Welcome to ThinkVail – shop this list for the BEST travel ski bag for skiers and snowboarders. Featuring wheeled bags, padded bags and hard case bags to keep your winter gear safe and protected.
If you’re an experienced skier coming to Vail, Colorado in the winter, chances are you are bringing your skis (or snowboard). Here are seven travel ski bag options with great features to make transporting your treasured skis (and boots and bindings and poles and other critical stuff) easier.
Wheeled Ski Bags
Wheeled ski bags are the easiest and most convenient to haul long distances, like through an airport. A durable set of wheels at the bottom of the bag and a heavy-duty handle on the opposite end lets you pull this bag easily and smoothly. This style of bag is one of the largest style and is capable of carrying multiple sets of skis, poles and clothing.
Hard Case Ski Bag
Rigid, hard-case bags are ideal when protection is the name of the game, a hard case ski bag will keep your sticks safe from the most determined airport personnel and mail carrier. This type of ski bag is made from very durable plastic and will last for years. It is also the perfect container for shipping your skis to a destination. The only drawback to a hard case is the that they don’t leave much additional space for items you need beyond skis and poles.
Padded Ski Bag
Padded ski bags boast LOTS of padding and can fully protect the entire cargo space with soft foam and boasts the most protection short of a hard case.
Non-Padded Ski Bag
A basic ski bag, it may be waterproof but it does not offer any real protection from tarmac mishandling. This bag works best for road trips, or storage, NOT air travel.
When you’re looking for a large convenient ski bag look no further than the heavy-duty wheeled Winterial bag. This bag is big enough to hold skis for the whole family and durable for years of use.
Spaciously sized at: 63-73in x 11.5in x 6.5-10in.
Made of a tough Ripstop material
Designed with a roll top so you can accommodate longer snowboards and skis
Internal straps to hold down skis so they don’t move during transport
Main compartment expands from 6.5in to 10in to allow for two boards or two sets of skis.
Durable, heavy-duty rubber wheels for easy transport, especially when hauling long distances.
Water-proof and tear resistant lining
Designed with reinforced backing to prevent the bag from sagging.
Bag’s interior contains a padded layer around the perimeter for protection.
Lots of pockets and storage areas.
.
Advertisement
#2 Best Travel Ski Bag – Dakine Fall Line
Another big, roomy, wheeled ski bag with room for two pairs of skis, a set of poles and a pair of boots. Perfect for making lugging a ton of equipment seem almost effortless. Padding keeps your equipment safe and sound.
Best-selling wheeled ski bag from Dakine
Tow handle and oversize urethane wheels make for easy one-hand navigation through airports and hotel lobbies.
Removable boot bag keeps skis separated and protected by placing boots between them. Boot bag is removable but is designed to really just be used with the Dakine ski bag and not on its own.
Zippered external pockets is the perfect place to stash gloves, hats and important tools
Lockable zipper (with your own lock)
360 degrees padded ski bag offers optimum protection
Holds 2 pair skis and 1 pair boots, poles and outerwear
Available in two sizes: 175cm – 12” x 8” x 74” (30 x 20 x 188cm) / 190cm – 12” x 8” x 80” (30 x 20 x 203cm)
Weight is 6.2 lbs. (2.8 kg)
Assorted colors available
.
.
Advertisement
#3 Best Travel Ski Bag – Sportube Series 3
If you are looking for the best bang for your buck, for protection, this is the bag for you. The large, rolling hard case Sportube makes transporting easy and offers lots of protection against airline baggage mishandling or shipping.
High Density Polyethylene plastic case protects valuable ski equipment when traveling by airplane, train, bus or car
Durable rubber wheels and an easy pull handle insure maneuverability and effortless rolling.
Large capacity, ski bag holds up to 3 pair of skis & poles, or two snowboards, boots & bindings or a board & skis safely.
The Telescoping design allows you to adjust the length of the Sporttube to allow skis and boards up to 183 cm in length
The aerodynamic design, straps quickly and easily to a roof rack and makes it the perfect carrier for road trips.
Can be secured with the included TSA approved Wire Case Cotter Pin or locked with a TSA Lock (sold separately)
Lightweight compared to other hard plastic ski bag carriers.
Light partially padded in tip and tail to protect your equipment
FedEx / UPS Ship without the need for a box
Made in USA
.
.
Advertisement
#4 Best Travel Ski Bag – Athalon Mogul
Fully padded ski bags are very popular as they offer almost as much protection for your equipment as a hard plastic ski case because it offers thick foam padding that fully wraps the entire cargo space.
Made of durable 600D polyester
Water resistant backing.
Holds one pair of skis up to 185cm
Adjustable cinch straps to securely hold your skis.
Fully padded end to end for ultimate protection of your equipment and ski gear
Padded, comfort grip handles
No-catch industrial, EZ Glide double zippers & fresh vir Vents
It has extremely thick padding for ultimate protection.
Padded comfortable carrying handles.
Advertisement
#5 Best Travel Ski Bag – Athletico Ski & Boot Combo
The Athletico padded two-piece set offers protection and versatility with both a dedicated ski bag and a separate boot bag.
Made of durable 600D water-resistant polyester
Both the ski bag and the boot bag are padded with 5 millimeter foam throughout to protect all your ski gear and equipment during travel.
Padded ski sleeve fits skis up to 200 cm in length.
Ski bag is roomy enough to pack your beanie, pants, gloves, or goggles.
Innovative roll-top design allows you to reduce the length for shorter skis.
The boot bag fits ski boots up to size 13.
Carrying handle and detachable shoulder straps makes carrying your skis easy.
Furthermore this boot bag has a side mesh pocket for all your essentials.
Available in assorted colors: Black/White, Black/Blue, Black/Green, Black/Pink
.
Advertisement
#6 Best Travel Ski Bag – Thule Round Trip
Thule is world renowned for heavy-duty traveling cases of all kinds to protect your most important gear. This high quality, padded ski bag is no different. Smart features and innovative design sets this bag apart
S-shaped zipper simplifies stowing and retrieving gear with an innovative s-shaped zipper that coils around the bag instead of just zipping straight.
Unique padded, cinch top ski sleeve ensures all your ski gear travels safely to each destination
Dedicated internal pole compartment offers added protection for ski poles.
External compression straps keeps your gear from shifting
Removable, padded shoulder strap and convenient grab handles makes handling a breeze.
Fits a single pair of alpine skis or two pairs of Nordic skis up to 192 cm in length plus poles.
Made of durable 600D polyester
Deter theft with lockable zippers (lock sold separately).
Colors: Black and Blue
In addition, this ski bag is available in a wheeled version also.
.
.
Advertisement
#7 Best Travel Ski Bag – High Sierra
This ski bag offers minimal padding, mostly around the bindings so it does not offer much protection from bumps, drops and overall mishandling. It is best for road trips and storage.
Basic ski & boot bag that is water resistant
Ski bag has a 3/4 length zipper
Holds up to 200 cm skis
Boot bag holds a single pair of ski boots up to size 13.
One end of this ski bag can fold up to secure shorter skis.
Self-repairing nylon coil zippers.
Durable padded, webbing handles makes carrying bag comfortable.
Center of bag is padded to protect bindings.
Adjustable compression strap keeps skis secure.
Available in assorted colors and patterns
Finally, this affordable bag with basic protection is perfect for the minimalist,
What are your thoughts on these Best Travel Ski Bags? Do you use a ski bag to travel to different ski resorts? Is traveling with your own skis worth the hassle of lugging these bags around? Do you use them for airplane travel or usually just car travel. What features can you not live without on your ski bag? We would love to hear your thoughts and comments.
Great article, I am looking for a travel ski bag for my son. He is an aspiring professional skier and spends a lot of time skiing with his school's ski club as well as with his family. He travels a ton by bus, car and air, so I am looking for a versatile ski bag that offers protection but is also easy to move around. I am thinking the Dakine is the bag for us. I like that he can put his boots in the bag so his skis,poles and boots are all in the same bag, holds two pair of skis which he has, he always needs his backup skis too. I like that it seems compact (for a ski bag). This seems like a very well thought out bag.
Hi Mihir, yes the Dakine bag should work perfectly for you. This is a well-thought out travel ski bag and it should make traveling with skis and all the other equipment much easier for your son whether its by air, bus or car. Enjoy!
Great article about the best travel ski bags. I have been searching for a bag to handle all of my family's skis.I am loving this list, especially the Sportube Series 3, it looks really big and seems like it can hold me, my wife and my son's skis including boots and poles. I also want wheels because that much gear is going to be heavy and awkward to move around, I think wheels will make it much easier. We usually take 2-3 ski trips a year (we really like to ski) so we need a good reliable bag. Do you think this would be a good choice for us?
Hi Riaz, I am so happy you found this list useful and yes you are definitely looking in the right direction. If you take your skis on ski trips 2-3 times a year you absolutely need a wheeled, hard case travel bag. The largest style of Sportube will hold all three pairs of skis and poles but not the boots. However, plastic hard cases are super strong and will keep your equipment very safe but you will need to carry your boots separately. I don't think any bag will hold ALL of your gear but the Sportube is your best bet to carry most of your gear while keeping it the most protected of all types of bags.
Your article on Best Travel Ski Bags, really had me glued to my PC screen. I really love the"Rossignol Soul Super Haul Wheelie Ski Bag" and thank you for including the video about it, as I was able to really see how big the bag is, what the material is like, and get an idea of how it will hold all of MY gear. I love its big, roomy design, it seems really heavy-duty and durable with lots of handles to make carrying it easy. Thanks so much for this informative post. Hope to read more of such posts from you subsequently. Cheers!
Hi Dapoach, so happy you fond a bag you liked on this list of travel ski bags. The Rossignol Soul Super Haul Wheelie Bag is an amazing bag and i think you are going to love it. Rossignol knows skis and skiing so it just makes sense that they would make a really smart ski travel bag as well!
I absolutely love what I read in this article because it is full of great information and I loved the list of the best ski bags. My friends and I drive every weekend to a Colorado ski resort. There is anywhere from 2-5 people who go on these trips, so sometimes the car can be quite crowded and I am looking for a bag that will keep my skis protected from the chaos of the road trip. I am looking for a bag that I can put in the car or on top of the car if needed. I think the High Sierra is all I need, protection without all the bulk. What do you think?
Thank you for your kind comments about the Best Travel Bags post. Yes, I think if you are only using this bag for car travel then the High Sierra Ski Bag and Boot Bag should be perfect for you. This very affordable bag should hold all your equipment and you can use your jacket, snowpants, socks, gloves, etc.to protect your skis even more. However, just a word of caution, this ski bag is only water resistant, not waterproof, so if you have your clothing in there for added protection it may get wet if its on the top of your car in a rainstorm or a wet spring snow storm.
Great article about the best travel ski bags. I am in the market for a ski bag for my skis but I also need it to hold my son's snowboard. Are these bags big enough to hold a snowboard too? Should I get separate bags one for skis and one for the snowboard? I just don't know what to do.
Hi Etah and thank you for your question. The answer is..it all depends. Ski bags like the hard case Sportube can hold both skis and a snowboard and offers tons of protection for your equipment. However, most ski bags are too narrow to hold a snowboard. You would probably be better off looking for a snowboard travel bag that can also hold your skis. Check out this post about the BEST Snowboard Travel Bagsfor more suggestions that would be perfect for your travel needs.
I appreciate your article on the best travel ski bags. This article is really informative and helpful. I have been searching for a ski bag to carry while commuting in between Dallas, TX and Vail, CO. I spend three weeks in Dallas and two weeks in Vail but don't want to leave my skis. I want something stylish and easy to handle. I think the Athalon Padded Single Ski Bag sounds perfect because of its durability, waterproof backing and other exciting features. I also really like the Bandanna design as it will make it very easy to spot at the baggage carousel. I have bookmarked this page for further reading. Thanks for sharing this article.
Hi Achievers, so happy this post about the best travel ski bags helped you find the right bag for you. The Athalon padded single ski bag is a stylish, affordable, padded bag that will protect your skis. I hope this bag serves you well on your travels.
View Comments
Great article, I am looking for a travel ski bag for my son. He is an aspiring professional skier and spends a lot of time skiing with his school's ski club as well as with his family. He travels a ton by bus, car and air, so I am looking for a versatile ski bag that offers protection but is also easy to move around. I am thinking the Dakine is the bag for us. I like that he can put his boots in the bag so his skis,poles and boots are all in the same bag, holds two pair of skis which he has, he always needs his backup skis too. I like that it seems compact (for a ski bag). This seems like a very well thought out bag.
Hi Mihir, yes the Dakine bag should work perfectly for you. This is a well-thought out travel ski bag and it should make traveling with skis and all the other equipment much easier for your son whether its by air, bus or car. Enjoy!
Great article about the best travel ski bags. I have been searching for a bag to handle all of my family's skis.I am loving this list, especially the Sportube Series 3, it looks really big and seems like it can hold me, my wife and my son's skis including boots and poles. I also want wheels because that much gear is going to be heavy and awkward to move around, I think wheels will make it much easier. We usually take 2-3 ski trips a year (we really like to ski) so we need a good reliable bag. Do you think this would be a good choice for us?
Hi Riaz, I am so happy you found this list useful and yes you are definitely looking in the right direction. If you take your skis on ski trips 2-3 times a year you absolutely need a wheeled, hard case travel bag. The largest style of Sportube will hold all three pairs of skis and poles but not the boots. However, plastic hard cases are super strong and will keep your equipment very safe but you will need to carry your boots separately. I don't think any bag will hold ALL of your gear but the Sportube is your best bet to carry most of your gear while keeping it the most protected of all types of bags.
Your article on Best Travel Ski Bags, really had me glued to my PC screen. I really love the"Rossignol Soul Super Haul Wheelie Ski Bag" and thank you for including the video about it, as I was able to really see how big the bag is, what the material is like, and get an idea of how it will hold all of MY gear. I love its big, roomy design, it seems really heavy-duty and durable with lots of handles to make carrying it easy. Thanks so much for this informative post. Hope to read more of such posts from you subsequently. Cheers!
Hi Dapoach, so happy you fond a bag you liked on this list of travel ski bags. The Rossignol Soul Super Haul Wheelie Bag is an amazing bag and i think you are going to love it. Rossignol knows skis and skiing so it just makes sense that they would make a really smart ski travel bag as well!
I absolutely love what I read in this article because it is full of great information and I loved the list of the best ski bags. My friends and I drive every weekend to a Colorado ski resort. There is anywhere from 2-5 people who go on these trips, so sometimes the car can be quite crowded and I am looking for a bag that will keep my skis protected from the chaos of the road trip. I am looking for a bag that I can put in the car or on top of the car if needed. I think the High Sierra is all I need, protection without all the bulk. What do you think?
Thank you for your kind comments about the Best Travel Bags post. Yes, I think if you are only using this bag for car travel then the High Sierra Ski Bag and Boot Bag should be perfect for you. This very affordable bag should hold all your equipment and you can use your jacket, snowpants, socks, gloves, etc.to protect your skis even more. However, just a word of caution, this ski bag is only water resistant, not waterproof, so if you have your clothing in there for added protection it may get wet if its on the top of your car in a rainstorm or a wet spring snow storm.
Great article about the best travel ski bags. I am in the market for a ski bag for my skis but I also need it to hold my son's snowboard. Are these bags big enough to hold a snowboard too? Should I get separate bags one for skis and one for the snowboard? I just don't know what to do.
Hi Etah and thank you for your question. The answer is..it all depends. Ski bags like the hard case Sportube can hold both skis and a snowboard and offers tons of protection for your equipment. However, most ski bags are too narrow to hold a snowboard. You would probably be better off looking for a snowboard travel bag that can also hold your skis. Check out this post about the BEST Snowboard Travel Bags for more suggestions that would be perfect for your travel needs.
I appreciate your article on the best travel ski bags. This article is really informative and helpful. I have been searching for a ski bag to carry while commuting in between Dallas, TX and Vail, CO. I spend three weeks in Dallas and two weeks in Vail but don't want to leave my skis. I want something stylish and easy to handle. I think the Athalon Padded Single Ski Bag sounds perfect because of its durability, waterproof backing and other exciting features. I also really like the Bandanna design as it will make it very easy to spot at the baggage carousel. I have bookmarked this page for further reading. Thanks for sharing this article.
Hi Achievers, so happy this post about the best travel ski bags helped you find the right bag for you. The Athalon padded single ski bag is a stylish, affordable, padded bag that will protect your skis. I hope this bag serves you well on your travels.