Plane travel with skis

[newboots]

Divas come through! So far I've been offered cheap rent on a condo (must be cleaned by yours truly, though ), company for a few runs, company for a few days, and endless excellent advice. You women are awesome! I already knew that, but still!

 

[SarahXC]

Just a quick pop in to say I hope have a great trip! We enjoyed a great spring trip there 2 years ago and definitely would recommend it!

 

[scandium]

I'm eyeing/coveting the Dakine 50L boot bag and matching soft sided ski bag and reading this thread is making me want it even more. Can I blame all of you if I impulse buy it?

I love my boot bag. Do it.

 

[Ski Sine Fine]

I travel with the orange sportube 1 to Breck. So don’t take my skis at the airport :-). I got stickers all over it too. Anyway, quick tips on packing skis in the tube. I find if I wrap the skis and poles in a beach towel and Velcro strap tight near each end, it’s much easier to keep the skis and poles together while putting in and out of the tube. I leave the open side of the towel facing up, so when TSA checks (and it seems they always check), they can see the skis. I tie the pin to the nearest hole on the handle and it’s never gotten lost. Lastly, I have a small stuck sack with extra gloves, socks, etc, and I stuff it in the front end of the tube.

Hope to see you at Breck!

 

[teppaz]

Do you remember my bags vs yours when we were driving to Taos from the airport?

But it all fit in the car somehow. That was some real Tetris skills there.

 

[MissySki]

I travel with the orange sportube 1 to Breck. So don’t take my skis at the airport :-). I got stickers all over it too. Anyway, quick tips on packing skis in the tube. I find if I wrap the skis and poles in a beach towel and Velcro strap tight near each end, it’s much easier to keep the skis and poles together while putting in and out of the tube. I leave the open side of the towel facing up, so when TSA checks (and it seems they always check), they can see the skis. I tie the pin to the nearest hole on the handle and it’s never gotten lost. Lastly, I have a small stuck sack with extra gloves, socks, etc, and I stuff it in the front end of the tube.

Hope to see you at Breck!

Interesting, I’ve never wrapped them with anything but the straps included with the Sportube. You find the towel makes a big difference?

 

[newboots]

I travel with the orange sportube 1 to Breck. So don’t take my skis at the airport :-). I got stickers all over it too. Anyway, quick tips on packing skis in the tube. I find if I wrap the skis and poles in a beach towel and Velcro strap tight near each end, it’s much easier to keep the skis and poles together while putting in and out of the tube. I leave the open side of the towel facing up, so when TSA checks (and it seems they always check), they can see the skis. I tie the pin to the nearest hole on the handle and it’s never gotten lost. Lastly, I have a small stuck sack with extra gloves, socks, etc, and I stuff it in the front end of the tube.

Hope to see you at Breck!

We will have matching SporTubes! Different stickers, though. I’d better start gathering stickers!

 

[Jilly]

With the wider skis and the single tube, I can barely get my skis in, let alone a towel. Mine has lots of stickers on it too.

Usually I put the skis and poles in as per the instructions and can get another pair of hiking shoes in it. Or gloves.

 

[newboots]

Does everybody think that my black pearl 82s are the right skis to take to Breck in April?

 

[marzNC]

Interesting, I’ve never wrapped them with anything but the straps included with the Sportube. You find the towel makes a big difference?

I wrap my skis as well. Mostly because my edges are sharp so I worry less about cutting myself or any of the soft stuff I shove in the Sportube. Learned about wrapping skis before I bought one after watching a man in the Alta Lodge locker room pack up his Sportube. Started looking out for a sale that summer.

I don't use a towel. Got some tear proof material years ago that was packing for something I bought. I cut it into 2-foot wide strips that are long enough to twist around the skis. If only traveling with one pair of the skis, the other strips is folded up at the bottom for a little extra padding.

 

[marzNC]

Does everybody think that my black pearl 82s are the right skis to take to Breck in April?

Yes

 

[MissySki]

I wrap my skis as well. Mostly because my edges are sharp so I worry less about cutting myself or any of the soft stuff I shove in the Sportube. Learned about wrapping skis before I bought one after watching a man in the Alta Lodge locker room pack up his Sportube. Started looking out for a sale that summer.

I don't use a towel. Got some tear proof material years ago that was packing for something I bought. I cut it into 2-foot wide strips that are long enough to twist around the skis. If only traveling with one pair of the skis, the other strips is folded up at the bottom for a little extra padding.

I can see that if you pack other stuff in there for sure. I don't put anything in my tube except skis and poles strapped together, so that piece isn't an issue for me.

 

[marzNC]

I can see that if you pack other stuff in there for sure. I don't put anything in my tube except skis and poles strapped together, so that piece isn't an issue for me.

My daughter was still in elementary school when I bought the Sportube 2. So being able to take two pairs of skis for a late season trip to Alta Lodge seemed like a good idea. While I had put two pairs of skis in, it's rare. Can come in handy if I decide that a pair of demo skis are just what I want and the price is right. Like when I bought the Stormrider demo skis at TSV a few years ago.

I've also used the Sportube when driving during a ski trip with other people who also have skis. Can easily put my skis in without being tip-to-tail and strapped up. Then they are protected and other skis can be piled on top, with or without being in a ski bag. Living in the southeast, putting a ski box on top isn't really worth it. Although I put crossbars on the new RAV4 if I ever feel like driving it to ski country for an extended stay.

 

[kkclimb]

I'm thinking of getting some use out of my Epic pass for a change, and going to Breckenridge in April. I fired up Backcountry.com and began to look at dozens of ski bags. There's a Dakine soft bag with room for clothes and boots! I'm not sure I want all that stuff in one bag, and not at all sure I want my boots checked. Also one reviewer said that even though his skis were as long as the bag, it still wasn't stiff enough to be easily rolled.

The SkiTubes are, predictably, more expensive, but it seems they are likely much more protective.

Any recommendations? I've never used a ski bag. I keep mine in the back of the RAV-4, with a few blankets to keep them warm from banging around.

I bought this one from Level Nine for $90 Defiance Rolling Double Ski/Snowboard Bag - Level Nine Sports. I've flown with it 4x so far and it's served me well. I put both my son's skis and my skis, our poles, and all of our ski clothes in it and it ends up weighing around 42 lbs - well under the limit. We put our boots and other clothes in a carry-on suitcase or backpack and just check the ski bag.

 

[newboots]

Hi, @kkclimb - Thanks for the good word! I found the Sport tube on sale for very cheap ($75!) so I'm going to try that. I wish a little I would have a bigger one, so I could stuff other equipment in there, but I'll work all that out.

Anyway, glad to have you here!

 

[Ski Sine Fine]

You find the towel makes a big difference?

I can see that if you pack other stuff in there for sure. I don't put anything in my tube except skis and poles strapped together

I was looking for something long and narrow and thin and the beach towel was available. Without wrapping the whole thing, I find I can’t get the poles to sit right, the skis keep trying to come apart, or The Stick and little stuff I try to put in between the skis rattling around.

 

[santacruz skier]

Are you in Breckenridge now @newboots ?

 

[newboots]

Are you in Breckenridge now @newboots ?

No. I was fumbling around with the complexity of travel arrangements, and then there was quite unfavorable news regarding the Brazilian variant of the coronavirus. I decided not to go.

I confess that the most recent news from the CDC that it’s ok for vaccinated + 2 weeks folks to travel by air has made me wistful! I signed up for Diva East and West, and my ski club has yet to announce their trips for next season, so I think I’ll stick to indoor skiing this spring and summer! That place in NJ is closer to me than the Catskills!

 

[Après Skier]

I confess that the most recent news from the CDC that it’s ok for vaccinated + 2 weeks folks to travel by air has made me wistful!

No regrets. Keeping yourself safe is most important! And now you are full prepared to travel should you change your mind and catch a direct flight JFK-Reno... Northstar and Heavenly will both be open until April 18

 

[santacruz skier]

I saw that on CNN this morning but then heard not recommending travel but it’s okay if fully vaccinated. Next season hopefully I’ll be traveling again to ski.