[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Anyone know if you can get away with mats on Ryanair as a bag (£6) as opposed to 'sports equipment'? (£25)
It's under the size limit ( 81cms (height), 119cms (width) and 119cms (depth) and weight (15kg)

Apols if this has been discussed elsewhere, couldn't find it.

[Houdini]

I've done it before, many times.  Go straight to the oversize luggage counter and check it in.  Truth is, they've no idea what bouldering is nevermind what a bouldering mat is.

Everytime someone asks me what my mat is I reply that it's a frozen pig-carcass . . . 

[Monolith]

Everytime someone asks me what my mat is I reply that it's a frozen pig-carcass . . . 

Or a heroin smuggling device disguised as a bouldering mat.

[Houdini]

Or the 14th Earl of Sandwich . . .

[lagerstarfish]

Maybe chuck a couple of pairs of socks and a t shirt in with the foam padding just to help demonstrate that it is just a bag.

[Houdini]

If pressed tell them it's a padded artwork case.

[dave]

Anyone know if you can get away with mats on Ryanair as a bag (£6) as opposed to 'sports equipment'? (£25)
It's under the size limit ( 81cms (height), 119cms (width) and 119cms (depth) and weight (15kg)

Apols if this has been discussed elsewhere, couldn't find it.

we went to madrid last easter with ryanair and our mats went in as bags. afterall they are the same size and shape as a large suitcase.

by "sports equipment" they mean oversize or odd shaped shit like golf clubs, fishing rods etc etc. They're not going to bust your bag open if they spot a table tennis bat in your samsonite.

[Monolith]

Obi, in all likelihood it's not where you're going, but when we flew Swiss Air (to Switzerland surprisingly) in summer the journey was cheap, hassle free and food/beers/chocolates were relatively free flowing. They didn't even raise an eyebrow at 6 or 7 bouldering mats.

[BenF]

They didn't even raise an eyebrow at 6 or 7 bouldering mats.

Each. 

And a Toblerone on the way home.