Written by Axel Massin.
One of the best things about Longboard Dancing is to discover the world through the community. Attending events and competitions, visiting foreign friends, undertaking an adventure to meet the different communities round the globe, discovering a new culture and connecting with local riders without wearing a «tourist» label on your forehead, or simply participating in one of our camps: the reasons to hop on a plane and bring your boards with you are many. I personally have brought my faithful companion on 6 different continents - my hopes to skate Antartica remains strong - and not once regretted it, and I wanted to share some tips to help you in your journey.
Bringing your board on a plane.
While bringing your board on a train or in a car should not be particularly tricky, bringing it on a plane is where things start to spice up. Indeed, longboards are not as common as bicycles or skis, and are not including in airlines regulations. In other words, it is a grey area.
Here are your options:
The carry-on
Bringing your board as a carry-on is, in my opinion, a gamble that I do not recommend. I know that some people do it, but each company as different views on the matter, and the fact that your friend succeeded to convince the flight attendants to let them board with a 110cm board under their arm, does not mean that they will let you with your 115cm board. It can work, but they can also refuse and make you pay a lot to have it checked-in last minute. Here is a video of a skateboarder breaking his board in half to fit the size requirement as a warning.
The Checked-in
This option has, so far, always worked for me, and I still use it nowadays. I put my board in a board bag as well as a big smile on my face when I showing up at the check-in counter. When asked what is inside my bag, I always reply «a skateboard» (and not a longboard). If told that it is a sports equipment I reply that I called their customer service which told me that a skateboard is considered a toy and not a sports equipment, and that I always fly with their company because I never have any problems with it. Once they have printed the tag for my bag, I bring it to the oversize check in counter.
When arrived at destination, I pick it up at the oversize belt (although, it happened to me once or twice that it was put on the regular belt).
I know people who didn’t have a longboard bag and just checked in their boards either without any protections, or wrapped in bubble wrap. I would consider this as a last resort option.
For this to work smoothly, I recommend to:
Obviously respect the weight limit
Not have a bag longer than 130cm (bigger bags should be rolled and strapped to the size of your board)
Be kind and respectful with the clerk as well as confident about your story
The sports equipment
This option is usually the safest but also the most expensive. All airlines have different regulations and prices for it, and some don’t allow you to book it online but only through the call center. The list of items purchasable as sports equipment also varies with different airlines, so I would chose what is the closest to the size (ski, golf, surf). I have used this option when it turned out to be cheaper than a regular luggage or when a company was paying for my trip. Sports equipment are also considered oversized, so they must be brought to and retrieved from the oversize belt.
Make sure to read about the weight regulations for sports equipment, because they can be different than for normal luggages, sometimes to your advantage, and sometimes to your disadvantage.
Board bags.
Decent hardware: the original longboard bag
Price : around 150€
Size : 127 cm or 112 cm, according to your board size Pros :
it is light and spacious, and can contain the board with clothes for a week or two without exceeding 23kg
has to zips on the bottom that allow you to let the trucks out so you can roll the bag using your skate wheels. Cons:
it is not the most resistant
if you use the trucks through the bag to roll it, you must remove all the content of the bag to access the board, and your trucks might be scratched during the trip.
Okozo: the premium longboard backpack for day/weekend trips
Price : starting from 209€
Size : up to 125 cm Pros :
built quality
separate compartment for the board and other belongings
foldable to be used as a regular backpack Cons :
doesn’t contain much more than a board, so not suitable for more than a weekend trip
not cheap
Db Journey Snow Roller (normal and pro): the premium travel bag
Price : 239€ and 319€
Size : adjustable up to 210 cm Pros :
built quality
straps/hooks system that allows you to roll up the bag and adapt it to the exact size of your board.
built in wheels !
light weight
conveniently fits the DB journey ecosystem if you have other bags from that brand Cons :
not cheap
NB: the normal and pro versions have the same length, but the pro (127 litres) is wider and deeper than the normal (70L), so it will fit a lot more clothes.
The regular snowboard bag: the low budget option
Price : from 30€
Size : depending on the bag
Pros : very cheap and light weight
Cons : needs to be rolled and strapped to adjust to the size of the board to ensure it can be checked in as a normal luggage and not as sports equipment
I personally have owned and used all of these options and here are my thoughts. The DB Snow roller is the most convenient and well thought, if you can afford it. The best use of the Okozo is to carry your board while riding a bicycle, motorbike, e-skate or e-scooter. The Decent Hardware Is probably used by most in the community, since it’s a good mid range bag, but it must be taken because having parts of it dragging while it’s rolling or not protecting the sharp used tails of the board inside the bag will make holes in it very quickly. The regular snowboard bag is for those who want to pay less and are willing to do a bit of DIY.
Shipping your board.
Sometimes, shipping your board can turn out to be cheaper than a luggage, especially if you are sharing it with other friends.
You will need a box to fit the board(s) and an address that can receive it.
Accessories to bring on a trip.
If you are as much of a longboard enthusiast as I am (or at least as I used to be), you will not regret having a little travel kit in case something goes wrong, because having an unusable board abroad is heartbreaking.
Here is the content of my emergency kit:
T-tool : this is a must have, especially that bushings become harder with cold temperature and softer with heat.
Spare hardware : I usually have one of each (bolts and nuts for the board, trucks and wheels, and a washer) because all this moving, packing, and change in temperature can sometimes occasion hardware to become loose and fall off.
One or two spare bearings
For the heavy freestylers, a spare wheel
Your favorite anti inflammatory cream
I hope these tips will help you in your journeys, because even though travelling with this heavy and cumbersome companion can be tiring, inconvenient and expensive, discovering the world on 4 wheels has been one of the best things in my life, and brought me friends, love, inspiration, places to sleep, and the most genuine way to connect with people all around the globe I have ever experienced.
May the flow be with you ✌🏼
Axel
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