The 8 Best Ski Bags in 2020

Imagining how the baggage inspector at the airline will throw your $800 skis around can quickly make your epic winter adventure a bit of a bust. Not only do you risk damaging your expensive ski gear, but with damaged skis, you may also have to cancel the whole trip altogether.

Even so, traveling to your favorite ski resort doesnt have to be stressful. With an excellent ski bag, you can protect your equipment while at the same time load up everything neatly together for smooth movement.

Dont even bother wasting your money on an oversized ski bag when you only have one pair of alpine skis. Obviously, you cannot possibly haul two pairs of skis in a bag designed for one pair.

As Ive just demonstrated, choosing a ski bag isnt rocket science. But, with the thousands of ski bag brands available, it could take you forever to pick one ski bag that wont disappoint on its first trip to the ski resort.

To make things simpler for you, we have gone through several top-rated ski bags and analyzed them to find eight best ski bags that you can trust to last long even when it is treated roughly.

Thule RoundTrip Ski Roller Bag

This product is possibly the most expensive ski bag youll find, but you get premium features for the high price tag. We all know Thule to be a reputed manufacturer of high-quality sports and outdoor gear.

Their RoundTrip Ski bag is undoubtedly the most durable bag you can find out there. Its strong fabric and overall sturdy structure can withstand whatever punishment you put it through. Plus, it is made of blended fibers that are synergized to make it environment-friendly, breathable, durable, and easy to wash. You can tell it is meticulously designed, and you can trust it to hold all your ski gear in one piece throughout the multi-stop flights to Aspen, Colorado.

With this ski bag, you can comfortably haul two pairs of alpine skis plus the poles. It also has a padded divider that makes organizing your gear easy while offering much-needed protection. As expected, Thule included internal and external compression straps to securely tie down your equipment, preventing them from shifting and banging around in the bag.

Beyond having a massive room, this ski bag also features zipped storage sleeves to accommodate your accessories and other goodies. With everything neatly packed, this wheeled ski bag moves smoothly. You also get multiple padded grip handles to carry or trail your bag.

If you can get past the steep price tag, youll see that this is an exceptional bag that is certainly going to last for the long haul. It is excellent for nomadic skiers who wouldnt pass up the chance to ski in fresh powder.

Dakine Fall Line Double Ski Bag

Although this ski bag is a lot smaller than its cousin the Dakine Concourse Double, it can fit all of the same gear without weighing you down. You can pack two skis plus your outerwear and expect this bag to weigh about 35 pounds, which is much less than the Concourse Double that weighs up to 40 pounds with the same gear packed.

At 175 cm, this is an excellent low-profile ski bag for wheeling, and it wont make you look like a semi-trailer, pulling long bags around the airline. Plus, it is well padded to protect your skis and poles better.

While you can throw in two skis in this ski bag, there isnt much protective padding and clips (like with the Concourse Double) to safely separate the skis and protect the bindings and tips. You could also use your heavy Helly Hanson snow pants as padding if you really must go with the two pairs of skis.

There is a two feet long inner compartment that you can use to store your boots and other smaller gear. This feature makes organizing your bag really easy. Some airlines might require that you take out non-ski gear from your bag, so having all your things packed neatly makes unpacking and repacking quite easy.

This heavy-duty ski bag is sure to handle tough times. While it doesnt come with much of the convenience you might get with the Concourse Double, it does come close, which is quite impressive, considering that youre paying $100 less.

Athalon Single Padded Ski Bag

As a go-to ski bag brand, Athalon is loved by travelers, sports enthusiasts, and professional athletes. Their Single Padded Ski Bag is both stylish and functional. It is also incredibly strong, and it certainly looks like it can handle any rugged conditions.

This bag is lightweight, and the carry handles are well-padded for comfortable carrying to and from the ski resort. It is built with high-density polyester to make it look and feel like the quality product the brand is known to produce. Plus, the fabric is waterproofed to keep moisture out, so your gear remains cool and dry.

This ski bag has ample space to fit one pair of skis together with the poles, and there will still be sufficient space to fit your ski pants, jackets, goggles, and other accessories. Youll find the interior to be well-padded to protect your gear. The adjustable cinch straps further hold the skis and poles in place, so they dont break while on transit.

As a mid-low ski sports travel bag, the Athalon Single does deliver all your moneys worth. It is undoubtedly durable, but it lacks some functional features that might have made it the ultimate ski bag for frequent flyers and nomadic skiers. While it will take some good beating before it gives in, Id recommend you only go for this if you are looking for something midrange to use occasionally.

High Sierra Deluxe Single Ski Carrier Bag

High Sierra is a famous brand of lifestyle gear that is long-lasting and affordable. You can trust their Deluxe Single Ski Carrier to safely hold your skis and poles from house to car to ski resort and back home.

While it is a durable bag capable of withstanding the most brutal ski trips, it comes padded on the center only. You will have to pad around the tips and ends of your skis to prevent tip damage when you are going to leave your ski bag in the hands of the airlines.

Fortunately, this bag comes with lots of space, and you could easily fit your ski jacket, pants, gloves, and thermals to protect the bindings and tips of your skis better. If this doesnt put your mind at ease, you could rap your bag with extra tie downs to hold your skis and poles nicely, in case you find rowdy baggage handlers.

Other than the minimal padding and absence of roller wheels, this is a great bag for trips to your favorite ski resort and back. It is lightweight and easy to carry. Plus, it is durable, so it wont tear no matter how much you punish it. Also, it has enough room for your skis, pole, and more. You could possibly fit two pairs of skis in there, or throw in a helmet, but you wont have much space left for your outerwear.

Sportube Series 1

This product is a timeless but simple ski case for any skier who wont take a chance with the protection of their expensive Northwest 110, Enforcer Free 104 skis, or other sporting gear.

Theres plenty of room for two pairs of Nordic skis or a single pair of alpine skis plus the poles. It is made of a hard-shell case that fully protects your sporting gear. You could try to fit in some pants and googles, but Id advise against it since there are no straps to hold the accessories securely. It is padded on both ends to prevent damage to the tips and tail.

While the Sportube Series 1 looks like a pretty big ski case, it feels lightweight, and it is portable. Its wheels roll smoothly, and you have several grab handles for easy carrying and trailing. Also, it easily goes on the rack of your car to protect against mud and dirt.

Dont expect to pay what youll spend on a nylon ski bag. The Sportube ski case is slightly on the higher end, but you get the best protection for your expensive ski gear. Plus, you are sure the high-density, polyethylene hard shell will last longer than your ordinary fabric bag.

evo Roller Ski Bag

Are you looking for a well-priced, quality, and durable ski bag that will comfortably haul your skis though rigorous trips? The evo Roller Ski Bag is perfect for you.

This ski bag was carefully designed and tested to ensure that it can withstand the most brutal conditions you and the airlines will put it through. It is made of PU Coated 600U polyester and Printed 600D polyester to give it a higher mass density and abrasion resistance. The fabric holds up well, and a massive force would be required to tear through it.

This ski bag can hold two pairs of skis. To make everything fit neatly, place the two pairs lying opposite to each other so that the tips of one pair are facing the tails of the other pair. You can then throw in your other skiing accessories and use the straps to secure everything tightly.

This product has a protective sleeve meant to hold your poles separately. You also have a pole strap to secure them in place. Your smaller stuff will go into the internal storage pockets for neat storage or fit them into the external access pocket for quick and easy retrieval.

For the price, this ski bag does spoil you with a lot of premium features. You get storage straps for compact storage when the bag is collapsed. You also get rubberized grab-n-carry handles for comfortable carrying, or you could trail it on the smooth-rolling threaded wheels.

Overall, this product is a cleverly designed, lightweight, durable, and functional ski bag that you can proudly bring to your next trip and many more future trips to come.

Patagonia Descensionist

Heres a backcountry ski backpack that will have you moving light while shredding powder with all your safety tools neatly packed.

I love the Descensionist because there was so much thoughtfulness in its design, being built off the already popular Ascensionist climbing pack. It comes with all features youll need in a touring pack to use in the coming winter season.

This ski bag is a purpose-made touring pack with attachment straps for vertical snowboard carrying and loops for diagonal ski carrying. It was designed with really spacious compartments to store all your gear, travel guides, and other documents. You will also find smaller sleeves on the lid that make organizing your smaller necessities rather easy. And, youll love how quickly you can access your tools in the main compartment from the convenient side zippers.

This product has very thick wadding in the back panel and hip-belt, which makes it quite comfortable against the back, especially during longer tours. The padded hip belt firmly holds the backpack around you as you take on the slopes.

You can get the Descensionist in either 40-liter or 32-liter packs depending on whether you wish to travel light or you want to move fully loaded. Even so, both options are much lighter than heavier packs, like the Osprey Kamber.

Overall, it is an excellent mid-range backpack that is perfect for ski tours, and you could use it for more than just that.

BRUBAKER Padded Ski Bag

This product is a stylish ski bag for anyone looking for a last-minute ski bag that isnt awfully expensive.

It is not made from the most durable material, but the fabric doesnt tear that easy either. It is also padded around the center to protect the ski bindings. You can fit your outerwear neatly around the tip and tail to offer extra padding and prevent damage on the ends.

You can only transport one pair of skis and poles in this ski bag, but you have plenty of room left to fit your accessories and outerwear. You might as well use this ski bag to carry your other sporting gear like long pole lacrosse sticks if you dont find the proper container to transport those.

This product is a comfortable carry-style ski bag that comes with long, adjustable handle straps for shoulder carrying. The straps seem sturdy, but dont expect them to hold if you travel frequently.

Most people found that it cannot stand the rough handing at airlines or the brutality of longer public transits. Even so, its compression straps seem to hold everything tightly together to offer some decent protection from rough baggage handlers and conveyer belts.

This product is a budget ski bag that youll find worth the savings if you take only a few trips. It is made primarily of canvas, so expect to do some patchwork if you forget to pack and strap proper. Otherwise, it will dutifully carry and protect your skis, poles, and other gear through several trips.