Sportubes

[albertanskigirl]

SO and I are considering getting a Sportube for upcoming ski travels. However, I have heard a rumour that two 100 underfoot pairs of skis can't fit into a double sportube. I have the Nordica Santa Ana, and he has the NRGY 100. Does anyone have experience with this? Would these skis fit into a double sportube? And if not, would a triple sportube solve the problems?

If not, does anyone have experience with any of the following soft bags:

Dakine Double Concourse:
https://www.sportchek.ca/categories...concourse-double-ski-bag-tabor-332131234.html

Rossignol Long Haul:
https://www.sportchek.ca/categories...ignol-long-haul-2-pair-ski-bag-331861530.html

Atomic Wheelie:
https://www.corbetts.com/2017-atomic-amt-tail-wheelie-2-ski-bag/

or the EVOC snow gear roller:
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5038-455/Snow-Gear-Roller#

Any thoughts or suggestions are highly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[Jilly]

I only have the single version. btw - Velotique in Toronto has a mail order division, $$??https://velotique.com/collections/nordic-skiing/products/series-2-ski-transport-case, My 88's fit into it. No experience with the double model sorry.

Edit - whooo...I didn't know MEC had Sport tube...Doesn't Dakine have a roller too?

 

[coskigirl]

I'll be reviewing the Transpack Ski Vault Double Pro after my trip this week so if you can wait for that you might add it to your list.

 

[Philpug]

The trouble with the larger SportsTube is the weight, they are pushing 20lb..add two pair of skis ann very well you are over the 50lb threshhold that the airlines mandate. There are come very good soft bags that are significanty lighter and still offer very good protection.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I'm actually thinking about ditching our 2 ski sport tube for a padded ski bag with wheels. If we each got one then we could each bring 2 pairs of skis when traveling out west. Paying close attention to the suggestions in here to get ideas for us.

 

[albertanskigirl]

I only have the single version. btw - Velotique in Toronto has a mail order division, $$??https://velotique.com/collections/nordic-skiing/products/series-2-ski-transport-case, My 88's fit into it. No experience with the double model sorry.

Edit - whooo...I didn't know MEC had Sport tube...Doesn't Dakine have a roller too?

Actually MEC has expanded their ski bag selection quite a bit. Yup - the link I pasted above is a Dakine roller.
I'm looking at all of these now because Sportchek is also having a mad clearance on ski bags - there are some pretty good deals!

I'll be reviewing the Transpack Ski Vault Double Pro after my trip this week so if you can wait for that you might add it to your list.

Sounds good!

The trouble with the larger SportsTube is the weight, they are pushing 20lb..add two pair of skis ann very well you are over the 50lb threshhold that the airlines mandate. There are come very good soft bags that are significanty lighter and still offer very good protection.

Yeah, I thought that might be the case. We're leaning towards the Dakine Double Concourse for right now I think.

 

[dlague]

The trouble with the larger SportsTube is the weight, they are pushing 20lb..add two pair of skis ann very well you are over the 50lb threshhold that the airlines mandate. There are come very good soft bags that are significanty lighter and still offer very good protection.

Agree, we use a Transpack soft bag that was originally designed for two sets of skis but we fit our sons skis in there as well and our poles. The key is to line the bindings up so they optimize room. I was able to get my skis 97 underfoot, wife's skis 87 underfoot and son's 90 underfoot. All under 50 lbs - 47 actual. Soft bags are easier to manipulate.

Since then we all have new skis that are 108, 117 and 122 underfoot I think we will have to go for two bags in the future.

 

[Jilly]

ASG -are you concerned about Air Canada baggage Policy? My trip to WB I saw a lot of soft bags at the collection point.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I was concerned about the hard shell case policy on Air Canada too but I can't tell you how many soft bags I saw. Not concerned any longer.

 

[dlague]

ASG -are you concerned about Air Canada baggage Policy? My trip to WB I saw a lot of soft bags at the collection point.

We flew Air Canada from Boston to Calgary and I used a soft bag. One soft bag - three sets of skis and poles, carried ski boots on to the plane and put helmets in with our luggage. There were three of us and we each had one free bag to check in. Mine was the ski bag. My son had the helmets, jackets and other gear luggage and wife had our clothing.

 

[Philpug]

I wll also be catious of hard cases and TSA. If they have to unpack them...it can be a mess. A soft bag is much easier for them to check. For me, that is a consideration.

 

[Jilly]

I wll also be catious of hard cases and TSA. If they have to unpack them...it can be a mess. A soft bag is much easier for them to check. For me, that is a consideration.

Oh yah.....they DO NOT know how to put them back together. Nice slice in the base of my Rossi coming back from A Basin the first time. Also did a number on the tube too!

 

[albertanskigirl]

ASG -are you concerned about Air Canada baggage Policy? My trip to WB I saw a lot of soft bags at the collection point.

no, not AC specifically. We were just thinking about protecting our skis better. However, with all the posts above, I think soft bag is the way to go.

 

[Doug Briggs]

I flew with a soft bag with wheels this summer. I folded the excess on one end of the bag over and held it in place with the attached strap. Skis were fine. I have also traveled with a burrito; the kind of bag pros use that hold 4 to 6 pairs of skis. They are tough and durable. If you packed two pair in a 4 pair bag, they'd be virtually bomber with all the fabric protecting them.

Also consider bindings that can easily come off skis. Many system bindings slid off easily letting you change the profile of the packed skis and bindings as they don't necessarily have to go base to base without the bindings installed.

 

[snofun3]

^^^
While most of my skis stay in one or two places, they still go into a bag for storage. I put Griffon demo clamps on (almost) all my skis, so I can go wherever with one bag, three or four pairs of skis and one set of bindings.

Soft roller bags are the ticket. Flexible to put other gear and clothes in as required.

 

[markojp]

FWIW, when I was traveling with skis a lot, and even now not so much, I've always used padded soft cases.
For domestic and int'l travel. Only ever had one issue, but it was with a very lightweight telemark binding that clearly had been run over on the ramp. Airline settled up immediately. I had other skis with me, so no snow time was jeopardized.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I have a Series 2 sport tube that I'm going to sell. I paid $125 with shipping. I'll consider all reasonable offers. I'll also post it in the gear for sale section. PM me if interested. I'm not looking to make a profit, just want to recoup as much of what I paid as possible. It's in great shape.

 

[JeffB]

Have a Dakine soft 2 pair bag with wheels. It's the 190 cm version. I can get 3 pairs of skis in it - one set of junior skis, poles for all and lots of soft clothes - almost all in fact for a 4 day trip. Going to WB for last gathering it weighed in at 63 pounds loaded. I could have shifted some stuff out to get down to 50 but I get a 70 pound limit on Delta.

Otherwise, on the soft vs hard bag thing, I view the soft bags as consumables like boat shoes and full whiskey bottles. Use until they fall apart or disappear and then replace. The Dakine has made it through 7 plane trips similarly loaded and other than a small hole in the interior padding from a binding brake and typical airline grime, it's in perfect shape.

 

[Tricia]

I'll be reviewing the Transpack Ski Vault Double Pro after my trip this week so if you can wait for that you might add it to your list.

Sounds good!

That looks like a nice bag.

Meanwhile, @KULKEA is one of our new sponsors. We don't have personal experience with their ski bags, (yet) but if they build a ski bag anything like they build a boot bag.....
http://www.kulkea.com/product/the-kantaja-ski-bag/

 

[Jilly]

I have yet to see Transpack anything in Canada. That website doesn't have a "where to buy" section either.