I bought a srung case and want to know what do you guys do for as traveling on the plane? How to keep it from getting banged up.
My brother has flown numerous times with my old Martin Hunter recurve in a padded bow case, just put-in with the rest of the luggage. I wouldn't do it myself, but so-far, so-good for my brother. I'd be wanting a hard case. And, certainly make sure you unstring your bow for travel.
there is NO WAY i'd use ANY kinda padded case for a bow that's going in an aircraft cargo bay. that's pure suicide for any bow.
i've flown quite a bit for both business and vacation, and all of my hunts in the last few years are flyouts. airline baggage is treated like GARBAGE. period.
i don't know of a commercial bow case that will as strong as as thick walled schedule 40 PVC tube, with screwed in 1" thick plywood end caps - THAT would be the MINIMUM for protecting any bow on an aircraft. this is the prime reason for looking into a t/d trad bow and why i fly with nothing less than my 2pc longbow that goes into a pvc tube, into my luggage pack.
I flown quite a bit with a hard case (made by Viking Voyageur). Holds two one piece (up to 62" I think)recurve bows and is a quality case. Never any issues what so ever. I bought mine from Mike at the Nocking Point.
John III
I shoot a black widow and there if no way I would check it with the bags. I would be too afraid I would have a 5 piece take down. Would love to have a hard case for travel but haven't found one. just thought it was a way they could care for it for you. if you know of a case that would fit please share the info
JT
Viking also makes a hard case for take down bows as well... Superb well made hard bow travel cases. I've been on a lot of trips with them and don't worry a bit about my bows.. Only if they will be on the same plane as me.. LOL
John III
QuoteOriginally posted by hunterjt:
I shoot a black widow and there if no way I would check it with the bags. I would be too afraid I would have a 5 piece take down. Would love to have a hard case for travel but haven't found one. just thought it was a way they could care for it for you. if you know of a case that would fit please share the info
JT
there are a number of covered, hard tube bow cases and they will not be cheap (about $90). the BEST tube bow case is the one you make yourself - go to home depot or lowes and buy heavy wall PVC pipe, cut and fit 3/4" to 1" plywood caps and screw them in. add a rope handle and yer good to go - you can drive a truck over that tube and nothing will happen. this tube case will be stronger than the commercial $90 ones and might cost all of $20 or less to make. 3" or 4" diameter for long bows, 6" diameter for recurves. you can paint, tape or cover the white tube if ya like.
One piece recurve? You have to measure to see in it will fit in a PVC tube. Rob and I own Mohawk Longbows so Vince actually mails the bow to you in a PVC Tube. You can go to a Carpet Store and see if they will let you have a wide diameter carpet tube. I used them a number of times to mail recurves. Cut round plywood caps like Rob said, The wider diameter carpet tubes are practically bazooka proof. They have to support yards of carpet for shipping. The other alternative is to pack your curve in a carpet tube and mail it to your destination. This way you don't have to worry about baggage handlers . Just don't mail it UPS. I think those guys worked as baggage handlers at one time. Use the Post Office.
I usually ship my bow and necessities through UPS or the Postal Service. A little less to worry about at the airport. Big Ed
I buy many bows a year and collect them to my address in Colorado,I don't ship them home but I carry them as a luggage,put them in some sky bags,that being oversized they have a different cargo line.My bows are not really well wrapped because in this manner I can store 5-6 bow for bag,then I tape 2 bags together for a total of 10-11 bows.I did that many times and I still have a bow to be damaged.Said that when I go hunting I rely only on my TD,well padded and i don't want a one piece bow for luggage limitations.Black Widow by the way offers the best tube to protect bows I have ever seen and it come standard with the 1 piece LB.
QuoteOriginally posted by John3:
I flown quite a bit with a hard case (made by Viking Voyageur). Holds two one piece (up to 62" I think)recurve bows and is a quality case. Never any issues what so ever. I bought mine from Mike at the Nocking Point.
John III
Hey John, are the Viking Voyageur cases the same as the ones available through 3 Rivers Archery?
Man...the 1st time we went to Colorado, I carried on my Bear Grizzly in a bowsock.....
QuoteOriginally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
Man...the 1st time we went to Colorado, I carried on my Bear Grizzly in a bowsock.....
when wuz that, like 50's or 60's? :D
3rovers sells an awesome travel case and arrow case. THey have two levels one with leather upgrades as well. It really is nice and protects the bows perfectly. I have used mine many times and even for care travel as well. Never can be to careful when protecting our toys
I carried on board twice. Once the pretty sturdess put it in the cockpit with the pilots.
Rob. I ain't no older than YOU!
:goldtooth:
I have gone the PVC route for longbows for years, but I have gravitated back to hunting with recurves and I use the 3 Rivers Standard Recurve Travel Case exclusively. Works great for extreme limbs like my BW PSR or Great Northern Super Ghost. I highly recommend this over anything out there for protecting your "best friend". Randy
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
QuoteOriginally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
Man...the 1st time we went to Colorado, I carried on my Bear Grizzly in a bowsock.....
when wuz that, like 50's or 60's? :D [/b]
LOL
1976
QuoteOriginally posted by Biggie Hoffman:
Rob. I ain't no older than YOU!
:goldtooth:
yah, right, pre-9/11. :D
nowadayze, to get on a plane ya gotta take off yer shoes and jacket, and anything that resembles a 'weapon' (like a hair pin, tweezers or gold plated tooth pick) gets confiscated 'fore they let ya in the cabin.
not to mention that ALL airlines have different rules in different states and at different airports. that's a fact. ask me how i know this three times over ...
so yer feelin' lucky and you wanna take yer 1pc, or let's say a 3pc bow that's snuggled in a nice comfy case (hard or soft, don't matter) on board the aircraft cabin, and as you get checked and they nice airline agents tell ya, 'no, that's not allowed on board the cabin, you'll hafta let us put that in cargo for ya - just a minute while i toss that bow case of yours over to the baggage gorilla'.
oops, you weren't so lucky, were ya?
you wouldn't have been any luckier if they flagged yer bow case during the security check.
airlines these dayze just plain suck.
I'd ship it. The pvc tube sounds smart.
I worried more about my arrows than my Schafer TD when I flew last year. I made a tube for the arrows out of PVC drain pipe with caps on both ends. My limbs and riser got stuffed in my doubled up wool socks then slid into my LaCrosse rubber boots. This all was in the middle of my duffle bag surrounded by the rest of my clothes.
I once bought an all metal gun case because I had enough of airline abuse. I thought no way they wiould screw this one up. Next flight, Big hole through the case sights were 6 inches off.
I think if the baggage handlers see a long tube they would play base ball with it, use it for leverage to move a trailer and see if it would survive a drop from 30 thousand just for fun. :smileystooges:
:biglaugh:
I have a two piece Selway Quiver on my Bear Super K. Will the bow fit into a 6" PVC with the quiver attached? Planning a trip to NFD in Oct. and will probably be riding ATV to hunting locations. I'd like a case that I don't have to take the quiver off to transport. I'll put the arrows into a smaller pvc tube, attached to the larger tube.
Also Rob D. , do you pad your PVC with foam, etc.?
I use PVC tubes for arrows and bow and stick inside an oversize ski bag. Bag is also large enough for lots of other gear. Ski bags often seem to be last on, first off and I've not had any damage (yet).
I used a case made for fishing poles. You can get one wide enough to fit a recurve in. I wouldn't trust my bow in a soft case.