The best ski and snowboard bags in 2024, tried and tested

Traveling with ski and snowboard gear isn’t as simple as tossing a few things in a carry-on and heading to the airport. Ski and snowboard trips require planning when packing, especially if you’re bringing any equipment. You need a way to transport the best skis and the best snowboards, along with all the extra stuff necessary on the mountain.

You’ll need boots and poles, outerwear, helmets, goggles, gloves, some backup items if needed and maybe some regular clothes. It can be a lot, even for a short trip.

For some, navigating every nook and cranny of a bag to get every last piece of essential gear packed safely is an art. Layer on the fact you have baggage handlers tossing your gear around on airport conveyor belts and luggage trucks and it’s easy to worry that something might not make it — or not make it in one piece.

To help ease the burden, we gathered 14 different ski and snowboard bags and tested them head-to-head. After testing, there’s one bag we recommend to any skier or snowboarder that will help make the packing and travel experience that much simpler.

Best ski and snowboard bag: Element Equipment Wheeled Padded Ultimate Double Ski Bag

If you’re looking for a ski or snowboard bag that truly offers many features while protecting your gear, all at an economical price point, then the Element Equipment Wheeled Padded Ultimate Double Ski Bag is a clear winner. For less than $200, you get a feature-packed bag and a simple way to transport your skis or snowboard through the airport, to your hotel and even to the mountain.

The bag is vibrant, coming in four colors — Pink, Black, Blue and Gray — and multiple size options. For skis, the bag comes in 167-centimeter, 180-centimeter and 195-centimeter lengths. But the brand also offers a snowboard bag, which comes in 157 centimeters, 167 centimeters and 177 centimeters. Aside from length, the rest of the dimensions are the same between the ski and snowboard versions. They also include identical features, so you’ll want to purchase the bag that works best for the size of your skis or snowboard.

This ski or snowboard bag can fit two pairs of skis and poles or two snowboards with one set of bindings removed, as well as one pair of ski or snowboard boots. While the bag has a slimmer profile than many other bags tested, we could fit our 255-millimeter-wide snowboard with no issue. This was on par with the size of the Dakine Low Roller Snowboard Bag and Dakine Fall Line Ski Roller Bag. The slim profile also meant it was easier to maneuver than most others while still fitting all our gear.

When we packed for our trip to Colorado, the bag included two pairs of skis, two sets of poles, adult and kid ski boots, a pair of regular snow boots and two jackets. The weight of that haul came to 41.6 pounds. While a larger bag, such as the Burton Wheelie Flight Attendant Snowboard Bag, can fit more gear, you might not be able to pack it to the brim and still be within the allowed airline weight requirement.

The exterior features durable ripstop fabric, padding all the way around for extra protection, exterior compression straps, grab handles, urethane wheels and additional plastic stabilizing bars to protect the bottom. While the padding, storage pockets, wheels and stabilizing bars were standard throughout most of the bags we tested, the external compression straps and grab handles are noteworthy as they were only found in half of the bags in the testing pool. Although not a necessity, they are nice to have.

The external compression straps kept items inside the bag from moving around, reducing the risk of becoming damaged in transit. The two grab handles — located on the top center of the bag — also make it incredibly easy to lift the bag in and out of the car. The top grab handle can also be used to roll the bag, if easier.

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Inside the bag, there’s an additional strap to secure skis, snowboards and poles. Again, this was a feature only found on about half the bags we tested and one that typically coincided with the other bags that offered exterior compression straps, too. There’s also a boot bag secured with a hook-and-loop closure which we found useful during packing. This helped keep our ski boots in place while ensuring the wet bottoms stayed separate from other gear.

While the bag doesn’t offer any interior pockets, there are two exterior pockets. These were perfectly sized to pack hats, gloves, balaclavas and more. However, the bag isn’t large enough to pack all your clothing without an additional suitcase, as the Burton Wheelie Flight Attendant Snowboard Bag might be.

The Element is water-resistant and during testing, it held up exceptionally well when sprayed with a hose in our driveway. At first, we lightly saturated every bag to see how well they would do if left out in the snow or rain. Fortunately, every bag we tested kept water out with the interior and any exterior pockets staying completely dry. We then fully soaked the 14 bags and every bag yet again excelled in keeping the water out. While the Sportube Series 2 Double Ski Hard Travel Case was the only one that stayed 100% dry, only a small number of water pockets were found in the other 13 bags — and we didn’t find that one bag did a better job than another.

How we tested

To help find the best ski and snowboard bags, we picked 14 of the most popular and well-reviewed models and assessed every feature at home, fully packed them as if we were going on an actual trip and took them for a whirl around the neighborhood. Once we picked our favorite, we took it on a ski trip to Vail and Breckenridge in Colorado to see how it held up.

We ultimately used the following criteria to assess each model:

Build and design

Usability

Everything to know about ski and snowboard bags

Ski and snowboard bags come in tons of different sizes and materials. Some are specific to skis, some to snowboards, while others are marketed toward both. Materials can range from super-thin, sleeve-like bags offering basic protection from scratches to ultra-padded with waterproof materials and bombproof stitching, zippers and buckles. Some bags will only handle one pair of skis and poles or one snowboard, and others can take multiple pairs of skis or snowboards, along with all needed accessories. Depending on how you want to travel with your gear, there is very likely an option for you as there is no shortage of bags to choose from.

There are many things you need to be mindful of when shopping for ski and snowboard bags. Materials, padding, zippers, handles and wheels (and more) all play a part in the design and usability of the bag. As we know, bag handlers at the airport aren’t very gentle with luggage, so ensuring a bag is fully padded is extremely important. While typically more pricey, a bag with wheels will help you easily maneuver your gear from point A to point B.

You’ll also want to pay attention to the handle placements. All roller bags offer a handle on the end for ease of rolling and some bags also include carry handles on the top to easily pick up the bag. This is useful when transporting in and out of the car.

External and internal compression straps prevent your gear from sliding around. This helps from a packing standpoint and keeps your equipment safer, potentially resulting in less damage to your gear.

You’ll also want to pay attention to the plastic rails on the exterior of the bag. These rails help stabilize the bag down by the wheels and protect the bottom exterior material from being dragged and ripped up by the ground. For a bag too long for the skis or snowboard being carried — where the entire bag is not filled out — the bag can flex a bit as you drag it through your destination. Having quality plastic rails can help.

As you’ll notice, most products also offer sizing options. To protect your skis or snowboard the best — and for ease of transporting the bag — it’s best to pick a bag just over the length of your skis or snowboard. This provides the best padding on the top and bottom of your skis or snowboard and reduces the bottom drag while rolling the bag. You’ll also find that snowboard bags typically offer shorter bag options, so if you have smaller skis, don’t discount a snowboard bag to pack your skis. They have many of the same features and might fit your skis better.

Keep in mind airlines have different rules when it comes to your checked ski and snowboard bag. Most airlines count a ski or snowboard bag and a boot bag as one checked item, but limit each bag to containing just one pair of skis, poles and ski boots or one snowboard and one pair of snowboard boots. But in our experience, we’ve been able to pack multiple skis or snowboards in one bag — on many different airlines — without it ever being a concern. However, this past trip, we were told no clothes could be packed in the ski bag which is an issue we’ve never faced.

Related: How to save money and avoid paying checked baggage fees on your next flight

Other ski bags we tested

The Kulkea Kantaja Double Roller Ski Bag is one of those bags that truly has it all. With an interior ski stabilizer and separate pole grabber straps, you can easily secure two pairs of skis and poles inside. These dedicated slots, along with the padded divider, ensure your skis, bindings and poles will not slide around or bang against each other when traveling. While some bags also offer a way to strap down your skis, not many can secure your poles — a feature we appreciate with this bag.

The bag also contains four interior stretch pockets, allowing you to stash gloves, hats, goggles and other accessories. While these pockets aren’t large enough to store your jacket, the bag can easily fit your outerwear even with two skis inside. The bag is extremely durable — padded throughout — with strong zippers, exterior compression straps/grab handles and protective rails. The all-terrain wheels offer a smooth roll, even when the bag is packed to the fullest.

It’s also easy to connect the Kulkea Kartta Travel Bootbag to this bag. You can carry your skis and boots in two different travel bags through a dedicated loop with just one hand.

Something to keep in mind is that the bag is on the longer side at 195 centimeters. This is a great option for someone with longer skis — especially since the bag can extend to 205 centimeters. However, for the average person, a longer bag might not be necessary, or even ideal.

For those looking for an inexpensive bag, this does the trick. But there are some features you’ll have to do without. The bag offers a decent amount of pockets, with one exterior padded boot pocket, one large interior accessory pocket and one underside pocket (which we find to be a strange placement). There’s a pair of interior compression straps to hold down your skis or snowboard, but no clear divider if packing multiple skis. The bag also lacks exterior compression straps.

The wheels and zippers seem to be slightly lower quality than some of the other bags tested — the wheels are more rigid and the zippers aren’t as durable. However, Athletico does offer a 1-year guarantee if there’s an issue that falls within their policy.

While this ski bag is able to fit up to two skis, two poles, one pair of ski boots, a winter jacket and snow pants, we aren’t 100 percent confident that the bag will withstand years of ski trips for the avid traveler. But it’s a decent option for those not looking to spend much on a ski bag.

The Fall Line Ski Roller Bag from Dakine is a great option, especially at a low price. While this is marketed as a ski bag that can accommodate two pairs of skis, poles and a pair of boots, we also found that this bag can comfortably fit a snowboard and a pair of skis, as well as boots and some other gear if you get creative.

The bag is completely padded, offering great protection for the gear inside. The exterior ripstop fabric material is durable and even just tossing our skis and snowboard around on top of it didn’t seem to mark it up. The main compartment zippers are fairly burly and lockable, and there’s a simple exterior pocket to stash your hats, gloves and other accessories. There’s also an accessory boot bag that can be snapped inside the bag, securing your packed boots.

The wheels are slightly oversized and made of a urethane material. This allows for smooth rolling and no issues on uneven surfaces while loaded. The top handle can also be fastened to another rolling bag handle, allowing you to roll your wheeled suitcase and this bag with one hand.

But there are two features we miss on this particular bag. One is the lack of exterior handles on the center top of the bag. This can be helpful when lifting and tossing it into a vehicle or elsewhere. There are also no interior straps to secure your skis in place, which means everything is free-floating in the fairly roomy interior of the bag.

With a higher price point than the Dakine Fall Line, the Dakine Boundary Ski Roller includes all the features of the Fall Line Roller with a few enhancements. The first and most noticeable difference between the two is that with the Boundary bag, you’ll find two big grab handles on the top of the bag, a feature we found to be quite useful as it makes transporting the bag to and from a vehicle or lifting it to put on top of other gear much easier. Also, if necessary, you can use the top handle to hold and wheel the bag if the skis you are bringing do not fill the full length of the bag.

Also included with the Boundary version are external compression straps with durable clips to help keep everything in the bag more secure and compact. The bag also has two exterior pockets (there’s only one in the Fall Line series), an internal storage bag and an included boot bag insert.

It’s also worth noting that this bag is sized different from the Fall Line version, with the smallest option being 185 centimeters. For many skiers — or boarders — the length of this bag is going to be longer than necessary. When we tested the bag with our 165-centimeter skis, there was too much excess length when rolling the bag, risking the bottom of the bag dagging along the ground.

At nearly $100 more than the Fall Line Roller Bbag, we aren’t convinced that the Boundary bag is worth the premium cost.

This bag is easily the simplest of the bunch and perfect if you need a protective — and inexpensive — bag for your skis. It comes in multiple lengths, offering enough room for one pair of skis and poles. There are no wheels on this bag, no internal straps and no extra pockets. It’s a lightweight, padded cocoon for your skis. This bag is ideal if you just want to keep your skis safe in a packed car, stored at home, or even if you are a light traveler just going to find snow for a couple days. But most will probably want more storage space to fit at least some of the many accessories inherent to ski trips.

If you’re looking for a compressed bag for storage purposes, the Db Journey Snow Roller Bag is a great choice. The 70-liter bag can roll up to about 10% of its full size, which is perfect if you are tight on space in your house or even when staying in a small hotel room.

The bag also comes in one size, which is adjustable by rolling the top down to your desired length after you’ve packed and securing it with a removable carry handle, a feature we found to work quite well. However, we didn’t love the concept of a removable handle, as it can be misplaced and tedious to put on and off every time you need to adjust the bag.

The bag also offers top grab handles to assist in maneuvering it and has loops all down the top should you want to secure other bags or gear to the exterior. We could easily fit two pairs of skis or two pairs of skis and a snowboard in this bag with boots and other gear as well. The bag is very well padded with a zipper opening that goes around the bag. With its solid urethane wheels, we found the bag to roll fairly smoothly.

However, the bag is simple and doesn’t offer extra features, such as storage pockets, a boot bag or exterior and interior compression straps.

The Thule RoundTrip Ski Bag offers fully padded construction and great interior organization. It comes with interior straps to keep skis in place, a pole pocket on the interior and a removable padded sleeve should you need to put your boots on with a dry surface. The bag is notable for its big S-shaped, smooth YKK zippers that open to the interior. This unique design lets you grab gear from the top or the bottom.

The bag includes two boot bags and an interior zippered pocket to stash small gear items. Additionally, the exterior has the smoothest rolling wheels of the bags we tested and two top grab handles for easier transport. You can also securely attach other Thule travel bags to the exterior of this bag, like the Thule RoundTrip Ski and Snowboard Boot Bag or the Thule RoundTrip Snowsport Duffel. We tested both of these travel bags with the ski bag and appreciated the one-handed carry option for all our gear.

This bag had every feature we were looking for in a ski bag, but at more than double the price of our top pick, the Element Equipment Wheeled Padded Ultimate Double Ski Bag, it’s definitely a splurge.

Sportube is one of the few manufacturers that offers a hard-shelled case for transporting and storing your gear. It offers a straightforward range of hard cases: Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3. The primary differences are how many pairs of skis and if you can fit a snowboard in the case. Series 1 and 2 are for skis and can hold one or two pairs of skis, respectively. Series 3 can handle one or two snowboards; one board, one pair of skis and boots; or up to three pairs of skis.

The case is essentially two pieces of plastic meeting in the middle, with no pockets and a fixed handle. The case does offer a handle strap that you can clip to a few points on the front and middle of the case, but otherwise, there’s not much to it. This is by far the heaviest case of the bunch, with the Series 2 coming in around 12 pounds unpacked. But unlike most other bags, the case can fit almost any ski size between 107 and 212 centimeters — depending on the Series.

We found the case tricky to load, as it requires some accessory bands to hold the ski binding brakes down and a specific way of stacking your skis to slide in. However, once we watched the YouTube tutorial, we had an easier time using the case. The wheels are also very rigid, so it wasn’t the smoothest or quietest rolling case.

If you are most concerned about protection, this hard-shell case is a great option. But just remember, you will have limited ability to squeeze in any other gear.

Other snowboard bags we tested

As one of the widest bags we tested, the Burton Wheelie can easily fit two pairs of skis or two snowboards, as well as two pairs of ski or snowboard boots. This is one of the bags we brought with us on our ski trip to Colorado and we were able to pack one snowboard, one pair of skis, one pair of snowboard boots and three pairs of winter boots. We could have packed more but we were nervous about the weight limit.

The interior is set up so you can pack multiple boards, with a padded separation sleeve and straps to secure the boards. There’s also no shortage of storage, as the bag contains two interior pockets for accessories or parts, as well as three exterior pockets lining the top. The bag also features two burly grab handles on the exterior, accessory loops to clip on other gear if needed and exterior compression straps.

The design includes skateboard-style wheels that roll well and a heavily padded bottom, full padding throughout and a little extra up at the top to protect your gear inside.

We very much liked the durability of this bag as we tossed gear in it and lugged it around. The material is extremely solid and does a good job of holding up to the elements as expected. We also noticed that because the wheels are positioned on the outside of the bottom of the bag, it made maneuvering the bag simpler. This was one of only a few bags where the wheels were positioned this way. If money is no object and you need the most space possible, you’ll love this bag. But we think it’s too big and expensive for most.

Constructed almost identically to the other Dakine roller bags and sharing the exact features with the Dakine Fall Line Ski Roller Bag, the standout difference of the Low Roller is its available sizes. The bag offers the same handle placement, simple exterior pocket and included boot bag. The entire bag is padded and opens and closes through durable YKK zippers.

For this particular bag, we tested the Black Coated color, which offers a slightly different material option than the other bag colors and is only available for this snowboard bag and the Fall Line Ski Roller Bag. With this material, the bag features an exterior weather-resistant polyurethane coating, which appears to be a bit more durable than other options. When soaking the bag with a hose, this material allowed the water to bead off more than any other bag, without too much pooling; however, the same (minimal) amount of water was still able to seep into the bag. While we didn’t find that this color option did any better with waterproofing than any of the other Dakine bags we tested, it does offer a slick look.

The High Sierra Adjustable Wheeled Ski/Snowboard Bag was one of the biggest bags we tested, with the ability to expand to 215 centimeters. The bag can easily fit two pairs of skis or two snowboards, as well as two pairs of ski or snowboard boots. The bag also offers two points of expansion by way of a zipper that extends the bag. With the three size options, the bag ranges from 160 centimeters to 215 centimeters. However, the expansion system creates a flimsy top hold depending on how long your skis are, making the bag unstable when wheeled.

The bag offers great exterior and interior padding and organization, including two deep pockets for boot storage. However, we didn’t love that the zipper isn’t end-to-end on the bag, meaning you have to slide the skis into the top where gear can also slide around in transit.

Sportube is known for its hard cases, but if you’d prefer a soft-shell bag, the company just introduced the Sportube Prospector Snowboard Bag. This bag has a rigid top and bottom with padding all around. And with ample storage, we had no problem getting two snowboards and boots in the bag while still having room for other gear. The bag features two large exterior pockets as well as interior and exterior compression straps to prevent your snowboard from moving.

While this is a great option if you’re looking to truly pack everything in one bag, due to the somewhat rigid top (in addition to the bottom), the bag was slightly cumbersome to roll around. And given that it already is on the heavier side for a soft padded bag at 10 pounds, the bag could be at risk of being overweight for airline allowances, if overpacked.

At first glance, we loved the Backcountry Double Ski and Snowboard Rolling Bag. It offers many features we are looking for in a bag, external compression straps, top grab handles, internal compression straps, a pole pocket and a long internal pocket lining the top of the bag.

However, almost immediately, we found a few flaws. The clips that help secure the bag have small locking mechanisms that were quite frustrating, and we even saw a piece of plastic break as we were loading up the bag, which immediately had us questioning the durability of the materials used. The majority of the bag is well protected, but there’s a portion on the top that only contains a very thin fabric, which we thought could become problematic while traveling. This section provides no real protection to the equipment inside the bag, and we can easily see the bag ripping in this area.

While the bag comes in one size, the size can be adjusted with a roll-down top that closes with a Velcro closure and a clipped handle — using the same clips we were not pleased with from the start.

The bag does offer great compression for your items and allows you to easily connect the Backcountry Boot Bag, offering a one-handed roll for all your gear, but the mix of bad clips and poor adjustment materials didn’t win us over. For the price, there are much better options to choose from.

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Why trust CNN Underscored

CNN Underscored editors thoroughly test all the products we cover and provide full transparency about how we test them. We have an experienced team of writers and editors who have many years of testing experience and ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. This guide’s writer, Jennifer Yellin, is an avid skier who frequently skis with her family every winter. For this piece, she got her hands on all the ski and snowboard bags included and even took the winning bag on a ski trip to Colorado.