US airport restrictions items, stoves etc

[Goingforalittlewalk]

I waiting for the downhill section.... at the moment is all been F*% up hill!....lol
new passport application, photos, US visa app < that was stressful and more photo needed... visa interview 9th Jan..

now I'm sorting out things I have already and the cost of things I need.... looking at fights and the restrictions items.. No stove allowed. (now I know why people go stove less.. not out of choice....lol)

so i now need to get one before the trail.
spare batteries need taping up.
seen somewhere, no walking poles....
my penknife is ok..

Any info on other items not allowed and the best outfitter in Atlanta / near trail nobo. (I know there's the one at Neel gap, would that be more expensive?)
can/has anyone mailed items over to pick up?

thanks for any info :D

[BobTheBuilder]

You will get a lot of answers on here, but regard the answers with a little bit of skepticism. Most of us only have experience flying with our hiking equipment on domestic flights, and I have traveled overseas enough to know that what is acceptable on one might not be on the other.

That said, my experience within the U.S. is that you can put knives and hiking poles in checked baggage, not in carry-on baggage. If you're checking a bag with your pack, it is handy to put it inside an inexpensive duffle bag, along with your poles and most of your other gear. This keeps your pack and straps protected and when you get to the U.S., you can donate it to somebody or throw it away.

Stoves are not prohibited on U.S. checked baggage, but stove fuel is definitely prohibited. I make sure my stove is aired out so it has no residual fuel fumes, then leave it on the top layer of my baggage so it is easy to find if the bomb sniffing machines alert to it. There are probably a lot of outfitters in the Atlanta area, such as REI, but if the only thing you need to get when you arrive is fuel, they sell that at other places such as Bass Pro Shops and Dick's Sporting Goods, which are very common here.

It sounds like a grand adventure. Good luck!

[Slo-go'en]

I know the cost of sending stuff overseas from the USA is insanely expensive, even for small packets. My guess is it would be less expensive to get what you need here.

Most hikers us a canister stove these days and you can pack the burner in checked luggage, just not the fuel canister. The canister is easy enough to get. Many shuttle drivers stock them in the car. Alcohol stoves are the other popular option. In this case, you might want one which hasn't been used yet. Your shuttle driver will probably have alcohol too.

You should be able to take your walking poles. Get a large duffle bag to put your pack, your poles and anything else which might not be allowed in the cabin, like your pocket knife. This becomes checked luggage.

Mountain Crossing's gear will be priced at MSR. Don't expect a deal there. There is an REI in Atlanta which I believe is easy enough to get to.

[Goingforalittlewalk]

I know the cost of sending stuff overseas from the USA is insanely expensive, even for small packets. My guess is it would be less expensive to get what you need here.

Most hikers us a canister stove these days and you can pack the burner in checked luggage, just not the fuel canister. The canister is easy enough to get. Many shuttle drivers stock them in the car. Alcohol stoves are the other popular option. In this case, you might want one which hasn't been used yet. Your shuttle driver will probably have alcohol too.

You should be able to take your walking poles. Get a large duffle bag to put your pack, your poles and anything else which might not be allowed in the cabin, like your pocket knife. This becomes checked luggage.

Mountain Crossing's gear will be priced at MSR. Don't expect a deal there. There is an REI in Atlanta which I believe is easy enough to get to.

cheers all..

you say..pack the burner in checked luggage.. is that just on US internal flights? ill be coming from UK to NYC then Atlanta.. looks to be the cheaper way!
I've been looking at
HIGHLANDER 40-100L RUCKSACK TRANSIT COVER is on my GET list...

[Goingforalittlewalk]

I know the cost of sending stuff overseas from the USA is insanely expensive, even for small packets. My guess is it would be less expensive to get what you need here.

Most hikers us a canister stove these days and you can pack the burner in checked luggage, just not the fuel canister. The canister is easy enough to get. Many shuttle drivers stock them in the car. Alcohol stoves are the other popular option. In this case, you might want one which hasn't been used yet. Your shuttle driver will probably have alcohol too.

You should be able to take your walking poles. Get a large duffle bag to put your pack, your poles and anything else which might not be allowed in the cabin, like your pocket knife. This becomes checked luggage.

Mountain Crossing's gear will be priced at MSR. Don't expect a deal there. There is an REI in Atlanta which I believe is easy enough to get to.

cheers all..

you say..pack the burner in checked luggage.. is that just on US internal flights? ill be coming from UK to NYC then Atlanta.. looks to be the cheaper way!
I've been looking at
HIGHLANDER 40-100L RUCKSACK TRANSIT COVER is on my GET list...

[Feral Bill]

Some airlines will accept no stoves that are not unused in their original packaging. If you are using a canister stove, get one here. They are cheap enough.

[moldy]

A stove is a device that you can use to cook your dinner. A canister stove that has no fuel canister is just a hunk a metal and you can't cook your dinner on it. It's not a stove. You answer the question "do you have a stove?" with a NO. A pocket rocket all by itself is OK. To have this hunk of metal checked in your bag with no canister is allowable. Now the type of stove that uses a liquid fuel like white gas or petrol that may have a tiny residue of fuel in the tank is not allowed. Airline officials are often stubborn and ill informed. It's best not to have discussions with them about whats right and whats wrong. If they find a pocket rocket buried in your back pack and ask what it is you can tell them it's a wind speed measuring device or a inflation adapter for your air pad. Knife and poles are in your checked bag, your bic lighter is in your pocket and not the other way around.

[evyck da fleet]

If you’re getting a ride to the trail from MARTA ( the train) there is an REI within walking distance from the second to last stop northbound. Anything you want to bring over should be allowed in your checked baggage. As far as I know only Hawaiian Air doesn’t allow any stove that has had fuel in it, even gas canister stoves without the canister on their planes.

[StubbleJumper]

When I have flown to a trail in the US, I've simply ordered a knife and hiking polls on Amazon and had them delivered to the motel where I stayed the first night. For a domestic flight, checked bags cost US$28, so unless your poles are in great shape, you might be as far ahead to leave the prohibited items at home and just have new ones shipped to the starting point.

On other occasions, I have flown to Europe through the US for long hikes. On those occasions, I had no trouble bringing a stove, knife and poles in my checked bag. As others have noted, pay close attention to the rules for cigarette lighters. I like to bring two lighters when I hike, but I believe that the limit is one per person, and it must be carried on with you. Similarly, if you plan to bring a spare battery for your mobile phone, pay close attention to the rules for that.

In any case, if there's a WalMart near your motel on the first night, you can usually find a gas canister and cigarette lighter at a low price.

[DownEaster]

You're flying into Atlanta, so you have easy access to the MARTA system. Buy yourself a day pass, and shop for what you need when you arrive. There's a big Walmart near one stop, and REI at another. I suggest you start at Walmart and you'll be able to pick up most of what you need including food for the trail. (TSA restrictions wouldn't let you carry more than 100 ml of olive oil or honey, for example.) If you don't get everything you need there (e.g., you're particular about trekking poles) you can then shop at REI. Finally, take MARTA to the northernmost stop (North Springs) to get a shuttle to the trail.

[DuneElliot]

When you arrive in NY you will go through immigration. Once you land in NY you will have to go through Customs and Immigration. You will have to collect your bag after immigration and before customs. After customs there is usually a carousel (every time I've done it there has been) you can re-drop your bag to have it continue on to Atlanta as checked baggage IF you have booked it all as a thru-flight and not separate flights (your bag ticket will say Atlanta on it).

With that said, you can pack a canister stove (no fuel), a knife, your hiking poles, tent pegs etc in your checked bag coming to the US from the UK. Same with going back. I have done both directions with everything mentioned but hiking poles. (Travel a lot to the UK as my family are there).

[jjozgrunt]

Flew from Australia to LA to Atlanta this year and will be back except to Asheville next year. Stove, no fuel, pocket knives, poles etc all in checked luggage and it was no problems. Everything with a lithium battery in your carry on.

[fiddlehead]

Careful with that penknife.
I flew all around Europe and they always let me have my small Swiss Army knife in my carry-on.
Then I flew around Asia and they took it from me.
Not sure about USA but I would think they are as strict as (almost) anyone. (Israel wins that award)
I would put anything you are not sure about (except batteries and electronic gadgets) in your check-in.
I had some Christmas presents coming back to Asia last month and they said I could carry-on as many as I liked but couldn't put any electronic gadgets in my check-in.
I had one battery that I had forgotten about in there, and they took it.
Had 2 Ipads, a laptop and 2 phones, all in checkin bag: no problem
I don't use trekking poles so, not sure about them, but I don't see why they wouldn't let you check-em.
They gotta be smaller than my guitar, so size shouldn't be a problem.