Dakine Recon 3.0 Surf Bag

Surfboard fees are the bane of every traveling surfer’s existence, especially when airlines charge not per bag, but per board. If you’re a frequent flier (and frequently frustrated with luggage fees) the Dakine Recon 3.0 surfboard bag is worth considering, if only for the fact that it might help you pull the wool over the eyes of the airlines—and save a little cash in the process.

In addition to being a surfboard bag that balances a sleek travel-friendly body with ample padding for the inevitable bumps in the road, the stealthy Recon 3.0 has a padded silver divider that fastens to the outer shell via velcro, making it seem like there’s only one board in the bag when a second is stashed out of airport staff sight. Hence, of course, the name: Recon.

Not only will the Recon 3.0 get you out of paying a board fee, but it may very well get you out of paying for a ding repair after you touch down at your location. As far as protection goes, the outer fabric is a 600D polyester, there’s 3/8-inch closed cell foam throughout the bag, and the stealthy divider (previously described above) adds 5mm of padding between decks.

On the bottom of the board bag, there’s a heat reflective layer that aims to keep boards from heating up and to mitigate melting wax, but complete eradication of this persistent issue is unlikely—especially if you’re traveling to the tropics. The two-way zippers are burly, plus the over-the-shoulder strap is comfortable enough to wind through airports and hike a ways if you have to.

Tester Comment: “Getting away with two boards when the airline only charges you for one is a wonderful feeling—almost like you’ve gotten away with some justified act of goodness under the watchful face of fascism. This might sound hyperbolic, but if you’ve ever been gouged by airlines for surfboards who couldn’t care less about how they handle them, then you understand what I’m saying—and you might want to check out the Recon 3.0.”

Bottom Line: A stealthy essential for surfers looking to save money while protecting their boards.

Best For: International travel, duping airlines, protecting your deck