MISSOULA — Judging by the customers in and out of Trailhead River Sports in Missoula, people are taking advantage of everything the Big Sky State has to offer.
Trailhead staff says keeping kayaks, canoes, rafts, and paddleboards on the shelves for people to rent has been difficult and they expect it to stay that way all summer.
It's not just rentals though as sales have been up as more people purchase their own equipment. It's a trend that started very early this year. Trailhead employees say you're still okay to rent "day of" in some cases, but if you need something specific, you'll want to plan ahead.
“If you’re not particular on exactly what you want to rent then we’ll have something probably to rent you but if you want you know paddleboard A or B then you probably want to make a reservation,” explained Trailhead River Sports buyer Brandon Salayi. “if you need a specific raft or wanted to try out a specific canoe or kayak, you’re probably going to want to make a reservation."
He added it's just the beginning of their busy season as the rental department will most likely stay swamped through Labor Day.
