packing for a kiteboarding trip

You might ask yourself, "how does someone travel with 3 kites and 2 boards to a foreign location?"
- note: (what Becky and I own)

Further, if you know anything about the airlines, then you know they like to charge an "overage fee" on surf boards and snow boards. And I am sure that you can guess that no kiter wants to pay that!

So, what do we do?  Well, we deceive the airlines...that's what we do.  You see, golfers do not pay an "overage fee" to travel with their golf clubs.  Why?  Well, the story goes something like this:

Golfers are usually rich.. or at least well off, so the golfing associations and what not have negotiated that golfers should get their clubs shipped for free when their owners' travel. Snowboarders, surfers, windsurfers... or whatever are viewed as punks... probably more likely to cause trouble than anything else... so they don't get a break.



Enter the Kiteboarding Golf Deceiver Bag.  There are several different brands out there, but all of them do basically the same thing.  They trick the ticketing attendant into thinking that a kiteboarder is a golfer, and as such into checking several kites and boards without the additional fee.



Becky and I have the Mystic Golf Bag which we purchased from Bellingham Kiteboarding (aka BKB) here:  http://www.shop.bellinghamkiteboarding.com/Mystic-Golf-Bag-020-002.htm

BKB is absolutely our favorite kiteboarding shop in the northwest, with Urban Surf (located in Seattle)coming in close second.  Both shops are great, but the guys at BKB always go the extra mile, putting 150% into their effort to make doing business with them the best experience in the industry.

Here is what they say about checking your deceiver bag at the airport::

When you are at the counter, the attendants will likely feel stupid asking... hey... what is inside that GOLF bag.... If they do ask, you just calmly answer "various sporting goods" as you straighten the color of your polo shirt and straighten your golf hat.



If they ask to specify, you calmly state it is sailing gear, and you now look like an uber rich golfer... and they should be passing your gear along.


If they get really in depth with you, say it is like a water ski, and kite.... but try not to say the word "board" or "surf". If you say these, you are likely to get charged an overage fee.


Anyhow, at BKB we have a community golf bag that has been to Costa Rica, Hawaii, Mexico, and California, and has yet to be charged an overage fee.


Anyhow, think of this as an investment in your traveling future. If it saves you on one round trip ride, it has almost paid for itself.

The bag comes in 2 sizes, 140 and 155. Just to be safe and have extra room, for most people I reccommend the 155cm size.

So, if you need to travel abroad with your kites and board, definitely think about investing in a Golf Deceiver Bag.  Give BKB a call, or order the NSI Golf Deceiver bag right here from my blob via amazon.com

Trust me on this one!  3 kites, 2 boards = 48lbs.

Ok.. now travel safely..... and discreetly