Once you have finally decided where to go for your next snowboard destination, keep in mind that besides your clothing essentials, you need to properly pack your board as well. This is when a snowboard travel bag will come in handy and do the job perfectly. The choices and types vary, the features too, so, read on for more details so that you can make an informed decision.
Types
Most often snowboard bags can be found in three varieties. Let's break them down.
- Sleeve
- Padded (non-wheeled)
- Padded (wheeled)
If you are searching for the most basic type, then what you need is a sleeve. These come in a minimalistic form, without padding and any additional pockets or extra space. This type of bag is ideal and recommended for those of you that leave near a ski centre and don't go the distance in order to get to your final destination. Since they are quite simple and offer less protection, sleeves are also your cheapest option. Just keep in mind before purchasing that most models of sleeves are made to fit one snowboard.
Contrary to the sleeve, a padded snowboard travel bag comes with various levels of padding – starting from fully padded, to just padded on the floor of the bag. This type of bag is strongly recommended if you travel by air or bus and your board needs protection from other cargo and people who constantly move. And, lastly, the padded bags can come with a wheel system that can make the whole transportation process much faster and simpler. An additional perk with these bags is that quite often they come fully padded and have some extra space where you can fit multiple boards or other pieces of equipment. To put it simply, those of you that don't pack lightly might benefit more from the wheeled option.
Contrary to the sleeve, a padded snowboard travel bag comes with various levels of padding – starting from fully padded, to just padded on the floor of the bag. This type of bag is strongly recommended if you travel by air or bus and your board needs protection from other cargo and people who constantly move. And, lastly, the padded bags can come with a wheel system that can make the whole transportation process much faster and simpler. An additional perk with these bags is that quite often they come fully padded and have some extra space where you can fit multiple boards or other pieces of equipment. To put it simply, those of you that don't pack lightly might benefit more from the wheeled option.
Features
There are a couple of features and additions that can have an impact on our decision about which model best suits your needs and preferences. First, interior gear straps. These are included in most non-wheeled bags, and in almost all wheeled ones. Their main purpose is to lock your gear safely into place and prevent it from moving around. Second, exterior compression straps. The wheeled padded bags usually come with these straps that are in most cases made of nylon. You can find them on both ends of the bag and when properly fastened and tightened, they offer additional support for the gear.
Third, padded straps. These are more often found on padded bags, and not quite so often on sleeves. Padded straps are most useful when you carry your snowboard travel bag by hand or on your shoulder, as their construction relieves the tension created by the weight and makes the whole process more comfortable. And lastly, pockets. The more, the better. Bags that come with pockets offer more storage space for your essentials. You can conveniently store your socks, goggles, layers and gloves in these little and very useful compartments.
Third, padded straps. These are more often found on padded bags, and not quite so often on sleeves. Padded straps are most useful when you carry your snowboard travel bag by hand or on your shoulder, as their construction relieves the tension created by the weight and makes the whole process more comfortable. And lastly, pockets. The more, the better. Bags that come with pockets offer more storage space for your essentials. You can conveniently store your socks, goggles, layers and gloves in these little and very useful compartments.
