10.
- Bring your boots. Charter adjusts rental skis to your own boots if they meet industry standards, and skis-only rates are $4 or $5 a day lower.
- Rent where you sleep. Guests at Highline Vail or Marriott StreamSide can rent in the building, and Lion Square Lodge sits beside the Eagle Bahn Gondola.
Delivery in Vail
Delivery in Vail is free at the shops that offer it, so it is a convenience rather than a premium. Epic Mountain Rentals advertises complimentary delivery to your hotel, vacation rental or condo at select locations, with a custom fitting at your door, and Vail's rental delivery page books it in half-hour windows from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Black Tie Ski Rentals delivers free in the Vail Valley, with custom fittings based on your package, ability and snow conditions. Ski Butlers delivers in Vail and Beaver Creek, with a full fitting or a quick drop-off.
Black Tie Ski Rentals’ delivered packages are also on Viator, for performance skis, performance snowboards and premium snowboards.
Christy Sports is the exception. Its rental delivery runs in Steamboat, Telluride and Park City/Deer Valley; in Vail, gear is picked up at its Bridge Street store in Vail Village or its Lionshead store.
Terms that change what you pay
- Charter charges for every day you reserve, including days you do not ski.
- Cancel at least 24 hours before pickup; a later cancellation can cost one day's rental of everything reserved. Lionshead and West Vail bookings also take a 20 percent deposit at reservation, refundable within 24 hours of booking and applied to the total at pickup.
- You can collect gear the afternoon before your first ski day, between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., and the shop holds a reservation for 24 hours if you are delayed.
- Exchanges are allowed at any Charter shop, including a switch from skis to a snowboard; moving to a different package can bring a price adjustment.
- Winter hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Goggles are not available to rent.
- Reservations are optional but recommended on holidays and other busy weeks.
For shop-by-shop picks, see the best ski rentals in Vail.
Renting or buying
Christy Sports offers two options between a daily rental and a purchase. Season rentals are priced by location, and Try Before You Buy at its Vail Village and Lionshead stores costs $100 a day for a pair of skis from the shop's retail range; up to two days of that fee count toward new skis. Those skis are first come, first served and cannot be reserved. For a few days a year, a daily rental is simpler; skiers who log many days will want a season-rental quote next to the daily total.
If you end up liking a demo pair, Head is one of the brands in Charter's demo fleet, and you can browse the full line before you buy. See HEAD skis and helmets.
The Vail ski rentals hub lists the shops by area, including Charter Sports, Christy Sports and Black Tie. For the rest of a ski day's cost, see how much lift tickets at Vail cost and what a ski trip to Vail costs overall.
