Now that all of your gear is ready, you’ll need a reliable snowboard bag to ensure proper protection. After all the money you’ve spent on your new board, you don’t want to scratch it on your first trip, do you?
As you’ll see in this article, some bags are designed to hold only one board, while more spacious models have room for two boards. Still other models have room to store virtually all your snowboarding gear.
Before making a choice, you must pay attention to the bags’ capacity, type of padding, number of compartments, type of wheels, and other important characteristics. Don’t worry, though! Today, I’ll review the best models of the year so that you can find the one that best fits your needs.
Take a look at other articles to find the best snowboard pants, gloves, hats, backpacks, ski racks, and snowshoes.
THE 10 BEST SNOWBOARD BAGS
DAKINE LOW ROLLER
TYPE: Soft
CAPACITY: 2 boards
MAXIMUM LENGTH: 165 cm
PADDED: 360
WHEELS: Yes
The Dakine Low Roller can accommodate up to two snowboards including bindings, a pair of boots, a pair of pants, and a snow jacket. It comes with an inner bag so you can store your boots separately. Thus, you’ll avoid scratching the boards. This model has a high-quality 360 padded interior, wheels for easy transport, and a two-way zipper for easy access to your equipment.
DAKINE HIGH ROLLER
TYPE: Soft
CAPACITY: 2 boards
MAXIMUM LENGTH: 165 cm
PADDED: 360
WHEELS: Yes
The Dakine High Roller is just like the previous model, but with a greater capacity. This bag measures 13.5 x 8.5 x 65 in. If you know how to pack efficiently, you’ll be able to store all your equipment, including boots, a jacket, and a pair of pants. It comes with an inner bag for snowboard boots, a separate bag for clothes, and two external pockets for storing gloves, hats, a phone, keys, etc.
SPORTUBE SERIES 3
TYPE: Hard case
CAPACITY: 2 boards
MAXIMUM LENGTH: 107 to 183 cm
PADDED: Yes
WHEELS: Yes
The Sportube Series 3 hard case is specially designed to withstand bumps and falls. Built with high-density polyethylene, this case is perfect for air, train, or bus travel. You can take it on your car trips, too, as it can be safely secured to a roof rack. Its telescopic design allows for different lengths of boards and can be locked with a TSA-approved lock. It has room for two snowboards with bindings and boots.
DAKINE TOUR
TYPE: Soft
CAPACITY: 1 board
MAXIMUM LENGTH: 165 cm
PADDED: 360
WHEELS: No
The Dakine Tour has room for a board, a pair of boots, and some extra gear. This model doesn’t have wheels, but it does include a padded shoulder strap for easy carrying. The 360 padding protects your equipment from bumps all around the cover. Overall, it’s a great option for solo trips, and it’s available at a great price.
BURTON GIG
TYPE: Soft
CAPACITY: 2 boards
MAXIMUM LENGTH: Depends on the model
PADDED: Yes
WHEELS: No
The Burton Gig is one of the most original bags on the list, featuring colorful designs, camouflage patterns, and other graphics. Built with a highly-resistant 600 D polyester shell and a fully padded interior, this model offers great board protection and durability. It features two removable padded handles, a roomy compartment that can be quickly accessed through a two-way zipper, and an exterior compartment for storing small items.
BURTON WHEELIE GIG
TYPE: Soft
CAPACITY: 2 boards
MAXIMUM LENGTH: Depends on the model
PADDED: Yes
WHEELS: Yes
The Burton Wheelie Gig is one of the most popular wheeled bags from the iconic Burton brand. This model has room for two boards, a pair of boots, and extra winter clothing. The full contour zipper allows for quick and easy access to the interior, while the compression straps keep your gear in place. It’s resistant and durable, and it provides great protection.
BURTON SPACE
TYPE: Soft
CAPACITY: 2 boards
MAXIMUM LENGTH: Depends on the model
PADDED: No
WHEELS: No
The Burton Space is one of Burton’s most affordable options. Keep in mind that this bag is not padded. Many riders put pants, jackets, and other garments inside the bag, to serve as padding. This model doesn’t offer the best impact protection, but it does its job during car trips. You can also use it to store your gear once the season is over.
BLACK CREVICE
“Good value for the money”
View price at: Amazon
TYPE: Soft
CAPACITY: 1 board
MAXIMUM LENGTH: 170 cm
PADDED: Slightly
WHEELS: No
The Black Crevice offers a simple and efficient design that includes room for a board with bindings, a jacket, a pair of gloves, and a helmet. Also, it has a separate boot compartment for added protection. The padding around the bag isn’t as thick as in high-end models. However, this bag has enough room to store virtually all your snowboard gear, and it’s available at a great price.
ATHLETICO FREESTYLE
“Great budget option”
View price at: Amazon
TYPE: Soft
CAPACITY: 1 board
MAXIMUM LENGTH: 175 cm
PADDED: Slightly
WHEELS: No
The Athletico Freestyle is made from resistant 600D polyester while featuring lightweight padding for extra protection. This model has greater capacity in the middle so that you can store other pieces of equipment, such as your boots, helmet, pants, etc. For transport, you can use the carry handle or removable shoulder straps. If you are not satisfied with the purchase, you can get a full refund.
IMPORTANT FEATURES TO CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING A SNOWBOARD BAG
MATERIALS
Make sure your model is built with highly-resistant materials. When you’re carrying your snowboard gear to the ski resort, either by plane, bus, or car, you may occasionally “mistreat” your bag. It’s normal to overload it, jerk it, or even drop it.
Therefore, your bag must be made from high-density materials that can withstand stress. In addition, it should be built with high-quality, resistant seams.
Many models are made from polyester, which is a strong and durable material, perfect for bag manufacturing. Pay attention to the Denier value of the material, which indicates the density of the fibers. I recommend that you choose a fabric with a Denier value of at least 600.
Nylon is also commonly used to manufacture snowboard bags because it’s abrasion-resistant, thick, and durable. As you’ll see, most models on the list are made from either polyester or nylon.
SOFT BAG OR HARD CASE?
If you have doubts as to whether you should get a soft or hard case, you must think about the type of trip you’re going to be taking. If you are traveling by car, a soft bag will be adequate to protect your snowboarding gear. These models are lightweight and flexible, so you can store much of your equipment, thus making better use of the interior space.
If you are carrying your snowboard gear on a plane, I recommend that you go for a hard case. These models offer the best protection against bumps and falls. There are different designs, but generally, they are considerably heavier than soft bags. The main advantage is that most (if not all) hard cases have wheels for easy transport through airports.
CAPACITY
From compact designs to huge cargo bags, you’ll find models for all tastes and needs. Do you want to keep all your snowboarding gear in the same bag? Are you going to store your boots in a separate bag? Do you need a bag with room for two snowboards?
Think about your needs to determine which model will suit you better. For instance, if you’re planning to store all your gear in one bag, you’ll need a large model.
In that case, you should look for a bag with separate compartments for your boots and clothes. This way, you’ll have everything well-organized—and more importantly, your board won’t get scratched by other pieces of equipment.
MAXIMUM LENGTH
How long is your snowboard? Keep in mind that some bags are not stretchy, so if they are 170 cm long, that doesn’t always mean a 170-cm board can fit inside them. This is because the padding can decrease the available internal length.
Most models indicate the maximum interior length, so be careful to not confuse the outer measurement with the inner measurement. Also, many models are available in various sizes.
PADDING
Even if you are very careful while transporting your equipment, you will most likely give it a little blow at some point. By investing in a fully padded bag, you’ll be able to extend the lifespan of your snowboarding equipment.
Some soft models feature highly efficient padding that provides sufficient protection for air travel. However, hard cases are more suitable for this type of trip.
WHEELS
Because snowboard gear can be quite heavy, some bags include wheels for easy transport. This feature is especially important if you’re planning to travel by plane, as it will allow you to comfortably walk through the airport.
HANDLES
All bags include one, two, or more handles so you can carry them comfortably. Wheeled models typically feature a top handle and two padded shoulder straps.
Most non-wheeled models include two central straps that can be used as either handgrips or shoulder straps. Sometimes these handles are padded for greater comfort during transport. Most straps are made from resistant materials, typically nylon or polyester, to provide great resistance and durability.
COMPRESSION STRAPS
In addition to shoulder straps, you’ll notice that some models have two external straps on the sides. These compression straps can be tightened to keep your gear in place, thus helping to avoid scratches.
ZIPPERS AND SEAMS
Zippers and seams are always delicate parts, not only in bags but in any sportswear. Therefore, you should avoid models that are too cheap. Some cheap models are built with poor-quality seams that can break after only a few uses.
As for zippers, I recommend that you get a model with a two-way zipper, which can be opened and closed in both directions. This allows for faster and easier access to your belongings.
COLORS
Some models are available in various colors, so you can combine them with your clothes and style. Still, black remains the most popular option because it is easiest to keep clean.
Some models are primarily black, but they include a colored patch for a personal touch. These patches will also help you quickly find your snowboard on the airport baggage carousel.
WEIGHT
Unfortunately, most highly padded bags and hard cases are not lightweight. If you add the weight of a pair of boards, a pair of boots, and some extra layers, your bag will get quite heavy. In that case, make sure you get a wheeled model with sturdy handles for easy carrying.
Keep in mind that most airlines will charge you for extra baggage, regardless of weight. You can save some money if you choose a large bag with room for all your equipment. This way, you won’t need to pay for each separate bag.
TSA-APPROVED LOCKS
If you are traveling by plane, you should use a TSA lock to secure your bag’s zippers. These locks are just as strong as regular locks, but they feature a special system so that they can be opened by airport security authorities. If they want to inspect your gear, they’ll be able to open and close the lock without having to break it.
HOW TO PACK SMART
There are as many ways to pack as there are snowboarders on the slopes. If you have doubts about how to do it, take a look at the following suggestions:
First, place your snowboard inside the bag. Then, pack some soft clothes, such as socks, gloves, and beanies, inside the bindings to avoid damage. Next, place heavy items, like your jacket and your pants, at one end of the bag.
At the other end, you can store your street clothes. In the central area, you can put your shirts and underwear. If you pack efficiently, your clothes will remain tidy and easily accessible while you optimize the interior space.
Hi, I’m Miguel; Adventure traveler, scuba diver and hiking lover. I have been traveling the world for the last 12 years and I hope my experiences, photos and hiking routes inspire you to travel the world too.
I am an owner of a snowboards site, thanks a lot for this tips and advice for best snowboard bag its really a big help for us, you guys behind this are awesome.