As someone who has a bit of an addiction to new places, I travel quite a lot. All of that travel is done with a camera in my backpack, but I always had a preference of avoiding the hassle of hauling skis through airports if I could borrow equipment at my destination instead. Ski bags are awkward, often difficult to pack efficiently, and always a miserable task when baggage claim and passenger pickup are on two different floors of an airport. I recently put these notions aside and gave the Kulkea Double Roller Ski Bag a shot.
Kulkea was able to quickly change my mind, with attention to design and detail that ultimately won me over. The organization of the bag was immediately noticeable. It’s well thought out, offering space for two pairs of skis, as well as an extendable length system.
Dr. Zorko: Managed to fit in 2 pairs of skis, a pair of ski boots, jacket and snow pants. Only issue is you may have an overweight bag for the airport, but the bag will sustain it all. Notice the various compartments to organize your gear.
Side pockets for accessories are a nice touch. There are four total in the bag.
Expansion to 205 cm if you have some super long skis. I haven’t had to use it.
I was fully prepared to wrap clothing around my bindings for added padding, but sought no reason to after the fully padded interior proved its worth, even offering padding to separate the two pairs of skis. I would never consider checking any of my camera equipment, but the padding in this bag was sufficient enough for me to move some of that extra weight from my carry on into my ski bag, and be confident that even the heavy handling of baggage staff wouldn’t hurt my belongings.
The wheels were also a huge plus. They are larger than most suitcase wheels, and offer more tread, making stairs and snowy parking lots a breeze. The abundance of handles and the integrated “Isolated Compression System” made loading and carrying the bag itself far more comfortable than the bulky, ill-fitted ski bags I was used to using. This is the first ski bag that has eliminated the discomfort and awkwardness that are all too often dealt with hauling ski equipment.
Dr.Zorko: Having a handle at ¾ of the bag makes it a more comfortable carry. Some alternatives such as the Dakine ski bags only have a handle at the front which may make the bag sag because of skis not being the exact length of the bag.
Not only is it a user friendly product, but the durability is also worth noting. It is water resistant and stress resistant, and has held up beautifully in the hands of someone who tends to be pretty hard on luggage. It’ll handle your two mile walk to the train station or your sprints through the DIA parking lot like a champ, allowing you to eventually get to the hill with a bit more ease.
You can see more of the features of the Kulkea bag here, and check out more of what Kulkea has to offer here.
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