So convenient! Just used them for a 5 day trip to Yellowstone. The car was delivered to the Bozeman airport and it was immaculate. Extremely clean and you could tell it was detailed. We also rented a cooler and it was well worth the rental fee. Food is scarce in Yellowstone so picking up food in Bozeman and then storing it in the cooler was a good move. The cooler kept everything cold for 5 days and I only had to refill the ice once! I definitely recommend using them to rent a car instead of the big rental car brands. read more

Explore Rentals - Rental car. Very clean interior! - Car Rental Near Me - Belgrade, Montana

Just used an Explore Rental vehicle this week. Had a good rental with them but watch out if you plan to drive extensively. They have a 175 mile per day limit on rentals that is only shown when they send the rental agreement just before your pickup. read more

Explore Rentals is awesome. Staff were amazingly helpful. Was able to reserve the equipment I needed. They're open 7 days a week and very friendly. They answered all my questions and it makes so much sense to rent bear spray instead of buying it. This is the only place I could find to get the equipment I needed. Check them out! read more

Booked a Subaru outback last minute rental for a few days. Smooth transaction with clear instructions on how and where to pick up/ drop off at the airport. The car was easy to find and the airport fee is worth the convenience! Also rented a cooler which we didn't really get to use, but both car and cooler were pristine clean and looked brand new. i wish all rental places were like this read more

Explore Rental was convenient, instructions were clear, customer service was great and the Suburban we rented was amazing -- looked brand new. Easy pickup and dropoff. We highly recommend them. read more

Super easy experience to get cars rented. Specifically 4x4/AWD cars for the snow. Easy pickup and dropoff at the airport. Cars were great and service was great, highly recommend. read more

We rented a Mercedes Sprinter Van for a party of eight for a week in Big Sky. The van was ready for pick up at the BZN airport as advertised! On the 4th day we had some car trouble that was weather related. I sent a text to the company and had a return call in minutes. Short while later the owner, Will, and another employee showed up to get the van running. In the meantime Kevin, another employee, was delivering a replacement vehicle. It's when problems arise, you find out if you selected the right rental company. We absolutely selected the right rental company! Thanks Will and Kevin for all the assistance last week! read more

Blows away Hertz, Avis and all the rest. The vehicles they rent are for groups, campers and adventurers. I like how the car is just ready and waiting at the airport. I did need to call the office and unlike larger rental places, Kevin knew it was me and and was very cool when I explained the falling rock hitting my windshield. I hope to come back soon and rent from Explore for another exciting adventure. read more

I've been debating and torn as to how to rate Explore rentals. I'll be, as always, completely transparent. Note a few edits as of 10/13/21 in response to owner's reply. The Good: -awesome mom and pop to rent a car and gear to explore the amazingness that is Montana, National Parks, etc -sustainability: neat little area where you can pick up and leave un-used goods for the next adventurer -fair pricing for what you get - convenient drop off of the vehicle at the airport -someone picks up when you call them -they let you borrow bear spray (which pro tip, don't bring your own, we made the mistake of bringing our own and couldn't fly back out with it whether checked or carried on at Bozeman Int'l so we were forced to leave it) -When we had trouble getting to the shop (see note at bottom) and called the agent and explained, they said they could charge us, and drop the car to the airport in 30 minutes. We were on a very short timeline and opted for this. The NOT as good: -the agent called us and told us he had dropped off the car but we couldn't find it. When we called the agent back they were were a bit short with us explaining the car was at "1A" (I dunno what the true labels are, I forget), well turns out the way the airport labels the parking lot is that an entire BLOCK is the same letter/number. A bit further explanation would be helpful to find the car -When we were about 25 minutes down the road and away from the airport, we got a call that they had forgot to put the risers in the back of our car (we rented a suburu with a sleep in package, the risers were necessary for a decent, non-angled, sleep). It was good they called, but also this wasted an additional 1 hour of our time to turn around since the car wasn't properly prepared at drop off -The worst part: on our way out of the park, two tire sensors went off in the Suburu. No, we didn't do any weird driving, we stayed on paved roads in the National Park the entire time. We stopped by a gas station and were unable to fill the tires to sensor satisfaction, and in retrospect unluckily enough the gauge at the gas station was also reading that the tires were low. Since not one but two tires were reading low, we couldn't change out the spare and take the car back. We called Explore rentals, they said it was on us to fix the tires and get back. I'm freaked out because we are hours away from the airport and we have a flight to catch. We are directed to the Sinclair outside of Yellowstone park, wait over 1.5 hours biting our nails as to what we will need to pay for tires, whether or not we will make our flight....to find out from the technician that NOTHING IS WRONG with the tires and the sensors of the car are incorrect. This was a lot of unnecessary stress, hopefully it was a one off. According to reply of owner, this is just bad luck. Bottom line: great concept, reasonable prices, hits and misses in customer service. Previously I questioned state of vehicles, owner assures that this is just unlucky and would happen no matter the vehicle maintenance Note: when we went in July 2021 apparently there was an issue with Uber/Lyft that was not previously known. I am unsure if this has been resolved so maybe try asking the shop directl?. At the time we visited, there were no ubers/lyfts to be found at the airport, the walk is something like 1.5 miles? We asked a taxi that was at the airport, and they wanted to charge us $30 to take us. read more

Never thought I'd dust off the ol' Yelp account to review a car/gear rental company in Montana since a) it's not food and b) it's not beer. I also didn't expect to be overly wowed by a no-contact rental service during the pandemic that is COVID-19. Explore Rentals made the most of a minimal interaction and has a repeat customer in me should I ever need to trek into the mountains or explore the beautiful parks surrounding the area. The Service I called in to see about pricing and availability, because to be honest I was shocked that they were offering very reasonable per-day rates on a AWD ride to last us our trip. The man I spoke to was thoughtful about suggestions and down to earth about it - no sales pitch, just advice and options. The pick up and drop off process from the airport was atypical but effective for COVID-19, especially considering we were coming in after-hours from Yellowstone International. They provided several key precautionary items, including sanitizer wipes, gloves, and hand sanitizer to make you feel as safe as possible. I also saw on their Facebook they use UV lights to sterilize the interior as effectively as possible. It's incredibly impressive the care put in by Explore when they're a smaller shop. I don't have much else to say. The vehicle was a 2016 and was very well-kept. We felt in control of our adventure while driving around the local area and will absolutely recommend them for anyone seeking to go off the beaten path while visiting Bozeman and the surrounding area! read more

Amazing rental service. Rented a winter ready Subaru Outback for a 5 day ski trip to Big Sky. Car was ready when we landed at their designated spot at Boezman airport. I was greeted by Kevin from Explore to make sure my friends and I were all settled at the car after a phone number mix up (my fault!). Returning the car was a breeze, just drop it off at the designated parking spot at the airport. Would highly recommend!! Especially if you want a car that can handle the elements which was very important for my travel group. read more

If you're from California and not use to driving in weather, rent your car from here. They can guarantee that you'll have snow tires and 4WD (or AWD?). The bigger national car rental spots can't guarantee this.. and it's a little terrifying driving in lots of snow. They're also extremely flexible with crazy flight schedules. In a series of unfortunate events, we landed around 10pm instead of 4pm - well after they were already closed. But they were able to accommodate us anyways. The only issue we had was that the car needed to be jumped (someone had left a light on and it drained the battery). We texted their 24hr number and the gentleman on the other end came within 20 minutes to jump our car. They also gave us a nice discount for the inconvenience. read more

Incredibly nice equipment and staff. I was highly impressed at the caliber and selection of gear that was available for a multi day river trip. Explore rentals outfitted us with not only a fully kitted raft with standard frame and oars but also a trailer to haul it and a cooler and dry box fit for the frame and extra bags and straps for carrying gear properly. They supplied us with large dry bags that could fit all of our four day needs along with waders and boots. They made sure there were enough seat accommodations and showed us how to secure the gear for the best comfort. The whole experience was amazing. I can not emphasize enough how refreshing and confidence inspiring it was to have nice equipment we could count on during the four day excursion. Not only is it top of the line but it is in excellent shape, they take such good care of their products! Looking around the lot it was apparent that they would have been able to provide a vehicle worthy of towing the outfit if we needed also! So impressed with this place, highly recommend for your adventure needs in Montana! read more

This place couldn't be more convenient. It is down the road from the airport and has bear spray, backpacks and other outdoor necessities that you wouldn't or can't pack for a flight. Kevin in particular was super helpful in quelling my fears about using the bear spray and gave a great overview of how to use the spray and general safety tips. Highly recommend! read more

Bear spray rental. Easy to reserve online, quick pick-up with 2 minute instructional video, friendly staff and fair prices. Super close to the airport so very convenient to pick-up and return. read more

Phasmid was very helpful for my trip to Yellowstone! I had to scramble and make last minute reservations to rent a tent, five sleeping bags, five sleeping pads, and lantern because my friends and I couldn't settle on a plan. Phasmid had all of that ready for me. The items were brand new and very clean. The best part was they even waited for me when my flight was two hours delayed. Their usual office hours end at 5pm but I didn't arrive until almost 5:30pm for pick up. If that ever happens to you, be sure to notify them in advance. They will either still be in the office or put the items in a safe box outside the store. Phasmid also gave me a summary of the weather conditions in Yellowstone and provided me with advice on camping as well as maps for the park. read more

You cant go wrong renting from Explore. Very responsive. More than cars available to rent. We forgot binoculars and rented a pair from Explore. Next time we will rent a scope. The car was perfect for our drive in the snow. Great team and very patient as they showed us how to operate the car. Great people! Great car! read more

Service is very important to us, and I must say Explore Rentals did not disappoint for our one week trip to Yellowstone/Grand Teton. We did not go with the big name rental companies due to the negative reviews. I urge you to give this wonderful local rental company a try also. We found their website very easy to navigate, and everything was clearly explained. That was a huge plus for us. They offer to pick you up at the airport, leave the car at the airport for you (both for a 10% additional fee), or you can opt to take an uber to the office yourself. We arrived at the airport around midnight, so we took a shuttle to the hotel for the night and uber to the office the next morning. We rented a subaru outback, not the most the fashionable, but definitely practical. 4WD, good fuel economy, and lots of room. At a great price too. We put almost 800 miles on the car and it did not give us any trouble at all. The staff is very friendly and clearly explains everything. They will drop you off at the airport free of charge after you return the vehicle. We will definitely be back on our next trip to Bozeman. read more

If I could leave no stars I would. I will not be a Karen and say all kinds of bad things about this company. Suffice it to say I will never use them again and I'm pretty hard to let down. I don't usually complain about service, but this place sucked for me. Maybe others had better, I can't say. I do not recommend this business to anyone. My trip was cut short due to a family emergency and I was charged for the full time rather than refunded for the days the equipment wasn't used. The staff equated it to eating half a steak and still having to pay full price. No one wants to eat the rest of a steak someone else ate half of, but I can be sure that someone will rerent the equipment I paid to use. That is not the only issue I had but it's the one that sticks out the most. read more

I think its RARE to find a company that promises more and actually over delivers! I just rented a Suburban from Explore for an 8 day family vacation (6 adults) and to say that we were pleased is a giant understatement. From the advance communications to the welcoming reception to the knowledgable support, Explore delivers BIG time. And let me provide this tip: If you are going into Yellowstone or Grand Teton, do NOT forget to rent their Leica spotting scope! To travel Yellowstone without one is to see with only one eye. We saw bears with cubs, golden eagles, bald eagles eating, a wolf stalking marmots and baby bison and so much more. Another point - all scopes are NOT the same! Their Leica scope is top of the line meaning better reach, better contrast, better clarity, better everything. Do NOT hesitate to add this to your rental. You will thank me. Explore offers a variety of different vehicles so check them out. To all the crew at Explore Rentals - a HUGE THANK YOU for making our family vacation memorable in so many ways. read more

Such an easy process from rental to pick up to drop off. I spoke with an agent when I booked the reservation, but after that everything was done by text. They were very responsive to questions and the car was ready and waiting when we arrived in BZN. No standing in line or anything. Great experience and the car was clean and like new.. read more

Great experience- very easy to pick up and drop off, great vehicle! Very nice people.

If you are planning a trip to Bozeman, MT and will need an appropriate rental car (or just about anything else for your outdoor activities) do yourself an enormous favor: contact Will Casella, owner of Phasmid Rentals immediately and rest assured that your trip will both get off to a great start AND end on a happy note. Even if you have some kind of frequent flyer miles or rewards program ~ save them for another trip. I cannot say enough good things about our experience with this local family business We arrived totally exhausted and stressed out after two crowded noisy flights. We were met at the airport luggage carousel by a very friendly Laura who helped us carry our bags out to the waiting car ~ the practically new, spanking clean Subaru Outback we had rented. Laura drove us back to Phasmid's office/headquarters (about 5 minutes away) which they had opened just for our arrival. By time I had changed clothes in the spotless bathroom, my husband had signed off on the ready papers and we were off. The car was great and performed beautifully ~ even when we got caught in the kind of blizzard we'd never driven in before (at least not at night on dark, narrow, winding MOUNTAIN roads.) We were quite concerned (scared) about sudden animal crossings or worse, locals familiar with it all and driving like 85 mph around super slick blind curves. We felt very safe, comfortable and in control in this Subaru Outback ~ the car I would definitely drive if I lived out there. I should mention here that many of the big rental car companies out there offer less driver friendly vehicles with inferior ratings for the Montana weather and terrain. ) I also want to add that I appreciate that the Outback is a vehicle that a non-SUV/ non-truck driving, peitite Chicago altitude/attitude-urban-dweller like myself could drive comfortably and confidently ~ and THAT is nothing to scoff at! We were very impressed too with the mileage and frankly the design of this car which made it hard to come home to our tired old Volvo... Check out was as fast and easy as check-in. Best of all ~ no surprises. The VERY reasonable rate quoted when we made the reservation was IT and IT included EVEYTHING: mileage, INSURANCE, taxes, curb to curb pick-up/drop off, airport fees... Fast, friendly, easy, efficient, THOUGHTFUL service, great, like-new vehicles and competitive (or better) prices. This would probably be illegal in Chicago... It you're still not sure, do your homework and try reading the reviews for the other big car rental companies in Bozeman. We did and that's why writing this review feels more like I'm providing a genuine public service read more

In February of this year, I went with my husband and several of his colleagues and spouses to a conference/ski trip in Big Sky. We rented a Suburban from Will at Phasmid Rentals. Two of the other people in our party rented Suburbans from airport rental chains. All of our vehicles were essentially identical- four-wheel-drive, comfortable, and clean. But whereas my friends had to wait in line at the airport, Will met us at baggage claim and had the Suburban ready just outside the terminal exit. Will gave us some directions and suggestions for getting where we needed to go. My husband signed the contract and we were on our way while everyone else was still waiting for service. Oh, and We paid less than they did! We had planned to return the Suburban the day before we flew back to Charlotte, but we had a last-minute change in plans and wound up needing a vehicle for one extra day. Another group had already reserved the Suburban for the following day, but Will let us (now just my husband and I) use a Subaru for an additional day without charging us extra. This was a local company I can get behind, with a personable touch that the national chains didn't have! We were extremely happy with our experience with Phasmid Rentals and recommend them highly for any rental needs (they rent outdoor gear also) you may have in the Bozeman/Big Sky area. read more

We happened upon Phasmid as it's the only place to rent bear spray in Bozeman. Fortunately for us, Will not only had the spray but all of the last minute items we needed to complete our camping rental checklist. He was also super helpful and generous with his time, explaining best eats, routes, and fly fishing tips. If my future plans include Bozeman, they'll include Phasmid! read more

Explore Rentals - Will's dog Auggie is very helpful in preparing you for your trip! - Car Rental Near Me - Belgrade, Montana

This is an excellent company. They will not only rent you a clean, new, vehicle (I had an Outback which was like new) but also any gear you need. Fishing rods, coolers, tents, bear spray and prob anything else you need. Nice personal touch as you will be picked up at baggage claim and don't have to deal with an anonymous corporation. The owner, Will, is also an excellent source of info for your trip/vacation. All at competitive prices. I will use again. read more

Had a great experience. Really digged the late model Outback I had + it was in good shape. Owner was helpful with tips on local spots, where to go, etc. I will go back here next time I head to Bozeman. read more

We had never been to Montana before, and we rented a house up in the mountains of Big Sky. We needed a car that was 4wd to head up the logging road; a true 4wd, not some front wheel drive that claimed it was related to an SUV! Additionally, one of the members of our party has a chemical sensitivity, and we had special requests to keep the car as scent free and chemical free as possible. We requested they didn't do any special cleaning before we got it, so we wouldn't have any of that lingering either. When we got off the plane, Laura from Phasmid was waiting right outside security for us! She had our car waiting for us right at the curb, and it was even a newer car than requested, but though fairly new and clean, was scent free! What a great service! They provided us with exactly what we needed, when we needed it, and made our stay that much easier and quicker. I would definitely recommend them. read more

I was in the Bozeman area for a few days and needed a rental car to visit some land I bought in a relatively remote area of the state. After checking out the national brands, I came across Phasmid and liked that they had the exact type of vehicle I needed (a Subaru wagon) at a decent price. So while I knew nothing about Phasmid, other than the Yelp reviews, I figured a local company was worth a shot. I don't think I'd ever use anyone other than Phasmid in future trips to Bozeman. First, they met me at the airport and drove me to their lot (about a mile or so off-airport) to fill out paperwork. It was a very friendly way of arriving and everyone there helped with information about the area. While I didn't use any of their complimentary services (camping, fishing, etc.), another customer who had rented a Suburban with a camper was just returning and raved about the experience. I have every reason to believe that Phasmid can outfit your outdoor adventures in a way that the national brands can't. My car was a "road warrior" (higher mileage car) but it drove like a new car. I drove a lot of miles and saw the odometer turn over to 70,000 miles during my trip but I bet most people would have thought it was a new car based on how it drove and the interior comfort. The return of the car at the end of was very easy...I drove to the Phasmid office, filled out the paperwork in a matter of a few minutes and they drove me back to the airport. Even if Phasmid had been more expensive than the national chains it would have been a good experience. Phasmid was actually cheaper for the type of vehicle I wanted. This is the company you want to rent a vehicle from if you're looking for something that is SUV-ish, particularly if you are also going to be camping, fishing, skiing or exploring the back country. Way more than 5 stars! read more

It was great renting from Phasmid! In addition to setting us up with a clean Subaru ready for chugging up intensely rocky and dirty roads (which we did a lot of), Will gave us a bunch of helpful maps and highlighted recommended routes (he also told us about a restaurant where we had the best steak of our lives... but I won't name it here. You'll have to rent a car first!). There was a full Montana atlas in the car, too, for our use. Phasmid picked us up from the Bozeman airport and drove us back. No hiccups. I definitely recommend them. You won't get this kind of personal service from one of the big car rental places. read more

Explore Rentals are the greatest rental company in the USA. We rented a Mercedes Van by there recommendation, for your 10 day trip to Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and Cody Wyoming. There are large Windows on all sides of the Van and you can stand up to look on either side which made the trip exceptional. The staff are so helpful and knowledgeable. read more

Just spent 9 days in Montana with my family and rented cars from Phasmid. From the beginning when I contacted Will 8 months ago he was very responsive and helpful and understood the special needs of our group. Upon arrival at the airport they were waiting for us in the baggage claim area with clearly labeled signs, and the cars were parked just outside very conveniently. The cars were spotless and as promised, fragrance free, very important to us. The staff had us packed up and started on our vacation in minutes! Initially when we contacted Phasmid it was not clear why the upgraded tires would be important for a summer rental. Having now driven to Yellowstone, Big Sky and Virginia City JUST in the summertime I can say thank you Phasmid for knowing about your local terrain. I always felt safe in your cars even though some of the roads were quite hair-raising if you weren't used to it. At the last minute we had to change our plans for the trip home. I had to call Will on a Sunday night and inform him that we were leaving for the airport at 4am. He did not skip a beat and immediately gave me instructions for our new plan. I would not hesitate to recommend Phasmid to anyone. They were fantastic from the moment we initiated contact with them until we turned in the cars, and the cars were clean and well maintained and accommodated our special requests. read more

Great gear! We rented rafts and camping gear for a 5 day river trip and couldn't be happier with the way everything performed. Their staff took the time to go over all the rented equipment and how to use it in great detail which helped make our trip that much better. All of the gear is high quality, top-notch stuff that is meant to be used in Montana's backcountry. I will definitely rent from them again for my next adventure and recommend you do the same! read more

My husband called this business yesterday to inquire about some of their rental items. The man that answered the phone was very rude. He said he didn't have time for this and hung up on him. This was at the beginning of the attempted conversation. We will be finding a different place to do business. read more

Rented a whole set of backcountry gear from these guys and can't recommend them highly enough Gear was excellent and they have everything we needed and more, price was better than REI, and people were nice and very helpful Will definitely come back next time I need outdoor geae read more

We rented a "Road Warrior" Subaru for a week in Bozeman and Big Sky from Explore Rentals. With all the snow covered roads, we were so glad that we were driving a Subaru! The reservation process (and a subsequent call to extend our rental by a day) was easy, pleasant and personal. The car had over 80,000 miles on it, and it was in great shape. I'm on my fifth own Subaru, and my cars never looked so clean with that mileage! The owners' manual was in the glove compartment, which is so helpful. It always irks me that the major car rental companies don't leave the manual with the car. The snow scraper was also a nice touch. All in all, this is an excellent car rental business, and if I'm fortunate enough to return to Bozeman, I'll rent another Subaru from Explore. read more

Explore was wonderful to work with! The car (Liz II) was perfect and did fantastic in the snow! As people who don't drive on the snow often, we appreciated the all wheel drive Subaru. It was nice to rent from someone local and know exactly what vehicle we were getting. Would recommend this company to anyone. read more

Got the right car for the dream vacation. Service was excellent. Have problems with Uber at time of arrival, so we couldn't pickup the car. They delivered the car within 10 minutes. Will highly recommend Explore Rentals. read more

If you are even flying into Bozeman and you need a rental car look to nobody but Explore Rentals. Every aspect of the experience was amazing. If you are hesitant to make a reservation with Explore because they are not a large national I would sate that is exactly the reason you need to book with Explore. The national chains could learn a few things from Explore like creating a friendly quality customer experience. The communication from Explore once making my reservation was great and the check in experience was outstanding. From the time I got the the office to pick up my vehicle to driving off the lot was less than 10 mins. And that was only because I was asking a bunch of questions about grocery stores, driving directions and alike. Had I not asked a bunch of question I would have been in the car and on the road in less than 5 mins. Every question was answered well and with true concern for my experience. read more

Great Rental company. Was headed to Big Sky for a ski trip with some buddies and wanted an AWD drive vehicle to be sure to get us there and back. Flew in late, car was left as close as can be outside arrivals. Great communication. Flew out late and had us leave the car as close as possible to departures. Car was well maintained and felt very safe in dicey conditions. Can't recommend enough. read more