About Ski Carriers...

[va_deb]

*Comments welcome from anyone, not only folks who travel for skiing. Bonus Qs:

• If you used to prefer one type but have switched to a different type, what made you switch?
• Do you prefer a different carrier if you are traveling by air with more than one set of skis?

 

[neonorchid]

I had ordered a Sport Tube Hard Case which I promptly returned after unboxing. The horror stories on TGR gave me buyers remorse before it even arrived. Physically seeing it, the instructions, ski orientation was enough.

I ordered a Dakine single ski bag 175cm and really like the thick full length padding but don't like that there are no internal straps to hold the skis in place, which is even worse for their 190cm double ski bag I ordered! The double doesn't even have a padded divider to go between the two pairs of skis! I can only imagine the pairs of ski's making a mess out of each other and whatever else is stashed in the bag with them!

I called Dakine and was told their designers did away with internal straps because the interriors of their bags were getting ripped and torn by the straped in skis rubbing the bag - How on earth would not securring the skis be better????? The guy said people pack shells, pants, gloves, etc which holds the skis in place - WTF???? Just what i want, lose skis ripping up my expensive kit from baggage handlers tossing the bag around! Every other bag I have ever owend has internal straps. I told the guy if they were having problems with internal tears they shoud've went to a tougher fabric and that I hope their sales seriously suffer from their screwy design choices!

Now I'm in limbo WRT a new bag. Kulkea has great straps but the full length padding is thin and 170 short, 190 long. All else I've seen at the local shops look like junk. I'm reluctant to keep the single 175 Dakine padded ski bag, only if I can't find anything better. The double has to go back! I know there are those here that do use the ski bag as luggage for skis and clothing, which is one thing if traveling by car and you're the baggage handler, quite another by air, but I don't like using the ski bag as a form of luggage for my kit. Expensive ski clothing belongs in a suitcase, not around metal edges, bindings and ski pole tips!

 

[Sibhusky]

We originally used soft carriers, but switched to a double sized SportTube. Don't know what issues people could possibly be having, but haven't flown to ski since the TSA was a huge factor, so I imagine it's something to do with that. We used the Sport Tube for many a trip when we lived on the East Coast.

 

[at_nyc]

The horror stories on TGR gave me buyers remorse

What sort of horror stories?

I've had Sportube for several years now. So far, so good. But wondering if I was just being lucky. And want to look out for prevention of whatever issue others had experienced.

 

[Jilly]

I have a Sport tube. Out of 5 trips, only once have I had a problem with TSA taking it apart and not putting it back together right. DENVER, really?? 3 trips from Toronto to Vancouver, no problems at all.

I got it because Air Canada stated on their website that they wouldn't accept sport equipment without a hard case. Golf clubs included. I've seen lots of soft bags on flights so that statement isn't being adhered too.

 

[neonorchid]

What sort of horror stories?

I've had Sportube for several years now. So far, so good. But wondering if I was just being lucky. And want to look out for prevention of whatever issue others had experienced.

TSA pulls it apart, skis fall out and they can't figure out how to reassemble the complicated ski configuration and or the Sport-tube resulting in a combination of gear and Sport-tube coming onto the baggage carousel in pieces. Sometimes at different times and with missing items.

 

[at_nyc]

I have a Sport tube. Out of 5 trips, only once have I had a problem with TSA taking it apart and not putting it back together right. DENVER, really?? 3 trips from Toronto to Vancouver, no problems at all.

Come to think of it, it happened to me once, quite a few years ago. Now I learn not to pack it so full to make it easier to pass inspection without items falling out or too difficult to fit back in. (BTW, I lost the 2 rubber band long ago. I use velcro in their place)

I have seen Sportubes coming out on the conveyor barely clinking together. Can't say I know for sure how that happen. But I did had in one trip that the tube came out looking alright but missing the locking pin! My skis are short (160) so the 2 half of the tube stayed together despite missing the pin. On the return leg of that trip, I use the lift ticket wicket as a makeshift pin. THAT, actually worked out as far as TSA was concerned. They even added a layer of duct tape to be sure! (or perhaps the airline baggage handler did?)

Now, I travel with a spare pin in my carry-on, just in case.

TSA pulls it apart, skis fall out and they can't figure out how to reassemble the complicated ski configuration and or the Sport-tube resulting in a combination of gear and Sport-tube coming onto the baggage carousel in pieces. Sometimes at different times and with missing items.

I think that's probably a issue of over-packing to begin with

 

[neonorchid]

I think that's probably a issue of over-packing to begin with

I inffered it was more an issue with the double ski version, not to say I didn't read of incidents with the single.

I wouldn't like the single for automobile road trips, too much fiddling and more difficult to fit thru a croweded car seat pass-thru taking up more space then a compressible soft bag. It could be an alternative to the Dakine single padded bag for air travel. More so if a pair of XC-skis could fit in the single alongside the Alpine skis, somehow I think not, plus it would be a set-up for a TSA dissaster. I can't do it with the 175cm Dakine because my XC skis are 180cm and my 170cm skis would bounce around all over the place in a 190cm Dakine bag.

 

[at_nyc]

if a pair of XC-skis could fit in the single alongside the Alpine skis, somehow I think not

I often travel with my xc skis along with my alpine skis. No issue fitting both into a single Sportube. BUT...

My skis are under 100mm in width! That leaves a lot of room on the side to fit the xc skis, one on each side. If you have a 120mm fat skis, there's no room left for even a piece of paper!

I even once carry two pairs of alpine skis in a single! One pair had a railed binding, which I removed and just put in between the skis.

I even managed to squeeze a pair of 80mm wide telemark skis (with tele binding) along side too!

So, a single tube for 2 pairs of skis are quite easily manageable. Just that one of the 2 pair MUST have a flat binding.

 

[Philpug]

*Comments welcome from anyone, not only folks who travel for skiing. Bonus Qs:

• If you used to prefer one type but have switched to a different type, what made you switch?
• Do you prefer a different carrier if you are traveling by air with more than one set of skis?

You forgot "Just buy skis when you get there"

 

[neonorchid]

You forgot "Just buy skis when you get there"

You forgot "Just rent skis when you get there"

 

[va_deb]

You forgot "Just buy skis when you get there"

Lol!

 

[va_deb]

Thanks for the responses. I bought Mr. Va Deb a SportTube for Christmas a few years ago when it became clear he was a certified ski addict and was going to get his money’s worth and more from the MCP.

I got a fabric ski bag for our return from Tahoe for my new Absolut Joys, and loved that I could fit so much stuff in with them. Me: happy camper. Him: mad that TSA lost his SportTube pin for the first time in 12+ trips.

 

[neonorchid]

You forgot "Just buy skis when you get there"

Lol!

you'll still need a carrier to get those new skis home after the trip

 

[dbostedo]

you'll still need a carrier to get those new skis home after the trip

No need to take them with you... If you're going with "buy when you get there", then you commit to doing it every time!

 

[Chris Walker]

I fly for skiing so seldom anymore I just rent equipment when I get there. Back in the day when I lived in a flat state and before they thought up baggage fees, I did it quite a bit though. I used to use a soft ski bag without any kind of padding at all. I don't recall having any problems, but that just seems barbaric to me now. I'd probably get a soft yet padded one if I were to resume taking skis on flights. Sport Tube seems like overkill.