Football kit skips
Protection for high value kit used by sports teams
Professional sport – football in particular – is big business. Every detail, every transfer, every debatable offside decision, even your star striker’s new haircut or tattoo, is analysed and discussed in great detail.
One of the less-discussed aspects, although still surprisingly visible (even being filmed being taken off the team bus), is the use of kit skips to transport team strip and equipment to games and training.
But what are kit skips? And why are they used by professional and amateur teams alike?
In this guide, we’ll provide a brief overview of what a kit skip is, along with seven key reasons why its use is becoming increasingly prevalent across a range of sports.
Contents
Introduction
What are kits skips?
You may have seen the large, metal-looking cases being carried off the team bus. You may have seen the large containers in the background of jubilant scenes in dressing rooms after a landmark victory. You may even have seen them lined up in newspapers or social media photographs of teams being put through their paces at training.
But what exactly are kit skips, and what are they used for?
Put simply, aluminium kit skips (also known as travel skips) are large aluminium cases used to transport sports kit. Everything from shirts, training bibs, cones, medical gear, boots, balls, and everything else a team will need at a match or during training.
Widely used by Premier League football teams, their use is now growing amongst other sports teams, including athletics, rugby (league and union editions), hockey, basketball, and even the NFL.
With popular options including the Zarges K470 and Eurobox ranges, as well as Bott, these prefabricated aluminium containers are ideal for today’s kit managers.
7 reasons aluminium kit skips are used by professional sports teams
So, why have aluminium kit skips been growing in popularity, and what is it about them that makes their use by sports teams so widespread?
Well, in no particular order, here are the seven key benefits offered by aluminium travel skips:
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight
- Wheels and trolleys
- Secure
- Excellent strength and longevity
- Weatherproof
- Wide range of branding options
Easy to clean
Travel skips are hygienic and easy to clean
Arguably, the key benefit of using aluminium containers for transporting kit is that they are easy to clean.
Particularly in sports like football and rugby, players’ kits are likely to become dirty and muddy after games and training sessions. A lot of this is then transferred to the case’s surfaces during transport to be cleaned.
Obviously, for fabric bags and even plastic cases that could sometimes be used, cleaning their surfaces would prove difficult (or even impossible). However, the smooth surfaces of aluminium mean that the internal walls of the kit skips can be easily cleaned. This, in turn, ensures that they have exceptional longevity (as the cases can be used over and over again).
Also, aluminium is inert and unreactive, meaning virtually any cleaning product can be used on the surfaces.
And finally, because aluminium cases can contain moisture, they will not leak during transit back from games either.
Lightweight
Ease of handling the kit and equipment
Another key benefit of using aluminium containers as kit skips is their very lightweight nature.
With the wet kit being heavy, adding it to a case that is already heavy can make lifting and handling difficult.
However, another key consideration is international travel (or even long distances within the UK) for away games, training camps, etc. Typically, these journeys are made by air, so there is a requirement for maximum weight saving (with costs determined by weight rather than volume).
Aluminium kit skips are amongst the lightest protective case options, making them perfect for this scenario. The stacking corners (perfect for safely and neatly stowing the cases in the hold of the team bus or a plane) and the ability to lock the cases are also big positives here.
And finally, Zarges kit skips are ATA approved for air travel.
Wheels and trolleys
Further assistance for the moving kit
Another way that aluminium travel skips can help kit managers is by adding wheels and trolleys.
Zarges K470 cases, for example (perhaps the most widely used aluminium case for transporting kit), can be enhanced with convenient clip-on castors that can be clamped on in seconds, without tools. This provides an additional, flexible option for transporting heavy items.
Another option is to use separate trolleys, also available in sizes that are compatible with the range of aluminium cases used as travel skips.
Either of these options makes getting the kit from the team transport to the changing rooms much easier and more efficient.
Security
Prevent theft or loss of important kit
With even replica kits costing upwards of £100, the value of the kit that the professionals wear can run into many thousands of pounds. And who can forget the embarrassment suffered by teams forced to wear the wrong kit due to kit managers’ mix-ups?
Essentially, this means it is critical that the kit being transported be protected from theft, loss, or tampering.
Fortunately, aluminium kit skips can help with this.
The majority of cases used for this purpose can be locked, using standard padlocks or a number of other features fitted to the cases.
The tough aluminium construction also makes it very difficult for would-be thieves to get into the cases, keeping all the important kit safe and sound.
Excellent strength
Kit skips offer excellent strength and longevity
Despite their lightweight for easy handling, aluminium kit skips are surprisingly strong and durable.
This makes them resistant to knocks, bands, and general mishandling (such as getting them on and off the team coach), and provides excellent protection for items within.
Whilst this may not be particularly important for general kit, specialist items, such as medical equipment, defibrillators, etc., can be damaged in certain circumstances.
The strength and durability of the cases also means they provide excellent longevity, minimising ongoing costs to your club.
Weatherproof
Equally suited to wet midweek games or summer training camps
One of the biggest cliches in football is “can they do it on a wet Monday night in Stoke?” Well, the answer for aluminium kit skips is, yes, they can!
Many people are surprised to know that aluminium will not rust, making it suitable for use in damp environments.
Aluminium kit skips are also splash- and rainproof, meaning that if left outside during a downpour, they will keep the contents dry. Similarly, wet contents will be contained within the case on the return journey.
The smooth surfaces, as detailed earlier, also mean the outside of the cases can be easily cleaned, so if they get wet and muddy, this is no problem either.
Besides this, aluminium kit skips are also not affected by extremes of temperature.
So, whether you are away at Albion Rovers in the middle of a January blizzard, or on warm-weather training in Dubai or La Manga, your travel skips will perform as expected.
Branding options
Include club crests, mottos, branding, and more
In the age of constant social media updates and rolling 24-hour Sky News coverage, every minuscule detail of professional teams is analysed and commented on. Even the players and staff leaving the team bus or arriving at training.
This means that your Kit Manager (and kit skips) receive a surprising amount of media coverage. As such, it is important that they look their best at all times.
Fortunately, aluminium kit skips provide a clean, professional appearance by default and also offer a wide range of branding options.
This includes all-over paint to match your team colours, the ability to add printed crests and branding, and even to add graphics and logos using low-cost methods (such as cut adhesives vinyl).
What this means is that, whether you are challenging in European competition or battling to escape the Isthmian League, there is an option to ensure your kit skips and containers will always look the part.
Summary
Sourcing kit skips for your club
Chances are that, depending on the level your team competes at, you may already be using kit skips. If this is the case, GWP Protective can help with both fast turnaround and competitive pricing for any travel skips you require.
If you are a lower-league team or even a semi-professional team, however, you can benefit from using kit skips. With no minimum order quantity, you can afford the same protection as the giants of the Premier League and European competitions.
Please click here to view the aluminium travel skip options available or contact a member of the GWP team for further assistance.
Share this article
Further reading
About the author
Initially joining GWP Protective back in 2004, Richard’s vast, specialist knowledge and experience mean he now heads up the business as General Manager.
Products in this guide
Get in touch
For full details on how GWP treats your data, please view this Privacy Policy. Your info is not shared with any third party.
Related guides
Transit cases – how to decide which is right for you
13 surprising advantages of aluminium cases and containers
The 6 signs you need protective foam inserts
Best equipment cases: choosing a waterproof case
Toughest flight case? Testing of EXOCase
Shipping cases: 5 options for safe transit of goods
