Traveling With Your Bow?
 

I'm planning on booking a hunt where I'll have to fly with my bow, both on a commercial airlines and on a smaller bush plane. I'm really hoping with all of the resources here some of you can help me choose a good bow case that is going to protect my bow when it gets the inevitable rough treatment but not be too heavy as to use up all my weight allowance on the bush plane.

I shoot a Mathews Legacy so I need a case that will handle parallel limb bows. I looked at the SKB 4114 rectangular bow case which looks like it would be great as far as protection but it weighs around 27lbs and is pretty bulky. With a gear weight limit on the bush plane of 75 lbs I hate to think that 1/3 of my gear allowance would be eaten up by an empty case.

I have seen the new Freedom case by SKB and it looks interesting. Not as securely padded as the other SKB case but only 13lbs and not nearly as bulky. Anobody have an opinion either through personal experience or inspection of the product how well the Freedom case will protect a bow? Do you think I can get my bow in there with the quiver attached?

I know there is quite a selection of cases out there but what suggestions does anybody have for a lighter weight case thats tough enough to trust your bow in when it's facing the abuse those baggage handlers dish out[:@]?

RE: Traveling With Your Bow?
 

SKB double bow/rifle case (yes your parallel limb bow will fit in it even with the tapered corners). It's not the bow that needs so much protecting as the arrows. I showed up with a cheaper case for a hunt out of Kotzebue back in the mid 90's and I only had 3 out of 12 arrows that were still straight. (Luckily I only needed one). I bought the SKB as soon as I got back and I've never had a problem since (and I fly a lot to hunt). If you watch the gorillas handle your commercial flight luggage [:@] you'll be glad of the SKB's extra protection. You can pack your bow in it with the quiver mounted. Most bush flight services have a storage area where you can leave your hard case while you fly out into the field. Call and ask if yours does.

RE: Traveling With Your Bow?
 

My boy flies back and forth from Des Moines to Portland ME all the time with a Flambeau hard archery case and it has performed very well with no complaints. They are very tough and rugged and can be locked.

RE: Traveling With Your Bow?
 

Like Kodak ststed SKB.... I have an 05 Bowtech and it fits... The bow fits in and is very tight.. I also packed all my optics and assorted loose items and everything arrived intact.. I also watched it get tossed off the the belt that puts it on the plane.. .

RE: Traveling With Your Bow?
 

I guess I'm going to have to try one out for myself. Everybody seemed to be saying that it wouldn't fit in the regular bow cases. They don't even list the Legacy on the SKB fit chart which I think is ridiculous.

RE: Traveling With Your Bow?
 

I travel to kansas annually and have an SKB bow. It's taken a beating, but the bow has never once been damaged or even lost it's sighting. I do however ship my bow these days instead of putting it on the plane with me simply because I use UPS and can track if it's arrived. I usually ship it early enough to make sure it's gotten there and if for some reason it doesn't, which it always does, I can get on the plane with my backup. I have the outfitter ship it back. A little tangent, but the SKB cases you can't go wrong, also, don't ship with your broadheads on the arrows if you pack them in with your bow. Good luck.

Kelly