Traveling with kite equipment
Many of our customers plan to travel with their kite equipment during the winter to extend the season. We at Onwater find this to be incredibly fun. We have chosen to put together a guide with a few things to consider so that you can transport your precious belongings as safely and economically as possible.
We will focus on how to pack your equipment to avoid unnecessary damage, but we will also add some general tips on how airlines think so that you avoid unnecessary fees. Money that you can have much more fun with.
Bag selection
We at Onwater have chosen to stock Prolimit's range as we believe they make really good bags at competitive prices. Properly sewn bags that have been very popular among our customers for many years.
The first question you should ask yourself when choosing a bag is what you plan to pack with you. Most bags can fit a board and two to three kites. The slightly larger bags also have space for your other equipment such as a harness, pump and wetsuit, and the even larger bags also have space for your everyday clothes that you want to take with you on the trip.
The next point is of course the length of the board, which is the measurement you base your choice of size on.
The most common model customers buy from us when they are going out and flying is one of our popular “Golf Bags” precisely because you can easily bring everything you need in one and the same luggage. Another advantage of this model is that you can easily drag it behind you during the trip as the bag containing complete equipment can be relatively heavy. The slightly more expensive bags are equipped with wheels and are also heavily padded for the best protection. This means that you do not have to be quite as careful when packing your equipment as when packing in an unpadded bag. More tips on how to pack smartly come further down.
The downside of a heavier bag is that it weighs slightly more than a lighter model and many airlines will charge extra fees for excess weight. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you plan your packing carefully and not bring unnecessary items, regardless of which bag you choose.
Even when packing your other clothes, you should think minimalistically. Shorts, a t-shirt and flip-flops will go a long way.
If you know that you are careful and will also be carrying a lot of luggage, one of our unpadded golf bags may be of interest. An example of such is the Prolimit Golf ultralight, which is a significantly more streamlined model but which therefore also weighs significantly less.
One reason many people choose the golf bag is that some airlines offer preferential rates for checking golf equipment in. We recommend that you check this with your airline before departure as other airlines charge extra fees for golf equipment.
If you want a bag that resembles a more traditional kite bag and that you want to be able to carry with you like a backpack, Prolimit has developed a series of combo bags. These also hold a pair of kites, harness, board, wetsuit and pump.
One advantage of these bags is that once in place they can be easier to take down to the beach as you can easily throw them over your shoulder.
This is also a bag that is very suitable for use at home when you want a bag to collect all your stuff.
These bags don't have as much space for clothes and other things you want to take with you, but are more suitable as a pure kite bag. This may mean that you have to check in an additional bag if you choose to take it on a longer trip.
Airline rules
Keep in mind that all airlines have different rules for checking in luggage. It is important to contact your airline to find out what applies to your trip. Normally, the permitted luggage weight is 20-23Kg and a length of 150-158cm. You should be careful with the length as it is not uncommon for airlines to calculate length as length + circumference. This does not always cause any problems, but you can usually check in your luggage as usual and leave the bag in odd size luggage.
One recommendation from us to reduce excess weight is to take advantage of the included hand luggage when you check in. Even a larger kite usually fits within the airlines' size restrictions for permitted hand luggage.
Check with your airline if you need to book special baggage in advance. You don't want any unpleasant surprises once you're at the airport.
Packing smartly
Lay out your stuff on the floor at home before putting it in your bag and go through everything a couple of times before you decide to include it in your pack. This will help reduce any excess weight but perhaps more importantly, ensure you don't forget to pack anything.
When packing your bag, start by unscrewing the fins. Protruding fins can damage your bag or, even worse, break. Try to protect the edges of the board as much as possible, which is easiest to do by wrapping a towel or poncho around it, for example. Tape can be used to keep the towel in place. If you have an unpadded bag, you should pay extra attention to this step. If you have separate bags for your kites, we recommend that you remove the kites from them. Putting the kites in your wetsuit usually provides better protection and you also save unnecessary weight. Then you put in the pump, boom and harness and fill the cavities with the clothes you need during the trip. This should mean that you land at a weight of around 23Kg, which should be within the margin for what the airline will let through. If you can manage with one piece of luggage, you will be able to keep the price down at check-in. If you have a hardshell harness, we ask you to be extra careful. It has happened more than once that these have been crushed during air travel when airlines load heavy bags on top.
A cheap insurance for your trip can be to purchase a repair kit. We sell the Kitefix range, which in a compact package contains what you need to be able to carry out the most common repairs on your own. There are few things more annoying than breaking your equipment during the trip without the possibility of doing anything about it. Better to be on the safe side.
Conclusions
Traveling with kite equipment is nothing new. In recent years, it has become very common for travelers to bring their equipment on vacation. What we would recommend is to contact the airlines you are considering traveling with to find out what their rules and prices are for sports equipment and special luggage. It is not always the cheapest company that has the cheapest luggage solution. Then pack your equipment in a real kite bag made for traveling with. I personally think the golf bag is the easiest and the one that you get the best space in by far. Try to thin out so you don't bring too much unnecessary and wrap it in
your more delicate parts in something soft. If you can also save on other clothes on the trip and stick to just a board bag, you will probably get away with it the cheapest.
A page with links to the various airlines' rules can be found here. https://www.ticket.se/info/bagageregler.html
Keep in mind that rules are updated continuously, so stay up to date.
If you have any questions regarding choosing a bag, you can always contact us at info@onwater.se
We at Onwater wish you a pleasant journey.