Whether you’re an occasional skier or a dedicated expert badass, ski boots are among the first items you should consider purchasing. Even if you’re content to rent skis at the resort, having your own boots can help ensure the consistent comfort (and support) you need to have a good time on the slopes.
But when you have boots, you need to schlep them around, which is rarely fun when air travel is involved. The High Sierra Deluxe Bucket Boot Bag is what I’ve been suing this season to tote my boots from state to state, intent on hunting some of the best ski conditions in this season of ample snow in the West.
My old boot bag is one of those classic trapezoid bags, which fits my boots and nearly everything else I can imagine. But it’s huge and a pain to attempt to bring as a carry-on, because there’s not a chance it’ll fit in the sizing bin.
The Deluxe Bucket Boot Bag measures 9 inches by 14 inches by 20 inches—small enough to carry on, as long as you don’t cram it with all your ski gear, causing it to swell to new dimensions.
The 1680D ballistic nylon bag is sturdy enough to protect your boots from unfortunate smacks and snags, but remember, this is a soft-sided bag, so while your boots aren’t as delicate as a laptop, you don’t want to go throwing the bag off a roof to see how well it protects the contents.
The large, top-load main compartment can hold your helmet and ski or snowboard boots up to size 13. The ventilation grommets let your gear breathe after an active day in the snow. The top lid has a large zippered pocket for additional gear, and another zippered pocket on the front has enough space for hats and gloves. Two side pockets are great for storing hydration or other necessary gear items.
Comfortable padded backpack straps let you carry the bag around without constantly wondering when you can take the darn thing off already, and the bag can also slip over the handle of a larger wheeled bag, if you need to carry a few things at once.
The High Sierra Deluxe Bucket Boot Bag comes in one color, black with chartreuse piping, and lists for $74.99 on the High Sierra site. It’s also available at Amazon.