This contributed post outlines how to travel with sports equipment, from what travel insurance company to use, to how to pack your sports items.
As a sports fanatic or fitness enthusiast, getting around with your equipment can be tiring and even stressful if you need to travel long distances.
To help you out, we’ve put together a guide on traveling with your sports gear and what to do if the unthinkable happens and you land without your equipment or it gets damaged on the journey.
Choosing Equipment to Travel With
If you are a competing athlete who travels independently, you’ll want to ensure you take equipment with you that you are comfortable using but that isn’t your most expensive or treasured kit, these are best left for use in your native country, where air travel isn’t a concern.
If you can travel between destinations in your vehicle on a coach, or by rail, your belongings are less likely to undergo stresses including temperature and humidity and you can take your preferred gear.
Most importantly, make sure before you travel that your travel insurance is up to date and covers yourself, your belongings, and any sports or fitness equipment you bring with you on your journey and that you are knowledgeable on how to make a claim should the worst happen.
Check If Sports Equipment Is Available
If you are a traveling sports person and the type of equipment you use is general with no personal requirements, call ahead to your destination and find out if there is a local sports hire facility or a shop where equipment can be purchased for use while in your intended destination.
You can always donate equipment to a local school or charity once you need to head home again and it will be gratefully received.
There are plenty of top-quality sports equipment suppliers all around the country supplying everything from equipment for golf courses to punch bags and with enough pre-planning, who can organize for equipment to be shipped to your place of accommodation or the location you are planning to train or compete.
Choosing A Travel Provider
Different travel providers offer different accommodations when traveling with sports and fitness equipment. For instance, British Airways has a lot of restrictions on the type of equipment that can be taken as part of your free checked allowance, while flight provider Ryan Air, has much fewer restrictions in place and allows most types of sporting equipment in the hold of the aircraft, although pre-booking is advised.
Virgin is one of the most popular options for traveling with sports equipment as they allow one piece of sports equipment free, in addition to your baggage allowance, as long as the item doesn’t exceed a weight restriction of 23kg.
You may be restricted on the travel provider you have available to book with when traveling to certain destinations. However, when traveling from and to popular destinations, for example, Europe and North America, you have more freedom of choice for who you travel with and should research the most cost-effective airline for traveling with bulky equipment.
Preparing Your Sports Equipment
For equipment that is going into the hold of an aircraft or even, going into the luggage section of a coach, you want to ensure it will be safe during the ride and able to take a few knocks and bumps. It’s recommended to keep your equipment in a dedicated hard case where possible, although a soft case with generous padding can also keep it safe.
For equipment that has a weak point that could bend or snap, i.e. a golf club or hockey stick, consider wrapping it together with another item of similar length to add extra strength and prevent damage should a heavy suitcase or container land on top of your gear.
Just because you are going away, doesn’t mean your hobbies or interests need to take a holiday! By being prepared, choosing an equipment-friendly travel provider, and getting your protective cases and insurance sorted early, you can drastically reduce the stress of traveling with your treasured kit.
