The relatively small rental apparel market seems poised for growth. Resorts in the Southeast, Midwest, and elsewhere that draw largely on warm-weather and/or urban populations have long recognized the value of offering clothing rentals, primarily for guests who don’t own winter outerwear. Now, resorts are discovering that more experienced visitors are happy to skip the hassle of packing and carrying apparel and simply rent at the resort. Many of these resorts partner with an outside vendor, and that vendor, more often than not, is Gore-Tex with its Outerwear On Demand program.

“Outerwear rentals is another means of letting first-time skiers and meeting attendees (as well as those who accidentally left their jacket at home) the opportunity to try the sport out a few times before committing to purchasing all the equipment required for our sport,” says Dave Fields, president of Snowbird, Utah, which recently began offering rental apparel through the On Demand program. 

The Outerwear Rental Market

So, how big is the outwear rental market? 

That’s hard to say. Snowsports Industries America’s (SIA) Consumer Panel of Winter Sports Enthusiasts found families planned to rent gear more frequently in winter 2024-25 versus the year prior, at 25 percent compared to 17 percent. 

“In general, the market demand is growing for a quality rental option,” says Leslie Thomas, merchandise manager for outdoor retailer Evo’s Canadian stores in Whistler, British Columbia. 

“As a resort destination, we have a lot of guests who either don’t want to pack heavy outerwear for their trip or they get to the resort and find the clothing they brought isn’t sufficient for the conditions,” she explains. The stores partnered with Gore-Tex to meet the demand.

Demand for On Demand. The Gore-Tex service has fueled market growth. The program started during Covid and has doubled during the last couple of years. There were 20 locations offering the program during the 2024-25 season, mostly at ski resort equipment rental areas but some in retail stores. 

Snowbird, Killington, Vt., and several Alterra mountains now offer the product, and Evo has it in some retail locations including Salt Lake City, Blackcomb/Whistler, and Snoqualmie Pass in Washington. In addition, New York City’s premier sporting goods store, Paragon, partnered with Gore-Tex last year. 

Snowbird offered the program only in its best-staffed, best-trained rental location for the first year, to learn to manage the service and in case any unforeseen complications arose, says Fields. But the resort plans to expand its footprint to include rental outerwear in more of its locations for this coming winter. 

Pacific Group Resorts, Inc., which offers rental apparel through Gore-Tex at its Vermont resort Jay Peak, also recently expanded the rental outerwear service to its Wisp Resort in Maryland and Wintergreen Resort in Virginia, which are closer to metropolitan Washington, D.C., and warmer climate areas.

Why? The next generation of snowsports customers is not skiing as many days and likes the convenience factor of renting, says PGRI chief marketing officer Christian Knapp.

The Convenience Factor

A Wachusett, Mass., mannequin wearing Gore-Tex invites customers to “rent me.”That’s what inspired the Gore-Tex program: “Convenience plays such a huge factor for guests that are traveling from other parts of the country, who are experienced skiers/riders and really appreciate the high-quality/performance of our gear,” says Dave Newey, market development for W.L. Gore & Associates, makers of Gore-Tex. “It just doesn’t make sense to own gear the rest of the year because they go on one big trip per year out west.” 

Snowbird’s Fields echoes that: “This (outerwear rental) offers the ability to travel light and still use the latest and greatest gear.”

Experience improvements. Having a high-performance jacket is just as important as skis and boots, says Newey. “It’s an extension of having the right gear. Your clothing really matters as it can really impact your day.”

“We were able to make the beginners’ experience better because they didn’t have to wear improper gear on a rainy day,” says Carolyn Stimpson, COO of Wachusett, a small but busy area close to Boston that gave the Gore-Tex program a try starting last December.

The program was a revenue source, she adds, noting that a discount coupon also helped to translate some rentals into outerwear sales. “For the first year, we did great,” says Stimpson, citing Wachusett’s proximity to a large customer base, including many who are just learning to ski as well as international visitors looking to get out on the slopes. 

Wachusett customers were able to reserve outerwear online along with other rentals like boots, skis, and snowboards as well as the Wach-U-Need Starter Pack, which includes “dress-for-success on the slopes” items such as handwarmers, socks, gloves, and goggles for $64.95 adults, $34.95 kids.

How On Demand Works

Gore-Tex On Demand is a revenue-share program with no upfront cost to the resorts. Rental teams work with Gore to determine the correct amount of inventory for each location. Gore provides the clothing, plus the physical and digital tools to promote the program—including merchandise racks, signage, and digital assets. Gore also takes care of cleaning, inspection, and repair by working with local services. 

The garments. The program offers different types of jackets, including a fully-insulated two-layer Gore-Tex jacket and a three-layer Gore-Tex Pro shell with some insulation in strategic spots. The recommended price for a jacket and a pant rental is $40-$45 each.

It’s fashionable, says Newey. He coaches ski racing at a local mountain in the Adirondacks and asserts that the premium pieces are so stylish anyone will be happy wearing them on the slopes.

And it’s durable. The garments have been purpose-built for rental and can withstand its rigors. “Even garments that have been in service look brand new,” he says.

Of course, it also gives snowsports users the opportunity to try out the latest Gore-Tex products with all the bells and whistles of a pro-level kit—and if they wish, renters can buy the gear, as with other gear demo programs.

Turnkey. “Gore conveniently places ID Tags and UPCs in low-key, but easy-to-reach locations so that scanning can be done while the guest is wearing the outerwear,” says Fields. Gore provided a fit assortment in sizes from XS to 3XL, and the resort received no fit complaints from guests. It also had no issues with damaged or unreturned gear. 

“This was a turnkey product for us in exchange for revenue sharing and usage data,” says Fields, who added that it was a very simple internal integration. “Honestly, the biggest lift for Snowbird came from our marketing team. Part of the agreement is also to create space for a light footprint of Gore-Tex marketing on our home site, social media, etc.”

The Southeastern Model

Gore-Tex isn’t the only game in town, of course. A handful of resorts have apparel rental programs that pre-date On Demand. North Carolina’s Cataloochee Ski Area is one; the area has been offering rental apparel for more than 20 years, and on a large scale. General manager Travis Worrell notes that rental apparel is one of the area’s top revenue sources, after tickets, F&B, and ski/snowboard rentals.

Cataloochee’s primary market is north Florida and metro Atlanta. “These folks typically don’t have winter clothing,” says Worrell, adding that customers usually drive to the resort, showing up in blue jeans and cotton. “Providing weather-resistant clothing is crucial to the guest experience.”

A mature business. Rental bibs and jackets can be reserved online and picked up in Cataloochee’s designated 1,200-square-foot rental apparel area. Each piece rents for $19, or $30 for a combo set. On busy days, guests typically rent more than 1,000 pairs of pants, Worrell says. Gloves and other accessories are sold near the rental area.

While Cataloochee has been stocking Boulder Gear apparel, employees recently tested Turbine jackets and pants, and the resort plans to switch to the brand. Worrell says it’s similar in price point and has a two-year payment term. Overall, Cataloochee keeps its rental garments in rotation for three years.

Shrinkage prevention. Worrell says the rental shop typically gets all the clothing back, but if renters neglect to return something, they can be tracked down: each garment has a barcode that integrates with Cataloochee’s e-commerce and rental management system, so the resort has all the customer information.

Other Approaches

Jackson Hole/Mammut partnership. At the high end of the resort spectrum, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyo., has a relatively small outerwear rental service stocked with Mammut apparel, to offer its guests a short-term clothing solution if needed. “Both Gore-Tex and Mammut are partners of JHMR, and Mammut offers a line that our retail locations carry for purchase,” says Justin Burkhart, director of retail, rental and repair. “Guests can demo an item before purchase to ensure the fit and design match their needs.”

The goal at Jackson Hole is to have a two-year useful life for its rental garments. “We evaluate each item based on visible wear throughout the winter season to ensure we offer our guests a quality solution,” says Burkhart.

Boyne Resorts and Helly Hansen. Some Boyne Resorts properties provide Helly Hansen apparel in their rental programs. This past season was the second for the respective programs at Sunday River, Maine, and Brighton, Utah. Each shop has 40 unisex jackets and pants available for rent. In Canada, Boyne’s Cypress Mountain outside Vancouver has had a successful apparel rental program for several years.

“We are committed to continuing the apparel program at all three resorts, and will add to rental shops at our other resorts,” says Keith Collins, senior vice president of retail/rental. “The only thing holding us back is the space it needs to be handled properly in the rental shop.” The garments get sprayed with a bleach-free disinfectant after each use, and are machine washed after 10-12 rentals.

Mt. Hood Meadows, Ore., also has a program with Helly Hansen, launched in 2023-24. The resort was in the rental apparel business pre-Covid as well, but the pandemic forced a hiatus. 

It is a small piece of the overall rental operation, says resort COO Jeremy Riss. “We primarily do it as a service for our guests,” and its largely utilized by first timers, he says. Rental items are washed in an on-site laundry facility that mainly services employee uniforms.

Sustainable Practice? 

One incidental benefit to apparel rental programs is sustainability: rentals reduce textile waste. In general, resorts say that occasional users who use rental garments instead of buying probably help reduce the amount of clothing that ends up in landfills. 

“Snowsports consumers are evolving and behaviors are changing,” says PGRI’s Knapp. “Ownership may be less important in the future, and programs like Outerwear On Demand offer convenience, quality, and less commitment, with higher utilization.”

Gore does not have a formal effort in place for reuse and waste reduction with the On Demand program, but it is working on it; the company is committed to sustainable practices, says Newey. 

While sustainability and profitability are good goals for any rental apparel service, the greatest reason for providing these outerwear programs is the opportunity to get folks on the hill who may not have gone otherwise. Considering the advantages of rental apparel, it’s easy to imagine this line of business growing in the coming years.