You also have to pay an extra €60 for a big sports bag on a return trip with Ryanair, although with a little cunning and a good poker face you can get away with it as regular oversized luggage.
Lufthansa
Checked in baggage (1 pcs): Maximum 20 kg (44lb) (economy class)
That's close to what we have, though most airlines allow two pieces of checked luggage. I have never had a piece of luggage weigh close to that amount, the most being my fencing kit on my current trip, and that was only 33lbs or so.
Originally Posted by Zilverzmurfen
Swiss
Checked in baggage (1 pcs): Maximum dimensions (L+W+H) 203 cm. May not weigh more than 20 kg.
203 cm = ~80in
Originally Posted by Zilverzmurfen
RyanAir
Checked in baggage (max 3 pcs): Costs 9€ extra for first bag. Maximum dimensions 81x119x119 cm.
And just for ducks, why can I get an extensible handle on luggage in all price ranges but have yet to find one fitted to a fencing "rollie" bag? See attached for example.
And just for ducks, why can I get an extensible handle on luggage in all price ranges but have yet to find one fitted to a fencing "rollie" bag? See attached for example.
The weight of the bag versus the length makes the extending handles extremely weak at the point where they extend. Its the old take a piece of board and try to break it lying flat. Then place it against a wall and kick it in the center. Same theory....I looked literally into hundreds
I think the point of this thread has been somewhat lost here.
Of course, if you fence three weapons and need six of each, or just like to bring your anvil to meets in case you need to forge a new blade between bouts the hypothetical 62" bag question is not going to work for you.
There are others who might want to travel light and another $50 of airline fees would be better spent on lessons.
In addition to going to competitions, for which minimal packing might be tricky, it would be nice for those of us who travel a fair bit for business to be able to carry a couple of weapons to drop in and fence at other clubs now and then.
Alas, the airlines are becoming stricter. USAir and United just announced that they are moving to a one checked bag limit ($25 for the second bag--unless you are flying first class). They continue to emphasize the 62" rule. It would not surprise me to see them starting to enforce it more vigorously.
It would be nice to have a legal way to carry two or three weapons, er... I mean "sporting equipment items." Although being limited to one checked bag will make these logistics more difficult as well.
Suppose there was a way to disassemble the weapon easily so that it fit in a regular checked bag, but easily re-assembled when you arrived? I'm thinking of some kind of quarter-turn fastener for the handle and either a new kind of socket, or maybe a transition plug/socket on the blade with a short extension to a more conventional socket. The latter would be tricky for epee, but maybe if it was clear plastic it would be okay.
That may even allow you to carry on your handle/guard, so that all you need if the airline screws up is a new blade. You could also carry more blades in less space in general.
Suppose there was a way to disassemble the weapon easily so that it fit in a regular checked bag, but easily re-assembled when you arrived? I'm thinking of some kind of quarter-turn fastener for the handle and either a new kind of socket, or maybe a transition plug/socket on the blade with a short extension to a more conventional socket. The latter would be tricky for epee, but maybe if it was clear plastic it would be okay.
Chuck Allen used to do something like this with his weapons (packed his blades in a tube made from PVC pipe). Don't think he ever bothered with any form of quick release, but being as he was an armorer Chuck always had more than enough tools on hand to reassemble his weapons once he had arrived.
Well for me, be able to fit in at least two masks 3 sabers and 5 foils plus shoes and other equiptment. that would make me happy. As well room to fit in a car/van or airplane for travel.
Having just hauled my rollie bag down to the basement to store it, I realized the thing weighed quite a bit with just a couple of masks in it. I'd love a lighter bag.
More and more, when I fly, I just take a soft bag with my sabres in it and carry on my mask etc., but then I'm a one-weapon fencer.
If you pack 2 circles along the diagonal of a square, you find that the smallest possible side of that square is (2+sqrt(2))*radius. With a 13.5 cm epee bell, that works out to 18.14 inches necessary for the width and breadth. That gives 43.8 inches left for the length. Note that those are internal measures, so considering the thickness of the bag layers things get trickier still. If the blades are stored bent inside the bag one might get four epees inside a regulation bag.
Or you can put the guard end of one inside the mask, and guard ends of the others at the other end of the bag. Assuming it's not a "guitar" bag, that is.
The guards of sabres take up even more room than those of epees, because of the knuckle bows---the don't nest together well. But I can fit two into a mask at one end and 4 at the other end of the bag.
Use the Shift key, people! Keyboard manufacturers everywhere are ineffably saddened when you ignore what they made just for you!
Originally Posted by pokey
