Sport Tubes...Yea or Nea

[Gandalf]

In response to other posts about TSA locks or SportTube pins, I started using a piece of nylon rope several years ago, and it has held up amazingly well. It doesn't catch on anything like the loop of the SportTube pin and ring, and TSA has had great success is figuring out how to untie and retie the knot. A bit less secure, way more convenient.

 

[SBrown]

We have a Sporttube (double) but I don't use it as much as I used to. It's just so heavy, and as others have said, the bags are more versatile and easier to pack. I never had any issue with TSA and the tube, though. Have heard stories, but never had any problems myself.

 

[quant]

1) SportTube is great for airlines and for shipping. With the airline separate pricing fees, there is little incremental expense to skipping skis to your destination. FEDEX ground shipping is usually the most cost effective, and the skis are waiting at your hotel when you arrive.
2) SportTubes can also be attached to cross bars when driving.
3) The cheaper and time-honored way of stuffing all your ski clothes around a soft sided ski bag still works.
4) SportTubes are great for fishing poles.

 

[Redleg]

SportTube with TSA-cable lock the last two years flying from Atlanta to Seattle, no problems except having to cart it to the oversized check-in door. Last year we upgraded to the wheeled model tube, made life much easier. Will be interesting flying out of Roanoke this year going to Montreal.

 

[cantunamunch]

2) SportTubes can also be attached to cross bars when driving..

I've been doing this with softsided bags for over 20 years. It's even easier: once the tie is cinched down on the bag it cannot slide.

 

[Danny]

Used to use a SportTube but went to a padded wheel bag. The main reason was the fiddly, PITA way you have to strap the skis together with the binding facing each other for sport tube. Also hard to fit in a rental care, even with ski racks whereas with a soft bag you can take the skis out and fold the bag.

 

[midwestfabs]

Agree with mosta long as it weighs under 50 never a problem.

We also always use zip ties. The bags have always been opened and always closed back up with a tsa note inside and closed with new zip ties.

Always used a soft padded bag since the horror stories with tsa and hard sport tube type cases not woth the hassel of searching for bag parts and skies randomly shooting out on the baggage claim carossel

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

I've never had a problem with any ski bag as long as it's under 50 pounds and within length.

Totally. I travel alone a lot and I want everything but boots in one bag. I pack my soft sided Dakine with all my clothes and make sure it comes in just under 50lbs. I've never had a problem... well, it's hard to get upstairs!

I pack light when I go out west I carry my boots, ski jacket, ski pants , glove and socks on carry on bag, Sport tube filled with cloths, skis and poles. In boston they opened it and it was kind of a mess, at SLC it was not opened , I think they have a machine that scans the ski bags. overall I think its a good investment, thinking about a TSA lock

I've had my double ski bag searched everytime flying out of SLC so I think you have just been lucky. I don't lock it. I want it to be easy for them to search so it arrives intact at the other side!

 

[Redleg]

Used to use a SportTube but went to a padded wheel bag...Also hard to fit in a rental car, even with ski racks whereas with a soft bag you can take the skis out and fold the bag.

This may be us after this trip. SportTube was a bit of a pain to have to wheel around the MTL airport (especially with my 184s inside), then would not fit in the rental Jeep Compass with skis in.

 

[frontfive]

I am preparing for our first flight with skis & looking at bag options. Great thread & thank you for all the info already shared. My biggest question- should I be looking for 3 single bags (3 adults sets of skis to fly) or look to purchase a double/triple bag? If single bags are suggest are wheels necessary? The largest pair weighs in at 10lbs so I do not think weight will be a problem (50lb limit) and we are flying SW so each get a carry on + 2 checked bags. We are flying NH to SLC & not sure yet if we will take TRAX from airport or rent a car (size wise, not sure if this matters). We already own Athalon Everything bags for our boots (backpack style not rolling) & will use these as carry ons. Also thinking with 3 of us that I may need our larger rolling suitcase as well. Would greatly appreciate insight from those with vast travel experience

 

[Philpug]

I am preparing for our first flight with skis & looking at bag options. Great thread & thank you for all the info already shared. My biggest question- should I be looking for 3 single bags (3 adults sets of skis to fly) or look to purchase a double/triple bag? If single bags are suggest are wheels necessary? The largest pair weighs in at 10lbs so I do not think weight will be a problem (50lb limit) and we are flying SW so each get a carry on + 2 checked bags. We are flying NH to SLC & not sure yet if we will take TRAX from airport or rent a car (size wise, not sure if this matters). We already own Athalon Everything bags for our boots (backpack style not rolling) & will use these as carry ons. Also thinking with 3 of us that I may need our larger rolling suitcase as well. Would greatly appreciate insight from those with vast travel experience

I would go with a double and a single. A very efficient/creative packer might be able to squeeze three pair in a double and stay under 50lb.. Play around with it before hand. If you get another bag, do not buy a single, buy another double so you can also pack extra items in it. As far as your boots, do NOT check them..they are one of your carry on's. There has been too many cases of luggage being lost. You can always rent skis..but boots, not so much. It is also a good idea to pack one set of clothing/outfit too.

 

[Xela]

For our last trip to SLC, we took a Sportube for the kids' skis and a Douchebag for the grown-ups'. Both are a bit fiddly to pack, but the Sportube was less convenient to pack. Nothing got damaged, but there was some wear on the DB. Also, the DB's removable handle was barely hanging on both times we reclaimed it. I wonder if the Transpack or Dakine would be better than the DB.

 

[neonorchid]

A few years ago I had purchased a Sporttube single online because I liked the wheels which are a rarity on single ski bags. Unboxed it, looked at the ski loading instructions, and the length of the two halves to open it and back in the box it went to be returned at the local LL.Bean store!
I made do with one of my crappy under-padded bags used for storage and car trips, and bubble wrapped the skis.

Last year I got a Dakine single ski bag because it has great padding. I injured out and never actually used it. My only complaint other then no wheels is that there are no hold down straps, because of which I sized down from a 190 (the 190 would've also fit my XC skis in with the Alpine skis), to a 175 thinking less excess length for my 170 skis to bounce around and easier to fit in a car.
I'm still second guessing that decision, again!

Btw, I checked out the Kulkea locally at Buckman's having read about the brand here. It's a very nice bag with straps and pockets only it has thinner padding then the Dakine which was a deal breaker for me.

 

[RuleMiHa]

I like my Sportube. Everything said is true in terms of getting skis in, and sometimes not fitting in cars, but my New Skis in a Sportube got run over in the rental car parking lot and except for a dent in the tube, the skis and Sportube were fine, so now I'm a convert for life. Also I find it easier to handle by myself when I also have a boot bag, luggage, and a carry-on. Sporttube pulled by right hand, boot bag on back, luggage pulled by left hand with carry-on slid over luggage handle.

 

[PTskier]

we found that on the tiny plane, they hadn't had room for the skis, which were coming in the next flight. Apparently they delivered the skis to my aunt's house in the middle of the night

(1)...The small plane may have been maxed out on weight before all the luggage could be loaded. This is not uncommon. I've seen a mountain of luggage on the pavement at DEN when the Aspen plane couldn't carry it. The delayed luggage went on a later flight.
(2)...Always put your next destination address on the baggage address tag along with your name and cell phone number, or just your name & number. If the luggage is delayed, where do you want the airline to send it? Don't put your home address on a new tag until you're headed home. Don't ask about the time I went to Mexico and my bags went home....

Check your airline's rules about skis & boot bags. The rules change daily, so check before you pack & fly. Here's Alaska's: https://blog.alaskaair.com/destinations/ski-snowboard-travel-tips/
Generally, the ski bag & boot bag combined count as one piece if they together weigh no more than 50#. Some airlines state that only skis, boots, and helmets can be in the bags, others don't state that. I put my walking-around boots in the boot bag along with the helmet and some clothing. Into the ski bag I only put the skis and maybe some clothing for safety padding... My ski boots get slung over my shoulder and carried aboard.

 

[oswaldr2]

If you are trying to buy a Sportube, look on Craigslist if you live where people own ski gear. People get rid of them for cheap.

I personally think a padded ski bag is better, Sportubes are heavy.