Michelle P
Certified Ski Diva
Yikes! That's a lot to navigate -- I am very impressed by your abilities! I'm a disaster with a rolling carryon suit case, ski bag, book bag and SMALL backpack.
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Advice on ski bags -- roller or not
- Thread starter Michelle P
- Start date
Michelle P
Certified Ski Diva
I like your style....I'm trying to find my easy peasy! I'll have to look at your set up.
And yes....I am getting hot just thinking about wearing my ski gear on my flight....but, sometimes with lay-overs the flights will be 9 hours so....that adds another layer of discomfort.
MissySki
Angel Diva
I figure if anyone has an issue with my helmet I could just put it on my head lol.. but I have never had that happen. On the plane I clip it to the little chair leg under the seat in front of me. The only time someone said something about it was when I was in a front row seat without a seat in front of me, they made me clip it to my ankle so it wouldn't roll around. Fine with me lol.
In some cases I have also carried my ski boots on over my shoulder, with the thinking that I would put them on my feet to board the plane if given a problem.. no problem there ever either. I only have done that a couple of times where I had to pack other stuff in a carryon when doing a combo work and ski trip. Though I was also planning to carry my boots on on the way home from Steamboat last month since we skied in the morning and I didn't feel like repacking my whole duffle to fit them back in on the bottom.. but then my flight was cancelled so didn't make it on a plane that day and ended up repacking the duffle at the hotel that night.
Ski Sine Fine
Angel Diva
Not yet (fingers crossed). I don’t stuff it to the gill and it’s always mid 30-lbs when weighed. I put most of the clothing items in 10L stuff sacks that conveniently fit the space where a second pair of skis would go. I put base layers around the skis disguised as protection. Finally, I layered the remaining space with sweater, jacket, extra ski gloves, and the micro pack on top. A feature of the bag that some dislike is the zipper is at the center and it doesn’t go all the way top to bottom. As such, when you open the bag, there is limited view. In my case, when you unzip the bag, the most accessible things you see are the skis and obviously ski-related stuff … ski gloves, jacket, and ski pack. I’m probably deluding myself to think that makes any difference If they do open it.
I mostly fly United, but have taken it on American & Southwest. The bag has been opened by TSA plenty of times, but none of the airlines has ever asked. I do have a single sporttube hard case. I took that on Air Canada because I wasn’t sure how strict they would be. If I take that, I’d also check a suit case for clothes. As a point of reference, I’ve seen plenty of ski bags at airport baggage claim, and I’d say, other than the sporttubes, all of them look to have more than skis in them.
Bookworm
Angel Diva
I check as few bags as possible, so I'm down to a Dakine 175 rolling ski bag into which I pack almost everything. I use squish sacks (or whatever they are called) for all my stuff so when TSA goes through it to make sure I'm not packing a shotgun, they won't spill. Then I put my helmet, boots, socks and ski clothes for one day in a Dakine book carrier back pack and a Filsen tote for ipad and toiletries. I can fit a week's worth in here, but you'll see me in the same thing après.
AltaEgo
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yes. I have taken my two normal suitcases (a checked bag and carryon roller bag) and a sporttube on business trips. I put my ski boots and first day gear in the carry on and attach my helmet. I have a bag connector that connects the two suitcases, and I tie the sport tube to the smaller suitcase. Then I pull the whole train down to the car rental company.
Amie H
Angel Diva
I have been hassled by an American Airlines rep about what was in my boot bag, they did open but couldn't see the clothes which were all black as was the bag, lol.
Also had a soft sided ski bag that had clothes in it pulled apart by TSA, was oddly repacked when I got it from bag claim.
I now only use a hard sided rolling sportube (which still gets tsa inspected per their lil notes left in there)so I have an extra sporttube closure pin attached to one of the extra holes on the handle, and large zip ties taped on the outside with clear packing tape, plus labels w my contact info taped to BOTH segments of the sportube with clear packing tape.
I gave up on boot bag plus luggage years ago and now just do 1 large checked bag plus my skis.
elemmac
Angel Diva
My last trip (two weeks, no laundry) I managed to pack 3 snowboards (regular, split, and powder board), two sets of bindings, and my snowboard boots in my roller bag...plus a couple other small odds and ends...I came in just under 50 lbs. My large backpack got checked with the roller bag. It's just barely larger than a carry-on size, so I've carried it on in the past when it's not completely full. Then I had my regular ski backpack with helmet on the front as my carry on. I would have been pretty screwed if they lost my luggage...but I took the risk anyways.
We were taking trains on our way home, so I felt the big backpack was easier than two roller bags. I was able to get my small backpack into the snowboard bag while travelling on trains, and helmet into my big backpack. This minimized everything for easier travel, then just pulled the small backpack out for a carry-on once I got to the airport.
Coming back from this trip, I definitely overpacked and could have reduced weight further...but you live and learn. I'll try to take the lessons learned into the next one.
When I put other gear into my ski/snowboard bag, I almost always tuck a large lightweight duffle bag into it. This is a backup plan if someone does complain. I can either A) pay the amount extra for an "oversized bag" or B) pay to check a second bag and throw everything "extra" into the duffle. The duffle also doubles as my boot bag for day trips, if I'm not staying ski in/out.
We were taking trains on our way home, so I felt the big backpack was easier than two roller bags. I was able to get my small backpack into the snowboard bag while travelling on trains, and helmet into my big backpack. This minimized everything for easier travel, then just pulled the small backpack out for a carry-on once I got to the airport.
Coming back from this trip, I definitely overpacked and could have reduced weight further...but you live and learn. I'll try to take the lessons learned into the next one.
When I put other gear into my ski/snowboard bag, I almost always tuck a large lightweight duffle bag into it. This is a backup plan if someone does complain. I can either A) pay the amount extra for an "oversized bag" or B) pay to check a second bag and throw everything "extra" into the duffle. The duffle also doubles as my boot bag for day trips, if I'm not staying ski in/out.
MissySki
Angel Diva
I have to pack tonight for a trip tomorrow and am wondering the same lol.. but my suitcase is the size it is so if I'm checking it anyway I guess who cares how much is in there for now? I would like to downsize my checked bag at some point in general though..
Christy
Angel Diva
Has it been mentioned that there are ski shipping services? If you are talking about connecting flights and 9 hours, maybe its worth looking in to. I have no personal experience with this though.
On my last trip, lugging all of my gear on the parking lot shuttle sounded like such a hassle, and so we ponied up for the $$$$ airport parking that is on site and closest to/on the same level as ticketing... maybe a shipping service wouldn't be all that much of a splurge relative to the cost of that parking. Heck if I used a shipping service I could take $3.50 light rail to the airport then shipping might actually be cost effective.
On my last trip, lugging all of my gear on the parking lot shuttle sounded like such a hassle, and so we ponied up for the $$$$ airport parking that is on site and closest to/on the same level as ticketing... maybe a shipping service wouldn't be all that much of a splurge relative to the cost of that parking. Heck if I used a shipping service I could take $3.50 light rail to the airport then shipping might actually be cost effective.
Amie H
Angel Diva
My charter has a lower weight limit (45 lbs) than when I fly AA or UA (50-70 lbs depending on what class of service I'm in.)
scandium
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Don't wear the insulated ones and always have vents open! It's also only a 90min flight within NZ - I would do the "take them off and hang out in my compression leggings" if on a longer flight as there is space to put layers under the seat in front on the big planes.
MissySki
Angel Diva
Oh interesting. Anything I’ve flown 50lb is the limit, and I am usually just under that lol.
