HOW AN ATHLETE SHOULD PACK
Most athletes have to travel. Doing it by airplane is no longer as simple---or as fun---as it used to be. Packing expert Cinda Boomershine tells how athletes should pack to make each trip by air as easy and hassle-free as possible.
"Put your essentials in your carryon, like the shoes or boots you need for your competition. That way you've got it. Put the less important stuff in your checked bag," says Cinda Boomershine, owner of Cinda B. Travel Bags.
She and her husband started the company when Cinda couldn't find luggage that satisfied her needs as a runner, snowboarder, sky diver and adventurer. She explains that athletes especially need lightweight luggage, because if you start out with an eight-pound bag, you're losing a lot of functional weight.
"Make sure all your bags are lightweight. Roll your clothes, that will save you space. Don't pack anything that needs ironing. Think about mailing or Fed-Exing your non-essentials, like clothing," Boomershine suggests. Load your pockets up with small, but heavy items.
Her best tip is to travel while wearing layers. "Put on a tank top, tee-shirt, long sleeved shirt, sweater and jacket. It won't count as weight if you're wearing it. Wear your boots or heavy shoes because they weigh so much. Wear all your really heavy clothing," she says.
Space saving is also another travel tip. Store small items in your water bottle, and remember that hotels always have shampoo and lotion, so don't bother bringing them. Another tip: pack a lightweight duffle, so you can bring things back, even by mailing them home.
Wear loose-fitting clothing with few or no metal parts, no big belt buckles for example, so you can get through the line without setting off the metal detectors. Call the airport before you leave to find out what the latest weight and size restrictions are, they may have changed.
Boomershine tells of one experience that taught her a good lesson. She was under her weight allowance when leaving for a sailing trip, but overweight on the way home, though she had the same stuff in her luggage.
"But during the trip, my clothing had absorbed humidity, so it was heavier and I had to pay overage charges. Be sure to dry out your clothing before you pack to come home," she says with a rueful laugh.
Her final tip for athletes on their way to a competition: drink a lot of water. Boomershine says, "Flying is dehydrating. As an athlete, you have to be conscious of that."