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  1. #1
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    Sep 2011
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    Most economical way to travel internationally with ski gear?

    So my brother and I will be traveling to New Zealand in mid September for about 2 months then traveling to South East Asia for another month. We are planning on doing a fair amount of back country in NZ but were planning on sending/shipping skis back to the states once we are done in NZ. (so total gear being 2 pairs of skis, poles, boots, and associated back country gear) Just hoping to get some advice from anybody with some experience:

    - Is shipping gear ahead of time to NZ worth looking into? Or will we just have to bit the bullet on baggage fairs with the airlines?

    -What would be the best way to ship gear home from NZ? I've heard you can send stuff cheap on a cargo freighter but can take up to 2 months and stuff gets lost quite frequently. What about air freight?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
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    most economical would be
    boof it
    in der poopenhausen
    yourz welcome
    "When the child was a child it waited patiently for the first snow and it still does"- Van "The Man" Morrison
    "I find I have already had my reward, in the doing of the thing" - Buzz Holmstrom
    "THIS IS WHAT WE DO"-AML -ski on in eternal peace
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
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    Snowblades.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
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    You definitely do not want to ship your gear ahead of time. Way cheaper and more reliable to bring it with you.

    I got:
    Skis/boots/poles, splitboard, solid board, snowboard boots, helmet, outerwear, and bc gear over to NZ for $150. I was ready to wear boots on the plane, drape skins down my pant legs, and had a fanny pack set up with some smaller heavy items to wear under my clothes if needed. There was no way I was going to ship my gear over. Way too expensive.

    I wouldn't be surprised if it was $300-400 to ship skis/boots from NZ to the US.

    There's always trademe (the NZ craigslist).

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    Only half serious here, but... sell your gear in NZ before leaving. Backcountry stuff is so expensive in NZ that you might make a profit.
    Life is not lift served.

  6. #6
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    Dec 2008
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    You need to check the booking airline's website regarding checked baggage fees. If it's Air NZ, they are like most airlines and count certain sports equipment (such as ski and snowboard bags) as a normal checked bag without oversize fees. Just fit the airline's guidelines on size/weight. Most will say one pair of skis or one snowboard per bag, but I've brought 2 snowboards in one bag on Air NZ, so I'd imagine you might be able to get 2 pairs of skis in one if you package it nicely (I use cardboard boxes wrapped around the boards to prevent damage as the bag isn't hardshell). You may or may not have room to stuff a jacket, boots, etc.

    By far the easiest and cheapest way, and if you have any included checked bags (like in biz/first), the sports bag counts as one.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
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    On the road
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    What they^ said.

    1. Don't ship to Nz. We did because we were bringing a bunch of stuff over. Even though the container beat us here by six weeks, customs and bio security held everything up for two weeks after our arrival due to a dirty ground cloth (bio) and some medicine (customs) in one of the boxes.

    2. Sell stuff here.

    3. If you're wedded to your gear or don't have the time to sell post skiing, contact http://www.kiwishipping.co.nz/Estimate and get the contact info for who they use ex-NZ (I'm 95% sure it's mainfreight). It's around $150 to send a bag here but most of that is NZ destination fees, and I have zero idea how US fees compare. You'll need to pick up in a port city or else it gets really expensive.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    truckee
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    Quote Originally Posted by tripice351 View Post
    You need to check the booking airline's website regarding checked baggage fees. If it's Air NZ, they are like most airlines and count certain sports equipment (such as ski and snowboard bags) as a normal checked bag without oversize fees. Just fit the airline's guidelines on size/weight. Most will say one pair of skis or one snowboard per bag, but I've brought 2 snowboards in one bag on Air NZ, so I'd imagine you might be able to get 2 pairs of skis in one if you package it nicely (I use cardboard boxes wrapped around the boards to prevent damage as the bag isn't hardshell). You may or may not have room to stuff a jacket, boots, etc.

    By far the easiest and cheapest way, and if you have any included checked bags (like in biz/first), the sports bag counts as one.
    This. Most airlines allow the ski bag and boot bag to count as one piece, for free internationally. I've never had trouble taking 2 pairs of skis plus clothes in one bag, but then I don't check a separate boot bag so they might call you on the extra stuff in the ski bag if you check the boots. Assuming you have a separate suitcase that would go for the usual price for a second bag.
    For flights with multiple legs the baggage rule that applies is the rule for the longest leg, usually the international leg.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by old goat View Post
    Most airlines allow the ski bag and boot bag to count as one piece, for free internationally.
    No longer the case I'm afraid.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
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    84
    I'm waiting for a ski bag all in one. A single bag that fits skis, boots, helmet, abs pack, poles etc etc, with nice separate pockets in the bag for the boots and stuff... anyone got on a line on something like this? I'm headed to NZ in May and need something decent

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by I've seen black diamonds! View Post
    No longer the case I'm afraid.
    I checked two airlines at random--KLM and American --and both consider a ski bag and boot bag as a single piece of luggage checked for free internationally. Second bag is expensive--100 on AA, 68 Euro on KLM. For a week trip I've managed a ski bag with clothes checked, my boots and more clothes in a carryon suitcase, and electronics and assorted stuff in a small ski pack as my small carryon. But I have to leave my tuxedo at home, and this wouldn't work for a long trip, unless you never change your sox and underwear. But hey, this is TGR.
    The last time I checked Lufthansa which was a few years ago they charged $100 for skis. Every airline has different rules and they change all the time.

    BTW--don't ever do what my kid did. Flew from Thailand to Honduras with an overnight stay in Houston with a girlfriend. He checked his luggage through from Thailand to Honduras rather than to Houston and rechecking for Honduras and of course his luggage didn't show up for 3 days--sat around in Houston. Of course if it hadn't made it to Houston he would have really been screwed so maybe checking through was best.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
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    When I flew to New Zealand for work a year and half ago I think I had something like 300 dollars in baggage fees on the way there (Just big overweight duffle bags no ski gear), but on the way back five months later, I wasn't charged a dime, and I had more than I left with. Flight there I believe was Air NZ, on the way back it was qantas/jetstar for what it's worth.

  13. #13
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    From what I hear the only reason to ship your gear in advance instead of checking it on the airplane like normal baggage is to avoid the hassel of dragging it through the airport/train station/ etc to get to your location. Like when you have a day or two in hawaii and a day or two in tokyo on a trip to japan you don't need to be lugging your gear all over the damn place.
    Its not that I suck at spelling, its that I just don't care

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kufo View Post
    I'm waiting for a ski bag all in one. A single bag that fits skis, boots, helmet, abs pack, poles etc etc, with nice separate pockets in the bag for the boots and stuff... anyone got on a line on something like this? I'm headed to NZ in May and need something decent
    Just find the lightest wheeled double you can and load it up to 49.98lbs.
    Carry on your boots, beacon and anything you can't replace.

  15. #15
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    May 2005
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    ^Depending on ski length the high-roller from Dakine would manage that.

  16. #16
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    Nov 2004
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    TCMI
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    I spent 3 weeks in Europe using methods listed above. Packed 2 pair of skis, skins, and anything else that could be used as a weapon in a dakine bag. It was within an ounce or two of 50 pounds. Carried on boots in a boot bag, with underwear, socks, and anything else that would fit. Everything else went in my backpack.

    I did laundry every 6 days or so. Put comfy pads on the shoulder straps, and it doesn't suck too bad to carry. The most suffering was hiking about a mile from a train station to the hostel in deep snow. All was forgotten when skiing said snow the next morning.

    The one lesson I learned is to never again travel with 2 pair of skis. Find a one-ski-quiver, and go with it.

    I second the motion of selling your shit when you are done with it.

    Edit: FWIW, I've shipped packages weighing several pounds to the south Pacific for a respectable price. You could probably ship your boots home for pretty cheap, and sell the skis.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shredhead View Post
    Just find the lightest wheeled double you can and load it up to 49.98lbs.
    Carry on your boots, beacon and anything you can't replace.
    Exactly! After spending countless days dialing in a perfect ski boot fit, cuff alignment, etc., there's actually a discussion here about checking your ski boots ???

    Cheers,
    Thom
    Galibier Design
    crafting technology in service of music

  18. #18
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    Jan 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blizzard7763 View Post
    The one lesson I learned is to never again travel with 2 pair of skis. Find a one-ski-quiver, and go with it..
    What do you do when your kid is on the east coast on his skis are on the west coast? Nothing like trying to carry a double ski bag through the Geneva airport on a Saturday, arrival area shoulder to shoulder people, all with ski bags themselves and the greeters with their little signs held at waist level where no one can see them. At least I knew where to find my ride--waiting in the arrival lobby about a mile and a couple of flights of stairs from where the van was parked.

  19. #19
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    Sep 2011
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    Kootenays
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    I've been thinking about this lately too. Going from Japan to New Zealand in the spring, but may go to s korea and Australia in between. Was thinking I could ship them down to a depot for a few weeks, or maybe a ultralight setup to carry would be better? Nice to have more bomber skis though hmm....

  20. #20
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    Feb 2004
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    Squaw/xBoston/xaspen/xstowe/xAK
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    Shipping is expensive I checked it out. I just did SFO to Chile to Easter Island to Tahiti to New Zealand and carried two 50 lbs checked bags the whole way. INternational flights will usually accesot 50 lbs x2. Also take out an airline credit card to save one a bag fee with US airlines. In Japan you can ship with Black cat and store bags at the airport. I am not sure what the max length is though.
    live the life.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Posts
    463
    Americans working in overseas American embassies can ship internationally from the embassy post office at the same rate as domestic shipping -- i.e., USPS ground rates. Obviously, to use this, you'd need to get yourself to Auckland (perhaps not convenient if you are in the South Island) and befriend an embassy worker.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Posts
    49
    Fly with a major airline (e.g. United) and they'll let you take skis as your one checked bag. Box them up properly and pack clothes and whatever else you can't take as carry on in the box. Buy whatever new stuff/clothes you need in SE Asia

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
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    Skiing during your summer
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    293
    Bite the bullet and only take one pair of skis. Then use that extra room/weight to pack all your ski/BC gear. Carry on your boots and some clothes and you're good to go.

    Will cost you a FORTUNE to send stuff via post or courier. You would be better to pay the extra baggage fee's and take it all with you.

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