The Best Ski Bags of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

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We tested the best ski bags out there, focusing on portability, durability, and capacity.

In This Article

Travel + Leisure / Lydia and Bill Price

When it comes to traveling with skis, it’s crucial to have a durable and protective ski bag to protect them from potential harm. Whether you’re schlepping skis through an airport or loading them into a car, the right ski bag will make the transportation process much easier and get you out on the slopes faster.

We (as first-track fiends) tested 12 different ski bags from trusted outdoor gear brands to find the best of the best for your next adventure into the mountains. Paying close attention to traits like durability, portability, and the design of each bag, we deemed five bags worthy of earning top testing scores. No matter which mode of transportation you use to go skiing, we trust that these five bags will ensure your gear arrives at the ski hill ready to shred.

The material feels exceptionally durable, and the bag comes with multiple straps, a separator for added protection, and tip guards that double as stuff sacks.

The smallest size is a little too spacious for just one pair of skis.

Thule’s RoundTrip Ski Bag won us over for having superior durability, portability, and capacity when we used the bag for a road trip and cross-country flight. The capacity of the bag is incredibly generous — it can easily fit two pairs of skis or one pair and all of your ski gear and clothing for a weekend getaway. The interior has four straps to tie down two pairs of skis, there are two exterior compression/carrying straps, and it comes with a separator for even more protection. Padded sleeves are also included to slip over the tips or tails of your skis, and they double as cinch-top stuff sacks to help with organization. Although the 600D polyester and padded material isn’t listed as waterproof, we poured water on the bag to assess its weather-readiness and found that the material repelled the liquid instantly.

We packed the 168-centimeter skis and poles along with tons of clothing and ski gear, and felt that the capacity might be a bit excessive for a solo skier. However, the bag was easy to wheel around thanks to the comfortable handles on the top, bottom, and side of the bag and heavy-duty wheels that took on icy bumps with ease. We also loved that the zig-zagging zipper meant it wasn’t a hassle to quickly retrieve items from the bag. On multiple cross-country flights, our checked skis have been seamlessly protected, and clothes also packed inside remained completely dry despite the bag facing rain on the tarmac. For easy storage, the Roundtrip Ski Roller can be folded down, except for a short section at the bottom that's reinforced with hardware.

The Details: 175 centimeters and 192 centimeters | 600D polyester | Wheeled bag

The thick plastic shell feels extremely hardy, especially for checking skis in while flying.

The latches can be difficult to line up for closing the case.

The hardshell Sportube Series 1 Travel Case is the best alternative to a traditional soft-sided bag, and we love the security both for traveling and while on the mountain. The sleek tube-shaped case is made out of recycled HDPE plastic and it has padding on both ends to ensure that the tips and tails of your skis won’t scrape the shell. The high durability would be the most ideal travel case if you fly often, as there are straps inside the bag to keep items from shifting, and it's adjustable for the height of your skis. The case is easy to hold with the handles, and it can be wheeled, too. Keep in mind that although there are straps to hold down skis in the case, the skis move around a bit while carrying, so you may want to pack a few clothing items in the tube for extra security if you’re traveling a far distance.

The Details: One size, 212 centimeters | Recycled HDPE | Wheeled bag

Travel + Leisure / Frances Crouter

The bag has three large pockets and it comes with a boot bag.

The exterior got slightly scuffed on its inaugural flight.

Evo's Deluxe Snow Roller Bag made it easier than ever to pack for a ski trip thanks to the plethora of pockets. We were able to fit our ski boots and most of our ski gear and clothing for a week-long ski trip to Utah between the two external pockets, one internal pocket, and a separate boot bag included with the ski bag. We tried the 165-centimeter ski bag, and it was the ideal size for making the most out of paying for a checked bag. The two external pockets are massive and can easily accommodate bulky clothing like puffer jackets and sweaters, and the packed pockets add extra padding to the already protective and cushioned design of the bag. During the first flight, the top of the bag got lightly scuffed but the skis (secured with two straps) and other packed items remained unscathed by the rough baggage handling.

The Details: 165, 175, 195 centimeters | Recycled PET Ripstop | Wheeled bag

Surrounded by thick padding to protect skis, this bag also benefits from sturdy wheels and a tough exterior.

It was a little awkward to roll due to the long length.

We love that the Element Equipment Double Ski Bag has thick padding on all sides for extra protection on the go. The bag is made with 600D ripstop polyester that felt noticeably tough and durable as soon as we unboxed the ski bag. After regular use, there are no frayed seams, no issues with the zippers, and no problems with the wheels. There is one built-in strap for securing one or two pairs of skis, and we especially like the two exterior adjustable straps that make sure the skis don’t move around during transit. With several handles on the top, bottom, and sides of the bag, we found it to be a little cumbersome to roll due to its length, but the wheels felt very sturdy and smooth over a variety of surfaces like snow and gravel. If you’re in search of a bag that offers superb protection, we think this is one of the best options out there, especially for air travel.

The Details: 167 centimeters and 195 centimeters | 600D ripstop PVC-coated polyester | Wheeled bag

It’s wide enough to fit two pairs of skis or snowboards, yet its wheels roll incredibly smoothly.

The bag is slightly cumbersome to carry because of its large size.

The Backcountry Double Ski and Snowboard Bag is the perfect bag for a couple or family of skiers. It’s designed to fit up to two pairs of skis and snowboards so you can streamline your gear into one bag with ease. The capacity of this bag is impressive: we were able to exceed the designed capacity and fit three pairs of skis and poles and a set of ski boots while keeping the weight under 50 pounds for flying. The Backcountry bag is equipped with two built-in straps and a padded divider, so no gear was damaged en route to the mountain. We found the packed bag to be slightly difficult to move around because of the large length and width, but the wheels rolled so smoothly that sometimes it even went a little too fast while going through the airport. Made with durable and waterproof PVC and nylon material, we’re confident that this bag will hold up with prolonged use.

The Details: 190 centimeters | Nylon and PVC | Wheeled bag

Travel + Leisure / Kait Clark

While there were plenty of ski bags that had rave reviews, one bag almost made our list but fell slightly short when a few inconveniences were noted during testing.

Thule RoundTrip Ski Bag: While the bag has a generous capacity and feels well-made, we noticed some functionality issues like difficult zippers and awkward straps.

We put 12 popular ski bags to the test over a period of three months. Each tester was tasked with evaluating the bag based on traits like capacity, portability, durability, and design. Whether we were road-tripping or flying to the slopes, they used these bags to protect their skis on the way to the mountain.

After the bags arrived, we tested the zippers and examined the fabric, stitchwork, and straps to get a feel for the quality of the bag right from the start. Then, we placed our skis into the bags and packed them for a ski trip before wheeling or carrying them around to get a feel for the weight distribution, the comfort of the handles, and how the wheels rolled across surfaces.

Travel + Leisure / Kait Clark

The most durable bags we tested are made with ample padding and heavy-duty materials that can protect the contents from rough handling. Our favorite bags for design had a variety of storage solutions like pockets or separators, straps for protection, and zippers that were smooth and sturdy. Since skis come in a variety of lengths, the highest-scoring ski bags fit all of our skis without any issues. Lastly, we were unaware of the price of each bag and only evaluated the value after testing was complete.

You’ll want to look for a bag that has a somewhat similar length as your skis so they aren’t swimming in extra space or packed in too tightly. For skiers traveling with multiple sets of different-sized skis, you’ll want to get a bag that fits your longest ski. You can easily pack ski gear or other clothing to protect the shorter skis from impact by packing the bottom of the bag and around the skis to add extra protection.

Ski bags can be quite pricey, so if you’re planning to use a ski bag for storage, it might be better to opt for a less-expensive bag. For frequent fliers, it’s worth it to invest in a padded bag with excellent durability and quality for protection against damage while traveling by air.

Travel + Leisure / Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm

While most ski bags are soft-sided, there are a few brands like Dakine and Sportube that make bags made out of thick plastic. Hard-sided ski bags often have padding at the top and bottom of the interior, but there isn’t any padding around the binding or the rest of the ski shafts, so it could be beneficial to wrap your skis in gear or other protective fabric to prevent any damage.

If you plan on flying with skis or road tripping, a padded ski bag is the best way to protect your skis. For those looking to use a ski bag just as storage, a non-padded bag works well, but keep in mind the potential for damage.

Once you place your skis in the bag right side up on their sides, you should use the built-in straps to tie them in securely or start packing soft gear around the skis to prevent them from moving around during travel. You can use items like ski jackets, snow pants, gloves, or any other clothes you might be bringing to fill the space. Plus, it helps you maximize the space in your carry-on or weekender bag by relocating bulkier pieces to your ski bag for protection.

Similar to travel golf bags, you can fly with ski bags as checked luggage. However, airlines all have different rules for checking in bags with skis, as they can be classified as oversized luggage. The rule of thumb for any checked bag is to keep the weight under 50 pounds to avoid any overweight fees.

Anna Popp is a commerce writer at Travel + Leisure, where she writes and reviews travel products. She grew up ski racing in Bend, Oregon, and has lived in Grenoble, France, where she got to ski in the heart of the French Alps. Anna participated in this test and worked closely with our outdoor gear editor to compile the list of the best ski bags we tried.

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