The Perfect Traveling Bow Case: Easton Gen 2 Bowtruk

If you are like me, flying with your bow can be pretty nerve-racking. For one, you are constantly worried about how your bow case is being treated by airport personnel, and then you have the stress of managing all of the different bags you have in addition to the bow case. The situation becomes even more daunting if you have the type of heavy, hard-plastic bow case that is only designed to fit the bow and nothing else. Just transporting all that luggage by yourself is a difficult task, and if you try to consolidate too much, sneaking under the bag weight limit can be a real challenge. For this reason, I prefer to fly with a newer style semirigid bow case that is designed to carry more contents than just the bow. The Easton Gen 2 Bowtruk is my go to bow case.

Semirigid-Style Bow Case

The Bowtruk is designed to maximize protection, minimize weight, and provide more open space to pack gear. The walls are constructed of semirigid plastic panels and a layer of dense closed-cell foam. The interior of the case is mostly open space (it is not completely filled with foam). You may be thinking, “Why would I want to travel with a bow case that has more open space and less bow-protecting foam?” The Bowtruk is designed with ample space surrounding the bow so that you can pack your soft gear (clothes, sleeping kit, glassing pad, etc) immediately around the bow to aid in protecting it. It’s an ingenious design that not only allows your bow case to protect your bow but also double as a suitcase.

This design allows you to carry one less piece of luggage, which may not sound like a big deal, but trust me, it is if you are flying with a lot of gear. Additionally, there is an immediate cost savings if you can eliminate any piece of checked luggage. Depending on the airline and the number of bags you have, each checked bag can cost anywhere from $25-$75 one way; the cost is even more outrageous for overweight bags, which could run you $75-$200 per bag, each way! By eliminating a single checked bag or averting an overweight charge, the Easton Bowtruk can easily pay for itself in just a few trips.

Second Generation Bowtruk

For 2023, Easton released the Gen 2 version of the Bowtruk. The Gen 2 adds capacity, increases durability and weather resistance, and improves functionality. The outer shell is built out of a TPU-Coated 1680D ballistic nylon–the same material used for military body armor–to provide higher abrasion and tear resistance versus standard nylon and polyester. The Gen 2 Bowtruk incorporates a top-of-the-line YKK woven-in main zipper that is more durable and secure than a conventional stitched-in zipper.

Among other features, the Gen 2 has a set of oversized, sealed-bearing skate wheels, which glide very smoothly; three “Outside-In” pockets that make key compartments accessible from both the outside and inside of the case; and a trailer-hitch-style tow strap to conveniently attach other bags in tow. The Bowtruk is available in three sizes to accommodate various bow designs: 47”x16”, 40”x17”, and 36”x16”. I opted for the 40”x17” case because it's designed wider to accommodate longer bow sights without having to take them off.

In January this year, I took the Easton Gen 2 Bowtruk on an OTC archery adventure to Arizona. I had limited days to hunt, so I opted to fly instead of drive to maximize my hunting time. I met up with my good friend, Western Hunter Customer Service Manager, Brody, who lives in Arizona. For this hunt, I brought all of my own gear, and it was a lot because I needed to be prepared for both truck camping and backpack hunting. My list of major gear included the following:

• Swarovski ATX 95mm
• Swarovski BTX 115mm
• Swarovski NL Pure 10x42mm
• Swarovski SLC 15x56mm
• Heavyweight tripod
• Lightweight tripod
• Glassing pad
• Lightweight glassing chair
• Two-Man Tent
• 15°F Down Sleeping Bag
• Inflatable Sleeping Pad
• (1) Sitka Mountain Pants
• (2) Sitka Apex Pants
• (3) Sitka Core Lightweight Hoodies
• (1) Sitka Ambient Hoody
• (3) pair underwear and socks
• Sitka Dewpoint pant and jacket
• Sitka Jetstream jacket
• Sitka Down puffy jacket and pants
• Crispi Altitude Boots
• Hanwag Alverstone II Boots
• Kifaru Hoodlum Pack
• Kill kit
• All my food, Peak Refuel, bars, etc.
• Stove
• Hoyt RX7
• Archery necessities
• Arrow tube

As you can see from this list, I flew to Arizona with a ton of gear. I came prepared with everything I needed, except for water and stove fuel. Despite taking everything and the kitchen sink on this hunt, I was able to fit it all in two checked bags (including the Bowtruk) and a carry-on. Inside the Bowtruk, I packed my bow, archery necessities, arrow tube, all of my clothes, sleeping bag, pad, and glassing pad. In my second checked bag, I packed the tripods, chair, tent, backpack, both pairs of boots, kill kit, stove, and other general camping equipment. In the carry-on, I packed all of my optics.

I have no doubt that if I would have flown with a hard-sided bow case meant for only carrying the bow, I would have had to check another bag. Checking another bag would have cost me an additional $150 round trip. The Bowtruk did its job perfectly and transported my bow and gear without issue. That night, once we arrived at camp, I shot a few arrows in the headlights of the truck to confirm my bow was still on after the flight, and everything was perfect.

Final Thoughts

Beyond just protecting the bow, there are a few features I want to highlight in this review, the first being the outer material. The TPU-Coated 1680D ballistic nylon is extremely durable, weather resistant, and very high quality; it definitely increases the aesthetic of the bow case as well. The second feature that I love is the trailer-hitch-style tow strap. This little addition makes attaching and lugging around a second big bag an absolute breeze.

Lastly, I absolutely love the three outside-in pockets. These pockets make truck camping out of this bow case/suitcase very manageable. I organized all of my daily essentials in these three pockets. Pulling the case out of the truck, opening up the top flap, and having immediate access to my daily essentials in these three pockets, without having to unzip and unfold the entire case, was extremely convenient. I am very impressed with the Easton Bowtruk; not only is it a great traveling bow case, but it doubles as a top-of-the-line standard suitcase as well. I plan to use the Bowtruk as my primary suitcase for general air travel moving forward. The Bowtruk is extremely high quality and I fully expect it to last for many years as a bow case and my general suitcase as well. The Easton Gen 2 Bowtruk is available online.