Thule Roundtrip Ski Bag

With a boys’ ski trip to Hokkaido, Japan on the books, I knew I needed a solid bag to safely transport my skis. Problem was, every ski bag I’ve ever had was always lacking in the organization and durability departments. Even with packing squares and stuff sacks, I was never been able to get my gear to stay secure during air travel. Then after 2-3 seasons use, the exterior is trashed and so the cycle went. Needless to say, when I found the Thule Roundtrip, I was excited to put it to the test.  

Right off the bat, the Roundtrip impressed. With pockets for ski poles, two sets of straps for skis (attached to the bag in designated spots), and a foam insert to wrap skis, it seems they’ve thought of everything. Perfectly sized for two pairs of skis (even powder skis at 130 underfoot), one set of poles, and ski outerwear. There’s just the right amount of room to fit two ski shells, two pairs of ski pants, and gloves in between each pair of skis so you’ll have options. It even comes with two stuff sacks which slip over the tip of your skis to stay in place. Between those and some packing squares, all my gear was organized and locked in place for the long voyage to Japan. 

The exterior of the bag is durable and strong enough to protect all your gear through air travel, but also slim enough to make for easy handling in the airport. It’s clearly made with excellent material – tough enough to withstand the airport baggage handling system without showing any signs of wear and tear. And the compression straps which double as handles also came in clutch. A surprise feature is the wheel design – they’re oversized which seem to help with maneuverability, and keep you high and dry in the powdery streets of Japan.  

The interior is lined with a plastic, waterproof layer which was ideal to keep everything dry on the snowy island of Hokkaido. They’ve also installed structural reinforcements at either end of the bag which works surprisingly well to keep the bag rigid, making it easy to roll and maneuver. As far as price point, it’s on the higher end, but this piece definitely lives up to the Thule reputation of quality which makes it worth it. 

The overall design, from the handles to the wheels is well thought out and functional but also looks good (which is key in the world of winter sports). As for organization and durability, I couldn’t be happier – the Roundtrip over delivered. I only have a small critique – the pole sleeve was too small to fit the powder baskets on my poles so I had to put them in upside down – not a huge deal in the scheme of things, but feel compelled to mention it.  After taking it half-way around the world and back, I highly recommend the Thule Roundtrip – I know I’ll be using it for many years myself. Happy Trails!