| As
every paipo board rider has probably discovered there isn't much of a market
for paipo board bags, both for everyday use (day bags) or for travel.
Moreover, the relative size and shape of the paipo makes it difficult to
find board bags designed for other markets, i.e., the bodyboard bag is
too short and the kneeboard and/or shortboard bag is too large. Finding
a travel bag that is large enough to pack your board and some accessories
(e.g., flippers, fins, wetsuits) but not so large that you get accessed
with airline surfboard fees in another challenge.
In recent years the number of board bag manufacturers has proliferated -- I don't know why, there could be several reasons -- maybe because profit margins were so good that classic economics are at work, the explosion of "extreme" sports such as wake boarding, snow boarding, kite boarding has created a larger market for similarly sized board bags, and the increase of the traveling waverider. Whatever the reason we do have many more options than 20 years, 10 years or even 5 years ago. Nonetheless, it's still an odyssey to find a bag with the right features, fit and price (or just to find a bag, period) or to find a dependable manufacturer. Below is a quick guide to options -- feel free to send me your own board bag solutions. |
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| Do it Yourself. If you have time and materials you can easily fashion a "day bag" that is good enough to protect your board from sunlight and simple scratches and dents. | |||||
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Victoria
Skim Boards.
Their "travel bags"
make excellent day bags. The XL that I ordered is sized at 60" x 26" x
1/2" and 20" wide one foot from both the nose and the tail, and is sufficiently
padded to protect your board from casual scratches and dings from road
travel and bouncing around in the auto trunk. My board easily fits in and
zips, even with a center skeg up to 7" long. The zipper is made of
regular sized nylon (or similar material) and zips just around the length
of one side and just around the nose and tail ends (some skim board bags
only zip just around the tail and up about three-quarters length of the
board. Currently priced at $75, available in several colors and sizes M,
L and XL. Verify current production sizes. In the past they have not been
willing to make a custom bag. You can order by phone or through the
Victoria web sites and several third party websites. Surf shops that carry
skim boards will sometimes carry the Victoria board bag or bags made by
other manufacturers but supply is erratic. Whenever possible try to fit
your board into the bag as some of the bags simply don't have the volume
or width at the tail and nose to fit many paipos.
More info: 2955 Laguna Canyon Road Suite #1, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 Telephone: (949) 494-0059 |
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Skim City.
I can't attest to the quality of their "travel bags"
since I have not seen them firsthand. However, based upon the
descriptions these bags should make excellent day bags with several
good features and adequate sizing. From the Skim City web site: Much like the Zap bag, this thing is very heavily padded; double, scalloped zipper on the wide end; nylon exterior; plastic/slick interior keeps the wax from soaking through the cloth; interior zip pocket for wax or keys; adjustable shoulder strap; rubber handle keeps the reenforced cloth handle from cutting into your paws; a nose loop for hangability; and asssorted colors. The bags come in three sizes: - Small: fits only boards that are the same size or smaller than the Large Wedge , anything less than 52 inches; - Medium: this bag more resembles the Vic bag - except better, will handle two ML Vics with traction pads, or one Large Vic and anything shorter than 56 inches; and - Large: fits everything else, anything less than 59.5 inches. In fact, not only is it big enough to hold two boards with decking (maybe three without), but there's still plenty of room to toss in your towel, rash guard, wet suit, or anything else you want (well, almost anything). More info: 133 5th Ave, Indialantic, FL 32903 Telephone: 321-676-0051 |
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Collective Development. This
is now my main travel bag to tropical destinations (as of late
2008) and maybe to some cool water destinations since there is enough
room to pack in a wetsuit and bootie/gloves and the usual towels,
bubblewrap and lycra accessories.
It is not as tight as my trusty HO Sports bag (see below). Should be
able to accomodate flippers, leashes and wax -- just gotta watch the
weight limits when you fly. Also, you don't want to show up with an
over stuffed and heavy bag if you want to keep from paying extra bag
fees. The padded handstraps, shoulder and backpack style straps work
fine; three internal pockets help in organizing accessories; internal
binding straps keep things in place (like your towels and wetsuit used
for padding); and backpack straps help out when hiking into wilderness
spots. The bag is padded on all sides. The pictures to the left show my
paipo, packed inside a skim board bag, with towels and other items
packed for a trip to the tropics. This bag is marketed as a wakeboard bag. I bought it on eBay in 2007, for $26.50 plus $14.00 s/h. Particulars:
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 Click on above pic for many different views. | HO Sports "HO 720 Kneeboard Bag" (2004 model). Currently my main travel bag, at least to tropical destinations (as of late 2004). It
is a tight fit but when I air travel my board is "double wrapped" with
this and a lightly padded skimboard bag and a couple of towels. A light
wetsuit and/or flippers will also fit, plus lightweight lycra shirts,
socks and paddling gloves; and leashes. Other accessories can fit into
the external pocket. The padded handstraps work fine - there are also
notches at both topside ends for a shoulder strap. I'll snatch up
another of these if it becomes listed on ebay. Retail: Original retail price unknown, purchased on eBay for $40 plus s/h, through Pine Tree Sports, 2165 Overland Avenue, Burley, Idaho 83318 Tel: 208-678-5869 Particulars:
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Cabrinha. Cabrinha,
a kite surfing company, was founded and is operated by Maui based
waterman, Pete Cabrinha. The company is a leading manufacturer of
performance kiteboarding equipment: producing everything from kites to
boards to accessories. Made primarily for kite boarding, the
smallest
of their travel bags, the Cabrinha 151, makes an excellent heavy duty,
multi- board travel bag. The bag measures 59-1/2" x 24" x 9", and the
nose
and tail widths at one foot are 19" and 18", respectively. The depth of
this bag makes it a good choice for heavy duty travel -- plenty of room
for two boards (fins removed) and light gear or one board with plenty
of
gear. For example, on a combo trip to cold water Northern Oregon
and warm water Hawaii, I had plenty of room for a board (50 x 20.25 x
2.5),
4/3 wetsuit, 5mm booties and gloves, rash guard long sleeve liner plus
warm water lycra shirts, lycra cold water trunks and warm water
baggies,
cold water flippers (XLs for those 5mm booties) and warm water flippers
(ML), fins (skegs), wax, basic first aid items, SPF/sun lotions,
towels,
etc. The bag features an internal padded board separator and
compression
straps to keep everything in place plus external compression straps.
Dual
zippers run about 70 percent of the perimeter making for easy packing.
The bag also features oversized wheels, sturdy handles and a small
external
equipment pouch.
You can order via many third party distributors. Mine was acquired through Kitesurfari for $123 plus $4 shipping. |
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| Airwave.
Airwave makes standard and custom board bags. Standard sizes include
single surf board bags,
double surfboard bags, and coffin bags for up to 4 boards. They also make
standard and custom board bags for windsurfing, kite boarding and snowboarding.
They actually list paipo boards on their list design
to build custom board bags. I recently ordered and received custom
day and travel bags based on the short board bag designs. My travel
bag features two internal pockets using a one-half inch velcro closure
across the width of the bag, one forward and one to the rear, each about
26" deep. I contacted Mark DuPaix initially via email and later by
phone - he provided excellent service in discussing my needs and delivered
on-time for an upcoming trip. Highly recommended.
Location: 137 9th Ave., San Francisco, CA 94118 Phone: (415) 346-3806 |
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Day
Bag ($65)
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Travel
Bag ($100)
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 Click on above pic for many different views. |
Masterline.
Deluxe Wakeboard Pack (Backpack style bag, model C622). The product
description reads: Padded backpack style travel bag. More than enough
room to carry your board, rope and accessories. Padded shoulder straps
for comfort against the weight of your board and gear. Two inside mesh
pockets for your gear or valuables and an additional ventilated outside
pocket. I use this as a day bag for packing my board with fins on the board and can throw in my flippers, wetsuit gear and towels. Suitable for travel but a little large to pass as a no-charge bodyboard. Plenty of padding for day tripping, but add a little extra for airline travel. I wish the backpack straps had a zip enclosure (for air travel). Retail: $140, purchased on eBay for $75 plus s/h. Particulars:
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Hyperlite CoEx (click on pic for larger image)  |
Other options:
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