I am just getting into longbows, and will be taking a couple out West on an elk hunt as well as traveling with them in my truck locally. I think I need a very sturdy travel cas for long distance and a protective, but soft case for short trips to protect the finish. I would appreciate suggestions for either DIY or manufactured ones.
Thanks
Toby

For the sturdy travel case, just make one out of pvc with a glue cap on one end and a threaded cap on the other.  Put your longbow in a sock and slip it into the pvc.

I now use the longbow case sold by 3Rivers, but I used to use a telescoping fishing rod tube that worked nicely for one bow.  The 3Rivers case carries two.  Hermon's suggestion is also a good choice.

Hi Toby,

I recently bought a Shooting Star soft case from RMSGear.  It is hand-made in Colorado.  I like it because I can put a strung longbow with a quiver in to it and zip it up.  It is also priced very well for made in the USA quality.  I'm with you on protecting the bow; when I ride with my Dad in his old diesel out to the ranch, along with his metric ton of junk/"tools", floorboard coffee accrued from purchase date to present day, and two dogs(sometimes three if the old heeler's Rimadyl has her feeling up to it) ready to track a deer in the back seat... I have peace of mind knowing my pretty bow will still be pretty when we get there.

https://www.rmsgear.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=64

QuoteOriginally posted by Hermon:
For the sturdy travel case, just make one out of pvc with a glue cap on one end and a threaded cap on the other.  Put your longbow in a sock and slip it into the pvc.

X2.  Cheap and effective.

You can even make it i to a fun project if you want to paint it a camo pattern. I have one painted and one covered in stickers.

Chase, made me smile.

x3 --on the pvc, Indestructable, most of the time,
then fleese from the local fabric shop will make a sock that works well for about 5 bucks. There is a good color selection also.

You didn't indicate take down or one piece bows. When traveling I prefer take downs for sure . Makes things a lot easier. Kathy Kelley makes some excellent soft cases for TD bows. For one piece bows  or unstrung take-downs I have made the PVC cases mentioned above and they work great, but my favorite is a length adjustable fishing rod case which I purchased from Sports Authority a few years back for $42.00. Great case and handles 2 of my Hill long bows from 62" to 68" in length without a problem. Good luck and "Keep'Um Sharp".  

These are 1 piece bows.

Like others have suggested, I use a piece of heavy, 4" PVC pipe for transporting my 1-piece longbows in the bed of my truck.  Put each bow in a bowsock and put 'em inside.  I think I've fit up to three Hill-style longbows together in one tube. I've even put some thought into how to lock the screw cap end, but I haven't tried my design out yet.    

If you are flying to your hunting destination make sure you look into the regulations.  And keep in mind that if your tube gets stuck on one of those conveyors in the airport there is a real, but unfortunate chance that it could break.  Hopefully someone who flies with longbows will weigh in.  

Good luck on the elk hunt.

Just traveling a long ways by truck, but need good protection.

The PVC will work perfectly for you, toby.  Do you have a cap on your truck?  If so great, because you can lock the tube inside.  If not you should figure out a way to secure the tube in the bed so it can't be removed or opened by someone other than you.  Get creative.  If the tube isn't too long you could always put in the cab.  I have an X-tra Cab Toyota T-100 and if I have to make a stop I put the tube inside so it doesn't "get legs" and disappear.

PVC works great. Glued on cap on one end, screw on cap on the other, and it is water proof and well protected. The only thing I have yet to figure out is putting a well placed handle or carry strap that does not either break the water tightness of the PVC or use screws or bolts which could cause a possibility of scratching the bow.

I put a handle on my tube. I used a drawer pull handle with flatened ends, then put two  large hose clamps over the ends of the handle and around the tube.

No holes, carrys well, can't break, cheap.

I bought a case for rods/reels. It will hold several bows without problems and is not particularly costly.

I have a one piece longbow with a significant reflex/deflex design. I really needed 5" pvc, limb bend wouldn't allow the bow to fit into the 4" pvc. So, I purchased the 4" with a cap on one end and a threaded coupling and cap for other end (like previously suggested). I then took a heat gun and very carefully heated up the pvc. Once hot enough, I pushed on it, flattening it, which egged the pvc making it oblong. I did this to both sides. I did it with the caps on so each end is still rounded. Before gluing the cap on the end I sprayed expanding foam into it then glued it on. Once completed, I sprayed the PVC with textured Rustoleumn pvc/plastic paint. It works and looks great! Be careful heating PVC, emits a deadly fume.

There is an extremely light weight , crush proof pipe made for house drain. It is white on the outside and black on the inside and slightly corrugated . It makes fantastic longbow cases and I ship my Frontiers in these tubes. It is a simple thing to take the unglued end and put a small screw and chain on the top lid and attach the chain to the tube. this makes a permanent top for the tube that will not get lost or come loose. the pressure fit is pleanty to hold it on. To ship just tape around it. In your case jut put it in the back of the truck with bow in a sock.
It costs about 10 for a 10 foot section and weighs half a similar pvc pipe and is a lot stronger and crack proof. Its made for trucks to run over.


God bless, Steve

Schedule 40 PVC with pipe insulation placed inside, bow in bow sock and placed inside. I have an arrow case made just the same.

Brent

Having done all the PVC tubes and cases, I guess I'm just lazy these days. My truck has a cap and I have a big rug folded in half in the bed on top of plywood. I slip the bows between the rug fold. They don't roll or bounce around and are out of sight if someone breaks in.

Like previously mentioned I have had good luck with the fishing rod tubes. I actually used one for my recurve as well.