Check it or Ship it

[2Valve]

I'm going to FL later this month and have booked a couple days to ski. Is it better to just ship my ski to my resort or check it on the plane? Can someone recommend a good case for a 68" Carbon V?

thanks,

2Valve

 

[ski6jones]

I go once each year, pack ski in sport tube and fly direct. So far so good.

[bigskieridaho]

Yep, travel with my ski all the time and goes great with my sport tube!

[Andre]

Sportube all the way baby!

[Bill22]

Sportube Series 1, 2 or 3?

 

Does it make a difference for 1 slalom ski?

[skihacker]

sportube and fly southwest.

[Horton]

UPS has never wrecked a ski for me but the airlines have

[ski6jones]

Series 3 works. No experience with the others.

[BRY]

Series 2 or 3. 1 is two small. Series 2 works well if you have a removable binding, like Reflex, or one that can squish down like a std Wileys. Series 2 has height issues with fixed hard shells, like Goode, or stiff rubber, like Approach. Series 2 is not tall enough. For those a Series 3 works better as you can get it in with a little diagonal tilt as its taller. I have all three, haven't used the 1 for years though. Use the 2 the most, have actually worn out the wheels. Series 2 great for two pairs snow skis, wife's and mine, or my slalom. Don't use the 3 much any more. Mine are quite old, they last.

 

I have a Reflex and take my boot and liner in carry on. Besides allowing ski to fit in a Series 2 (height) I have my boot/liner with me if ski lost. I can make any std (not large) Reflex plate work with 15 minutes and a Phillips. I can adapt to a different ski pretty quick but I am lost trying a different boot/liner.

 

With skis we always fly Southwest as no charge and no hassles, they specifically allow water skis in their policy. Read the airline sports equip policy, bring a print out of it to check-in. Some airlines only cover if in hard case. FedEx/UPS seem expensive for a ski.

[Lars]

I've flown with the series 3 a couple times. I feel a little silly walking through an airport with that hulking case but fortunately it's only from baggage pickup to the rental car shuttle that I actually have to haul it. Most people think they are golf clubs ;)

 

Haven't had any issues checking the sport tube, it usually takes a little longer to show up in baggage claim though. It did get delayed in Orlando coming home this spring flying Sun Country, probably due to TSA manually inspecting these large items, so keep that in mind. I got it the next day fed ex from the MSP airport.

 

[2Valve]

thanks everyone.

[PatM]

Go with series 3. You can put all your stuff in it. I travel with that and a small carry on bag.

[Chef23]

I have travelled with my ski multiple times with no issues. I use a softsided snowboard bag with wheels for my slalom. I also have a 3 event bag that we have traveled with my son's jumpers and our trick skis in. I always pack vests and extra towels around the skis.

 

I wonder if sometimes luggage handlers are harder on hard cases than softsided ones.

[dhofert]

I am heading to Orlando in a couple weeks and I have decided to go with my soft radar bag, flying southwest and hoping for the best.

[Keith_Menard]

@Chef23 That is exactly what I did...neoprene sleeve with fin protect (well, on the way home anyway after I bought one @perfski , on the way there is was bubblewrap) in my snowboard bag...

 

No issues thankfully.

[Jmoski]

Masterline padded roller, skidoc fin protector, and a 2’ section of the cardboard box the ski shipped in to give the front more structure and crush protection.

 

2 trips to Mexico and 2 to Florida thus far, no issues.

[colo_skier]

FLL 3 times this year with sports tube 3. Everything good except for the time I flew to FLL and my ski came later that night. Always Southwest. After that little hiccup Chet at WPB suggested taking the bindings off and putting them in your carry on. That's the way he travels. Most schools can get a similar replacement ski pretty quick but bindings are a different story.

[Horton]

@colo_skier carry on? Tell us more.

[colo_skier]

@Horton maybe my British upbringing is showing through. Goggle carry on movies from Gt Britain to see.

[LZywicki1]

I've always used FedEx to ship my sportube to either the school or a near by FedEx office without any issues. Normally take 3 days.

[Horton]

@colo_skier seriously how do you carry on a ski? Do they let you put it in the overhead?

[dhofert]

@Horton I'm pretty sure he means bring his bindings in carry on.

[Keith_Menard]

@Horton I find if you make a big scene at the gate and threaten to beat people with your big stick if they don't let you bring it on the plane that they will give you whatever you want.

 

It is especially effective if you facebook live it so we can all see.

[colo_skier]

binding for the carry on, However @"Keith Menard" has a great suggestion. Also @Horton issue was ski going through Denver. Nothing to do with me living in Colorado though.

[Horton]

Yea. United in Denver did prove that you can taco a SporTube with a Nano inside.

[andjules]

Like @Chef23 and @Jmoski I've travelled several times with a soft case, no issues. I put my ski inside my ski bag (with bits of pipe insulation on edges and fin protector) inside this cheap alpine ski bag along with my vest, etc.

[Chef23]

I forgot to add that I do put a fin protector on the fin, put it in my bag I carry to the lake then put it in a soft bag wrapped by my vest, towels, heater top(if needed). Haven’t had a problem yet.

[Windsurfnut]

Traveled to FL a few times on Air Canada with skis in soft Radar bags - that usually have vests gloves and wherever else can get jammed in the bag. No issues so far.