Robert Hamilton II, April – My bow has been in and out of my mom’s car every day for the past two years. But when we decided to fly to Eastern Nationals last year, we had a lot of questions about what was allowed. My mom had traveled many, many times for her job all over the country but never with bows and arrows in tow. The primary thing you want to think about is that your bow and arrows are always safe and secure. You don’t want them to be damaged in any way, especially if you are headed to a tournament.
Traveling in a car
My bow has been in the trunk, in the backseat for the past two years that I’ve been on the archery team. It fits either place. What I did learn when I made the archery team last year is that my friends could not bring their bow on the school bus. Recognizing that consistent practice helps you improve your form and your score, it’s great to have your bow with you at all times, instead of having to leave it at school all week because you ride the school bus.
A few lessons learned from leaving my bow in the car overnight:
- Shooting a cold bow is tough.The bow is stiff and so are your hands from holding it.
- Bow wax will melt on really hot days and make a mess in the bow case and on the bow.
Carrying Bows and Arrows on a Train
You can carry bows and arrows on a train, but they must be checked. Here are the rules from Amtrak:
Carry-On: Not allowed
Checked: Allowed – up to 50 lbs. and 75 linear inches
- Archery equipment may be checked free of charge in lieu of a piece of baggage.
- No archery equipment is allowed as carry-on items.
- Archery equipment must be transported in a suitable hard case container.
- If a second hard case container is used, it will count as an additional checked baggage item.
Boarding a Plane
You can take your bow and arrows to a tournament where you are flying. It does need to be a checked item. You will need a hard case to put your bow and arrows in. I actually took two bows to nationals last year, in case one of them got damaged in flight. I wrapped each bow in bubble wrap. I made sure the arrows were secure in the holders in the bow case. I took all the other stuff I keep in my bow case out: tab, bow wax, gum, etc. I then filled the bow case with bubble wrap so nothing would move. I have seen my mom come home many times with suitcases where the wheels are ripped off or they have torn a hole in the suitcase itself. I did not want that to happen to my bow case or my bow, and it didn’t. You can also put TSA locks on your bow case so it will not open as it is being moved around by baggage handlers.
The biggest thing I have learned about traveling with my archery equipment is to make sure I have all of it packed before I leave home. I went to a tournament last year and forgot my tab. Major panic moment. Luckily, one of my coaches had an extra one. And there are great vendors at Nationals that have bows, arrows, and everything else you need to shoot. But I also know I’ll do my best with my bow that is tuned to my shooting, new arrows and the tab I have broken in just right.
Whether you are taking a plane, train or automobile to Nationals, good luck! And if you are coming to Eastern Nationals and you see me, please say hello!
