Traveling with your gear

[Synn]

Hey, I have a work trip in Vermont, and I heard the hills were good there, so I figured I'd bring my ski gear and boards with me.
I've never done something like this before though, how do you guys travel with gear, do I need a large bag for my winter jacket and skiboots and boards, and check that all into luggage?
Also, where do you leave your shoes and bags and stuff when you're at the hills so it doesn't get stolen? I usually always have a car to store stuff in, but I definitely won't while in the states. I imagine I gotta pay for a locker I'm guessing?

[Wookie]

If you are flying start by checking the airline’s checked bag policy. For instance Southwest will allow you to count a ski bag + a boot bag as one piece of checked luggage. Others hit you with extra charges for snow sports gear or for a bag over their weight limits (usually 50 lbs).

For me my skiboards, helmet, heavy ski layers, gloves, and such all go in a 140 cm junior ski bag from Level 9 sports as one of my checked bags. My second checked bag is just normal clothes and such. My ski boots and goggles go in a carry on. The goggles just so they don’t get crushed and my boots because they NEVER leave my sight while traveling. I could replace all my checked gear with rental gear but rental ski boots is a surefire way to ruin a ski trip. Don’t check your boots.

As for stashing you stuff at the lodge you have a few options:

1) Some ski hills are safe to leave you bag out and provide racks or shelves for bags. My local hills in PA are safe to leave a bag of shoes and spare clothes without fear of theft. Many VT hills, especially the smaller ones, are like this.

2) Some hills, in order to keep tables and space available in the lodges, offer complementary bag check. Give the hills you’re visiting a call and ask if they offer this.

3) If you are truly worried about theft or have real valuables in your bag get a locker. Bring quarters and grab a locker early.

[Bad Wolf]

Also, where do you leave your shoes and bags and stuff when you're at the hills so it doesn't get stolen? I usually always have a car to store stuff in, but I definitely won't while in the states. I imagine I gotta pay for a locker I'm guessing?

I have a boot bag with a double zipper and use the zipper pulls to lock the bag to something secure, like a ski rack. I've done it for years without issue. I don't leave my wallet and keys in the bag, but do leave shoes, gloves, water, snacks, tools, spare goggles, layers etc.

[Fun Machine]

I'm assuming you're flying. The only things you are required to check as luggage are the skis/boards and poles. You can carry on everything else (bindings, boots, goggles, helmet, etc) if you must. I travel enough to ride, and I've found that putting everything into a single Sportube 3 is easiest for me. It fits 2+ pairs of my skis/boards, bindings, boots, googles, helmet and ski clothing. It is practically indestructible. A golf bag also works, but I double bag in that case - pack the boards and boots into their bags, then pack the bags into the golf bag. Carrying on the boots is good advice, but I personally don't bother anymore.

[Tom91381]

Do they charge for checking in a ski bag? Or add the weight of the ski bag to the weight of other bag for check in ?
I hear there’s a 50 lb limit with the check in baggage and only 1 carry on bag ?


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[CrazyBoy-1]

Every airline will be a bit different, but I've never had an issue checking my board bag. I predominantly fly Southwest, and although they treat it as "oversized," there has never been any extra charge or hassle.

Personally, I use a two-bag system, comprising the RVL8 Monkey Backpack and Board Bag. I'll put 2-3 pairs of boards in the board bag (without bindings) and pack all my clothes around them. In the backpack go my boots, socks, bindings, snow pants, helmet, goggles, and all layers worn on the slopes. I generally wear my jacket. I pack this way based on my fear of lost baggage, and it has saved me before. On one trip to a Midwest Meet 2.0, I arrived in Minneapolis, but my board bag went to FL. Since I had all my gear, I was able to just borrow a set of boards, and I was good to go.

For at the lodge, I generally just get a locker, if I don't have a car to stash stuff. Most of the lodges now have lockers that can be rented for an entire day, similar to what is used at theme parks. You get an access code and can open the locker as many times as you like.

[Synn]

Thanks guys. I will go out and buy a bag for my gear.

[Wookie]

Thanks guys. I will go out and buy a bag for my gear.

The SBOL bags are solid, reasonably priced, and, unlike ski bags, sized to fit our gear:
http://www.skiboardsonline.com/c/bags.html

Level 9 has some well priced solid items too. My bag of choice it this junior bag:
https://www.levelninesports.com/l9-sports-ski-bag

Lots of guys like the SportTube (https://www.sportube.com/) hardsided bage or generic golf bag carriers. I am not a fan of the SportTube since they are tough to load but hardsided bags are nice if you are renting a smallish car/SUV and may need to cartop your gear. With some straps your Sportube can be lashed to a roof rack and is an instant rooftop box.

[Bad Wolf]

Traveling with your gear

Several seasons ago I rode nothing but the Blunts with non release bindings for an entire season. Because the boards were so short, I was able to fit them into a suitcase, along with my boots/gloves/helmet/goggles and outer layers. Everything else went in my carry on back pack. I took several trips that year, including Shredfest and Westfest with that set up. Life was simple back then, being a minimalist[emoji3]

Now that my boards the longer and have release bindings on risers, I have had to abandon my suitcase in favor of a rolling golf bag. It’s much more bulky, but still gets the job done.

[CrazyBoy-1]

Several seasons ago I rode nothing but the Blunts with non release bindings for an entire season. Because the boards were so short, I was able to fit them into a suitcase, along with my boots/gloves/helmet/goggles and outer layers. Everything else went in my carry on back pack. I took several trips that year, including Shredfest and Westfest with that set up. Life was simple back then, being a minimalist[emoji3]

Now that my boards the longer and have release bindings on risers, I have had to abandon my suitcase in favor of a rolling golf bag. It’s much more bulky, but still gets the job done.

Hmm, so I should just bring my '96 Lines to Westfest next weekend?

[Bad Wolf]

Hmm, so I should just bring my '96 Lines to Westfest next weekend?

That would be cool[emoji106]

Maybe we should have a retro day with everyone on sub 100s and fixies.

[CrazyBoy-1]

That would be cool[emoji106]

Maybe we should have a retro day with everyone on sub 100s and fixies.

I'd be up for that. I'll throw a pair in my bag with my Condors.

[Fun Machine]

Do they charge for checking in a ski bag? Or add the weight of the ski bag to the weight of other bag for check in ?
I hear there’s a 50 lb limit with the check in baggage and only 1 carry on bag ?

The checked luggage policy differs for every airline. Check all the one(s) you are flying on. I've been burned by looking at only one carrier's limits only to be charged by another carrier's lower limits on the return. The most common limits per bag for a recreational economy traveler are 50 lbs and 62 linear inches, and exceeding those limits can incur overweight and/or oversize fees that can be excessive. One airline recently tried to charge me $100 for being over 0.1 lbs. I opened up the bag and pulled out a glove, closed it and checked it. Yeah. No joke. Most if not all airlines have special rules for ski and snowboard equipment, and they vary a lot. One has a 80 linear inch limit on a ski bag while another has 126. One limits the size of a boot bag to 45 inches while another doesn't. One will treat 1 pair of skis, one snowboard, and one boot bag as a single item. Another doesn't limit the number of skis or snowboards as long as they fit in the bag and are within the size and weight limits. The maximum number of bags you can check and carry on depends not only on the airline but also the ticket you purchased and any relevant status or benefits you have. For example, a premium class ticket or high FF status might have a 70 lb bag limit and let you carry on 2 bags and 1 personal item and check 2 bags all for free while the basic economy ticket might cost you an extra $25-95 per every checked bag, each way. The luggage policy is designed to make the airlines money from fees. If you plan to fly a lot with gear especially with family you really need to plan ahead and be careful.

[Fun Machine]

I am not a fan of the SportTube since they are tough to load but hardsided bags are nice if you are renting a smallish car/SUV and may need to cartop your gear.

The Sportube definitely was hard to load at first but I've gotten a lot better and love it now. I actually put boards in one monkey bag and bindings in another, then put those two bags into the Sportube. Or if I need to pack more stuff, I wrap a snowboard or a pair of side-by-side skiboards with bubble and use that as a tray to load stuff on it, then push the whole thing in.

[ysb33r]

On previous trips to the USA I've stuck everything in a big golf bag (with wheels).