It’s all about protection, brah. A simple sock is perfect for guarding against dings in the car park or from other boards. For travel or heavy-duty protection, you need a padded day bag with thick foam. For planes, never settle for less than a heavy-duty travel bag with multiple layers of padding. The right bag keeps your stick safe from sun, pressure dings, and airline baggage handlers, which means more time in the water and less in the repair bay.