Topic: The Best Bow Cases of 2022 (Read 68 times)
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Why It Made the Cut
This case has plenty of room to carry two bows or a bow and some extra gear. And it can take the abuse that baggage often endures during air travel, but even if it happens to get damaged, SKB’s killer lifetime warranty has it covered.
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Product Description
The SKB iSeries 4217 Double Bow Case is an injection-molded, water/dustproof case that’s built to hold two bows. A padded divider co*es with the case to separate the bows, which can be up to 40 inches long, including the cams. It has a handle for carrying the case horizontally and another handle and wheels to tow the case through the airport. There are six latches and four metal rings for adding locks to secure your valuables.
The sturdy construction of SKB makes it one of the best bow cases for air travel. Bow cases take a beating in baggage, and if you buy a cheap case, you will regret it. I’ve had cases co*e off planes with such damage that I can’t even imagine how someone loaded them. Even if the SKB iSeries 4217 is damaged in flight, their killer lifetime warranty will cover its repair or replacement. That’s a valuable feature worth investing in.
Also, this case is big. It’s classified as a double bow case, but I never use it for that. I pack it with one bow and a bunch of stuff, which is vital for flying to bowhunting destinations. You’ll always want to take more gear, but airlines have that 50-pounds-per-bag weight limit. You have to check a bow case as one of your checked pieces, so why not carry one that you can fill with stuff besides your bow? I know from practice that you can cram lots of clothes and gear into this case with your bow and arrows to get its total weight to 49 pounds.
This case weighs just under 25 pounds, which leaves 25 pounds of gear that you can add before hitting the weight limit. Stuff it to the max. I don’t know how many bowhunts I’ve gone on where I checked two bags that each weighed 49 pounds, and one of those bags was my SKB double bow case. Yes, single-bow cases are lighter. But there’s not as much room to add extra gear, and checking a 30-pound bag is a waste of 20 pounds in my book.
Why It Made the Cut
This simple, hard-plastic case will keep your bow protected while running to and from the range or to your favorite hunting spot, and it costs less than $75.
Key Features
Pros
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Product Description
The Plano 1111 Protector is a basic, plastic case that’s 49 inches long and 19.5 inches wide, so it will hold most co*pound bows on the market today. The inside has a foam mat with Velcro ties to strap your bow in place so it doesn’t bounce around inside the case. The lid has rubber strips to hold a dozen arrows firmly in place. And four plastic clasps keep the lid closed.
After you’ve got your bow and arrows stowed inside, the case still has plenty of room for extras. You can easily stash your bow-mounted quiver, stabilizer, release aid, and other equipment you need for target shooting or hunting. You should be able to keep your sight on your bow inside this case, unless it’s set unusually far out from the riser. In that case, you can loosen the sight-bar retaining knob and simply slide the bar in for travel. If you have a stabilizer that’s six inches or longer, you can count on having to remove it from the bow for it to fit in the case.
Many bowhunters just need something to keep their bows safe in the truck on their way to the stand or the range and protected from pets, kids, and normal life activity. This case is perfect for that, and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Buyers need to understand that this case isn’t airline worthy. If you’re flying somewhere for a dream hunt, this is not the case for your bow. Yes it has loop holes so you can add locks, but this plastic can’t take the abuse of air travel.
Why It Made the Cut
This is a soft case that has room for just about everything you need to shoot your bow, and it will hold all that gear securely inside the case’s ample protective padding.
Key Features
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Product Description
The Legend Monstro is a soft-sided case with 45 inches of interior, horizontal space. It will hold any hunting co*pound bow.
Inside the case, there are two cam protective sleeves with Velcro tie downs to grab each cam. You can move the sleeves to match your bow’s length so your 28-inch bow won’t slide back and forth inside. But having the extra room is nice when you decide to opt for a 34-inch bow next year, and you won’t need to buy a new case. You just simply slide the cam protectors to fit your bow.
To further secure your bow, there are two Velcro tie downs that attach to your bow’s cables. Also, the interior has two mesh-face zippered pockets for extra gear storage.
The exterior features two long pockets for storing more gear. One is 39 inches long and is deep enough to hold a telescopic arrow tube. The other pocket is 31 inches long, so it has plenty of room for stabilizers, releases, tools, grunt calls, and anything else you need for a day in the tree.
Soft cases don’t offer as much protection as hard cases, but they also aren’t as bulky. If your bow rides in the back seat of the truck, it just needs minor protection from a bumpy ride. And the Legend Monstro will fit a lot nicer back there with all your other gear than a bulky hard case.
Why It Made the Cut
Traditional bows need love and protection just like co*pounds do, and they need it in a case that says “traditional archery.” The Legacy Leather Deluxe, with its olive green canvas and brown leather accents, does just that.
Key Features
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Product Description
The Legacy Leather Deluxe Traditional Soft case looks like the case you’d expect a trad-bow fan to carry. It’s 62 inches long, so it’s capable of holding strung recurve bows up to that length. It also has a 34-inch-long pocket on the outside of the case that’s more than sufficient for carrying a dozen arrows, plus finger tabs, arm guards, and other gear you’ll want to have for shooting your bow.
Inside, the case is lined with a padded felt material. Recurve bows aren’t as delicate as co*pounds. Realistically, what you’re protecting your bow from most inside this case is scratches. You can be kind of rough with a one-piece recurve bow and not cause any structural damage, unlike a co*pound bow.
The shape of the case is bowed, which is why the manufacturer specifies this case is intended to haul strung recurve bows and longbows up to 62 inches long. Unstrung, 62-inch bows would not fit inside this case. And a handle in the center of the case is perfectly positioned for balanced carrying.
Why It Made the Cut
Crossbows co*e in so many shapes and sizes, and if the one you buy doesn’t co*e from the manufacturer with a specifically designed case, it can be difficult to find one after the fact. This well-made case fits the widest variety of crossbows on the market at a reasonable price.
Key Features
Pros
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Product Description
The Echo Deluxe will fit most standard crossbows with bows sitting perpendicular on top of the stock. But the unique tapered shape from the limb ends back to the stock end widens the case in just the right places so that it can also acco*modate reverse-draw and narrow crossbows.
It has a zippered pocket designed for holding bolts up to 24 inches long and multiple exterior pockets to organize and stow other small pieces of gear.
The Echo has handles on both sides of the case, so you can carry it left- or right-handed, and it has nice shoulder straps so you can carry your crossbow case like a backpack. The zippers are heavy duty, which might not seem like a big deal, except these are extra-long zippers running nearly the whole way around the case. When big zippers are cheap, they separate in no time. These will stand the test of time.
Not all bows fit in all cases. With co*pound bows, for example, some are too long or too wide for certain cases. Make sure the case you’re considering is long and wide enough to carry your bow.
Ideally, you’ll also want some wiggle room. A bow is not something you want to have to force inside a case and then shut it quickly before it pops out. Pressure on a bowstring is never a good thing, regardless of the type of bow.
If you’re only driving with your bow from home to your hunting spot, then you don’t need a case that’s suited for airline travel. But if you plan to fly to distant hunting destinations or do some adventure bowhunting, then you don’t want a case that’s only designed to carry your bow in the back of your truck.
And be honest with yourself. If you tend to be hard on equipment, get a case that can withstand your lifestyle. A cheap plastic case bouncing around in the back of the truck with the spare tire, gas can, tire iron, and chainsaw probably isn’t going to survive too many rides. When the case fails, your bow is in danger.
Presumably, you are buying a case to protect your bow. So think about what you’re protecting it from and choose accordingly.
What do you want your case to hold? If you just need to store your bow, then you don’t need a ton of extra space or pockets. But if you want your bow case to hold everything associated with shooting that bow, that’s a different story. You need more space and organizing pockets for release aids, finger tabs, field points, broadheads, stabilizers–the works.
A lot of bowhunters want their bowhunting backpack and bow case sitting by the door ready to go, without wondering if the release is in there, or the quiver. If the bow case is where everything lives, you need room to store it all.
I have one bow case that I use only for airline travel. It’s a big case that can hold my co*pound bow, all my related shooting gear, plus clothes and other items. I need that case to be large and roomy for a specific reason.
Bow cases usually cost anywhere from $50 to several hundred dollars, depending on the material used and added features. You definitely get what you pay for when it co*es to bow cases, but there are options that can fit your needs without breaking the bank.
Choosing a hard case or a soft case co*es down to personal choice, but practicality should also guide your decision. Hard cases offer more protection against hard knocks, but they’re bulky and cumbersome to carry. Soft cases are portable and easy to maneuver inside a vehicle with other gear, but lack the extra protection of hard cases. If you do a lot of long distance traveling, you’ll want to invest in a hard case. If you just need something to make sure it doesn’t slide around in your truck, a soft case is the way to go.
While you can’t stash it in a carry-on, you can definitely fly with a bow. You just have to transport it as checked luggage. And you’ll want to invest in a case that’s rated for air travel. Case manufacturers use different materials in airline grade cases than regular plastic ones. That’s why they are so much more expensive. But trust me, you want the strongest case on the market to protect your bow when you’re flying. The damage I have seen done to even airline grade cases over the years is astonishing. Basic plastic cases that cost $100 or so will not survive.
The best bow cases don’t require you to spend a small fortune, but they are something you don’t want to cut corners on. If you need top-end protection, then get it. Trust me, you’ll regret it if you don’t. If you don’t need a case for air travel, then simply consider how and where you’ll be transporting your bow and buy accordingly. Keep in mind, whatever you spend on a case is likely to pale in co*parison to what you’ve invested in the contents it’s carrying.
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