Transporting skis inside the car: What is customary?

[Jilly]

Years ago I picked up some black moving blankets. I got them at a you-store-it place. They are great for protecting the interior of my car. I leave them in there all year long. They are great when traveling to cover things so they can't be seen.

The blankets also soak up the water when the snow and ice on my skis melt.

I have some of those....next season. Although I don't transport skis that often. They tend to stay at the condo all winter, except when needed tune work.

 

[François Pugh]

I usually just throw them in the car without a bag. If they are going to be travelling in the car with other stuff that must stay clean and dry, they go in a bag. If they are travelling outside the car they go in a bag, and the bag gets checked for holes from fraying in the wind.

Don't leave them in the bag for too long after skiing, unless you want to see how quickly the edges will rust! Take them out of the bag as soon as you get home (or where ever you're spending the night).

 

[Jilly]

Don't leave them in the bag for too long after skiing, unless you want to see how quickly the edges will rust! Take them out of the bag as soon as you get home (or where ever you're spending the night).

That is so true.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

It's ONE of the reasons we have Audis: The built-in ski bag.

If it's the two miles down the hill to the gondola lot, we just have skis loose with one seat down. If it's a road trip, seats are up and the bag keeps skis/poles snug.

 

[hammer]

Passenger seat down and wrap a towel around the front so skis/poles don't just bang into the front passenger seat. Try to get as much moisture off as I can.

Have not had any issues and I like to keep my car interior nice...

 

[eok]

I carry my skis & poles inside our mini-SUV in a ski bag. I tighten the cinches to keep the skis from flopping around. To load, I drop the smaller rear seat section, place some large old towels where the bag will go and I position the bag at an angle about as far forward as it can go, so the tips are pointing at the the driver's side armrest (which is somewhat of a barrier). Old blanket (doubled-up) is draped over the front of the bag too. Then I fasten the left rear passenger seat belt over the ski bag & cinch it up. Lastly, I fasten a large carabiner between the center ski bag handles and the seat belt. Sounds like a lot of steps but it really only takes me a minute.

Because we live in snow country, we always carry the typical emergency stuff for winter travel. This includes an old sleeping bag, which we lay out across the rear passenger seat area. This helps protect the rear seats. Ski boots are in a boot bag on the floor behind the front seats.

 

[Philpug]

One of the reasons we chose the Golf Alltrack was the ability to carry skis in the car, I can put in 180cm or 4-5 pairs and still have a 3rd passenger in the back. We have a 21 cu/ft Yakima than we used for long trips. I slide the demo bindings off and can put 20 pair..Yes 20 in the box.

 

[CalG]

Kneale said it best

AUDI ski bag! Bundle the ski pairs and slide them in the bag, Secure with the center seat belt.

Done and done well!

(I drive an A8 and an Allroad, Winter cars done right!)

 

[pete]

Thanks for the information everyone! I never considered the fact that they could become missiles.... has anyone ever been impaled by a ski before (off to google!)? They seem sort of blunt... I would be more concern about the poles in that case.



Thanks for this @raytseng. I was curious what people thought about friends just slinging their skis in the back of the car after they've been on the slopes all day. I don't know if I would mind if they were wipe down but everyone is different.

I currently rent skis and just give them back to the shop to store for the night. When I do put them in the car it's for a short time/distance.

So it seems the consensus so far is use a ski bag. Makes sense, I've just haven't seen anyone use them but I also haven't been hanging around the parking lots.

hum, 1/2 the pugski gathering pics seem to show the parking lot as the happening spot .. food, drinks, shots!

agree on the bag for skis and poles and typically when i can, strap an end down. But locally I use a pickup so it's not an issue. Being paranoid, on trips while storing in roof top carrier, other bags (suitcases, etc) have a rope routed through their handles and over top, tied to rear interior tie downs, or have used a net. Just don't care for a bootbag flying loose in worst case. however they'd likely rip loose anyhow

 

[pete]

oh hey! @CrystalRose welcome to Pugski!

 

[Andy Mink]

I have a pickup. The back seats fold flat and I have a moving blanket. If there are more than one pair, I use the blanket to separate the skis. I've also wrapped skis in the blanket and put them in the bed. All skis have straps to keep them from scissoring.

 

[Carl Kuck]

Subaru '08 Outback, small side rear seat back down, 185cm skis in bag max. I can do 6 pair this way, usually in 1 double and 4 singles. I tie them down with bungee cords front (around the rear seatback) and rear (across the cargo area attached to cargo hooks).

 

[ScotsSkier]

Pickup with 6.5' bed. I have a lifted platform (ply covered with carpeting) skis slide underneath. Normally not in bags, (10 mins to mountain) But when prepped and traveling longer distance to races, all in bags (usually 6-12 pairs) . When I had cars and smaller SUVs normally used a bag to protect interior. Always got moving blankets in the truck as well

 

[raytseng]

i have broken a window with ski pole before, I admit that was not my best moment after a long bus day trip starting at 4:30 in the morning. I was a teenager and was renting skis. My mom was not happy.
If I had a ski bag this wouldn't have happened no matter how grumpily I tossed the equipment into the car.

In my 20s, I have had inconsiderate acquantainces wedge their snowboard into my car scratching up the side trim as well. I was not happy and less inclined to get to know them better

 

[Philpug]

hum, 1/2 the pugski gathering pics seem to show the parking lot as the happening spot .. food, drinks, shots!

Don't judge us. Plus, you don't want to know where the otehr 1/2 are..well maybe you do.

 

[Tricia]

@pete you should come hang out in the parking lot with us.

 

[x10003q]

I put the skis in a bag and put them through the center portion of my rear seat. My rear seat is a 40-20-40 set-up. Once I drop the center 20 and put the skis through, I use the center seat belt to lock the skis down. This allows 4 passengers. If we need to go to 5 passengers or more than 4 sets of skis, I put the box on the roof.

 

[Karen_skier2.0]

BMW has a good solution....

Too bad Subaru hasn't picked up that idea.

I have a Honda Fit with a 1/3 / 2/3 split back seat. To minimize the chance of projectiles, I went to Harbor Freight and got a racheting tie down for a few bucks. I attempt to secure the skis to the seat that folds down. I chose that over bungies since I wasn't sure how the bungies would work in a rollover.

 

[Josh Matta]

there skis, and its just a car.....

I strap them and throw them in back, If I had nice enough car I was worried about skis in my car, I would buy another car...

 

[Castle Dave]

I was in a head on collision when an oncoming pickup truck lost control. My skis were in a Thule box and the force was such that the box and crossbars were ripped off the roof, the box flew approximately 30 feet and shattered. The car was totalled and If the skis had been in the car I'm certain they would have killed me and my dogs perhaps even decapitated me. Shit happens now matter what so the best you can do is minimize the damage.