Travel Bag Review Update 2022
I have been using my prototype Kᾱohi travel bag for the last 5 trips to Hawaii. It is the five-foot smaller bag that they now make. I am always looking for a better travel bag to use. I currently have five travel bags. Here are my views on the three latest one that I have picked up. Disclaimer: I worked with Roy on the bag design and he gave me a prototype to try out. I bought the larger bag used off of someone. I do not get any kick backs or money from any of the brands I am reviewing here.
This bag is my favorite right now. It is in the sweet spot. It is not too big and not too small. It is light enough to allow me to put a fair amount of stuff in it. You can put up to 33 lbs. worth of foil gear in it before you go over the weight limit of 50 lbs. for the airlines.
5’5″ Bag External 5’5″ x 25″; wt: 16.8 lb
Pros:
- Light weight and compact
- Internal dimensions allow up to a 5’4” board inside
- Internal width is 24 inches allowing me to squeeze my Mike’s Lab into it.
- Rollers are great and in the perfect position
- Lots of compartments to put stuff in
- Straps to secure the board in place inside
Cons:
- Extensions for the bottom stringers would be nice
- More width inside to give some cushion for my Mike’s Lab wings (This is unique to people who own Mike’s Lab wings)
- More cushioning in the walls of the bag would be good
- Most Expensive Bag $$
LFSupply Ultimate Foilboard Roller Travel Bag 5'4"
I have not used this bag for actual travel yet, but I plan on it. This is a great bag also. Larry must have read my prior article and put some wheels on the bag, which is key. Carrying around a forty plus pound bag is not fun. You can put up to 39 lbs. worth of foil gear in it before you go over the weight limit of 50 lbs. for the airlines.
Dimensions (Internal) 163cm x 71cm x 21cm 5’4”x 28” ; wt: 10.3 lbs
Pros:
- Light weight 10.3 lbs.
- Internal dimensions will fit a 5’4” board
- Internal width is a whooping 27 inches which fits my Mike’s Lab wing with a bit more cushion on the ends.
- It has roller wheels to help get thru the airport & hotel
- Lots of compartments to put stuff in
- Straps to secure the board in place
Cons:
- No bottoms stringers to make the bag more rigid
- Wheels are in an odd place. Weight distribution is critical, or the bag is falling to the side while trying to wheel around
- Wheel handle in the front is perfect for taller people but if you are short like me, you are practically dragging the front as well
This is the mother of Foil bags. It is huge! The comparison to the smaller bag and any other foil bag is a little unfair because this is designed to carry SUP boards. My little four-foot foil board looks lonely in this bag. The bag is heavy since it is so big, so you can only load it with another 27 lbs. before you end up over the airline weight limits on bags
6’6″ Bag External 6’6′ x 32″; wt: 22.2 lbs
Pros:
- Massive internal dimensions of 6’5” on the inside to carry your SUP or a couple of regular foil boards
- Massive internal width of 34” to allow you to carry any Mike’s Lab foil with room to spare
- Roller wheels in the perfect spot to get thru the airport or hotel easily
- Three bottom stringers to help with rigidity
- Lots of compartments to store stuff
- Secure straps to keep your board in place
Cons:
- This bag is huge, so you better have a proper car or truck to put it in
- Despite the size this will limit the amount you can put in it
- More cushioning in the walls would be good, but if it comes at a weight cost then no.
- Most expensive Bag $$
SUMMARY So You Know
I have been traveling with the Kᾱohi five-foot bag multiple times and have used the Armstrong bag multiple times. The Armstrong is good in that it says golf on it and so you could get out of a fee with that alone. The Armstrong is too narrow for my Mike’s lab, and I have stopped using it. The Kᾱohi has more width than the Armstrong bag and it is built tough. I have no tears or seam issues with it going to and from Hawaii. Since the Airline I use, United Airlines, does not charge a board fee between those two places I have not had any issues with paying the insane board bag fees that the airlines like to charge. The large Kᾱohi bag might get some looks from the airline personnel and no way you are getting out of a fee with that bag. It just looks heavy. The LFSupply bag has more width which is better for my specific circumstances, but the wheel placement is problematic. I am planning on using it my next flight to the Gorge so I will update this article, after that trip, about how the wheels on the side play out. The smaller Kᾱohi is my go-to bag for now. I can still fit my smaller Mike’s Lab in it and have taken it over to Hawaii with no issues. The best bag for the average foiler would be the Kᾱohi i five-foot bag. It has some extra room for two boards and foil gear and is built tough to last multiple trips. It has a slight weigh penalty compared to the LFSupply bag, but the wheel placement more than makes up for that. If you have minimal gear, ride narrow boards and want to be as stealth as possible than the Armstrong Golf bag is the one for you.
Kᾱohi 5’5” Bag is number one choice for most foilers
Armstrong Golf Bag for those with narrow boards (19” & under) and want to go stealth
Kᾱohi 6’6” Bag for those that need lots of room for a big board or Mike’s Lab wing
LFSupply Bag for those that are taller and need a little extra width compared to the Kᾱohi