 Poster: A snowHead
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Are the solid ski carriers/sportubes any good. Is there a marked advantage over normal ski bags?
And does anyone know if you can hire a sportube?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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bump 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I've never used one but they look solid enough. I've always considered a 'soft' ski bag to be sufficient.
Do you have your own skis? If so, why would you want to hire a ski bag rather than buy?
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Just back from Canada with my Sportube. Looks like it got bumped around a bit, but skis untouched inside.
Big advantages of the Sportube, I think, include protecting the bindings properly, and the amount of other stuff you can pack in between the skis. Also, ability to strap to roof-rack as a weatherproof carrier.
Additionally, Air Canada accept some responsibility for handling skis in a hard case. In a soft case, you have to sign a disclaimer excusing them for any and all damage to your kit.
Not sure where you would be with your insurers if your skis got damaged after signing that disclaimer.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Yes, they're excellent. PaulClark has said it all, really. I can't get much else in mine, apart from small stuff, but I did manage to "hide" a pair of snowblades in with the skis last season.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yep, they're excellent. I use the twin ski version and it offers far more protection than a bag. Bags give minimal protection, these things are pretty much bomb proof. They're easy to carry too, no harder than a bag and the wheels are handy.
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KIS (Keep it Safe) Sportube for me too. wheels make it easy and loads more protection than a soft case. If you've ever seen baggage handlers throwing cases on top of each other you'd wonder why anyone used anything else. 
No need to hire, we bought our second one on ebay for a few quid:D.
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Yep another thumbs up from me. Easy to carry/wheel, lightweight. Can't get much else in though.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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How much do they weigh?
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beanie1 Not much, I'd guess a couple of kilos for mine (without skis in).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I wonder, can you put two pairs into a double sporttube and get away with paying just for one lot of ski carriage, as you can with a soft ski bag ? Or are the check in staff too savvy for that ? anyone tried?
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You know it makes sense.
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masmith, you wouldn't fit two pairs in to a single tube, so as long as the check-in droid is not paying attention you might get away with it. However, if said check-in droid has a go at lifting it, and has some idea of how heavy a single pair of skis is, you might be screwed.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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One word of warning. I bought a tube three years ago and had to take it straight back 'cos my skis didn't fit in it. 
If you've got Fritschi touring bindings or similar fitted, you might want to check that the tube will be able to accommodate them before you part with your cash.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I used one once. As it was a shiny plastic it made manouvring in tight places difficult in a ski jacket. I couldn't just put my arm around it and go....nothing to grip, so it kept slipping to the ground.
Frustrating 
CD.
Harder to pack with clothing to beat the baggage weight limit too.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I am still not sure (apart from putting them on top of a car) what the problem is that the sporttube solves. I have been using a scrotty old padded ski bag for many years with between 1 and 3 pairs in and never had any problems. And can stash lots of other stuff in it, and use it for keeping skis in the hire car etc etc.
Please enlighten me, I am genuinely puzzled.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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chrisdavis, nothing to grip? It's got handles!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| hyweljenkins wrote: |
| chrisdavis, nothing to grip? It's got handles! |
Case in left, boot bag over shoulder, hand luggage, crowded airport........ far easier to scoop and go with a soft bag.
I stand by my assessment.......... 
Cheers,
Chris.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I had an original one and it was quite good for the coaches, well tough, strange way of inserting but worth cash.
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I am considering one of these but will need to fix it to a roof rack for transportation.
Has anyone else actually used the roof rack attachments, if so how do they work and are they secure?
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Had on of the original early double ones. Not sure if they have changed much. To put on roof bars you just turned it upside down and there was a flat pad area between the handles, then just bungy strapped it down. It worked (ish), whistled like hell on the roof. we now use a roof box and skis in soft bags inside.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks carroz,
Bump for any more?
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I've tried both types of carry case for skis.
Sportube-never ever had any damage to the skis and poles inside (see comment below though) absolutely bomb proof and it's pretty heavy laden up with the skis so you don't normally see the baggage handlers slinging these beauties around, unlike the fabric ski bags that I've winced at through the plane window having seen them flung around right left and centre.
Lockable with a pin lock and easy to wheel around airports although it's too heavy for me to put on my shoulder and carry my boot bag and hand luggage as well. Pity they don't fit on trolleys as easily as the fabric ski bags do. Mine just slides off. They can be a little bit cumbersome and not as easy to manoeuvre as the fabric bags in my opinion but that's me trying to carry everything on my own whereas most folks would probably have more than one person in the party to help carry the stuff and that.
Fabric bags-definitely more easy to carry and you can get them with wheels on the bottom too (well the board bags anyway which can get skis in too) but I've had damage done to my kit in the fabric bags the odd time I've took mine instead of the Sportube. Bent poles and cuts/dents in the side of my skis where obviously someone else's skis had been slung down on top of mine also in a fabric bag by the looks of things.
One thing with the Sportube, I do have to take a bit longer to get all the stuff in carefully without scratching the paint off my poles like I did first time round, whereas with the fabric ones you can chuck it all in zip it up and go. Doesn't really matter about the paint as it gets scratched off gradually anyway just with general use.
I've flogged my fabric bag now on ebay anyway so I'll only be using the Sportube from now on. I can't get anything else in mine apart from the skis and the poles though. Everything else has to go in my kit bag.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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CEM, totally agree.
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CEM, Helen Beaumont yeah I have to admit it was kind of nice thinking I don't need to pack my skis and boards into the bags this time, I can just put the back seats of the car down and load it all up with the luggage, ski's, board the lot. That's got to be the best bit about driving, no getting luggage in and out of places!
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FAQ
saves the need for any of this stuff 
