The Brave Ski Mom

Building a new generation of skiers and snowboarders.

Gear Notes: An Innovative New Ski Boot Bag from Kulkea

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Kulkea Tandem Duffle Ski Boot Bag.
Kulkea Tandem Ski Boot Bag.

The Tandem Ski Boot Bag

brave ski mom logoI’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: a good ski boot bag can make a ski mom’s day.

Frankly, a good ski boot bag can make anyone’s day. When it comes to efficiently organizing, neatly storing and easily transporting ski gear and clothing, I’m all in on ski boot bags.

Today, I’m excited to share the new Tandem Ski Boot Bag from Kulkea.

kulkea-tandem-duffle-ski-boot-bag

kulkea tandem bag
The Kulkea Tandem ski boot bag: Everything these two kids need for skiing. Carried by one mom.

Unlike Kulkea’s other bags, the Tandem is a duffel bag, complete with a carrying handle and shoulder strap. Usually duffel bags are a deal breaker for me, as I prefer backpacks, the better to keep my hands free for carrying skis, holding little hands or waving at friends.

So why do I like this bag? Because it’s perfectly designed with ski parents in mind.

The Tandem doesn’t just carry one set of gear, it carries two sets of children’s boots, helmets, goggles, gloves, extra clothes and so on. Compartments are smartly designed to keep your kid’s stuff separate and everything fits in a specific spot.

Whether you’re ultra-tidy or need a push to get organized, this is a fantastic bag for ski moms and dads, and their little rippers.

kulkea-tandem-bag-bein
A friend packing the Tandem bag for his sister and himself.

My Favorite Features

Here’s a one-minute video that outlines the Tandem’s features.

My favorites?

  • The smart design.
  • The heavy-duty, waterproof fabric, the tarpaulin bottom and reinforced stitching. This is a bag that can take a beating.
  • The ventilation grommets. While this might seem like a small detail, it’s important to let moisture out when the bag is zipped, especially if you’re driving home on a wet, snowy day.
  • The two small handles on the sides. These make it easy to lift the Tandem ski boot bag into the car or store it on a shelf.
  • The “cooler” design. The Tandem opens just like a padded beverage cooler, with easy access to the top pockets and 100% access to the body of the bag.
  • The Navy blue fabric and the Kulkea logo trim. It’s a good-looking bag.
kulkea side handles tandem
This little handle, and an identical one on the other side, make it easy to load the bag into a car.

Two Things to Consider

First, the bag is designed for little kids gear (up to about ages 7 or 8).

The maximum recommended ski boot size is mondo 22.5 (US Men’s 4.5 or Women’s 5.5). While you might be able to squeeze slightly larger boots and helmets into it, a better option is the Kulkea Speed Star backpack ski boot bag which your child can carry all by themselves.

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The Kulkea Speed Star kid’s ski boot backpack. It comes in boy colors, too.

This doesn’t mean you’d have to trash the Tandem when your kids outgrow it. It doesn’t look like a kids bag, nor overtly like a ski boot bag. I can think of plenty of other ways to use it, including as a duffel bag for other outdoor and travel adventures.

Second, the bag is big and could be heavy depending upon how you pack it.

The Tandem dimensions are 32” L x 13” H x 12” W. These generous dimensions give the bag a whopping 62 L or 3200 cubic inches of volume. This means you can fill it up and fill it up some more. Conceivably, it could get heavy. I found it to be well-balanced for carrying by the handle or shoulder strap, but if you have a long way to schlep, a backpack type pack might be easier.

On the plus side, the Tandem is an outstanding solution if you’re flying on a ski vacation. It can carry almost all of your children’s gear and I wouldn’t hesitate to check it at the airport.

The Talvi Ski Boot Bag

This is Kulkea’s other new bag for this season. Similar in design and function to their popular Speed Pack, the Talvi is both their most lightweight bag (weighing in at just 1.2 pounds) and most economical (MSRP $59.95).

kulkea-talvi-ski-boot-backpack
Kulkea’s Talvi Ski Boot Backpack.

A simple top-loading bag with a roomy central compartment for a helmet, gloves or mittens, extra layers, lunch and so one, the Talvi also has easy-to-access front-loading boot pockets (one on each side). While the body of the bag is not padded, the back is and so are the shoulder straps.

kulkea-talvi-ski-boot-backpack-2

Here’s the Kulkea video showing all of the bag’s features.

What If You’re Traveling

I think the Talvi is a solid option for day trippers. Because the bag is not padded (which makes it so comfortably lightweight), I wouldn’t check it for air travel. But for day trippers, it’s a solid option at a lower price.

Other Kulkea Bags

 I’ve been reviewing Kulkea bags for several years now. The company started with the Boot Trekker and then added the Powder Trekker, both of which are designed with full compartmentalization (they call it the Intuitive Packing System). If you’re tidy, these bags are outstanding. 

boot-trekker-ski-boot-bag
The Kulkea Boot Trekker Ski Boot Backpack.

I’m also a big fan of the Kantaja Ski Bag, a fully padded, fully opening ski bag with room for poles and quite a bit of clothing. It holds so much, you just have to be careful not to exceed the airlines’ weight limits.

kantaja ski bag kulkea
The Kantaja Ski Bag from Kulkea.

Ski Boot Bags and More Valuable Tips:

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Thanks so much for this post. This is a much better option for kids who are too little to carry their own backpacks – or who set those down and forget about them! Although certainly heavy to carry, it’s better to have these items all in one place for really little ones.

    • Thanks Sarah! I have to say that while it could be heavy, when a friend packed it up with her children’s gear, it wasn’t heavy at all. You just have to resist the temptation to overstuff it with mom and dad’s gear too!

  4. Enjoyed reading the review. A good option for staying organized with 2 kids and not forgetting anything! Following on Twitter. Thanks!

    • Thanks Ski Dad! You’ve got two entries and I appreciate you being part of our community! Just over 40% of my readers are men…ski dads and moms…UNITE!

  5. Always looking for a better way of carrying all of the ski equipment! We’ve resorted to using two bags for my daughter’s race equipment. This would maybe work for everything! Following on FB.

  6. What a great concept with some many ways it can be useful! As a single mom of 2 ski kids this is perfect!!! Thanks for letting us know all about it.

  8. With three little ski racers, good bags are key to a good ski day! This is a great option for getting to and from the slopes. Following on FB. Thanks!

  9. Wow! With 3 ski kids under 9 (and the 4th maybe starting this season) their ski gear is always a mess in the car getting to the resort…and forget about what the car looks like after!! That tandem bag looks awesome!! I’m pretty sure I need it in my life! Thanks for all your great tips for skiing with our kids & introducing us to so many great products to make our experiences so much better (& easier)!

  10. Thanks for the chance! My third kid starts skiing this winter- looks like we will need that extra large bag! I followed them on Facebook too! (:

  11. This would be fantastic! We so need this. Between regular gear and race gear… I don’t even need a 2nd kid. Have followed Kulkea… I’m eyeing their ski bags too..

    • I hadn’t thought of the ski racing angle, but it makes so much sense! You are the second race mom to suggest it! And yes, the ski bags are great. Thanks!

  12. That bag is awesome! Perfect for little kids and slightly frazzled moms carrying ski gear for them. I love the bag color as well. Thanks for posting the great review.

  13. This is awesome, I’m always looking for ways to organize all the kids stuff. I follow Kulkea on FB already.

  15. The bags are awesome ! Just checked out their Facebook page and I am excited to see all the cool gear this year .

  16. Thanks for sharing about a great looking product. Love that this is family friendly, too. Taking 2 kids under 5 out skiing alone is quite a venture and any help is great! Would love to win. Followed on Facebook. Thanks for the chance:)

  19. Great looking bag for hauling tons of gear during the habitual weekly ski lesson. Following on the FB as well.

      • Officially opens this weekend. Main complaint so far from pre-testers is the constant battle with the official state bird, the mosquito. Not sure if I’m quite ready to and/or be seen skiing in jeans just yet.

  20. Wow! We really need this bag! I’ve been schelping my kids gear since they were 5 months olds- they are now 5 and 3 and going on their 6th and 4th seasons. We practically live at the mountain all winter, so this bag would be so helpful! Following them on Facebook now!

  22. Wow, the TANDEM – Ski Boot Duffle looks super cool and unique!
    I am following Kulkea on Facebook as name: fiona nuyen ; and on Twitter @carabao62
    Thank You for the chance