Best Surfboard Bags of 2023

JUMP TO:  FCS DAY / DAKINE DAYLIGHT / FCS TRAVEL 1 / PRO-LITE SMUGGLER / PRO-LITE RHINO / PRO-LITE WHEELED COFFIN / FCS STRETCH / BUYING ADVICE

Author: Rose Martin

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Surfing is an awesome sport that not only gets your heart racing but also gives you an excuse to hang out on some of the world’s best beaches. But we aren’t all lucky enough to have great waves on our doorstep.

For most of us, the search for surf spots will take us on adventures far and wide. Yet as much as we love discovering hidden beaches and finding great waves with empty line-ups, getting your board from A to B can be a real pain.

 
 

Surfboard bags are a great way to take the stress out of your surfing adventures. They’ll keep your board safe while you’re on the move and most come with handy pockets for your accessories too. Plus, the various handle options make lugging your board (or boards!) around way less painful.

The level of protection they offer varies, with some catered to day trips and others to long-haul journeys. Not to mention, board bags can also be an integral part of correctly storing your surfing gear.

Here, we’ve reviewed a varied selection of the best surfboard bags around, so whether you’re heading down the road or flying overseas in search of waves, you’ll be able to find the bag that’s right for you.

If you love this list of the best surfboard bags, then you'll likely love reading some of our other gear-fiend related content:

Need To Know What To Look Out For?

Surfboard bags are varied — everything from simple stretchy day bags to heavy duty travel cases. If you are unsure exactly what you need, or what to look out for, then be sure to check out our buying advice at the bottom of the page.

Best Lightweight Protection: FCS DAY ALL PURPOSE

CAPACITY: 1 board

SIZES: 5’6, 5’9, 6’0, 6’3, 6’7

OUTER MATERIAL: Nylon

PADDING: 5mm high-density padding

PROS: Great protection despite light weight, armadillo strip provides great ventilation and a snug fit, can carry board with/out fins

CONS: Not suitable for long-haul travel, not waterproof

If you’re after a lightweight bag to protect your board against the bumps and scrapes of day-to-day life, then look no further than the FCS Day All Purpose bag.

The thing we like best about this bag has to be the armadillo fabric strip that not only provides enough stretch to hold your board nice and secure but also promotes a cooler, drier interior so that your board won’t overheat. Plus, unlike many other bags, the zipper only covers the base of the bag, so the railings of your board are protected by foam padding that runs uninterrupted around the rest of the edges.

Although the 5mm of high-density foam padding isn’t quite enough for long distance journeys, by using less padding and an ultralightweight nylon fabric, FCS has helped to keep the weight of this bag surprisingly low. Plus, there’s definitely enough padding to handle some off-road driving while you’re searching for those secret waves, and it’s more than enough to keep your board safe as you make your way from the car to the shore.

Another feature that we love is the expandable fin wing, so you can carry your board straight to the waves without having to pause and set-up your fins. One thing to bear in mind, however, is that the armadillo strip let’s water as well as air pass through it, so don’t expect the interior to stay dry in seriously wet conditions.

Best For Broad Boards: DAKINE DAYLIGHT SURF HYBRID

CAPACITY: 1 board

SIZES: 5’4, 5’8, 6’0, 6’6, 7’0

OUTER MATERIAL: Heat- and water-resistant tarpaulin

PADDING: 6.25mm foam padding

PROS: Fits broad boards, waterproof, heat-resistant, reinforced nose protection, dual pockets

CONS: Must remove fins, not ideal for slim boards

Fallen in love with a weirdly shaped board but struggling to find a bag it will fit in? Well, you’re in luck, the Dakine Daylight Hybrid Surfboard Bag has been designed specifically with unusually shaped boards in mind.

This bag comes with a much broader outline than most board bags, making it an awesome choice for bags with a broad (or just slightly weird) shape. But this isn’t the only reason we love it so much. It also offers more than 6mm of foam padding, which is very generous for a day bag, and features reinforcement on the nose end to stop any dings occurring in transit. What’s more, it’s constructed from an entirely waterproof fabric that also reflects UV rays to keep the interior of the bag cool, so it really is an awesome bag for all weather conditions.

It also comes with a super convenient removable, padded shoulder strap as well as a carry handle. But be warned – you’ll have to remove your fins when you’re using this bag. Don’t worry about losing them though, you can pop them inside the interior pocket when not in use, and we love the stash pocket on the should strap too, which makes an ideal spot for your wax or car keys.

Best For Traveling With One Board: FCS TRAVEL 1 ALL PURPOSE SURFBOARD BAG

CAPACITY: 1 board

SIZES: 6’0, 6’3, 6’7

OUTER MATERIAL: Heavy-duty nylon

PADDING: 10mm

PROS: Can carry board with or without fins, great for traveling and day-to-day use, good protection but slim outline

CONS: Can’t carry multiple boards, not as light as a typical day bag

Heaps of surfing travel bags are designed for multiple boards, but lugging several boards around with you can make traveling a real chore.

If you can find the willpower to take just one board away with you, you’ll find that the FCS Travel 1 All Purpose Surfboard Bag makes traveling with your board a breeze.

The 10mm of high-density foam padding will cushion your board while you’re missioning around, and the bag also features nose reinforcement as well as internal protection along the length of the zipper to keep your railings safe.

The shoulder strap is heavily padded to help you out when you’re carrying your board for extended periods, and it’s ventilated too to stop you from sweating buckets as you go.

Although it’s been designed with travel in mind, the light weight, expandable fin wing, and anti-seize zippers mean we wouldn’t be surprised if you find yourself doubling up this bag as a day bag too!

Note that for broader boards, there is a wide version available too — the FCS Travel 1 Funboard Surfboard Bag.

CAPACITY: 2–3 boards

SIZES: 6’0, 6’6, 6’10

OUTER MATERIAL: 600D polyester

PADDING: 10mm

PROS: False bottom conceals third board, large external pocket, dual entry

CONS: Slightly heavy and bulky for a day bag, not waterproof

The Pro-Lite Smuggler Surfboard Travel Bag is an awesome bag that not only safely transports your bags from A to B but might save you some airline fees too.

This bag comes fully equipped with all the protection you need for long-distance journeys, including a thick layer of foam padding (10mm), nose reinforcement, and an exterior rail guard. What’s more, it has tons of features to make traveling that bit easier, such as a shoulder strap and carry handle, dual entry to the bag (at the nose and tail ends), and a very large exterior pocket for those items you want to keep close at hand.

Its best feature, however, has to be the false bottom – this can sneakily conceal a third board, so that only two boards are visible when you open your bag for that pesky pre-travel check.

It’s constructed from durable 600D polyester, which is naturally water-resistant, but it isn’t fully waterproof. Some water will eventually make its way in through the air vents, so be careful if you’re packing other items in the bag while traveling in damp conditions.

Although it can be used as a day bag, if you just want to take a board or two down to the beach, you might find this bag a little on the heavy and bulky side. For traveling, though, it’s an absolute winner.

CAPACITY: 2 boards

SIZES: 6’0, 6’3, 6’6, 6’10, 7’2, 7’6

OUTER MATERIAL: 600D polyester

PADDING: 10mm

PROS: Good for traveling and day-to-day, large exterior pocket, great protection at a low weight

CONS: Not fully waterproof

If you like the sound of the Pro-Lite Smuggler, but are more likely to be transporting 1–2 boards, then the Pro-Lite Rhino Surfboard Travel Bag could be the one for you.

Like the Smuggler, this bag features a generous amount of padding, nose reinforcement, and rail protection, but it comes with a slimmer, more streamlined outline – but don’t worry if you’re a fish fan, there’s a broader model for you too!

Despite being protective enough for traveling, this bag is light enough to be used as a day bag too, so you’ll definitely get your money’s worth. Plus, the large exterior pocket is super handy no matter whether you’re traveling or day tripping – it’s great for keeping your travel documents handy and for stashing a soggy wetsuit!

Although we love the vent that stops your board from cooking, it does mean that his bag isn’t fully waterproof, so watch out if you stash any electronics in there and the weather takes a turn for the worst. Other than that, this is one versatile bag that offers great protection at a surprisingly light weight.

Best For Lots of Boards: PRO-LITE WHEELED COFFIN

CAPACITY: 2–5 boards

SIZES: 6’6, 7’0, 7’6, 8’0

OUTER MATERIAL: 600 denier polyester

PADDING: 10mm

PROS: Wheels for rolling, extra-large capacity, lots of internal organization

CONS: Heavy, bulky, not ideal for day trips

Hate going away without taking your full arsenal of boards? Or maybe there’s a gang of you going on a trip together, and looking for a way to cut down on luggage fees? Either way, the Pro-Lite Wheeled Coffin could be right up your street.

This bag can fit a whopping 5 boards inside it. But don’t worry – it comes with internal compartments, a 2mm board packer bag, and heaps of straps to make sure your boards stay organized and secure.

Unsurprisingly, it isn’t the lightest bag out there… in fact, it’s pretty darn heavy. But fear not, it comes with wheels and rubber handles at the top that let you roll this beast of a bag around instead of bearing the load yourself (although there is a shoulder strap too if you’re feeling brave!).

There’s also a spacious exterior pocket, as well as several smaller ones on the inside and outside, so you can keep your travel documents and other essentials close at hand while your travel.

It might be a tad bulky for trips to the beach, but it has to be the best way of lugging a load of boards across international borders!

And if you have longboards and are feeling brave, then check out the longboard version of the wheeled coffin, which — at 9’0 in length — will swallow up to 4 longboards.

Best Stretchy Bag: FCS STRETCH ALL PURPOSE COVER

CAPACITY: 1 board

SIZES: 5’9, 6’0, 6’3, 6’7

OUTER MATERIAL: Thick weave, 600 denier polyester nose protector

PADDING: N/A

PROS: Affordable, lightweight, reinforced nose protection

CONS: Limited protection, not designed for substantial travel

If you’re looking for a way to top-up your protection but don’t want to splash the cash or drag yourself down, then the FCS Stretch All Purpose Cover is an awesome option.

Sure, it doesn’t feature any padding and it certainly won’t stand up to the tests of long-haul travel, but it will protect your board from the sun, from scratches, and from some minor bumps.

The fabric itself has some stretch in it, so you can get a nice snug fit, and we love that the nose end of the bag features a patch of 600D polyester for added protection. The drawstring closure makes sliding your board in and out of this cover a breeze, and there’s a handy wax pocket for you too. While this cover is by no means waterproof, at least you don’t have to worry about your board overheating – it provides awesome ventilation.

Overall, if you want an affordable, super lightweight layer of extra protection for when you’re storing your board at home, driving with it on the roof, or taking it down to the beach, then this cover will definitely do the job.

BUYING ADVICE FOR SURFBOARD BAGS

Size

So, first things first, what size bag should you actually go for? Surfboards come in a huge range of sizes, so you need to make sure that the bag you go for will suit your board. This actually depends on quite a few things, so let’s take a look at them one by one.

LENGTH: Let’s start with the easy bit – length. Most board bags come in a range of lengths, so you can simply select the length that’s right for you. Plus, if you have a very long board (aka a longboard) then you’ll be pleased to know that most bags offer specific longboard models too.

WIDTH: Here’s where it gets a little more complicated – width. Just because your board is short it doesn’t mean it will fit in a short bag. Classic shortboard bags are not only short in length, but they’re typically slim too. Whereas fish boards, which are also short in length, are usually quite broad.

You’ll sometimes see bags advertised as being specifically designed for fish boards or shortboards, which can be super helpful. But sometimes you’ll have to check the dimensions and figure things out for yourself. Plus, if you have a particularly slim or broad board, then you should always check the dimensions anyway. If you want to double-check what category your board falls into, why not check out this handy article.

Capacity

If you own several boards, and hate having to choose which one to take with you, then you might want to consider a multi-board bag. You’ll definitely feel smug on those days when the waves suddenly drop and the line-up shrinks, and you can pop back to the car and grab your longboard or fish and enjoy those small waves all to yourself!

Multi-board bags are also awesome for traveling because they give you the option of just taking one board and filling your bag with other personal items (we usually pack a load of clothes in there for extra cushioning).

On the flipside, they’re heavier and more expensive. So, if you usually only take one board with you, it might be worth saving the cash and going for a lighter, more affordable single board bag.

Protection

The level of protection you want will totally depend upon how you plan to use your bag.

HIGH PROTECTION: If you’ll be checking in your bag while you fly, then you’ll definitely want something with heaps of padding and, ideally, reinforcement around the nose and rails.

MODERATE PROTECTION: Alternatively, for day-to-day use, you can definitely get away with using a bag with less padding, which will also keep the weight and bulk down (and probably the price too).

If you’ll be driving to and from the beach with your board and bag on the roof of the car, you might want to think about a bag that offers decent ventilation and UV protection too, so your board doesn’t bake in transit.

MINIMAL PROTECTION: Finally, fabric covers (or socks) do little to protect your board in terms of serious bumps, but they do a good job of keeping the sun off your board and stopping and scratches – and they’re super cheap too.

Additional features

Although extra features aren’t the most important thing to think about when you’re buying a board, they can definitely sway you if, after doing your research, you can’t decide between a couple of different bags.

The ones that appeal to you will ultimately come down to personal preference, but we think that the following are things to look out for.

POCKETS: A good selection of pockets (interior and exterior) can be a gamechanger, whether you’re traveling or just taking your board to the beach.

WHEELS: Wheels are an awesome feature in multi-board bags designed for traveling, and something that you just don’t see enough of!

HANDLES: Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of the handle(s) – you want a good level of padding and, ideally, multiple carry options so you can switch between your hands and shoulders to avoid any aches and pains the next day.

MORE INFORMATION

If you loved this round up of the best surfboard bags, then you'll likely love reading some of our other surfing related articles: