Roundup: Sports Equipment Rentals

Rent a pair of skates at Beacon Hill Skate Shop. Rollerblades image via Shutterstock.

It’s a warm, sunny day in Boston and you really want to go biking, or kayaking, or rollerblading, but you don’t have a bike (or a pair of awesome rollerblades) of your own. What should you do? Head to one of these local rental shops.

Urban Adventours

This bike shop and tour hub is located in the North End. They offer historic bike tours for those who don’t feel like mapping out their own bike excursions. If you’d like to explore on your own, you can rent (or buy) hybrid bikes or technical bikes that come with a helment, a lock and cable, and a personalized bike map. They also carry tandem bikes if you’re feeling so inclined, and there are kids bikes as well. Don’t feel like going to the shop to pick up a bike? For an extra cost, they’ll deliver it straight to your house.

$15 for a 24 hour rental; 103 Atlantic Avenue; 617-670-0637; urbanadventours.com

Charles River Canoe & Kayak

One of the best ways to take advantage of the summer sunshine is to check out the Boston water sports scene. At Charles River Canoe and Kayak, which has multiple locations in Allston, Cambridge, Newton, and Natick, you can rent regular kayaks, sea kayaks,and paddleboards.

The company’s multiple locations mean that instead of heading down the Charles River and returning later in the day, you can simply drop off your boat at any other location you choose.

$15 per hour for a single kayak, $19 per hour for a double kayak; Multiple locations; 617-965-5110; paddleboston.com

Beacon Hill Skate Shop

A long standing Boston establishment, the Beacon Hill Skate shop offers rollerblade rentals. Located in the South End (not in Beacon Hill, like you might assume), they suggest calling beforehand to make sure that they have skates in your size. They’ll provide you with advice about where to ride, elbow bads, knee pads, and a helment.

$19 per hour for a pair of skates, $25 per day, $30 overnight; 135 Charles Street South; 617-482-7400

REI

If you’re headed out on a destination bike ride or an overnight camping trip, REI’s Boston location likely has what you’ll need. You can rent backpacks, tents, sleeping bags and sleeping pads, and even paddling gear. The price and selection of the equipment varies each week, so they recommend that you call beforehand.

401 Park Drive; 617-236-0746; rei.com

Bikeway Source

Located at the head of the Minuteman Bikeway trail, this rental shop is small and quaint but full of staff members who are knowledgeable about biking. You can rent hybrid bikes, mountain bikes, or road bikes for $24 for four hours and $36 for 24 hours. All rentals come with helmets and you can rent a bike trailer if you want to bring the kids along.

$24 per bike for 4 hours, $36 for 24 hours; 111 South Road, Bedford, MA; 781-275-7799; bikewaysource.com

Tennis and Squash Shop

At this small racquet shop in Cambridge, if you decide to buy your rented tennis racquet after playing with it, they’ll take that money off of the end price. With an endless stream of faithful customers, this place has knowledgable salespeople who will get you outfitted for a day of tennis even if you’ve never played a game in your life.

$5 daily racquet rentals; 67 Mount Auburn Street, Ste A, Cambridge, MA; 617-864-8800