Forrest Shinners is the founder and CEO of Kit Lender, a rental outfit based in Stowe, Vermont. He launched the operation after wrestling with the logistics of hauling skis, boots, poles and outerwear for family trips. Kit Lender lets travelers reserve gear for pickup or delivery, dodging airline baggage fees and the grind of transporting bulky items. The venture sits in a recreation rental market crowded with local shops and national online rivals.
Shinners built the service around a single, sharp frustration. On a family ski trip, managing everyone's kit across flights and rental cars felt harder than the skiing itself. That moment pushed him to make renting alpine supplies as simple as booking a hotel room. Stowe, a town defined by its resort and mountain culture, became the launchpad.
As of mid-2025, Shinners is still CEO. Kit Lender's founding date, revenue, valuation and headcount aren't publicly pinned down. One fact stands clear: Shinners spotted a logistics gap in alpine travel and constructed a company to close it.
Who Forrest Shinners Is and What He Did Before Kit Lender
Forrest Shinners' professional background before Kit Lender isn't fully detailed in public sources. He had operational experience and a deep personal appetite for mountain sports. He lived in or spent long stretches in Stowe, a hub for skiing, hiking and mountain biking.
His decision to start a rental business came from lived friction, not a market-research deck. He understood the pain points of alpine travel because he'd felt them himself. That pattern repeats across the outdoor industry: founders building solutions to problems they encountered as participants.
Shinners has described his CEO role as hands-on. In the early years he handled customer service, logistics and partnership development personally. He assembled the initial inventory and built the workflows that let Kit Lender serve travelers who fly into ski towns and need gear waiting on arrival.
The Founding Story of Kit Lender: When, Where, and Why
A family trip turns into a logistics headache
Kit Lender was born in Stowe, Vermont. The origin traces to Shinners' own family ski trip. Packing, transporting and managing gear for multiple people turned a vacation into a logistics drill. The rental options at the time meant visiting a shop during business hours, standing in line and hoping the right sizes were in stock.
Delivery, not a shop visit
Shinners saw a chance to offer something better. Instead of steering customers to a rental counter, Kit Lender would deliver gear to their lodging or stage it for pickup at a convenient spot. The model echoed what Rent the Runway had done for clothing, applied now to alpine equipment.
The exact founding year isn't established in available records. The company started small. Shinners likely managed inventory from a tight space and built the customer base one trip at a time. Stowe provided a natural test market, drawing a steady stream of skiers and snowboarders through the winter months.
How Kit Lender's Rental Model Operates and What It Offers
Ski and snowboard kit, reserved online
Kit Lender rents alpine gear and apparel. The core offering has been ski and snowboard equipment: skis, snowboards, boots, poles, helmets and outerwear. Customers reserve online before their trip and choose delivery or pickup.
The model eliminates the need to bring your own equipment. For families, that can mean avoiding checked-baggage fees for multiple sets of skis and boots. For casual skiers, it removes the upfront cost of buying gear used only once or twice a year.
Owned inventory, maintained between rentals
Kit Lender's stock is serviced between rentals. The company handles fitting, tuning and maintenance so customers receive gear ready to use. This operational layer is where the business separates from a simple marketplace. Kit Lender owns the equipment and manages the logistics of getting it to customers.
Company Growth, Funding, and Scale to Date
No public numbers, but a persistent operation
The scale of Kit Lender's growth isn't documented in public figures. Whether the company has raised venture capital, what its revenue is, or how many people it employs isn't established. It operates in an alpine gear rental market that spans local shops and larger online platforms.
Still, Kit Lender has persisted in a competitive field. The space includes outfits like Ski Butlers, which delivers equipment to lodging, and traditional resort rental shops. Online platforms have also emerged, letting customers reserve gear from multiple providers.
Service as the differentiator
Shinners has positioned Kit Lender as a service-oriented alternative. The focus on customer experience and logistics has been its differentiator. Without disclosed funding or revenue numbers, the best measure of progress is continued operation and a customer base large enough to sustain the business.
Shinners' Role and Leadership Approach as CEO
Hands-on from day one
Forrest Shinners leads Kit Lender as CEO. His leadership approach has been shaped by the hands-on nature of building a logistics-heavy operation. In the early stages he was involved in every aspect, from customer service calls to inventory management.
Shinners has spoken about the importance of understanding the customer's experience. He built Kit Lender around the idea that renting gear should be as easy as booking a flight or a hotel. That philosophy drives operational decisions, from the website interface to the delivery process.
Shifting toward strategy
As the company has grown, Shinners has likely shifted toward strategic planning and partnerships. The CEO of a rental business must balance inventory investment, demand forecasting and customer satisfaction. Shinners' operational background, combined with his personal alpine experience, gives him a perspective that merges operational rigor with user empathy.
Market Context and Kit Lender's Competitive Position
The competitive landscape
The alpine gear rental market includes several types of competitors. Local ski shops offer walk-in rentals at resort towns. Delivery services like Ski Butlers and Black Tie Ski Rentals bring equipment to customer lodging. Online platforms let customers compare and book rentals from multiple providers.
Kit Lender competes on convenience and service. The model is designed for travelers who want gear waiting without the hassle of visiting a shop. This positions Kit Lender against both traditional rental counters and delivery services.
What's next
Shinners' vision for the future likely involves expanding geographic reach and product categories. The company started with ski and snowboard gear in Stowe. Whether it has expanded beyond winter sports or beyond Vermont isn't established. The recreation rental market is seasonal. Companies that succeed must manage inventory across peaks and valleys. Kit Lender's ability to do that will determine its long-term position.
