Renting Skis & Sleds in Switzerland

Renting winter sports equipment in Switzerland is quite easy. Every ski resort has ski rental shops, often adjacent to the ticket office, and more in the nearby villages.

Most ski resort websites will list the local rental services and may have an online reservation form. Or you can contact your hotel or local tourist office to get a recommendation.

Reserve in advance

We highly recommend reserving your equipment far in advance. Equipment does book out and if you want to rent last minute, you may find they don't have your size or are completely sold out of accessories like ski poles.

I would reserve as soon as the sports shop open at the beginning of the season, around early December.

If you are renting for the whole winter season, you should rent in October, when you can often get a discounted early bird price.

Pick up equipment the night before

Whether you have reserved equipment or not, make sure to pick up your equipment the afternoon/evening before you plan to ski. It can take some time to get the right fit and adjust the equipment to your body, up to an hour or more depending on the line. Weekend morning are the worst time to do this, as the lines are long and everyone is anxious to get on the slopes.

Better to visit the shop in the late afternoon when everyone has more time. Usually if you pick up equipment after around 13:00, you won't be charged an extra day.

Rental prices

For a day rental for skis, boots, and poles, expect to pay about CHF 20-25 for little kids, CHF 25-30 for juniors, and CHF 45 for adults. These can be higher at the on-site ski rental shop. The best prices are at the large sport shops like Migros SportXX, Intersport, Ochsner Sport, and Decathlon.

For adults, there are usually different categories of equipment, based on your ski level. If you are a beginner or casual skier, you will usually get the least expensive level.

You usually get a discount if you you rent the equipment for multiple days.

Why rent

If you are traveling to Switzerland to ski, you may prefer to rent equipment than bring your own if:

• the airline luggage fees are too high

• you don't want the hassle of carrying around bulky luggage

• you are only skiing a couple days

If you live in Switzerland, we suggest renting equipment for:

• beginners - your equipment needs will change as your skills improve

• children who will increase in size each season

For more info, see my full article about renting winter gear.

Renting Sleds

Switzerland has many epic sled runs, ranging from 2 to 12 km long. This is a fun winter sports alternative for those who do not ski.

For these long sled runs, you can always rent high-quality sleds on site, typically at the cable car station. Sometimes you can pay for the rental when you buy your cable car ticket. Other times, you pay in cash at the top of the sled run.

Usually you can't rent sleds in advance. On busy days, you may need to wait until someone gives up their sled. In this case, I suggest getting there early and holding tightly onto that sled.

Check the destination website for the sled rental terms.

Renting clothing

If you forgot your gloves or jacket, you can sometimes rent those also at the sport shops. They don't advertise it, but ask at the counter.

If you want to rent winter clothing for a ski holiday, you suggest Cirkel Supply Co, a Swiss company that which rents ski clothing for adults and children from premium brands like Patagonia, Picture and Namuk. On their website, select your rental period, hotel for delivery, and outfits (outerwear, midlayers & gloves) for the whole family.