Since I started foiling and surfing, traveling to the world's longest wave has been a dream of mine. This year, that dream became a reality.
My name is Tyler. I'm the owner of Stoke Riders in Michigan, and I spend most of my time wing foiling, surfing, e-foiling, and chasing wind and waves around the Great Lakes. We have incredible riding at home, which is one of the reasons I never felt much urgency to travel with my wing foil gear.
My thought was always pretty simple. Why would I drag a big, delicate board across the world, risk damaging equipment worth thousands of dollars, and pay hundreds in airline baggage fees when I could just rent gear or do something else once I got there?
Then Chicama entered the picture.
Puerto Malabrigo, Peru, better known as Chicama, is home to what many consider the longest rideable wave in the world. Ever since I started surfing and foiling, it had been one of those bucket-list destinations that never left the back of my mind.
For this trip, I was willing to take the risk.
I told myself that if there was ever a wave worth potentially damaging a board, paying baggage fees, and hauling gear through airports, this was it.
What I quickly learned was that traveling with wing foil gear doesn't have to be as expensive or complicated as I thought. With some planning, a smaller board, the right travel bag, and a carefully selected gear setup, I was able to bring everything I needed for the trip without completely blowing the budget.
In this article, I'll walk through exactly what I packed, why I chose the gear I did, how I kept everything within airline limits, and what I learned from my first wing foil trip to Peru.
Can You Fly With Wing Foil Gear Without Paying Oversized Baggage Fees?
Before this trip, I honestly assumed traveling with wing foil gear was going to be expensive.
Most wing boards are large enough to trigger oversized baggage fees, and between the board, wing, foils, wetsuit, and accessories, it is pretty easy to end up overweight too.
My goal was simple. I wanted to get all of my gear to Peru without paying extra fees and without sacrificing the equipment I actually wanted to ride once I got there.
The solution ended up being a Mystic Saga Golf Bag.
I packed my entire wing foil and tow foil setup into a 145 cm Mystic Saga Golf Bag. The bag falls within the range of roughly 67 linear inches, which allowed it to pass as a standard checked bag on my flight. Just as importantly, I kept the total weight under 50 pounds so it would not be considered overweight.
Standing in my garage before the trip, I honestly wasn't sure it was all going to fit. By the time I finished packing, I had my wing board, tow board, foils, wing, and accessories all inside one bag.
At that point, it felt like the trip was actually happening.
The next challenge was getting it through the airport and hoping everything arrived in one piece.
What Wing Foil Gear I Packed for Peru
Once I settled on a smaller board and figured out how to stay within the airline size and weight limits, it was time to see if everything would actually fit.
Standing in my garage looking at the gear pile, I honestly wasn't sure it was all going to make it into one bag. The goal was to bring enough equipment to handle a variety of conditions at Chicama while keeping everything under 50 pounds and within the airline restrictions.
Here's what I packed inside my Mystic Saga Golf Bag:
- AK Phazer 65L wing foil board (5'2" x 24" x 3.8")
- Core Halo 5m wing
- Core Carbon tow board (125cm x 47cm, 15.3L)
- Lift 100 Surf V2 front wing (645 cm²)
- Lift 120 HA front wing (775 cm²)
- Lift 32" M6 mast (81cm)
- Lift 26 Glide rear wing
- Core Halo boom
- Vebodi bump cap for nose protection
- Ding All Sun Cure epoxy repair kit
- Bubble wrap and padding for board protection
There was still enough room in my second checked bag and carry-on for the rest of the essentials.
What Went in My Carry-On and Second Checked Bag
Getting everything into the Mystic Saga Golf Bag was only part of the equation. I also had to be smart about where I packed the rest of the gear.
Keeping the golf bag under 50 pounds was a priority, so some of the bulkier items went into my second checked bag while smaller and more valuable items stayed with me in my carry-on.
My second checked bag included:
- Wetsuit
- Harness
- Pump
My carry-on included:
- GoPros
- Foot straps
- Mystic harness lines
- Small accessories
- Spare parts
I also made the decision to rent a surfboard once we arrived. Since we weren't planning to surf every day, it didn't make sense to take up valuable bag space with another board.
Splitting everything between multiple bags helped keep the golf bag within the airline weight limits while making sure the smaller essentials stayed with me throughout the trip. If you've ever traveled with foil gear, you know how quickly a few extra pounds can turn into baggage fees.
How I Protected My Wing Foil Equipment During Air Travel
Any time you fly with foil gear, there's a chance something gets bumped, dropped, or shifted during transit. I didn't do anything complicated, but I did take a few precautions to give the gear the best chance of arriving in one piece.
To protect everything inside the bag, I:
- Wrapped the boards with bubble wrap
- Used the wing as padding between the boards
- Installed a Vebodi bump cap on the nose for extra protection
- Packed a Ding All Sun Cure epoxy repair kit just in case
The goal wasn't to make the bag bulletproof. It was simply to prevent the small dings and pressure damage that can happen when bags get tossed around by airlines.
Fortunately, everything arrived intact, and the extra few minutes spent packing was well worth it.
How I Built a Wing Foil Travel Setup That Fit Airline Limits
If price is not a factor, bring a board that's right for your comfort level, a few different wings, and foils for every condition you might see.
I wasn't trying to build the perfect wing foil quiver for Peru. I was trying to build a travel setup that would fit inside my Mystic Saga Golf Bag, stay under 50 pounds, and avoid oversized baggage fees.
That meant making a few changes.
My go-to wing board when I started wing foiling was a 90L AK Phazer. It's light for its size, pumps well, releases from the water easily, and feels right at home in swell and waves. It's a board I've spent a lot of time on and know really well.
The problem was that it wasn't the ideal board for this trip.
In order to make everything fit inside the 145cm Mystic Saga Golf Bag, I needed to step my skill level up enough that I could comfortably ride a smaller board. When it came time to buy a travel board, it was a pretty easy decision. I picked up a 65L AK Phazer, which gave me the same shape and feel I already liked in a much more travel-friendly package.
To keep everything under 50 pounds and within the airline size limits, I also needed to be selective with the rest of the gear.
I brought a Core Halo wing, all-carbon Lift foils, and carefully chose every piece of equipment that made the trip. The smaller board, lighter wing, and carbon foil setup made a huge difference when it came time to pack.
By the end of it, everything fit.
The 65L AK Phazer fit like a glove inside the Mystic Saga Golf Bag. I layered it with bubble wrap, sandwiched my 5m Core Halo wing between the boards for protection, and still had room for my tow board, foils, mast, boom, and accessories.
Standing in my garage before leaving for Peru, I honestly wasn't sure it was going to work.
Once everything was packed and the bag weighed in under the airline limits, I knew the trip was actually happening.
Planning Your First Wing Foil Trip?
Every destination is different, and so are the gear choices that make sense for your trip. If you're unsure what to pack, whether your board will fit airline limits, or if it's worth bringing your own equipment, we ca help you.
Flying From Chicago to Peru With Wing Foil Gear
Once everything was packed and weighed, it was time to see if the plan would actually work.
The trip started in my garage with the Mystic Saga Golf Bag packed and ready to go.
From there it was off to Chicago for the first flight, followed by a connection through Miami before heading south.
Traveling with wing foil gear definitely takes a little commitment. Between the golf bag, checked luggage, and carry-ons, there was a lot of equipment moving through the airport.
At one point while hauling everything through the terminal, someone looked at the pile of bags and said:
"That's dedication to go through all this."
I had to laugh because they weren't wrong.
When your destination is Chicama, some extra effort feels pretty reasonable.
After months of planning and a long day of travel, we were finally on our way.
Did Everything Survive the Trip?
After all the flights, baggage transfers, and travel days, the first thing I wanted to do when we arrived was open the bag and check the gear. Any time you travel with boards and foils, there is always that moment where you wonder if everything made it through the journey in one piece.
Fortunately, everything looked exactly the way it did when I packed it. The boards, foils, wing, and accessories all arrived without any damage. After spending so much time planning the setup, fitting everything into the bag, and hauling it through multiple airports, it was a relief to see that the gear was ready to ride.
The Mystic Saga Golf Bag performed great throughout the trip, and by the time everything was unpacked, there was only one thing left to do: get in the water and finally experience Chicama for myself.
Thinking About Your Own Wing Foil Trip?
If you've been putting off a trip because of airline fees, gear concerns, or the headache of traveling with boards and foils, hopefully this gives you a better idea of what's possible.
I spent a lot of time wondering whether bringing my own setup would be worth it. Looking back, I'm glad I did. There is something special about showing up to a new spot and riding gear you already know and trust.
Whether your dream trip is Chicama, Hawaii, Hood River, or somewhere you've had pinned on a map for years, don't let the logistics be the reason you never go.
Start planning, figure out what gear actually needs to come with you, and make the trip happen. If you aren’t sure where to start, give me a call and I would be stoked to talk through some options and other recommendations.
The waves, wind, and memories are worth a lot more than the stress of packing a bag.
FAQ About Traveling With Wing Foil Gear
Can you fly with wing foil gear? +
What is the best wing foil travel bag? +
How much does it cost to travel with wing foil equipment? +
Should I rent wing foil gear or bring my own? +
What size board is easiest to travel with? +
How do you protect a wing foil board on a plane? +
Final Thoughts From My First Wing Foil Travel Trip
For years, Chicama was one of those places I talked about visiting someday. This trip turned that someday into reality.
Looking back, all the planning was worth it. Figuring out the gear, packing the bag, navigating airports, and worrying about whether everything would survive the journey was a small price to pay for the opportunity to ride a wave I had dreamed about for years.
One thing I learned is that traveling with wing foil gear does not have to be as complicated as it seems. If you're willing to be selective with your equipment and spend some time planning ahead, it is possible to build a travel setup that works within airline limits.
Will I bring my own gear on every trip? Probably not. There are still destinations where renting makes more sense. But for a trip like Chicama, having my own setup was absolutely the right decision.
And while the Mystic Saga Golf Bag did a great job protecting everything, I will admit that a little luck never hurts when you're checking thousands of dollars worth of gear and sending it through multiple airports.
Planning More Watersports Travel?
This trip to Peru was my first time traveling internationally with wing foil gear, but it's definitely not the only type of equipment that requires some planning before heading to the airport.
Different sports come with different challenges. Kiteboarding gear has its own baggage considerations, surfboards require a different packing strategy, and wing foil equipment sits somewhere in between.
If you're planning a future trip, these guides may help:
The more prepared you are before leaving home, the more time you'll spend riding and the less time you'll spend dealing with airline surprises.