Ski / Snowboard Bag or Sportube ?

[Stevie Boy]

Is it better to put your ski in a soft ski, competition, snowboard bag, that will move a bit and allow the ski to move within the bag, as well as being wrapped in towels etc, or in a Sportube, rigid, possible to slide off baggage trolly's, and also could get thrown about, because people are under the false impression what ever is in there cannot get damaged

What's your Call Guy's and Girl's, is it worth buying a sportube ?

[Chef23]

I have always used a snowboard bag and haven't had a problem. Of course next time I travel my ski will probably get crushed.

[The_MS]

Get the Tube.

[popof]

Hey! Check this thread and my post in which I described how I made my own sportube out of a Snowboard bag + a construction Pipe. Comes in handy as you get the best out of both worlds, but ultimately it's each one's own decision I guess :)

 

http://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/comment/93286

[Wish]

I'm a sporttube fan. Careful on weight. They can be packed with a lot of gear and can go over. They will take them apart at the airport as many do not have scanners big enough. That's where the ST becomes a pain. TSA's are clueless as to how it should go back together. I had to assist them after they shot my ST across a stainless steal counter trying to push the two halves back together. Looked and sounded like a 3 stooges routine as it slammed into a rolling cart with all kinds of stuff on it. No damage to my stuff but the look on their faces as everyone stared was priceless. I've since attached permanent closure instructions to the outside as well as clear markings for alignments. That's helped a great deal. As long as you can suspend your ski inside with foam, bubble rap, towels, or life jackets etc.... your good. Just don't forget the tip and tail of the ski. If it gets run over by a luggage cart on the tarmac, there is nothing that will protect a ski. 10yrs of travel and no problems.

 

Hard or soft case, this is THE best fin protector I have ever used or seen. It does not relie on the fin itself for fit or even touch it as its molded from PVC pipe. Great product.

 

http://www.ski-it-again.com/php/skiitagain.php?topic=Search&category=Slalom&postid=15434

[igkya]

Get the Sporttube.

[lcarnes]

I love my Sporttube...travel 6-8 times a year with it. I have heard stories of them getting crushed, but that's probably a risk with all of them.

 

[ScaredOfCorbets]

tube

[Horton]

Tube. Thinking I will do something to my next one to make it less slippery. One idea I have heard is that they slide around too much on the conveyor belts

[The_MS]

Knock on wood, but I have over 50 trips with our ski tube and no problems.

[SM]

Sport Tube Rocks!

[addkerr]

Every trip over to Florida i have used Elite bag packed to the max with all gear including jackets ropes towels, shorts. No movement in bag or with the ski. Made sure there is no exposed part of the ski you can feel through the bag. Trusted bringing my new Mapple back like this and was fine.

[aswinter05]

Definitely get the tube. Recently took a trip to colorado. Packed the 142 cm twin-tips in the tube with a beach towel and had no problems. It even has wheels and can be strapped easily to a luggage rack. Poles fit no problem along with skis and bindings.

[rayn]

Sporttube pain to pack but it takes a beating

[Moskier3ev]

We use both a soft ML travel bag and sport tube. Both hold all your gear and a few clothes to keep luggage cost down. Have not had a problem with either. The only thing on the sport tube is the tube has not been properly put back together by TSA the last 2 trips left uncliped.

 

JEff Lindsey

[6balls]

I like the tube, too. Why must it open/close that way, though? Why not some hinges and opens like a big suitcase? Expense I imagine?

[Wish]

@6balls I think they make it that way so it can vary in size for different length snow skies and snow boards (truly the original intent the company had in mind) It is a PITA to put together for sure. I'm guessing the TSAs in the snow ski resort states work them a little better but here in Orlando they look at it like its a giant Rubics Cube.

[jayski]

@OB like this?

 

http://www.pelican.com/cases_detail_single_lid.php?Case=AL6912-1003

 

[Wish]

@jayski how heavy is that. Looks like a 747 could run over that and not hurt it. Not that that would happen ;-)

[MattP]

Pelican makes some great cases. I know they have a large military contract.

[ski6jones]

That case would protect your ski for sure, and for the price of the case I bet you could buy a new ski.

[jayski]

@Wish 42lbs...Pelican's are darn near indestructable...just needs wheels on it though, online around $750

[Wish]

Wow that's a heavy case. I've never been over the 50lb limit with my sport tube packed full with ski, all my gear and most of my cloths. With that case you get to pack a ski, one glove and a a pair of socks...well maybe just one. .

[Horton]

I really want it....

[h2odawg79]

I think I am going to Combine my soft Travel Bag and something very simular to what @Popof did above. (exellent idea!) I may even split the PVC pipe length wise and install a rubber hinge system and several EZ to close Velcro straps for latches. Cheap, EZ and Light...

[thager]

I did a similar thing to what @Popof did with an Elite ski bag by building an internal hardcase from peg board and duct tape. Three years now and no problems.

[Horton]

I you guys saw what United did to my SportTube & Nano One last year you would know that the airlines can break anything they want.

[popof]

@horton, yeah that's for sure, but as long as they break the pipe / box / tube etc, and the gear is fine, it's cool!

 

I made my sister the exact same one as mine, except obviously..PINK for her Makhaïa Goode, we travelled the same day, same destination, different companies, her pipe was cracked halfway and broken into pieces at one extremity.

 

But the ski (wrapped in towels and lifejacket and foam) was and still is fine. Guess the pipe took the hit, which is exactly what you want it to do. Just replaced the pipe and good to fly again!

 

The one good thing about the Soft bag is that though the pipe was wrecked, the bag was as good as new, so you really only have to change the pipe, which is less expensive than buying everything again. We went for Dakine cause that's the only brand I easily found here in Paris, but there are many options out there, Elite, MasterC etc...

[Stevie Boy]

Took the advice from you guy,s, got a sportube, managed to pickup a steal at $70 off of ebay.

[Horton]

Crap! Are there more sat that price?

[ScaredOfCorbets]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SPORTUBE-Ski-Transportation-System-Double-Case-for-2-skis-/181070958670?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a28ab904e

 

$60 starting bid, $80 buy it now.

[MattP]

Now thats tempting

[h2odawg79]

@popof did you use 8" dia sched. 40 Drain pipe?

[popof]

@h2odawg79, well sincerely I couldn't tell, you know we have metric system here and everything, but actually it was roughly 12" I guess? (30cm) it is a PVC pipe. I guess if you're only putting the ski without bindings, you might go for 8 - 9" but keep in mind the ski is not flat!!!! It has a rocker (?) I think you guys call it, so basically it will not fill the tube but touch the top on both extremities, and the bottom of the ski in the middle due to the "arch" shape.

 

Here is the link to the pipe (or equivalent, I wouldn't know which one i bought, but it was from that store)

 

http://www.pointp.fr/gros-oeuvre-vrd-tp/tuyau-pvc-assainissement-cr8-bipeau-a-joint-diametre-315mm-epaisseur-A1190522p213S684R688m23?xtmc=pvc_tuyau&xtcr=1

 

It is in deed drain pipe, got it from a large construction company (Point P) had to cut it myself, but was worth it IMHO :)

 

Good luck with yours, keep me posted!

[Stevie Boy]

Are you Guy,s putting the ski into the sportube on it,s side or flat ?

[The_MS]

Side

[h2odawg79]

@popof, Cool, Thx!

yeah, 315mm is 12"... A Cylindrical shape has so much more impact/crush strength then Sq./flat lines. I was going to build a Triangular shaped tube. As this shape performs rather well too. A Honeycomb design would probably perform best though!

 

A nicely padded Ski might not get scratched. But, it just might get CRUSHED! I think some Airlines folks Hate people who travel with their oversize Toys!

[Wish]

I shipped a ski in a triangle box made from a combos ski shipping box. Sooooooo much stronger. To bad skies can't be shipped that way. Few if any would be returned for shipping issues. Also place my ski flat on the side in my sporttube . I take black foam pipe insulation and rap the edges of the ski in it. Makes for a nice snug fit in the ST and functional bumper padding for the edges of the ski. Before owning a ST I placed the ski in a plastic corrugated black drain tube (with holes) that happened to fit perfectly in a double nylon snow ski bag. Did the same pipe insolation for ski edges. Incredibly light and very strong. Not much else would fit. I think it weighed under 10lbs with the ski in it. Ski boots went in luggage.

[Zman]

Def like the Tube. Several folks commented what a pain it is to pack, and even worse - the tough time the airport folks have putting it back together. What I found that really helps is to pack your ski, your gear, towels shorts, etc in a light weight ski bag (from performance ski). Then the ski bag packs easily into the tube and makes it easy for TSA to put back together. The ski bag and all your soft gear also provides some added shock proofing.

Ski bag is handy also if you can't fit the hard tube inside a small rental car. Many times I can't get the Tube in a rental, but after taking the soft bag out, the soft bag will fit OK and still keep all the gear together....

[ScaredOfCorbets]

Excellent suggestion on using a soft ski bag first! Will throw mine soft bag in the sportube now, so I don't forget next time.

 

 

 

[Stevie Boy]

Got myself a wet bag, similar to dive bag, for wet gear, handy for dry stuff going and wet stuff coming home.

[The_MS]

At almost every airport, you can stand and watch the TSA and offer them guidance on how to put it back together. Most of the large hubs like ATL/MSP/ORD/DFW all have machines big enough for the tubes to go through. If it fails the sniff test, then they have to go inside.

[Wish]

I actually got to cross the yellow tape to assist TSA in the closing of mine. Funny how they stood there for a while contemplating my offer to help and whether I could cross the tape. @MS is right..... wait can I say that here?

[rayn]

I used to watch them at BOS. But they moved the screening area to a remote/secure location that I have not found. Before they moved it, I helped a couple of agents get it back together again, but usually only have trouble when I have both mine and my sons skis in there.

 

I agree with all the above that never pack anything loose in the tube, I always use my ski bag to put the handle, gloves, ski into.

[h2odawg79]

International Flights will often go through your stuff Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind the scenes at Customs upon re-entering the U.S.A. -They are sometimes ruthless and trust me, not only will they NOT put your stuff back LIKE IT WAS, (so much for packing it tightly or whatever, if you have a connecting Flight) and if there is anything that they desire.... well it's gone!

 

Ha! -I've experienced both; the "not repacked properly and BROKEN" and the "GONE"!

[Stevie Boy]

I asked the question,how do you pack your ski in the sportube, and somebody was kind enough to reply with "on it's side" that is good for accomodating the binding, but the height of the sportube is pretty close to the width of the ski, I,m worried the ski could get crushed on the edges, is "on it' side" still the way to go ?

[One_Ski]

One airline crushed the tip of my slalom ski, so I bought the SportTube. It's awkward to handle, but it does its job well. I agree that TSA will open it every time; they'll reclose it correctly about half the time. Because of the risk of TSA losing my stuff, I only put my ski in the tube. To improve the odds they'll put the two halves together right, I bought a D-shaped ring at Discount Marine (sailboat section). I put this ring through one of the holes in the smaller section, so it ensures the tube will only close as far as I want it too (won't compress and crush my ski). I use a bungee that clips to this D-ring, which makes the whole system easy to reassemble. Since I've done this, TSA hasn't screwed it up again. Here are some pics of what I did. I also put some holes in the end and attached a handle - it's easier to roll around this way.

[LZywicki1]

Picked one up on Amazon cheep last month, used the packing advice here. No problems with shipping it Fed Ex. back and forth.

[Mateo_Vargas]

@OB do you use the seat belt for your ski when it's in the front seat?

[TeamWally]

Tube for sure. I can fit my pow skis and carvers for Colorado, or 2 waterskis with RTPs on and front binders off. I am convinced that the baggage guys view the SportTube as a challenge, I've the wheels pushed in, axles bent and several dent's. I no longer look out the window to watch for my bags to be loaded. Remarkably the stuff inside has stayed intact. On a side note @Zman is onthe money, putting in extra padding "just right" really pisses the TSA guys off. I really like being able to strap the case to the roof of rental cars, dirt bike straps thru the windows work great.