Roller bags

[raytseng]

And, here's a sneak peek at the KULKEA Kantaja Double Roller ski bag for next season with our new long-haul carry-on boot bag. They work perfectly together!
View attachment 191643

I would've bought a kantaja except for the length would've been too long. Every feature is great except for length

I would sign up for a shorter model more in a 180 (and maybe extends to 190), this would help capture the market for more ave sized mens skis.
Additionally, a mom friend asked for my advice on bags literally when they were in store looking at it vs a snowboard bag, and I had to not recommend the kantaja again based on her+daughter ski lengths, so it's missing the typical reference length for half the population.

 

[TipsUp]

And, here's a sneak peek at the KULKEA Kantaja Double Roller ski bag for next season with our new long-haul carry-on boot bag. They work perfectly together!

What’s new/updated with the roller bag next season? I just picked up one of the last ones available at my local shop.

 

[KULKEA]

I would've bought a kantaja except for the length would've been too long. Every feature is great except for length

I would sign up for a shorter model more in a 180 (and maybe extends to 190), this would help capture the market for more ave sized mens skis.
Additionally, a mom friend asked for my advice on bags literally when they were in store looking at it vs a snowboard bag, and I had to not recommend the kantaja again based on her+daughter ski lengths, so it's missing the typical reference length for half the population.

I hear you. You're right that a big chunk of the market hasn't been addressed. The market has changed with IKON and Epic passes. In the past, it was all about double rollers bringing two pairs of skis and the kitchen sink. We made the best bag to meet that need named the Kantaja Double Roller Ski Bag, including length to allow for staggering of ski pairs to avoid binding to binding packing. That market still exists, and it will continue to exist. But, there's a lot of people flying to ski nowadays that are bringing only one pair of skis. And, WE HAVE THE SOLUTION coming Sept. 2023. The Kantaja Single Roller Ski Bag. It's adjustable from 155cm-190cm. It's easily maneuverable. It's technically smart. It's a terrific solution. Again, another product resulting from the fact that we at KULKEA are real skiers, snowboarders and avid travelers. We don't do "me too" or copycat products. See the attached sneak peek.

 

[neonorchid]

^ Single ski Roller bag, nice, and great to have an alternative to SportTube series 1

 

[Tony S]

After coming back from the Utah gathering I'm revisiting the roller bag threads.

I fly across the continent to ski 2-3 times a year. Because of my location in Maine I almost always have a connection.

I'm currently using a Db double bag that was new for the 2016 season. Therefore it's had 15 - 20 airline round trips. (I only use it for flying.) Usually it has two pairs of skis in it. After the most recent flight it's got a new slice in it about 3" long. In general it's showing multiple signs of significant (not just cosmetic) wear and tear.

Before talking about other bags, I have a simple question: Do others who habitually travel with two pairs of skis have bags that have survived this amount of use without significant damage?

 

[dbostedo]

After coming back from the Utah gathering I'm revisiting the roller bag threads.

I fly across the continent to ski 2-3 times a year. Because of my location in Maine I almost always have a connection.

I'm currently using a Db double bag that was new for the 2016 season. Therefore it's had 15 - 20 airline round trips. (I only use it for flying.) Usually it has two pairs of skis in it. After the most recent flight it's got a new slice in it about 3" long. In general it's showing multiple signs of significant (not just cosmetic) wear and tear.

Before talking about other bags, I have a simple question: Do others who habitually travel with two pairs of skis have bags that have survived this amount of use without significant damage?

I only have the single version, but they do make this:

Series 2 Sportube Ski Case

High density polyethylene plastic protects TWO pairs of Alpine shaped or powder skis and poles while traveling by plane, train, automobile or shipping via FedEx/UPS etc. It is designed to be lightweight while being strong and durable.

www.sportube.com

 

[neonorchid]

Transpack Pro Series Ski Vault Double Pro Ski Bag with "super tough, water resistant coated 1680 ballistic nylon and thick memory foam padding inside nylon lining" has been pretty bullet proof for me​

IIRC @coskigirl has one, maybe she will chime in on how she made out with it...

 

[EricG]

Before talking about other bags, I have a simple question: Do others who habitually travel with two pairs of skis have bags that have survived this amount of use without significant damage?

Yes. But we still have balance that line of bag weight. The burlier bags weigh more which push us closer being overweight with the pickier counter clerks. I‘ve had issues with counter clerks twice this year being overweight by 0.3# & 0.5#. I was just looking at going to slightly lighter bags for next round of travel but I’m reconsidering due to durability. The other option I’m pondering is just putting QK‘s in our travel skis and just shipping skis ahead of time & bringing bindings. I can stack the family’s skis flat in one box pretty easy (kids are on system bindings).

 

[Teumie]

is there such a big difference between single and double roller bags?
I used the DB roller bag (the double one, Djarv or something) for 1 pair of skis and gear and it worked great.
Yes it is probably on the heavier side but I have not had any issues of getting it within the weight limit (my carry on was about 5kg or so).
I put my skis, boots and all other gear in the single roller bag and still had a few kgs spare and turned out I had lots of stuff with me that ended up not being used so I could trim it down further

 

[SKI-3PO]

Do others who habitually travel with two pairs of skis have bags that have survived this amount of use without significant damage?

I have used my double for 2 pairs of skis maybe half the time I’ve used it - otherwise it just has 1 pair. I have a fairly burly Dakone bag (Concourse?). Not sure how old it is, but I’d guess at least as old as yours and it’s fairly beat up at this point so I bought a backup at the beginning of this past season. The new one is less burly - I haven’t used it yet, but I don’t expect it to last as long. My observation (which may be obvious) is that mine gets beat up more, the less packed it is. When I stuff it full of gear and clothes and stuff can move around less, it fares much better.

 

[PupManS]

My DB Double bag survived about 25 trips before it had to be retired. I bought another.

While a massive Dakine would have lasted longer, with my normal configuration, I would have paid for about 10 DB bags worth of overweight fees. So the trade was annoying (I hate things that fall apart) but on the spreadsheet was the best solution. There is a lot of usability stuff about the DB bag that's superior too. I really wish they made it out of ballistic.

 

[fatbob]

After coming back from the Utah gathering I'm revisiting the roller bag threads.

I fly across the continent to ski 2-3 times a year. Because of my location in Maine I almost always have a connection.

I'm currently using a Db double bag that was new for the 2016 season. Therefore it's had 15 - 20 airline round trips. (I only use it for flying.) Usually it has two pairs of skis in it. After the most recent flight it's got a new slice in it about 3" long. In general it's showing multiple signs of significant (not just cosmetic) wear and tear.

Before talking about other bags, I have a simple question: Do others who habitually travel with two pairs of skis have bags that have survived this amount of use without significant damage?

Yep on my second Dakine fallline/lowroller. To be fair the first one was damaged beyond reasonable repair by an airline so got them to stump up for the second. The second thus far only has a few minor duct tape patches which help distinguish it on the belt.

 

[KULKEA]

After coming back from the Utah gathering I'm revisiting the roller bag threads.

I fly across the continent to ski 2-3 times a year. Because of my location in Maine I almost always have a connection.

I'm currently using a Db double bag that was new for the 2016 season. Therefore it's had 15 - 20 airline round trips. (I only use it for flying.) Usually it has two pairs of skis in it. After the most recent flight it's got a new slice in it about 3" long. In general it's showing multiple signs of significant (not just cosmetic) wear and tear.

Before talking about other bags, I have a simple question: Do others who habitually travel with two pairs of skis have bags that have survived this amount of use without significant damage?

The KULKEA Kantaja Double Roller Ski Bag uses1680 denier ballistic polyester. Super durable. We reinforce typical "bang" spots with corner bumpers, more than others. We add expensive durable PVC-free tarpaulin at the bottom which is typically at risk of sharp edges. YKK zippers co-brands with us for a reason. Our buckles are only ITW. Our wheel system is heavy duty replaceable wheels. We chose this system after countless drop tests with various systems. Plenty looked really nice and sharp, but they couldn't pass our tests. We've yet needed to replace a single wheel system! I could go on and on, but the point is that we don't compromise on materials or workmanship. Others sell products with flashy looks, marketing or pricing. We're building a trusted brand. To us its about technical design and high quality

 

[Miller]

I hear you. You're right that a big chunk of the market hasn't been addressed. The market has changed with IKON and Epic passes. In the past, it was all about double rollers bringing two pairs of skis and the kitchen sink. We made the best bag to meet that need named the Kantaja Double Roller Ski Bag, including length to allow for staggering of ski pairs to avoid binding to binding packing. That market still exists, and it will continue to exist. But, there's a lot of people flying to ski nowadays that are bringing only one pair of skis. And, WE HAVE THE SOLUTION coming Sept. 2023. The Kantaja Single Roller Ski Bag. It's adjustable from 155cm-190cm. It's easily maneuverable. It's technically smart. It's a terrific solution. Again, another product resulting from the fact that we at KULKEA are real skiers, snowboarders and avid travelers. We don't do "me too" or copycat products. See the attached sneak peek.

I think a single roller bag is a great idea. I just bought a new double roller bag from Backcountry a couple months ago, so the timing is bad. I typically only travel with one pair of skis and stuff everything in my ski bag or boot bag. I have been flying Frontier lately and they have reduced the weight of their checked baggage to 40lbs. I am pretty sure I could still fit all I need in a slightly skinner bag.

 

[KULKEA]

is there such a big difference between single and double roller bags?
I used the DB roller bag (the double one, Djarv or something) for 1 pair of skis and gear and it worked great.
Yes it is probably on the heavier side but I have not had any issues of getting it within the weight limit (my carry on was about 5kg or so).
I put my skis, boots and all other gear in the single roller bag and still had a few kgs spare and turned out I had lots of stuff with me that ended up not being used so I could trim it down further

Yes. I hear that you don't mind hauling around more of a bag than may be needed, and at 6'2' and 215 lb it's been a non-issue for me as well. However, I've fielded countless inquires over the years from people unlike you or me asking whether we make a single roller ski bag. So, we listened to the market. The Kantaja Single Roller Ski Bag allows someone to size the bag exactly to the length of their skis. It's designed for maximum maneuverability with adjustable drag handle attachment locations to further enhance its ease of use. For those that want to make their traveling with skis easier, it solves a lot of the issues.

 

[dbostedo]

However, I've fielded countless inquires over the years from people unlike you or me asking whether we make a single roller ski bag. So, we listened to the market.

That might be me. I currently use a single Sportube and have been for that last 8 seasons (it's the only ski bag/case I've ever had).

But the ease of packing, and added flexibility of a single roller bag that also adjusts in length appeals to me. It could be a nice replacement for my Sportube - though I do like the safety/security of the tube and ease of just kind of tossing it around (no flex or sag or anything when grabbing the handles anywhere).

 

[Tony S]

that also adjusts in length

This can be a double edged sword. Don't know how other brands' products work, but I know that TSA cannot resist fiddling with the integrated length adjustment / handle feature on my DB. This is a problem because they never put it all back correctly, which means that some of the work I do to stabilize the contents is undone. Note that I have 4" high lettering in two places on the bag directing them to the correct end for opening, away from the length adjuster, but they ignore it habitually.

 

[BMC]

After coming back from the Utah gathering I'm revisiting the roller bag threads.

I fly across the continent to ski 2-3 times a year. Because of my location in Maine I almost always have a connection.

I'm currently using a Db double bag that was new for the 2016 season. Therefore it's had 15 - 20 airline round trips. (I only use it for flying.) Usually it has two pairs of skis in it. After the most recent flight it's got a new slice in it about 3" long. In general it's showing multiple signs of significant (not just cosmetic) wear and tear.

Before talking about other bags, I have a simple question: Do others who habitually travel with two pairs of skis have bags that have survived this amount of use without significant damage?

10 international trips using the Burton Wheelie Gig bag. Sometimes one pair, sometimes two. It’s very rugged - it still looks not much off new.

I think some skiers don’t look at it because it’s a “snowboard bag” but it’s basically the same as equivalent offerings from say Dakine, but a bit more robust. Plus at least relative to the Dakine Tram bag, it has the bonus an internal strap.

Its longest length is 180cm which has accommodated up to 181cm skis but I’m sure it could fit a little longer ski.

 

[neonorchid]

This can be a double edged sword. Don't know how other brands' products work, but I know that TSA cannot resist fiddling with the integrated length adjustment / handle feature on my DB. This is a problem because they never put it all back correctly, which means that some of the work I do to stabilize the contents is undone. Note that I have 4" high lettering in two places on the bag directing them to the correct end for opening, away from the length adjuster, but they ignore it habitually.

Transpack Pro Series Ski Vault extra length accordian extensions extend via two dedicated zippers that are independent of and do not interfere with the bags main access zipper so unlike your DB bag and some other extendable bags, TSA would have no reason to fiddle with Transpack Ski Vault's extensions.

 

[dbostedo]

TSA would have no reason to fiddle with Transpack Ski Vault's extensions.

TSA Agent: "Hmm... wonder what these zippers do? Guess I'll find out."