Safely storing your snowboard at home is easy. All that you have to do is keep it firmly in your snowboard rack to know that it is safe and sound.
Traveling with your snowboard, on the other hand, is not so worry free. This is especially true if your next winter trip involves a plane ride. Keeping your snowboard safe on the plane is important. You want it to get from point A to point B in one piece so that you can fully enjoy your long-awaited snowboarding holiday.
1. Invest In a Snowboard Bag
You should never attempt to take your precious snowboard on an airplane without investing in a snowboard bag.
A snowboard bag will protect your shred stick from the wrath of over-eager or disinterested baggage handlers. Be sure to select a bag with extra padding so that you can keep your board as safe as possible. “Coffin” style snowboard bags are produced by many companies. They are very large so that you can fit in not only your snowboard but also the majority of your gear for your trip. The more you can fit in one bag, the better. It is much more expensive to check two bags.
One other factor to take into consideration is whether to select a wheeled bag or a non-wheeled bag. Of course, wheeled bags are easier to navigate. However, they can also mean extra baggage charges.
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2. Check Your Airline's Travel Policy
Before heading to the airport, it can be very wise to call the airline ahead of time and check out their policies on flying with your snowboard.
Some airlines charge extra fees for this kind of sporting equipment. Some, on the other hand, don’t charge these extra fees. They see your snowboard as part of your normal baggage allowance.
3. Save Space With the Rest of Your Gear
Unfortunately, there is little getting around the fact that traveling on an airplane with something as bulky as a snowboard can get expensive.
That’s why it is so important to save luggage space (and thus money) in other ways. Perhaps the best tip of all is to limit what you bring with you. Chances are that you will be snowboarding for the majority of your trip. Furthermore, most ski towns are fairly laidback. Both of these things mean that you probably don’t need to bring as many street clothes as you would on a normal vacation.
Packing your bags to save space is another essential thing to do. Stuffing your goggles, ski socks, and other small accessories inside of your boots is a great way to maximize your space. Stuffing gloves, beanies, and fleeces into your snowboard bag around the edge of your snowboard will save even more space and give your board an extra layer of protection.
Finally, wear your snowboard jacket on the plane. It might feel a little silly but you will be surprised at just how much space the standard snowboard jacket takes up in your baggage.
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Taking a snowboarding vacation? Congratulations! But don’t let it be ruined by a dinged up post-flight snowboard. If you are flying with your snowboard, use the tips above to keep your board safe and to reduce related flying expenses.
Have you ever flown with your snowboard before? Do you have any other tips to add?
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