Pack Covers for Airline Travel

[Lead Dog]

I'm looking at the Osprey LZ luggage cover to throw my pack in for airline travel and want to know if it's sturdy enough? Some reviews say busts out in two trips. Any other varieties to check out?:-?

[wcgornto]

I'm looking at the Osprey LZ luggage cover to throw my pack in for airline travel and want to know if it's sturdy enough? Some reviews say busts out in two trips. Any other varieties to check out?:-?


Large Walmart Duffle Bag.

[makoboy]

I use an olive drab Army Surplus type duffle when i fly with my pack.

[OldStormcrow]

Get the cheapest thing you can get away with. The whole idea is that they are basically disposable. If your pack is lost or stolen (and is insured at the ticket desk), only what is inside of the cover will be replaced, not the cover itself.

[Jeff]

I also use a "disposable" army duffle bag. Check eBay...lots for sale at really bargin prices.

[garlic08]

I used an extra cloth storage bag for a sleeping bag.

[Mrs Baggins]

Yep, if you really want to fly with your pack get a duffel to put it in and lock the duffel. We've done it both ways - wrapped the packs in the airlines plastic and put them in duffles. In the plastic my husband's pack showed up in New Zealand 4 DAYS later and minus a brand new sleeping bag. The airline (United) said it was our fault for having it attached to the outside of the pack - the fact that the WHOLE pack was wrapped and sealed in plastic was irrelevant to them. When we went to So. America we bought two big duffles and zipped our packs inside and put TSA locks on them. They arrived just fine. Now, hubby is going to hike in the Trinity Alps in a couple of weeks and rather than take his pack as checked luggage, and risk what happened on the way to NZ, we paid UPS $119 to ship his pack to California - that included all of the packing materials and $1250 in insurance for the contents. And we'll use UPS to ship it back here.

[ChinMusic]

Get the cheapest thing you can get away with. The whole idea is that they are basically disposable. If your pack is lost or stolen (and is insured at the ticket desk), only what is inside of the cover will be replaced, not the cover itself.
VERY interesting point. One I had not considered.

Make the duffel the cover.

[Toolumpy]

i used the osprey and thought it was great

[mooseboy]

Thanks for the advice! I may fly with my pack later this year, and have figured a simple duffel was the best protection... I've read too many horror stories about packs sent naked through the Airline Luggage Meatgrinder.

[snowhoe]

Let me tell you how redneck I am. I put my pack in the HUGE plastic bags that you get at the airport for putting kids car seats in and when I got it in nashville I used that plastic bag as my pack cover in smnp, it worked great.

[Mrs Baggins]

Let me tell you how redneck I am. I put my pack in the HUGE plastic bags that you get at the airport for putting those things in and when I got it in nashville I used that plastic bag as my pack cover in smnp, it worked great.

Yeah, that's the plastic bag we put our packs in to go to New Zealand. Hubby's pack showed up 4 days later minus the brand new sleeping bag that was strapped to the bottom of the pack (external frame pack). When we tried to claim the loss United's response was "you shouldn't have put the sleeping bag on the outside of the pack". It was an external frame pack wrapped in THEIR plastic bag but they would NOT pay for the loss.And the bag was GONE when the pack showed up in NZ We had to buy another sleeping bag at our expense in Auckland.

[Seeker]

another vote for an army duffle bag...

[boarstone]

I'm UPS'ing mine to Asheville NC for the same price as I'd have to pay to check it on the plane...this way I know it will get there and I can insure it and be sure if lost I can claim it.