Packing soft ski bags

[NewEnglandSkier]

For those who fly with their skis in ski bags (as opposed to sport tube) how do you typically pack them in the bag? Do you retract the brakes with rubber bands and put them together base to base? Or do you just put the skis together base to base just locking the brakes like you normally would to stand them up?
Or do you do base to base with brakes retracted but do tip to tail?
I'm thinking of bringing a pair with me for my next trip and just wondering the best way to pack them in the bag for the least likelihood of damage or other issues.
The bag is padded but I'm thinking of putting some bubble wrap around the bindings . . . .any other tips?

 

[Jilly]

When I used a soft bag, I just placed the skis in the middle, just like I would if I was placing them in the car. We were given a single ski bag by the tour promoter, so I actually packed the skis in that first, then inside a double bag with most of the bulky ski stuff. But this was back in the day when you could everything but the kitchen sink with you. I would still protect them somehow. Bubble pack sure do it.

DH tried placing the base of the skis against the side of the bag. Guess what...he cut the bag with his edges!!

 

[marzNC]

With a soft bag for just one pair of skis, I do try to wrap something around the bindings. The trick is to make sure that the edges don't put holes in material you car about.

Skis go in the regular way, with brakes interlocked. Have never felt there was a reason to go to the extra effort to hold down brakes and strap put skis together tip-to-tail the way they go into a Sportube. Probably because I traveled with a soft, unpadded ski bag quite a few times in the 1990s and never had an issues. Used larger clothing, gloves, and outerwear as padding.

 

[santacruz skier]

I pack my skis and wrap in a large construction bag and pack ski jackets and pants in a padded snowboard bag. However TSA opens bags so careful with packing things loose-y goose-y as when I returned from Taos a ski glove was missing..

 

[marzNC]

I pack my skis and wrap in a large construction bag and pack ski jackets and pants in a padded snowboard bag. However TSA opens bags so careful with packing things loose-y goose-y as when I returned from Taos a ski glove was missing..

Aack! Hate only having one glove missing.

If I put something small like gloves in a ski bag or Sportube, I have them inside at least a plastic grocery bag that's tied. May put things into my small backpack such as powder cords.

Occurs to me that I've used a small towel as the first layer around bindings. Followed by extra base layers that are not my favorites.

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

Thanks all!
The bag has pockets inside so I can stuff things in those so nothing will be loose.
I've never flown with my skis before due to being paranoid about the airlines doing damage, but these skis were cheap with the added bonus that I like them so I won't cry if they get wrecked (somewhat annoyed yes, super upset no).
So I'm thinking of bringing them on my next trip, but now it's looking like the potential for a northeast storm next Fri, when I'm supposed to fly out so if that blows up into a disaster that complicates my potential for getting there I'll probably just leave them home, as I'd rather not have to deal with lots of bags when the potential for delays, cancelations or re-routing is higher. But I know I'll bring them somewhere eventually, so good to have ideas of how to pack it.

 

[santacruz skier]

Aack! Hate only having one glove missing.

If I put something small like gloves in a ski bag or Sportube, I have them inside at least a plastic grocery bag that's tied. May put things into my small backpack such as powder cords.

Occurs to me that I've used a small towel as the first layer around bindings. Followed by extra base layers that are not my favorites.

I should know better..... I did have bags of laundry in the snowboard bag so who knows what else I'm missing.... My Hestra mittens were in my boot bag.... I've been doing this for years and definitely should not have been so lazy. Yes I used to wrap a small towel around the bindings and usually stick ugg boots next to tip and tail of skis.

 

[marzNC]

With a soft bag for just one pair of skis, I do try to wrap something around the bindings. The trick is to make sure that the edges don't put holes in material you care about.

Skis go in the regular way, with brakes interlocked. Have never felt there was a reason to go to the extra effort to hold down brakes and strap put skis together tip-to-tail the way they go into a Sportube. Probably because I traveled with a soft, unpadded ski bag quite a few times in the 1990s and never had an issues. Used larger clothing, gloves, and outerwear as padding.

Ended up bringing my rock skis to Alta for spring skiing since they were treated with Phantom. Decided to keep it simple and used the old unpadded ski bag. Here's how it looked packed for the flight home. I added my snow boots since they are soft and fold over (wore them flying out). Put a few ski clothes that are easy to replace in the green zip bag, used an older pair of gloves to keep the red styrofoam in place better. The towel around the bindings is all I had in the bag on the flight out.

The styrofoam is cut from a hollow swim tube. Not so much to protect edges in this case but more to help keep the skis together.



The bonus was that the single bag would stay on top of my 4-wheel suitcase for the short moves from baggage to the curb at the airport. Per usual, I had the 2-wheel Transpack boot case and my Transpack Sidekick. The Sportube, suitcase, and case is how @nopoleskier packed for a week.

 

[mustski]

I have a soft sided double bag. To fit 2 pairs we have to fit the skis together tip to tail, otherwise the bindings are too wide for the section of the bag. I pack base layers, extra ski pants, whatever I can fit and keep the weight correct. When I have travelled alone, I have put one pair of skis only and filled the bag with everything else. Although my bags always come back with the "searched by TSA" paper, they have never lost anything. I do put all the small stuff like gloves, goggles, socks, etc. in the boot bag that I carry on.

 

[BlueSkies]

Mesh bags such as used for laundering delicate items are useful for keeping smaller items from getting lost. Use large bags so the items can be manipulated to pad the skis.

 

[edelweissmaedl]

If all goes well, I'll be flying with my skis for the first time in March. I just purchased a soft padded double bag, but haven't cut the tags off yet. Sounds like an old towel may suffice to wrap around the bindings, but now this thread has me a little worried about damaging clothing from the edges. Do most of the posters here feel like your gear is safe as long as its inside some sort of bag to buffer from the skis themselves?

 

[ski skuhl]

I just echo what most have all said - have a buffer between clothing and the skis. Recent trip to UT I used packing cubes for the first time...game changer! I purposely selected long narrow shaped ones which worked like a charm along the skis in a soft ski bag. I still wrapped a towel around bindings.

 

[bsskier]

Would love recommendations on a wheeled soft sided ski carrier. Must have wheels, prefer single bag.

I have a double Sportube but would like to get a decent quality soft sided one for my skis only.

 

[ski skuhl]

Would love recommendations on a wheeled soft sided ski carrier. Must have wheels, prefer single bag.

I have a double Sportube but would like to get a decent quality soft sided one for my skis only.

I'll be interested to hear input on this too. I've got a soft-sided Dakine single bag w/o wheels and a Sierra Designs w/wheels that holds two pairs (and I actually squeezed mine and my two littles' skis in it years ago when they and their skis were actually little).

 

[Bookworm]

I have the wheeled Dakine and I absolutely love it. All I need are it and my Dakine Boot Bag backpack. I pack my skis and most clothing in packing cubes and place in the ski bag, them most everything else (boots, helmet, one day of ski clothes in case my bag gets lost, and personal items. That way I check the ski bag and carry on the boot bag. You should know, however, that I bring very little après clothing.

 

[MissySki]

Would love recommendations on a wheeled soft sided ski carrier. Must have wheels, prefer single bag.

I have a double Sportube but would like to get a decent quality soft sided one for my skis only.

Why not do a single Sportube? I love mine! Used to have a double, but it was quite a lot for me to maneuver when traveling alone. My Sportube is orange which stands out nicely when picking up at baggage claim, and has enough marks and scars from flying that it makes me wary of soft cases holding up and providing as much protection as I’d like.

 

[Christy]

The only soft sided wheeled bag I've had did not work at all. Because it was soft, it bent at the end of the skis, which was before/above the wheels, and so it didn't wheel. So be sure to get one that was recommended and that you know works!

 

[Jilly]

I have a single sport tube too. Last trip out west I did with DH the airline totally did in his bag. He's used it only 2X before that. So I went Sport tube. If I can't pack it in the Atomic wheelie bag and the Salomon "go to ski" carry on, I don't need it. And that includes a DSLR camera and lenses, small backpack and extra coat.

I pack my skis, poles and an extra pair of hiking shoes in the tube.

 

[edelweissmaedl]

I have a single sport tube too. Last trip out west I did with DH the airline totally did in his bag. He's used it only 2X before that. So I went Sport tube. If I can't pack it in the Atomic wheelie bag and the Salomon "go to ski" carry on, I don't need it. And that includes a DSLR camera and lenses, small backpack and extra coat.

I pack my skis, poles and an extra pair of hiking shoes in the tube.

The airline did in the bag, but were the skis ok?!

 

[Jilly]

Yah, the skis made it. TG for duct tape. DH packed way too stuff in the ski bag to begin with, so they made him take some out and put in a box that they sealed and checked. They tried to fix it while we were in Whistler, but it was a poor job.

I actually had my skis damaged by TSA because they couldn't figure out how to get the sport tube back together. TSA in Denver of all places.