Air travel with pack, how to?

[Ruffdude]

New guy here and could use some advice.
I'm pretty sure my pack will not meet carry on requirements so how do I travel with it and insure it will still be in one piece when I arrive in Atlanta?
A large duffel bag to wrap the entire thing and then either toss the duffel away at the airport or mail it back home is where I am at now.
Am I missing something?

[swonut]

I used a large duffel and then ditched it. I've also seen them wrapped in a sheet and bound up with twine or light rope.

[colorado_rob]

Just pack your pack, with no forbidden items (AKA: fuel), than wrap it in wrapping plastic and check it. Just make sure no straps are loose. If you don't want to do that, find the right sized box and check it in that. I've also seen people use trash compactor bags. It all works. I hate throwing away even cheap-O duffels.

[Slo-go'en]

Keep in mind that you can not fly with your camp stove and that luggage can and does get lost - sometimes forever. Rather then take those risks (admittedly small, but still..) put your pack in a box and ship it to the Hiker Hostel (you will be staying there, right?) via UPS. It will cost about the same or less then what they charge for checked luggage on most airlines today. Plus you can put things in the box you'd not want TSA to find...

[10-K]

Keep in mind that you can not fly with your camp stove and that luggage can and does get lost - sometimes forever. Rather then take those risks (admittedly small, but still..) put your pack in a box and ship it to the Hiker Hostel (you will be staying there, right?) via UPS. It will cost about the same or less then what they charge for checked luggage on most airlines today. Plus you can put things in the box you'd not want TSA to find...

Yep, UPS is how I do it too. You can save a ton of money by boxing it up yourself and taking it to a real UPS location. The UPS Store is quite pricey.

[Sugarfoot]

I also do UPS on the way to a hike, but I've often checked my pack on the return trip. I disassemble my hiking poles so they fit in the pack and bend the hip belt around backwards and try to minimize loose ends. No duffel bag; no tape. I've never even had it checked by TSA and never had a problem. But I still send my pack ahead before a hike, just to avoid the worry of not finding it on the luggage carousel. I had that happen once and it isn't fun. The airline brought me my pack that evening but wouldn't reimburse for the hotel.

[Rolex]

I also do UPS on the way to a hike, but I've often checked my pack on the return trip. I disassemble my hiking poles so they fit in the pack and bend the hip belt around backwards and try to minimize loose ends. No duffel bag; no tape. I've never even had it checked by TSA and never had a problem. But I still send my pack ahead before a hike, just to avoid the worry of not finding it on the luggage carousel. I had that happen once and it isn't fun. The airline brought me my pack that evening but wouldn't reimburse for the hotel.

I watched a nice pack come off the carousel one time tore all to hell after it had been wrapped in plastic it appeared.

I picked up a large duffle for mine. It has about 10 trips on it so far. (I travel a lot in my job) It came with a little carry case that I fold up and it goes in a bounce box on backpacking trips. The truck or motel room when I'm on the job.

I don't take my MSR fuel bottle any more after an argument with a TSA agent at a gate in Atlanta. I just get a new bottle of Heet. (or ship it in a bounce box.

My stove (Trangia) has been scrutinized over and over but always allowed to go after passing the "sniff" test. It's in a ziplock with the lid off in the bag also to make a point. A pop can stove got confisticated once.

I unpack everything, lay the Pack on the extra clothes on the bottom for protection. Then I put the rolled up items like sleeping bag,tent,fly, etc on that.

Then the stuff they are going to be interested in next on the top. Cook kit, stove, first aid stuff, and hiking pole. That saves them from dumping everything out and repacking by just cramming it in.

Olive oil and dish soap in little bottles will get their knickers in a twist.

I do take my bladder and water bottles also on the top and their lids opened to make the point of nothing is in them.

Just for sheer meaness when on a return trip. I been known put my used hiking socks dead center very top right under the zipper in order for the person opening it to appreciate the full scent of a good hike. (Don't let your wife open the bag first though!)

You'll get a "We've been here" card from the TSA in your bag but they make good book marks, and decent firestarters on the trail.

I wished you could still just carry on but Tent poles (And Stakes) can be used as weapons I've been told. My Hiking pole has the pointy thing under the rubber foot which nearly shut down an airport when found as a possible weapon of mass destruction in Detroit once!
Rolex

[Dogwood]

I've gotten around your scenario by going to an UL backpack that even when loaded with 6-7 days food in a 3 season kit it fits easily in every airline carriers max size cage and wt limits for carry on baggage. It also fits in the overhead compartments of the tiniest planes I've traveled on as well as on the floor in front of me or on my lap on Greyhound buses. If I have anything that TSA might question I mail it ahead USPS when hiking in the U.S. This further reduces pack size and wt that I must travel with.

[swisscross]

If you decide to fly with your pack, box it up and insure the heck out of it.
Your pack and gear will be more than the airlines typical/standard insurance.

The airline will put a bunch of bright stickers all over it and it will be the last on the plane.

I would mail it ahead.

[colorado_rob]

I've flown dozens of times for backpacking and climbing trips, many of them internationally, never, ever had any problem checking a backpack.

Never had a piece of baggage lost in maybe 200 total flights in my life. Just my own experiences, apparently others are either unlucky or imaginative.

[Dogwood]

After having two backpacks ripped off in towns in Nevada, having one backpack opened up when checked in as baggage on an airline having gear stolen by airport personnel(phone, TI stove, merino clothing etc), having Greyhound drive off with my backpack without me that took two days to track down 100's of miles away, experiencing damaged gear after checking in a backpack on a flight, and watching gorilla baggage handlers tear shoulder straps as they manhandled my gear and having Greyhound baggage handlers drop my backpack into puddles of motor oil I much prefer to ALWAYS keep my backpacks with me. What's in my backpack is not just for hiking; it's what I depend upon for living.

[Bucketfoot]

On my 2012 section hike I flew home from Charlotte to Pittsburgh with my pack in baggage. Did nothing special, just made sure there was no fuel or anything explosive in the pack and buckled all the straps. Everything was fine when I picked it up at baggage claim.

[perrymk]

As an aside for those of you boxing up your backpacks and checking them as checked luggage. Leaving an unattended box or luggage in the airport is illegal and can get you arrested. I'm not trying to sound alarmist, just giving a heads up. Either break the box down to fit in a garbage can or take the box with you and leave it in the hotel room.

I am employed in a forensic lab and have actually had to analyze left behind luggage. One case I'm pretty sure was a test run for a possible real threat as even though it was empty, it tested positive for explosives.

[Traveler]

I travel by air extensively and have several packs I will take with me, depending on the plans. Shipping the pack via UPS is a good idea, but I have not ever had a problem with a pack. I will make sure there is nothing TSA gets heartburn over (fuel or fuel bottles, liquid soap, and that kind of stuff) and ship that stuff separately. Stoves seem to be a problem here and there, so I will ship that as well. Makes for a small box and light cost.

The pack itself is packed firmly so it doesn't drape over things, and I wrap it in clear plastic, using heavy string or short sections of rope to secure it to the bag. I would avoid boxes that are sealed or making entry difficult, if TSA sees something they want to check out, they will do so the most convenient way for them. Make it easy to get in and make it easier on yourself. After years of doing this I have had three TSA notes they have gone in, but I don't have a clue why. Probably something piled on top of something else like folded maps gave it a funny look.

[hikernutcasey]

Yep, UPS is how I do it too. You can save a ton of money by boxing it up yourself and taking it to a real UPS location. The UPS Store is quite pricey.

If you don't mind me asking...what's a ballpark price on shipping via UPS?

[Coffee]

The duffel bag approach has worked well for me on a few occasions. However, the issue is always what to do with the duffel after arriving at your destination. I have a nice duffel from REI that cost about $50 so I wouldn't want to throw it away. I have in the past sent it to my destination and then used it for the return flight.

This year, I tried a new approach. I mailed ahead everything that TSA could conceivably find objectionable including my stove (without fuel, of course), trekking poles, and even the aluminum stay on my backpack. I was then able to carry on my pack on my outbound flight to Denver since the pack easily fit in the overhead bin of the full size plane I was on. On the way back, I sent home the same items that the TSA might object to. But since I knew that I would be on smaller commuter jets, I had included a laundry bag in my bounce box. I got through security at the airport but had to turn over my pack at the gate. Before turning it over, I put it into the laundry bag to keep it from being damaged. I would then get the pack back at the gate when the plane arrived. There is a much lower chance of a pack being lost when gate checking since you are right next to the plane vs. checking a bag normally where it has to go through who knows how many conveyer belts and handlers before reaching the plane.

[illabelle]

We fly to do week-long sections in the northern half of the Trail. We bought large duffel bags ($30 each if I remember right, and weighing about a pound) and either leave them with our shuttler, or carry them with us on the trail - which is a pain. If we were doing a thru, we'd use a big trash bag and throw it away, but for section hiking, the duffels do the job of keeping our gear together.
And yes, it is fun to leave the stinky socks out for inspection.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Stoves that have been aired out so that no fuel /vapor remain are fine - it is the fuel (including Esbit) that is prohibited in both checked and carry-on. A lighter (bic type) and/or matches can be taken in carry-on only. White gas stoves can be problematic unless they are aired out well as the generator retains trace amounts of fuel. Never had a problem flying several times with a Jetboil (w/o canister) or empty alcohol stove.

[August W.]

We put our packs In a duffel bag and it goes as checked luggage. Just make sure the bag doesn't weigh so much as to cause extra charges from the airline. No loose straps that can get caught in conveyors.

[MuddyWaters]

just ship your pack to your shuttler to hold for you. First food supply too. Many shuttles sell fuel since can't ship that.

I've checked my pack fully packed in a duffel. It was a small duffel. You can mail the duffel home and get it back later.