How to Pack Surfboards for Travel Safely

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Travelling to surf is a big part of my life. Most of it we do by boat, but sometimes you just can’t reach a wave that way—or you want to visit a spot and leave the boat where it is.

Whatever the case, we often travel with surfboards, and it’s super important to pack them the right way so that when you arrive, they’re in one piece and ready to ride.

We’ve had some practice with this, so here’s exactly how to pack your surfboards for travel safely, whether you’re flying or heading off on a surf trip.

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A Surf Safari: Part One

Step One: The Right Board Bag

Depending on whether you’re taking one or five boards with you, you’ll want different-sized board bags. We usually take five, so we have a really good one where we can stack them all in and roll it.

The key things to look for in a board bag are:

Straps to secure the boards inside

Easy manoeuvrability (you don’t want it to be cumbersome in airports)

Good padding

I recommend either of these two: Creatures of Leisure All Rounder 3-4 Board Bag, Pro-Lite Wheeled Coffin Surfboard Travel Bag for 2-4 Shortboards. Both of these will take you anywhere, and once you buy one, it will be with you forever. Just make sure to get the right size.

And, if you’re only taking one board, these two choices are awesome: Creatures of Leisure Short Board Bag, FCS Short Board Bag. Again, buy the right size!

Step Two: What to Take on Every Trip

There are a few bits of gear you have to pack when heading on any surf trip, so here they are:

Surfboard (don’t laugh, I’m just stating the obvious)
Leash (this is the ideal go-to: FCS All Round Essential Leash)
Fins & fin key
Wax (ideally a few of blocks of this one)
Towel (for padding in the board bag)
Emergency surfboard repair kit (seriously, it could save you – this one has saved me)

If you take these things, you’ll be pretty set for most conditions and unknowns.

Step Three: Taking the Fins Out

Alright, now you know what we’ll be packing—it’s time to prep your board.

To do this, we’re going to remove the fins. Depending on what brand of fins you have, this could take some muscle, but they definitely have to come out.

Unscrew the fin screws and pop the fins out, then screw the fin screws back in so they’re flush with the board. The last thing you want to do is tape your fins together so you don’t misplace them and can easily grab them when you arrive.

Also, hang on to the fin key you used—we’ll be packing that!

Step Four: Packing

We’ve made it to the exciting part! I’m going to break this into two sections: packing one board, and packing multiple boards (we’ll use five as the example).

Method #1 (One Board)

Unzip the bag and make sure there’s nothing inside that could harm the board
Lay your beach towel along the bottom to create a padded base
Place your board in correctly: right way up, nose at the pointy end
Use your surf suit, swimmers, and other soft items to pad the nose and tail
Put fins, repair kit, fin key, and wax into a plastic bag, then place them in a pocket or near the tail
If your leash isn’t attached, place it on top of the board
Add any extra soft items (sarong, jacket, etc.) on top—just be careful around the wax
Strap the board in if your bag allows
Zip it up—it should feel secure and well-padded

Method #2 (Two or More Boards)

Make sure all fins are removed, taped together, and organised
Unzip the bag and check nothing inside could damage the boards
Find the board separators (or use towels/wetsuits as substitutes)
Pull straps out to the side so they’re ready to use
Lay towels along the bottom for padding
Add extra padding at the nose and tail
Place your first board in correctly (right way up, nose forward)
Add a separator (or towel/wetsuit)
Place the next board the same way

Repeat this process, stacking boards from largest to smallest
Add a final layer of padding on top
Strap everything down tightly so the boards feel secure
Put fins, repair kit, wax, and fin key into a plastic bag and store in a pocket or along the side
If your leashes aren’t attached, tuck them in beside the boards
Hot tip: put shoes along the sides of the bag for extra protection
Zip it up—tight is okay, just make sure it fully closes and feels secure

And voilà—that’s how we pack our surfboards for travel! It might seem like a lot, but trust me, you don’t want to arrive and find your board dinged or broken.

This process of careful packing and lots of padding has worked really well for us, and I hope it does for you too.

All the Gear

Here’s some quick links to everything I mentioned in this post so you can go grab it:

Final Thoughts

So there you have it! A few extra things to quickly consider:

If you’re flying, weigh your board bags and make sure they aren’t too heavy
Board bags are considered oversized luggage, so book accordingly
Use your board bag to carry wetsuits, towels, and swimwear—it saves space
Take soft roof racks to make traveling with the boards a whole lot easier when you need to get a taxi or rent a car
Be aware that traveling with surfboards always carries some risk—you just have to be okay with that

I really hope this helps you pack your surfboards for surf trips and adventures.

I’d love to know your thoughts and any extra tips you may have, so please comment and let me know!

How to Pack Your Surfboards for Traveling Safely