SURF GEAR |
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| Airline Baggage Policies |
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Virtually every airline charges excess baggage fees for surfboards. In addition to these exorbitant fees, you may be required to sign a damage waiver, that way, no matter what happens, they can't be held responsible for your loss. This makes correctly packing surfboards essential in preventing damage.
Airlines usually always charge extra for any board bag over 9ft or 70lbs, as well as for hard cases. So keep this in mind when formulating your packing plan.
| Protecting Fins |
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Fins are the most fragile and vulnerable part of any surfboard. They are flimsy, stick out in an awkward position and can snap off easily. We highly recommend traveling with boards that have removable fins. If your magic board has it's fins glassed on and is a must-have item on your trip, order a traveling Fin Guard. It provides both vertical and lateral protection for your board's most fragile component. |
| Nose and Tail Protection |
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Your boards need to be prepared for everything from a possible fall off a truck to a good tossing by board crushing baggage handlers. In most scenarios, the nose or tail are going to bear a lot of weight. Being the thinnest part of the board they can snap off completely and absolutely ruin a trip. To give your boards some added protection while inside your board bag, add some padding with the
Ding All Surfboard Guard Air Cell. If you have a tight budget you can get by duct taping either some foam, bubble wrap or towels around the nose and tail. |
| Packing more than one board |
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Multiple boards in a bag will survive better than one alone. Plus it's always nice to have that longer board if surf conditions turn out to be heavier than expected.
If you're putting 2 or 3 boards in one bag, it's good idea to separate the boards with a thin layer that stops wax from rubbing onto your bottoms and provides some padding between the two fiberglass surfaces.
Your board bag may come with a loose leaf divider sheet made of the same material. If it's provided, that's what it's for - separating boards. Slide it between each board.
If you don't have this, using a towel or a wetsuit can be just as good.
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