Travel Surfboard Bag Advice

[btesser]

Heading to El Sal on Sunday. I gave my Pro Lite 7'6" wheeled board bag to my friend last year because it was just too big and heavy. My biggest travel board is a 6'6" and it made no sense to have such a big bag.

Last year I borrowed a Creatures "drag bag" from a friend when i went to Indo. It was kind of a bitch dragging that bag through the airport in Singapore.

For my next bag i was going to get the Channel Islands Lightweight CX-3. But then I was thinking maybe i should just get a smaller/shorter wheeled bag.

Wheels or no wheels? That is the question. Seems like the only downside to wheels is the weight. But it is the rare trip that allows four boards. Usually max is three boards, and sometimes two. Doubt three boards plus the wheeled bag would ever hit the weight limit.

Like i said, wheels or no wheels. Appreciate any advice.

 

[bird.LA]

If you are frequently carrying 3 boards I say get wheels. I've got a 6'6" Pro Lite (which as you know is heavy as hell despite the name) which hasn't topped the scales with three boards and gear yet. Others will be lighter but maybe not quite as bomb proof.

 

[jkb]

3 or more boards, get wheels.

Check Creatures, Ocean Earth, and Dakine.

 

[Truth]

hate wheels for the added weight - not for US departures bc you still be under weight - but whatever 3rd world airport you are in usually tax you for weight

usually just travel with 2 boards now - have quivers where I go and have been using a 6'4 kommunity travel bag - so nice and easy and fits into uber x no problems

 

[casa_mugrienta]

Anything over two boards = wheels

 

[fishtank]

Agreed, in most foreign airports they also won’t charge you for the use of a cart. Really depends on the situation, wheels can be helpful if you gotta lug the bag a far distance to recheck in. Have saved my ass a few times in the past, connected in Jakarta last year and they only let you take the cart so far, had to switch terminals. Grass is always greener, you gonna want em when you need em and not when you don’t.

 

[Oceanslide]

If at least 3 boards, definitely wheels. IMO.

 

[kool-aid]

I guess it depends on what kind of boards you have and what you're bringing but for 3 regular sized shortboards, I definitely would not recommend a wheeled board bag.

I have a prolite smuggler 3 board bag that I like a lot because it works equally well for 2 board and 3 board trips and the hidden board system actually works pretty well for airlines that count boards like lion air.

I also have a huge coffin 7' that holds 5 boards for when I travelling for months on end or need 4 boards in which case I just sinch it down and load it up with stuff. I specifically got one that doesn't have wheels because the hardware adds weight and the ones that don't have wheels have sliding plates that I find work just as well.

My vote is no wheels brah.

 

[Iceman]

I agree with kool-aid. I had a wheeled bag for a long time, and it's only nice when you're at the airport. Otherwise it's just a big heavy pain in the ass for the rest of the trip, especially if you're moving around a lot. At the airport you just grab one of the luggage carriers and you're good.

I also have the Prolite Smuggler in the 6'6''. It's cut longer so it could probably fit a 6'10'' if I really wanted it. Internal dividers so you never have to worry board socks or extra towels to keep boards apart. It actually works great as a day bag once you're at your destination as well. I packed it with 3 boards when I went to Morocco a few years ago, wetsuits, towels, fins, etc, and it still came in around 20 kg. Airlines often have the weight limit at 25kg before you pay extra fees (on top of the surfboard charge). A lot of times, I've had them let me slide on the board fees altogether because the entire thing is under the limit and it's my only check-on luggage.