Boardbags

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Travelling is embedded in the DNA of a surfer. Since we (the Dutch) don’t often get the most ideal surf atmosphere (i.a. cold, windy, onshore etc.) we tend to move around a lot. And if you have travelled with your surfboards anywhere (doesn’t matter if it’s to your local beachy or that epic point on the other side of the world), you know those things are epically fragile.

VBack in the day surfboards were made to last and much more solid. when they figured out that the weight of the boards limited maneuverability, they made them lighter and lighter, but they also became more brittle.

So the thing to do is to protect your stick. At all times. Safety first kids!

And since surfboard protection comes in many different styles and thicknesses, we would love to help you find the kind of protection you require. Curious about what’s all there, check out our board bags

All Boardbags

The Dangers of not using protection

DINGS / CRACKS - From knocking your board around the beach cabin or epic travel van. As an expert in bumping things into things, I can advise you to use some sort of protection to make sure your board gets less dinged and cracked up.

DELAMINATION - Sun heats up things quickly and surfboards can Delaminate because of it. Also when you leave them out in your car like that wax turd on your dashboard.

(MELTED) WAX EVERYWHERE - If you like a clean car, house and jacket, you want to protect it all from the holy goo that is Wax.

FADING - Color fading can happen to your board from too much sun exposure. Protect it so your magic stick doesn't become a kroepoek.

BROKEN BOARDS - Unfortunately this can happen when flying with boards and don't protect them well.

PREGNANCY - Ask your parents how this works.

Why And When You Need a Surfboard Travel Bag

Well look at it this way: you just spent €500-€1500 on a new ride. Are you just gonna throw it on the top of your car with some straps? I beg to differ. I reckon most of you out there would at least want something to protect their new baby for weather, little pebbles and even the straps itself. A lot can happen in transit.

A good surfboard bag will also protect your surfboard from the sun while it's chilling in the back of your ride, not to mention that it will keep sand and wax off your car's interior.

Then there’s actual long distance travelling with surfboards. Bumpy bus rides and airport personnel (and systems) are two of the worst nightmares for surfboards. If you are planning a long trip where you can’t control what happens to your surfboards, you want to pack them as good as you can and use a nice and thick boardbag.

Which bag do I need?

We are going to divide the different options in 4 categories: Boardsocks, day use board bags, travel bags and travel coffins. Each has their advantages and disadvantages and can be used for different situations.

BOARD SOCKS / STRETCH COVERS

The name says it all: It’s like a sock for your board. Most of the time it’s made out of stretchy canvas that flexes around your board’s curves like a muscle tee around a sports jock’s biceps. Most socks will stretch a few inches in all directions. If you buy a 6-foot surfboard sock, it's possible you'll be able to stuff up to a 6'4 in that baby. Some surfboard socks stretch more than others. The canvas style socks seem to be making a comeback and these socks tend to be more baggy and do not stretch, but they are easier to get on and off.

Socks are great against a chinese wax job or for keeping wax out of your clothing/car/house. Not so great for heavy travelling. The sock mainly serves to protect your board from scratches, sun damage, and minor dings. They can come with a padded nose, so make sure your board fits the padded nose on the sock (a 80’s fish nose doesn’t fit a 90’s needle nose guard).

Advantages

• easy to store
• light weight
• large variety
• Cheap

Disadvantages

• limited protection
• thin material
• hard to get on and off
• can't put on feet

You can find all the different colors and shapes there are! Click the button below! Boardsocks

DAY USE BOARDBAGS

The Day Use Board Bags are meant to be used when you are moving your board around in a controlled environment (for day-to-day use). As boardsocks, these are great for keeping wax out of your clothing/car, but give you more protection than the socks because of the thin padding inside. Most of the time these bags are (partly) made of Silver reflective material to keep the temperature inside the bag pleasant (so there’s no delamination and/or melting wax). They come in different sizes (in width also) so you can fit your wide fishes into one also.

Day bags come in 2 versions mainly—a stripped down cheaper version and a more expensive features version.

The cheaper ones can have:

• no inner pockets
• no outer pockets
• plastic zipper
• no shoulder strap
• thin padding

Light Boardbags

The more expensive ones can have:

• inner pockets & outer pockets
• zippers to the nose
• metal zips
• padded shoulder strap
• thick padding

Upgraded Boardbags

Advantages

• padded protection
• fit one board
• comes in different shapes
• comes in different sizes
• zips open far so it’s easier to use
• keeps board cool
• sometimes have a pocket for items

Disadvantages

• most of the times don't have pockets for gear
• fit one board only
• not enough padding for airplane travel
• cheap zippers and salty water / heavy use don't like each other
• if there is no shoulder strap it sucks to carry

Day-use Boardbags

TRAVEL BOARD BAGS

Again, the name says it all: these are the bags that are meant to travel with. These are the bigger brothers of the day use boardbags. They have way thicker padding, different pockets for things like fins or wetsuits and can be used for the heavy duty travelling. Travel board bags exist for 1 up to 4 surfboards.

When bags can carry multiple boards, the bag can have divided compartments or seperate board sleeves. If it doesn’t, you can also use boardsocks for extra protection in your bag. You should always look for excellent YKK zippers, interior pockets, and padded board dividers.

Common uses are:

• strapping multiple boards on the roof of your car
• travelling by airplane
• travelling by bus

Advantages

• normally fits 2 + boards
• lots of protection
• can be used to store boards
• acts as an extra suitcase
• no need for soft racks

Disadvantages

• zippers break
• more expensive
• bulky and heavy
• hard to travel with glass-ons
• shitty to store when you’re not using it

Heavy Duty Bags

TRAVEL COFFINS

In essence, these are travel bags in the shape of a large coffin. These are used when you want to travel somewhere with more than 3 boards. They have thick padding, different pockets for things like fins or wetsuits, and are meant for the heavy duty travelling.
Coffins exist for 3 up to 7 or even more surfboards. When opting for a bag for 4 or more boards you can find bags with wheels added (which are ideal at the airport).
When bags can carry multiple boards, the bag can have divided compartments or seperate board sleeves. If it doesn’t, you can also use boardsocks for extra protection in your bag. You should always look for good quality wheels, excellent YKK zippers, interior pockets, and padded board dividers.

Common uses are

• strapping multiple boards on the roof of your car
• Airplane travelling
• Bus travelling

Advantages

• carry 3-7 boards
• offers the best travel convenience
• easy to cart around in airport
• great for getting your full quiver to location
• travel like a pro
• usually a lot or room for extra gear

Disadvantages

• most expensive option and the bag itself is pretty heavy
• heavy and bulky to carry around
• wheels not great in dirt
• hard to store it off season
• some airlines won't accept them because of their size

Travel Coffins

Packing Tips

Unfortunately a dinged up board has occurred too many times with me. When exploring the world you want some of these tips to make sure you arrive with a fresh quiver!

• noses, tails and rails are most vulnerable
• When travelling with an airline, you probably have to pay a fee to check in your surfboards as an extra bag. These can be filled to a certain weight, so use that weight!
• use towels, wetsuits, clothing etc. to wrap around your board for extra protection. This gives you extra room in your other bags.
• bubblewrap, cardboard and isolation tubes can also be used for extra protection
• Whenever you arrive at a destination, open your boardbag on the spot when you get your boards back. Check your boards and make sure none of them are damaged. Most of the time, once you leave the airport, the airlines/bus companies are not responsible anymore.
• personally, carrying a board bag with 4 boards plus gear is mega heavy. Having wheels on the bag is going to be very comfortable for long journeys.
• You can use boardsocks in board coffins for extra protection