Vail has two bases, and the ski shops cluster around both. In Vail Village they sit near Gondola One and the Golden Peak base, along Bridge Street, Gore Creek Drive, Wall Street and East Meadow Drive. In Lionshead they line Lionshead Circle and the Arrabelle building by the Eagle Bahn Gondola. You can rent skis, buy a jacket and drop off a tune in either village without getting back in the car. This guide sorts the shops by what you need: a rental, a demo, a boot fit, a tune or a purchase.
When the Season Starts
Vail Resorts has announced Nov. 13, 2026 as Vail Mountain's opening date for the 2026–27 season, and says its dates are subject to weather and snow conditions. Off-season hours vary from shop to shop, so call before you walk over in early November, and book gear for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Presidents' Day weeks well ahead.
Renting in Vail Village and Lionshead
Vail Sports, the Resort's Own Shops
Vail Resorts runs Vail Sports, with nine locations across both villages and the mountain. The primary store is Vail Sports Vail 21 (492 E Lionshead Cir, Ste 101), in Lionshead. It is open year-round. Vail Sports Arrabelle (675 Lionshead Pl, Bldg D, Level 1) in Lionshead, and Vail Sports Mountain Plaza (151 Vail Ln) and Vail Sports Golden Peak (458 Vail Valley Dr) are in Vail Village. Vail Sports (One Vail Place) (244 Wall St) is in the middle of Vail Village. There are also shops at the Ritz-Carlton and The Hythe in Lionshead, and two on the mountain at Mid-Vail and Eagle's Nest.
The resort's advice is to book online for the best price. Epic Pass holders get an extra 20% off ski and snowboard rentals through Epic Mountain Rewards. You can pick gear up near where you stay, or have it delivered. Breeze Ski Rentals (492 E Lionshead Cir, Ste 101) is a second rental brand that shares the Vail 21 suite.
Independent Shops in Vail Village
Pepi Sports (231 E Gore Creek Dr) opened in 1968. Pepi and Sheika Gramshammer founded it, and it sits next to the hotel lobby of their Gasthof Gramshammer. It rents skis, snowboards and touring gear on the lower level. The newly renovated store has three floors, and in ski season it is open daily from 8am to 8pm. Pepi Sports suggests reserving rentals in advance.
Gorsuch Ski Cafe and Ski Shop (254 Bridge St) is a café, ski shop and rental counter in one, near Gondola One and the lift ticket offices. It rents and demos skis, and sells skiwear and ski accessories. It is open 8am to 6pm. 8150 Ski Shop (292 E Meadow Dr) is a small family-run shop in Vail's Mountain Haus. It rents skis, boots, poles, helmets and demo skis, takes online reservations, has ski lockers, and is open seven days a week in ski season.
At the Four Seasons, Venture Sports (Four Seasons Resort Vail) (1 Vail Rd) runs the rentals on the main floor of The Chalet, the hotel's ski concierge. Its rental skis come from Rossignol, Kästle, Head, Völkl, Elan, Nordica and Blizzard, along with Never Summer snowboards and eight women's-specific ski models. The store is open 8am to 6pm, and The Chalet stays closed from Labor Day to Nov. 13. The hotel is in our guide to hotels near the shops.
Independent Shops in Lionshead
Christy Sports Lionshead (520 E Lionshead Cir) is the chain's rental and retail shop near the Eagle Bahn Gondola, open 10am to 5pm daily. It also offers tuning and custom boot fitting. Vail Bike & Ski Tech (555 E Lionshead Cir, Ste 2) rents skis and snowboards and also rents ski clothing, which Discover Vail calls a rarity in Vail. That makes it the easy answer if someone in your group arrives without ski pants.
If you'd rather not visit a shop, Discover Vail lists Black Tie Ski Rentals and Ski Butlers as delivery services. They bring gear to where you're staying.
Demos, Boot Fitting and Tunes
Demo Before You Buy
A demo rental puts current, higher-end skis on your feet, and it is the best way to choose a ski before you buy one. Gorsuch Ski Cafe and 8150 Ski Shop both rent demo skis. Snowboarders should go to Burton (675 Lionshead Pl, Bldg C, Level 2, Unit P212a) in the Arrabelle. It has a high-performance demo center, rents boards and boots, and sells snowboards, boots and bindings. Before you commit to a pair, ask whether any demo fees count toward the purchase.
Boot Fitting
If you buy one thing, make it boots: fit matters more than anything else you wear on the hill. Pepi Sports does custom boot fitting in its full-service ski shop on the lower level, and Christy Sports and the Gorsuch Ski Cafe also list boot fitting. Bring the socks you ski in and any footbeds you already own, and tell the fitter where your current boots hurt. Book the first morning of your trip so you have time to come back for adjustments after a day on the hill.
Tunes and Waxing
Venture Sports at the Four Seasons waxes and tunes skis and snowboards daily. 8150 Ski Shop sharpens and waxes, Christy Sports tunes and repairs skis and snowboards, and Gorsuch lists overnight tuning at its ski café. Drop skis off in the morning and ask when they'll be ready, especially over holiday weeks.
Buying Skis, Boards and Ski Wear
Ski Wear in Vail Village
Pepi Sports sells men's and women's sportswear, ski accessories and gifts, with a ladies' boutique on the second floor. Farther along Gore Creek Drive, Gorsuch (Vail Village flagship) (263 Gore Creek Dr) carries premium ski wear, après-ski clothes, European home goods and accessories. The North Face (141 E Meadow Dr) is in the Solaris building on East Meadow Drive. Patagonia Vail Village (286 Bridge St) sells technical and lifestyle clothing for men, women and kids at the corner of Bridge Street and Gore Creek Drive. For a sheepskin or leather coat and winter boots, Overland (1 Willow Bridge Rd, Ste CS3) is in Solaris Plaza.
The Arrabelle Brand Row in Lionshead
The Arrabelle building at 675 Lionshead Place has the brand stores in one block. Patagonia Lionshead (675 Lionshead Pl, Bldg D) is on the corner, near Helly Hansen (675 Lionshead Pl, Bldg D, Level 1, Unit P224), Rossignol (675 Lionshead Pl, Bldg D, Level 1, Unit 161) and Oakley (675 Lionshead Pl, Unit 212B) for sunglasses and gear. Burton is on Level 2 of Building C. On Lionshead Circle, Outdoor Divas (520 E Lionshead Cir) focuses on women's winter apparel and gear.
Kids' Gear
KidSport (122 E Meadow Dr) has been open since 1978 and outfits children with ski boots, helmets and snow pants. At the Golden Peak base, Vail Sports Kids (498 Vail Valley Dr) stocks mittens, helmets, jackets, pants and boots from toddler to teen sizes, and rents skis and snowboards.
Buying vs Renting in Vail
For a trip of a few days, renting is simpler than flying with skis, and shops at both bases mean your gear can wait near the lift. If you ski a week or more every season, price a premium or demo package for the whole trip before deciding. Demo the skis you're considering, then buy the pair you liked, ideally from the shop you demoed with. Buy boots first and have them fitted. Good boots in rental skis ski better than the reverse.
Off-season and early-season visits are the time to shop for clothing, before the holiday crowds. Our Vail Village luxury guide covers the designer and cashmere stores. When the lifts close, Pepi's Restaurant & Bar is in the same building as Pepi Sports. In Lionshead, Vail Chophouse is in the Arrabelle.