First-Timer’s Guide to Flying with Ski and Snowboard Gear
Whether you have mountains in your backyard like we do here in Mammoth Lakes or take an annual trip across the country to get to them, if you love exploring new mountains then you’ll need to fly to get to them eventually.
Flying with ski and snowboard gear may seem like a daunting prospect if you haven’t done it before, but the Mammoth Bound team is here to share our know-how with you so that it will be a breeze! Check it out below before flying with your ski and snowboard gear, then find the best deals on Mammoth Lakes lodging and gear rentals with Mammoth Bound!
What Are Ski and Snowboard Bags?
Ski and snowboard bags are long bags that are designed to carry your skis or snowboard and a few more pieces of gear depending on their design. The most important function of a ski or snowboard bag is to protect your gear during travel though, so they have plenty of padding to ensure damage free transit.
While protecting your gear is the most important thing a ski or snowboard bag does, you can do yourself a favor by buying one with wheels to make it easier to move through crowded airports and ski town sidewalks!
What to Put in Your Ski or Snowboard Bag
Once you have your ski or snowboard bag loaded with your skis or boards, you may wonder if you can put all your ski gear inside.
While you may be able to fit your skis or board, bindings, boots, and helmet all into your bag, you should consider splitting up some of your gear.
First, putting all your gear inside your ski or snowboard bag will make it incredibly heavy. Extra weight will make your bag harder to carry and can result in extra charges from your airline. Plus, hard gear like ski boots that isn’t secured can damage your other gear.
For that reason, we recommend storing your soft gear like long underwear, coats, and snow pants in your ski bag. Secure your hard gear like loose bindings or helmets in the bag so it won’t move around during travel.
You should also consider travelling with your ski or snowboard boots attached to or inside of a carry-on bag if possible. Not only are boots heavy pieces of gear, but they’re also the hardest gear to replace since they mold to your foot over time. If your bag is lost or delayed, you’ll be hard pressed to find boots that are as comfortable as yours, so try to keep them on you during travel if possible!
Airline Ski and Snowboard Bag Policies
Although each airline may have its own unique policy for handling ski bags, if you’re flying into a ski town you can generally bet that your destination airport will have a conveyor belt specifically designed to handle large ski and snowboard bags.
While picking up your bag is easy, finding the most cost-effective way to fly it may not be. This On the Snow article breaks down how each of the major airlines handles ski and snowboard luggage, so we recommend finding your chosen airline and then devising the best plan for your trip and wallet!