5 Things to Know Before Renting a Vehicle for a Colorado Winter Trip

Folks say, “if you don’t like the weather in Colorado, wait 5 minutes.” Weather in Colorado is unpredictable and changes quickly. Winter storms can roll in fast and provide fresh powder perfect for winter activities. But storms can also make winter driving challenging. Before you zip to the mountains, you want to know that your rental car can handle winter weather. Here are 5 things to know before you rent a vehicle for a Colorado winter adventure. 

1) THE ROADS ARE SNOWY AND ICY

We have snow in Colorado and a regular car can’t safely navigate snowy, icy roads.  While that might seem obvious, plenty of tourists come from out of state and might not realize that a regular car doesn’t cut it on snowy roads. Instead you need a safe vehicle that can easily handle snow conditions. (Keep reading to see what vehicles need for snowy conditions.)

2) TIRES MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

True winter tires are made of a different rubber compound to grip icy roads better than even all-season tires. Snow tires brake 20% faster than all-season tires, according to this study. The extra traction makes the vehicle more responsive to steering and braking. We want you to have a safe, reliable vehicle for snowy roads, so we use top-rated Blizzak tires in the winter.

3) 4WD AND AWD HELP

Get 4WD/AWD to help keep the car moving in the Colorado snow. Mountains get plenty of snow all winter, so you need a vehicle that can handle snow-packed roads. We guarantee 4WD on all our cars to ensure you can tackle anything. 

4) IT IS THE LAW

Colorado has a traction law governing tires and 4WD/AWD during winter weather and certain weather conditions. You can get fined if you are not in compliance. Our Colorado Winter Traction post covers the ins and outs of this law. 

5) GET A GUARANTEE

The big rental car companies won't guarantee your rental car is ready for Colorado’s winter roads. They also don't go to the extra effort of changing tires based on the season like we do. Rental company’s tires are often bald, and they struggle to have enough AWD vehicles for the winter. You don’t want to put your Colorado adventure in jeopardy. 

Winter excursions require plenty of gear. Luckily our vehicles are roomy and come standard with ski racks! Our goal is to provide a well-stocked vehicle and worry about details like ice scrapers, jump starters and first aid kits. That way you can hit the road on your Colorado adventure. Check out our winter vehicles. Reach out if you have questions or want help planning an epic vacation. We’d love to be part of your expedition!