Both seasoned and novice skiers have wildly different experiences on the slopes, but if there’s one aspect of a ski trip they share, it’s the unpleasant hassle of traveling with ski gear.
Ski boots, in particular, despite being a vital part of any ski trip, are bulky and cumbersome presenting an awkward and often inconvenient process of schlepping your boots through the airport, around the mountains, or in between destinations.
When you throw in other ski gear like helmets, skis, gloves, ski sunglasses, you create a minimalist traveler’s packing nightmare sufficient to question your decision for the need for skiing altogether.
For me, I always hate the transport to the skiing venue. It annoys me to pack everything, to put everything in a car or prepare for plane transport.
Fortunately, it doesn’t always need to be that way.
If you need to ease the burdensome task of hauling your entire ski essential to the slope, investing in a good ski bag would be a good solution.
A ski boot bag can make getting to and from the hill with all of your equipment a lot easier.
Beyond offering a convenient way to travel with your ski gear, a ski boot bag protects your gear, keeping the boots from getting scratched or gouged. They also eliminate the chance of dropping a boot in the snow or mud.
And depending on the design, you might also opt for the heated ski boot bags, ensuring your feet are toasty just before you hit the frigid mountains.
Now, if the idea of a ski boot bag sounds good to you, here is a list of the top 5 options in the market.
Table of Contents
- 1 In A Hurry? Here's Our Choice!
- 2 Table of Contents
- 3 Quick Comparison Table!
- 4 The Best Ski Boot Bag For The Money
- 5 #1 Athalon Everything Ski Boots Bag - Editor's Choice
- 6 #2 High Sierra Trapezoid Ski Boots Bag - Best for Style
- 7 #3 Sportube Overheader Boot Bag - All-Around Option
- 8 #4 Kulkea Boot Trekker Ski Boot Bag - Most Spacious
- 9 #5 Dakine Boot Locker Bag - Simple
- 10 Best Ski Boot Bags Buying Guide
In A Hurry? Here's Our Choice!
There’s a lot to love about the Athalon Everything Ski Boots Bag.
It’s a spacious option, and as its name suggests, it’s enough to accommodate your entire ski gear and leave space for more.
The bag is also durable, with the polyester construction ensuring it stands up to the hassles of traveling and the external conditions.
While it might have the bells and whistles of some of the premium options, the price for which it comes at is a real bargain, worth every penny.
Table of Contents
Quick Comparison Table!
The Best Ski Boot Bag For The Money
#1 Athalon Everything Ski Boots Bag - Editor's Choice
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
Our top choice, the Athalon Everything is friendly and comfortable to carry. It also offers plenty of space, providing the much-needed convenience for organizing different accessories and essentials for skiing.
While it’s by no means fancy, it balances performance and looks.
Features and Benefits
Build Quality
While any protective polyester bag will protect your gear in some form, the end-to-end padding on the Athalon offers true protection keeping your boots protected from bumps, drops, falls, and scratches during travel.
The polyester body is further attached to a waterproof PVC so you can set the bag down on the snow without the fear of your stuff getting wet.
Overall, Athalon is built with quality and mind, and for the price, we were surprised that the bag isn’t faced with some of the common flaws within bags of its class, such as handle breaking or the zip ripping.
Size
The next thing you’ll notice on the Athlon is the size.
The Athalon’s hefty 17″ x 15″ x 14″, which is well over a foot in every direction, is a real game-changer, especially if you’ve kids to hold onto.
With a holding capacity of 54 liters, Athalon offers sufficient space to hold all the ski gear you need along with the boots, with room to spare for lunch and more.
Yet, the bag isn’t bulky, and it just barely fits in the overhead bins of most airplanes and will leave plenty of space for other gear in your car’s trunk or bus.
Compartmentalization
Athalon, with its contour shape, is separated into different compartments.
The bag has two outside pockets where the boots sit on either side, and we found the well-thought design a convenience as it equally distributes the bag’s weight to keep you comfortable when trekking the mountain.
On the other hand, the expansive central section has plenty of room for everything else, from ski goggles, gloves, helmets, extra clothes, and accessories.
The compartments are separated from each other, so you can put your freshly worn and wet boots right in without worrying about wetting your GoPro in the central compartment.
Plus, the compartments are adequately ventilated to let the melted snow drain, and you won’t have any problem putting your boots in the bag after a long day in the snow.
Convenient
Athalon comes with plenty of detailed features to promote ease of use and ensure every moment spent with the bag is a delight.
For instance, the boot compartments have a separate zippered entry, which helps keep your boots fresher so you don’t have to worry about hurrying to get a place to dry them.
Ski gear can be heavy, but the padding on both the strap and back on the Athalon eliminates the straps from digging into your back for a more comfortable carrying experience.
The presence of two additional handles also makes the Athalon easy to carry. The straps can also be hidden away, stopping them from getting caught.
Pros
- Roomy
- Durable
- Easy to carry
Cons
- The top section is only water-resistant
#2 High Sierra Trapezoid Ski Boots Bag - Best for Style
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
Generally, size is a priority for any storage bag.
But when it comes to a ski boot bag, the shape can make all the difference to how much you can pack.
High Sierra, with a trapezoid shape, is tailored to optimize storage on the least amount of space.
While it can’t match Athalon’s capacity, it offers a superior storage capacity, especially when compared to other boot bags within its class.
Features and Benefits
Trapezoidal shape
High Sierra Trapezoid—you guessed right—comes with a trapezoid shape.
The shape is more than an aesthetic element, but the idea is to optimize the space.
Like the Athalon, it has a side level design with space on either side for your ski boots, and between the two; you’ll find a trapezoid storage space for everything else.
Build Quality
The choice of material, the Diamond ripstop Duralite, similar to canvas, is durable, resistant to water, and hard to rip.
After several seasons of use, the bag doesn’t show any signs of wear. And considering that many of the times High Sierra ends up under tables in the lodge with people kicking them with their boots and stepping them, the bag still look as new as you bought them.
Overall, the bags come with an awesome quality, and you shouldn’t foresee breakage anytime soon, provided you let in dry air after a week of skiing.
The only tick against the High Sierra Trapezoid is that the zippers aren’t industrial strength, so they might want to be a little gentler. However, it’s not like the zippers are about to fall apart anytime, either.
Size
With a dimension of 13.5 x 16 x 16 in, High Serra is a spacious option, capable of holding up to size 13 boot, which is on the bigger side.
If you’re not packing your ski boots, the bag can also hold a pair of adult men’s boot (size 9) and a kid’s ski boot (size 2) in the outer pockets.
While the space is quite generous, it would have been nice if there were small extra zippered pockets for holding the smaller items such as car keys. We would have also hoped to see a weave of adjustable lightweight bungee for fastening gear on the outside.
But overall, the High Sierra is well-built, and though it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of the premium models, it’s a back to basic bag doing what it’s meant to do.
Compartments
As we had mentioned earlier, High Sierra comes complete with three compartments, two side pockets for storing your boots, and a spacious trapezoid central pocket.
The trapezoidal pocket is voluminous and will fit everything you need for your ski, including helmets, gloves, and sweatpants.
All compartments come with grommets, so you won’t have any issue holding freshly worn and wet boots as the bag will easily allow draining on the water.
And while the trapezoid shape works well, we also love the well-thought U-shaped opening, making access a cinch. Fitting and getting your massive helmet is no longer a struggle with the High Sierra.
Pros
- Spacious
- Lightweight
- Sturdy
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Straps aren’t padded
#3 Sportube Overheader Boot Bag - All-Around Option
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
Very few ski boot bags are as good as the Sportube Overhead.
It’s an all-around option, designed to carry a host of ski gear and perfect for all types of trips and short outings.
The bag is also portable and will easily fit into the overhead compartments and lockers of different vehicles.
Features and Benefits
Build Quality
The folks at Sportube don’t cut any corners when it comes to the overall durability.
Sporting a polyester construction, the Sportube Overheader will easily stand up to the abuses of travel, and you won’t mind squeezing it into a fully packed trunk.
It’s durable too, and with your boots holed inside, the regular dings, drops, and falls won’t be much of a concern.
Overall the build quality is wonderful, and the only issue is we would have hoped for bigger and stronger zippers.
Apart from zippers, everything else in this bag is fantastic.
Size
With a dimension of 8 x 9 x 10 inches and a generous capacity of 44 liters, there’s little if any gear that you can’t accommodate on the Sportube.
From the ski gloves, ski pants to ski goggles, Sportube will provide you with sufficient space to carry all your gear and even leave some space for your lunch box.
Yet, even when full, the bag doesn’t seem bulky as some of the bags do.
If anything, the bag won’t draw the evil eye of the overly compliant gate agent as it looks more like a backpack as opposed to a carryon.
Compartment
Organization on the Sportube has been taken to a whole new level, with several storage compartments making it easier to pack your items.
The bag’s compartments can hold not only the ski boots but also leave extra space for other essential ski items.
Additionally, the ski boot features Hitchin’ technology, which offers perfect compatibility with any case for convenient maneuverability when traveling. Here, the carefully crafted compartments will allow you to hold your sensitive accessories such as iPods and mobile phones with utter security and convenience.
Comfortable and User-friendly
The minute air-vent keeps things in the bag fresh and airy, so you don’t have to rush to find a place to dry your boots after a skiing session.
Sportube is also a joy to carry, with the padded shoulder straps along with the padded back, making it possible to carry the bag for extended periods without feeling any pain on your back or “digging” of the straps on your shoulders.
Pros
- Durable polyester
- Spacious
- All-around option
Cons
- Small and flimsy zippers
#4 Kulkea Boot Trekker Ski Boot Bag - Most Spacious
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
Whether you’re a frequent traveler trotting around the globe or simply an enthusiast at heart trying to get to the slopes as often as you can, there’s plenty you would love on the Kulkea Boot Bag.
Though, our greatest draw is the voluminous capacity, with the bag offering up to 70 liters of capacity, sufficient to hold any of your ski gear and leave space for more.
Features and Benefits
Build Quality
While most of the boot bags on our list are constructed, the Boot Trekker stands out from the competition with a combination of water-resistant nylon and polyester on the upper and a waterproof bottom.
With such construction, this bag is likely to stand up to anything on the mountains or even an army of baggage handlers.
While the price might be a little intimidating, it’s worth every penny, and after several seasons of use with little signs of wear, you’ll not regret making a Boot Trekker purchase.
And like the Athalon, this backpack has a waterproof bottom, so you shouldn’t have any problem placing the bag onto the wet ground when taking a breather.
Capacity and Versatility
Space and use go hand in hand on the Boot Trekker.
This bag has by far the largest holding capacity on our list, and with a volume of 70 liters, you won’t have to compromise on leaving some of your ski accessories.
It’s a huge boot bag and will accommodate everything from your ski boots, helmet, gloves to other accessories.
Away from the space offering, few boot bags can edge out the Boot Trekker in versatility.
This option is highly adaptable, and whether you need a carry-on option, something to hold your boots from the car to the lodge, and something for backcountry expedition, there’re different ways to use the Boot Trekker.
Compartments
The number of compartments on the Boot Trekker is dizzying, a far cry from all our previously reviewed options.
There’s sufficient space to store all your items individually from the front pockets, top & central compartments to the contoured side boot pockets. It even has a pocket for storing gloves exclusively.
Overall, the organization with this bag is easy and will have everything right where it needs to be.
Portability
For a bag of this size, Boot Trekker might seem cumbersome, especially for the smaller-framed skiers.
However, it’s not a problem, thanks to the well-designed strap system that makes sit comfortable and easy to transport the bag even for long-distance.
Both the shoulder and waist straps are countered and come complete with thick padding, ensuring the straps don’t “dig” into your shoulders or even cause fatigue.
Pros
- Largest volume
- Easy to organize
- Portable
Cons
- Expensive
#5 Dakine Boot Locker Bag - Simple
- Quality
- Price
- Our Rating
The Dakine Boot Locker is ideal for skiers who don’t love carrying bulky bags but prefer stowing their gear in an organized way.
Overall, the looks and feel of the Dakine are great, except for the fact that it resembles a duffel bag in some of the designs.
Features and Benefits
Build Quality
I can’t say enough about the quality and durability of the Dakine.
With 600D polyester and 300D poly twill construction, this bag is pretty tough and will stand up to the mountains’ harshest weather conditions. It will bear different weather assaults like rain and snow, without exposing your ski boots.
It also travels friendly, and users claim to have checked through multiple airlines, and the bag survives without damaging its contents.
We love the build quality is the tarp lining on the bottom, which resists water, so you can always place the bag onto the snowy ground without fear of water seeping.
The tarp lining is also detachable, so it can be removed to double as a changing mat to help keep your socks clean.
Size
When it comes to storage capacity, Dakine is no different from the Kulkea, only that it has a liter less for storage.
Nevertheless, it’s among the options with the highest carry capacity on our list, ensuring you don’t have to compromise on leaving some of your ski gear.
It’s roomy, spacious enough to hold all your ski gear, and leave some space for other paraphernalia.
Compartments
Dakine is compartmentalized into a different unit, with the separator, in the form of a tarp keeping the boots away from other essentials.
We love the tarp bottom that keeps the other sections insulated against the freshly worn boots’ dirt and smell.
At the same time, the separator is waterproof, preventing the exchange of moisture between the two compartments. So, you can always rest easy knowing your electronic accessories won’t get wet even when place adjacent to wet boots.
Beyond the separate tarp sheets, the two compartments come with distinct zippers, making it easier to access one section without disturbing the other.
Plus, the boot bag comes with zipper fasteners to promote a faster and convenient packing and unpacking process.
Comfortable
Care is taken to make your skiing journey more pleasurable.
For instance, the top handles are ergonomic and cushioned to avoid discomfort to your arms, while the shoulder straps are padded to avoid the straps “digging” into your shoulders and avoid any strain.
Pros
- Large zippers
- Individual compartments
- Durable
Cons
- Some find the design a bit old-fashioned.
Best Ski Boot Bags Buying Guide
With a sea of options to pick from, choosing the best ski boot bags might seem a bit challenging.
The good news is, we’ve compiled a comprehensive review guide to help with the selection.
Here, we shall look at some of the crucial features you should consider before making a purchase.
But before then, let’s look at the different types of ski boot bags in the market.
Types of Ski Boot Bags
Side Level Design
The split level design is the most common boot bag design.
This design comes with two separate compartments for storing your ski boots.
The main benefit of separate boot storage is it ensures your boots don’t scrape against each other or with other gear.
It’s especially advantageous when your boots are freshly worn and wet.
Split Level Design
The split level design has the boot pockets completely isolated from one another.
It comes with two separate sections, one predominantly for your ski boots and your stuff.
Here, the boots are placed either over the rest of your gear or under with a thick water-resistant dividing the sections.
Internal Dividers
Internal dividers are similar to the traditional backpacks, but they’ve a piece of thick material or padding on the inside to keep your boots away from the rest of your gear.
While they come in cheap, they’re not as functional as the two above styles.
Features to Consider When Selecting a Ski Boot Bag
Now that we know the various types of ski boot bags let’s look at the essential factors to consider when selecting one.
Material
When choosing a ski boot bag, you want to pick an option made from premium material to protect everything inside.
Typical premium bags are reinforced or feature a water-proof fabric so they never get your gear wet even when left out in the cold for long.
It’s also common for the base layer to have extra layers, ideally a water-proof, tarp-like material.
Some of the common materials used on ski bags include polyester and nylon. Both are excellent choices as they’re durable and dry easily.
Pockets/Compartments
It’s good to have a compartmentalized bag to allows for a greater organization when traveling,
Having a few smaller external pockets away from the large sections makes it easier to keep and access small items like phone chargers or headphones.
External pockets also ensure you don’t damage your small items while traveling. See, ski boots are bulky and heavy, easily damaging fragile items like ski goggles or sunglasses.
Size
Ski boots are available in different sizes.
If you need a bag that will cover your boots only, a simple and small bag is sufficient.
However, there’re larger options available if you need a bag that can hold a lot of extra gear.
I prefer a medium-sized boot bag that can store a decent amount of ski gear accessories without being too bulky.
Airline Travel Compatible
If you’ll be traveling by air, it would also help if you check your airline’s carry-on luggage policy.
Most of the ski boot bags are not designed to be compatible with carry-on airline policies. For instance, some might be too big to fit under your seat or in the average overhead compartment.
Choose a bag specially tailored for air travel purpose of avoiding getting in trouble with the airline official.
Ventilation
When skiing, it’s normal for your boots to trap snow and mud.
After a ski session, the last thing you want is to pack your freshly worn boots into your bag, only for them to cause an unintentional swampy log.
To avoid that, choose a bag with proper drainage and vents to help air out the moisture, small and melted snow.
Fit
There’s no such thing as one size fits all.
You’ll need to measure both the boot’s height and length before getting a suitable bag for it.
However, the ideal bag shouldn’t only be form fitting to the boots alone but should also have space for other gear such as helmets, gloves, and electronics.
Carrying Straps
When getting a boot bag, you must look at its straps.
While some bags feature single straps and other backpack straps, I recommend bags with multiple carrying straps options.
Plus, the straps need to feature sufficient padding for greater comfort and less fatigue.
