Travel....soft bag or hard case and preship skis or not

[bbinder]

Does anyone know of a bag that would be suitable for one pair of normal downhill skis (90mm wide, 185cm long) AND one pair of X/C skis (215 cm long). It's the length of the X/C skis that makes most bags unsuitable.....

The Douchebag is adjustable for length. You would have to check their website to see the maximum length.

 

[Goran M.]

I have very light double bag (9lbs) and with pair of skis with bindings (181/95), boots (stuffed with socks), helmet, 2 pairs of gloves, 2 pairs of goggles, 2 pairs of pants, 2 light mid layers,1 shell, 1 insulated jacket - total weight came to 51lbs/23kgs which is right on a dot limit allowed on international flights. Bag is half empty and I can easily fit my other bag inside but I am afraid airline would not allow me to do that.

Defiance double ski bag from Levelnine is 80"/203cm. Maybe if XC skis pack diagonally in the bag.

Just talked to the airline and they would charge $150 each way for transport of ski equipment if I go over my baggage allowance which is 2 bags, 23kg each.

 

[gerathlete]

My wife and I have both used the Douchebag for the last 3-4 years. With one pair of skis, boots and some clothing they travel well and we have never had problems with weight limits, but then we are normally flying international. Re the fear of losing boots if checked in, we have never lost them in 20 years of flying to ski. Delta lost our ski bag once between LAX and SLC and we had to ski rentals (from PCMR) that had the edges completely defined for the whole length of the ski! But that is another story

 

[gerathlete]

My wife and I have both used the Douchebag for the last 3-4 years. With one pair of skis, boots and some clothing they travel well and we have never had problems with weight limits, but then we are normally flying international. Re the fear of losing boots if checked in, we have never lost them in 20 years of flying to ski. Delta lost our ski bag once between LAX and SLC and we had to ski rentals (from PCMR) that had the edges completely defined for the whole length of the ski! But that is another story

Detuned!

 

[at_nyc]

Re the fear of losing boots if checked in, we have never lost them in 20 years of flying to ski.

Hope it doesn’t jinx your next flght. Of my many travels, I’ve only once have my skis & “boot bag” delayed.

But since my boot wasn’t in my boot bag, it didn’t become a problem.

 

[cosmoliu]

I used my Douchebag last month for the first time. It lived up to expectations and really is a great bag.

 

[gerathlete]

Hope it doesn’t jinx your next flght. Of my many travels, I’ve only once have my skis & “boot bag” delayed.

But since my boot wasn’t in my boot bag, it didn’t become a problem.

I hope so too! We are off to Japan for a month at the end of January so that will be the next test

 

[drewski]

I use a DakineDouble roller. It will hold 3 pairs of skis. I use it for two pairs and put in ski clothes as padding. Great bag easy to roll up and keep out of the way when you arrive.

 

[Slim]

Also, don’t forget about the 50lb limit.

My Dakine double ski bag (concourse?) has a compartment intended for boots, but I’ve never put boots in there.

For our family of 4 we pack 2 double ski bags of skis and a bit of clothes and then 2 regular luggage for the rest of the clothes. Then each of us carries on our boots.

@Goose :

We do similar, 9 day ski trip out west, family of 4, we pack:

• 2 (double) ski bags with 2 pairs of skis/poles each.
• 1 suitcase and 1 duffle with helmets, boots and clothes for everyone.

That makes 1 piece of luggage/ person and and maybe one carryon for the whole family. If you carry on boots, you could get by with even less.

Usually it’s the weight limit that I hit before the bag is full, even with two pairs of skis in one bag.

 

[Slim]

some of the bags do show room for a pair of boots in addition. But the specs are just not so clear.

its got to do with restrictions. Combining boots in with skis would allow for extra bags. What I mean is if each person uses up one (ski/boot) limit and I have all four us do that there would be extra fees involved for any extra bag luggage wise. With united a second bag of luggage is the same cost as a ski&boot bags combo.

So if I fit 2 skis and one boots in each of two bags what I will have is this. I will have 2 people with a first bag plus a second (ski bag). Then a 3rd person would utilize a fee for a second luggage (being a bag with the other 2 pairs of boots. Then the 4th person would still be left with another option for a second luggage bag. And all that would be the same price extra for each person.
If I do each ski/boot individually pp than we would all use up our second bag quota. Then if we end up with extra luggage it would have to fall into a 3rd bag category for one of us and that then gets more expensive. I don't like to deal with on flight carryon's. I mean sure if I was solo and everything could fit but since we'll be checking bags anyway we may as well check all except for a snack, and accessory carryon.
Plus combining stuff works to end up with less carrying of bags all together. Does that make sense? IDK

Less pieces of luggage is mostly better(if they are under 50lbs), since its less to keep track of, easier for a few people to carry while the other goes to get a car etc, etc..

You are just packing one pair of skis per person right? So do as I do (described above). Why would you buy each person their own skibag? (Cost of 4 ski bags alone is not insignificant)

 

[James]

I,ve got a double soft bag with wheels now. Had to get a new one after a) airline decide to drag the old very soft bag on the tarmac. Melted through the bag, melted a vest, and ground down the Marker Griffon heel piece. An appropriate end for that binding. I was more upset about the vest. I got $300 voucher. Not bad.
B) needed a longer one to fit 192 cm skis

I got the Synch mainly because it was there in May, the day before going to Abasin, and it was on sale.
Has wheels, rectangular, zips all the way open. Nice thing is you can use such a bag as storage at destination. Assuming there's room. Can't with a sport tube.

I packed it to the max last time. Approaching 24.5 kgs, limit of 25. Damn slalom skis are heavy. Plus the 95mm 192's with pivot 18's (much lighter than slaloms), 2 pair poles, extra boot liners, tuning kit, clothes, toe warmers and hand warmers for more than a week, clothing.

The thing was heavy as hell. Balance isn't great. Getting it on and off trains was fun. Esp with a back pack and a suitcase. It cost I think 200 euros total to ship both ways. I'm really considering not next time. But the disease takes over...

 

[gerathlete]

One of the many benefits of travelling in Japan is the ski/ board transfer system. When we arrive in Haneda airport we drop our skis off at the "Black Cat" service and enjoy a few days in Tokyo without having to lug heavy ski bags around. When we get to our first ski hill they will be in our hotel room. Great and reasonably priced service. Never looked for a similar service in the US, but this is different to UPS and the others.

 

[Jim McDonald]

Yes, I always feel comforted reading threads like this. In 35 years of shipping ski gear and golf clubs back and forth, nothing has every been lost, or damaged, or late arriving for use. Average cost of about $15 one-way (recently, our huge double ski wheelie bag packed with everything but the potato chips is costing $25) and they pick-up/deliver right to our door.

 

[chilehed]

My Transpack hard case carries my pair of skis, poles, most of my clothes and my helmet, and is checked. My carry-on suitcase holds my boots and all of the clothing I need for my first day on the hill, and gets put in the overhead. My Transpack boot bag holds whatever soft stuff is required to keep the hard case under 50 lbs, and gets stuffed under the seat in front of me. I don't have much legroom, but it works and so far no one's ever checked to make sure there's nothing but skis in the hard case.

 

[givethepigeye]

There are 2 types of travelers with checked bags:

• Those that have had there bags delayed
• Those that have not......yet.

A lot has to do with weather, destination, load factor, equipment, etc. Fly into a small field enough and your "sports equipment" (bike or skis) bag will get delayed. They are typically large, at the limit, and considered "non-essential" by airlines. They are rarely "lost" as the are scanned and tracked. There is usually a weight issue unless you have a super tight connection. We check all the time - never boots though. You'd be amazed the Byzantine route your bag will take to "recover" - all traceable. Oh and then the "delivery contractor" - don't get me started - go get your stuff.

 

[Jack skis]

This sorta fits here, I had Crested Butte Sports ship me a pair of skis (with mounted bindings) and my poles in one cardboard container, along with another box containing my boots, helmet, 2 pairs of gloves, two pairs of socks, two goggles and my Snap Dry boot dryer/warmers to my Washington State house. Cost about $100 bucks. Shipped Wednesday and FedX had them at my door on Saturday. Arrived in great condition, someone had even waxed the skis.

BTW the gear in the second box all fit (with room to spare) in a Sync boot bag. They make some pretty good stuff.

 

[Goose]

Im looking at the soft "Transpack" double. I see it comes in two versions. One is the rolling double while the other is the vault rolling double. They both seem similar enough. Their website only shows the vault version which makes me think its the newer one while the other no longer produced even though stil available out in strores.

Padded, interior straps, divider, extendable, and of course wheels. One is $150 while the other near $200.
Im not sure if the vault is just a newer version or actually a whole lot better version. Differences I can find is the material ....one being 600D and the other (the vault) being 1680 and thick memory foam padded and expandable to 3 different lengths vs 2 lengths.

Just how much better is 1680 vs 600D IDK. And just how much more padded is the vault vs the older one IDK either.
An extra $100 for the vault but is it truly that much better in over all quality? I wouldn't know unless I seen both wich is really not possible unless I fond a local brick and morter that has both in stock. Turns out my local store sells both so Ill be calling to inquire.

But darn these things are not cheap. That D-bag some are talking of I even more expensive..

 

[VON]

Bought mine in 2009 to go to the Mothers Day gathering. 5 trips so far and no damage. I have the single version and I'm not sure that the new 95's are going to fit in it. My 88's did.

Like Phil says you can't really get anything else in the case. Flying Air Canada, they only want the skis and poles in the bag or case. I can get a pair of winter hiking shoes with the skis and poles. I got the case because AC stated that sport equipment needed to be in a solid container. That included golf clubs too. So I bought one. I've seen lots of soft bags on flights, so I'm not sure they are sticking to that criteria anymore.

I've seen lots of ripped bags too! Including my husbands on a flight to Vancouver years ago. And it was a padded one. The airline repaired it.

I've fit a pair of 192cm, 95mm wide skis with fairly wide shovels in my series 1 without problems - I'd say you're good to go!

You do need to pack them with bindings facing inwards, and skis facing each other tip to tail.

 

[Spelunker]

My 95 waist skis don't fit in my sportube because of the brakes. Any thoughts on removing the brakes to make the skis easier to pack, then putting them back on before skiing? anyone ever done this before?

 

[cosmoliu]

My 95 waist skis don't fit in my sportube because of the brakes. Any thoughts on removing the brakes to make the skis easier to pack, then putting them back on before skiing? anyone ever done this before?

How about retracting the brakes with rubber bands or other method?