It is hard to tell when you look at a tiny JPEG on REALwatersports.com which kiteboarding travel bag will fit all of your kite gear. The crew at REAL has traveled the world over and we have chosen the best bags for every occasion. A big part of choosing the right bag is determining the number of kites you are bringing, the size of your board/boards, and how sly you want to be at the airport ticket counter. Check out REAL’s Best Kiteboarding Travel Bags Review for the insider scoop on our favorite travel bags:
Best Discreet Golf Bag:
The Liquid Force Golf Travel Bag is tapered down at the front and has bar pouches on the side, so even when this thing is stuffed with three kites and two twin tips, it still looks like your standard issue golf bag. It also says “Professional Golf” by the handle so the person checking your bag sees the word “Golf” right on the bag. This bag will fit a standard width board up to 143cm and three kites.
Best Houdini Golf Bag:
The Slingshot Golf Bag is about as big of a bag that you will get away with as a “Golf” style bag and not have to pay excess baggage fees. Even though the bag is fairly large, in our experience the Slingshot Golf Bag still flies for free. There are two great things about the Slingshot Golf Bag: First, it fits a lightwind (wide) style board up to 146x 45cm. Second, there is a completely hidden separate compartment for your board to go in, so even if your bag gets searched, the airline employee won’t see your board. It also has a padded twin tip protector. The Slingshot Golf Bag says it carries three kites and two boards but we were able to squeeze four kites and two boards into this cavernous bag.
Best Golf Bag for Lightwind Boards:
The Dakine Club Wagon 190cm is the only golf bag on the market that will fit any lightwind twin tip out there. This bag is shaped like a golf bag but you would need to be Shaquille O’Neal to need golf clubs that long. Regardless, we have negotiated this bag with full sized lightwind boards and a full quiver of five kites onto the plane as a golf bag with no fee. This bag will fit five kites and two boards.
Best Kitesurfing Travel Bag:
The Liquid Force World Surf Traveler Bag will fit your entire quiver and your kitesurf boards. It has nice padded dividers to separate your boards and it will easily fit a couple kitesurf boards and a few kites. Being a top-load coffin style surfboard bag, the LF World Surf is also the easiest board bag to pack. You will be hard pressed to sneak this one onto the plane for free but you will rest assured that you have all the gear you need for your trip.
*REAL Pro Travel Tip:
Without question, the best way to get a big bag on the plane with the least amount of hassle is to check in curbside and have a $20 bill visible in your hand. If the curbside baggage handler gives you a hard time, let them know their tip depends on it.