Ok, so here’s the deal. I took a surfboard to Puerto Rico with American Airlines.
American Airlines:
1 – Put a hole in the deck.
2 – Crushed the tail.
Whose fault was it? Mine, of course. For thinking that I could properly pack a surfboard in a regular board bag, cross my fingers, and make it to Puerto Rico safe and sound. No dice.
But this puppy, the Soma AirBag shown here, is the best surfboard travel bag I’ve come across. Think the protection of a Santa Monica Hard Case, with the portability of a day bag. Sweet! These bags come in at a surprisingly low price of around $135, which is a killer deal, frankly. I’ve spent more coin on ding repairs and frustration with Delta, American and United. There are currently three sizes: 6’6, 7’0, 7’6. Strikes me as a bit big, but I suppose it’ll work for anything short of a log or SUP, god forbid.
At the same time, you kinda wonder if you can put a hole in the bag. One of the founders of Soma, Airbags, Perry, explained to DailyStoke that you would need an Xacto knife to do that. The corners and dings from the airport terminals? Apparently not.
We’ll be testing out the SOMA airbag in the coming weeks, and we’ll be sure to try mess it up. If it survives, it’s gonna rock off the shelves.
These inflatable surfboard bags officially hit the market in 2009.
Stoked.
All we need to do now is get the airline fees for board bags way down.
[Updated: February 12: Nice demo vid is below.]
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After seeing the Soma video on dailystoke I got busy trying to track these guys down for my upcoming trip to Puerto Rico. I couldn’t find anything for a while but yesterday happened on their official website; http://www.airbagdesigns.com
The site is still pretty immature (shop locator under construction, no online store) but they do offer a different and, if possible, more compelling video demonstrating the strength of their product.
After shooting them an email I received a reply saying they underestimated their initial success and are waiting for a new shipment of bags.
Their bags are currently available in 6’6 – 7’0 – 7’6. Both single and double carriers with longboard style bags available “next fall.”
I still don’t know where they’re located or exactly when their next shipment will be available…all I know is that they won’t have a bag for me for my PR trip in mid February
Hope this info helps, you can find their contact info on their site.
Tyler
Tyler,
Thanks for your comments. This release was leaked prematurely and I apologize for any psych’s caused by this. Product (yes on forementioned sizes: 6’6 – 7’0 – 7’6) will be available on shop floors between May & June. Visit your local shop to check out our bags. You will be stoked on their protection as well as portabality & quality. We will have an online store at http://www.AirBagDesigns.com if Soma’s are not available at your local dealer. As Tyler mentioned, our site is still under 1st Draft construction but will give a good idea.
We have over 2.5+ years of engineering, R&D, factory re-tooling and prototyping (over 20+ proto’s to nail it!). Feel free to email Support@AirBagDesigns.com for more information.
Thank you,
Thomas
Oh man that is totally awesome. Nice find guys.
The best part is, it can double as an air mattress!
^^ Hahaha. Nice.
that is the best idea ever, for surfboard protection
Inflatable=deflatable too. Padded bag or hard case with ample bubble wrap is still the way to go. Anybody remember the “Get Air” fin blocks? They’d pop mid-flight and your boards arrived finless. Lame product in my opinion.
I actually still have one of those yellow Get Air fin blocks. Travelled throughout the S. Pacific from CA to Australian and most islands in between for three months. That was 20 years ago…and I still have that thing. More protective and less bulky that the sponge ones. Keep thinking forward….or else we’d all still be riding 11′ rockerless single fins & freezing our arses off in cut-off shorts.
Eeer… nice! But no longboardsizes?
any chance of buying them in oz?
Has the crew at Daily stoke finished their test run of this product yet – what are your final thoughts hype or legit?
This thing will most likely not work because of the pressure change in the airplane. I dont know maybe you can fill it with nitrogen.