Bringin hiking and camping equipment into the US

[Gorgiewave]

Hi ladies and gentlemen,

I live in Spain and I am planning a hike on the AT next spring.

I was wondering if anybody here has experience of what, if any, hiking or camping equipment cannot be taken into the US (I would be flying to New York). Things like a knife, pressurised fuel, waterproof matches...would I end up like Tom Hanks or in prison?

I'd prefer to buy as much as possible before travelling, to familiarise myself with how it works, but not if I'm going to be interrogated by a bovine official.

[Llama Legs]

Anything you can have in airline luggage should be OK except knives in NYC. My recommendation would be to plan on buying your fuel and knife in the US at the outfitter.

[English Stu]

Gorgiewave.
I am from the UK. Quite rightly no knife,fuel,matches or stove will get through -probably would be stopped at your end in Spain. And yes you will be asked questions.The US officials are the most thorough I have met. I have been through with a clean wood stove one of its advantages. Get used to making and using a pop can stove most thru hikers use them.Then make one when you get there and buy the fuel and tinfoil to make windscreen.

[GoldenBear]

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

If it's sharp, you'll have to pack it.
If it burns, you can't carry it on a plane.
Note that many stoves, once used, maintain the odor of flammable fuel, and will thus be confiscated. Don't presume you can pack a stove with no fuel in your luggage.
The only exception is matches; you can carry ONE PACK on-board, but none can be in checked baggage.
Be careful: one time I lost my pack of matches because I forgot they were in my jacket, which I threw in some luggage that got checked at the last second (long story).

You'll probably have to buy or make a stove once you're on this side of the Atlantic. If you buy one, you'll either have to leave it here or ship it back home.

If you're going to be hiking alone, consider making a pop-can stove or a cat stove once your arrive, and then purchase denatured alcohol for fuel at any hardware store. Sell or give away that fuel as you hike, and you'll make a lot of friends.

[Don H]

Some shuttlers carry alcohol and/or white gas. Survivor Dave who shuttles to Springer carries fuel and will fill up your fuel bottle for no charge.

If you're using fuel canisters then they can be purchased here before you start and along the trail on your way.

[theoilman]

This is news to me about the knife. I thought it was OK to carry a knife in checked luggage.

[singing wind]

Hi,
Whenever I fly into the United States I put my pocketknife and anything sharp or restricted, including nail clippers, hiking poles, etc. in my luggage. The last time I carried a stove (2010), an alcohol version, I did the same and it was ok. I've heard it depends on who inspects your baggage.

As previous posters have mentioned, you can get fuel after you arrive and it would be rather easy to make a stove as well, especially cat can variety used by Andrew Skurka (directions are on his web site) - 1 can + 1 hand held hole punch + some aluminum foil for a screen and you're good to go.

Good luck with your hike!

[theinfamousj]

This is news to me about the knife. I thought it was OK to carry a knife in checked luggage.

It is. I fly in and out of the US with a knife in checked luggage all the time.

[Gorgiewave]

Thanks for all the replies.

I hadn't thought of the possibility of making my own stove - I'll look into that.

[English Stu]

To be clear I would check the baggage regulations for the airline you will be using.

[MuddyWaters]

you may also ship items to a post office, to general delivery and then pick them up when you arrive.

Sometimes they go thru checked luggage. Customs went thru my wifes and took her pre-natal vitamins and medications once. Found out when we arrived at destination, they were gone.

[OzJacko]

I'm a bit concerned as well about the stove.
I will be travelling with my Evernew titanium stove (empty) and Caldera Cone TiTri setup.
I had planned on buying fuel bottle and fuel in Atlanta.
Only carrying small Victrinox and Leatherman (there are 2 of us) but all of this in general luggage not cabin.
Cabin luggage will probably be just a change of underwear (been caught with delayed luggage before) and electronic stuff like kindle and phone.
If there's no fuel how likely are they to want to take my Evernew??

[turtle fast]

Then New York to Atlanta? May be easier and cheaper to fly to Miami from Madrid then Atlanta, direct flights to Atlanta are on Delta Airlines but can be expensive. The stove and fuel you need to buy in the USA as the airlines will not let you fly with these. Many international hikers buy online and have it shipped in the US to where they are staying before going on the trail like the A.T. Hikers Hostel in Dahlonega, Georgia that have a hiker special where they pick you up in Atlanta, get a place to stay, and take you to the trail the next day. (See www.hikerhostel.com) The hostel sells alcohol and whitegas fuel for the stoves. If you wanted to look and feel the stoves, a REI (Recreational Equipment Incorporated) store is near the pick up spot in North Atlanta so you can purchase one there too in person if you wanted. In fact, I know of some International hikers that almost completely outfitted themselves that way with tents, pack, and cookware.

[Gorgiewave]

Thanks for that. I'll only be walking for about three weeks. The idea is to fly to NYC, spend a few days there, then a bus to Delaware Water Gap, then walk to Pittsfield MA, visit Boston, bus to NYC and "home" (though I'm from Scotland really).
I'd like to buy as much as possible before getting to the US to familiarise myself with how it works (I've onlu ever done day and weekend hiking in Scotland / Spain).

[theinfamousj]

Another thought that occurs to me is that you, OP, still have "slow boat" as an option for shipping things. We here in the US don't through our regular mail system. Freight/slow boat shipping typically has laxer standards for what minute traces of fuel might be present on a stove - heck people ship cars that way all the time. Perhaps budgeting in the extra time away from your gear, you could send it that way. Then, if the worst possible thing happens and you arrive across the pond without your gear, you could make a super cat stove. Maybe I've been lucky, but I've always received everything I've mailed to myself standard slow boat from Europe. And usually in less time than they estimated. It is when you add thing like signature for delivery that delivery itself gets wonky.

[chiefiepoo]

think carefully about food items you might be bringing in. meat products like sausage, bacon , jerky are subject to some restrictions. same with some dairy products like cheese and some fruit items. I once carried a half ham and cheese sandwich off of an international flight and wound up going through an additional inspection where my half eaten sandwich was declared contraband and siezed. basically had to throw it in their trash can before passing on. also you will probably be asked if you have been to any agricultural areas. if so, you will have to submit to having your shoes / boots disinfected.

[turtle fast]

Ok, claro...I see what you are doing now. I would still buy my stove online from a US supplier and have it shipped to your hotel or wherever you are staying. Just remember to ask your hotel about getting a package or if they accept them for guests (most will). Fuel obviously will depend on your stove type, but most outfitters and hostels along the trail sell White gas and alcohol fuel. Buena suerte!

[Gorgiewave]

Ok, claro...I see what you are doing now. I would still buy my stove online from a US supplier and have it shipped to your hotel or wherever you are staying. Just remember to ask your hotel about getting a package or if they accept them for guests (most will). Fuel obviously will depend on your stove type, but most outfitters and hostels along the trail sell White gas and alcohol fuel. Buena suerte!

Are stoves usually simple to use? If they are, I might just buy it in NYC.

[GoldenBear]

> Are stoves usually simple to use?

Depends on the stove.
A cat stove you make by yourself, in fifteen minutes, at a cost of less than two dollars (including the cost of the paper punch, that you can then use to make 100 more such stoves), is pretty simple. You pour the denatured alcohol (obtainable at any hardware store or along the trail) into the can and light a match. After the alcohol ignites, you place the pot on the fire. Pretty simple. Pop can stores take a little longer to make, but are about the same as far as simplicity of usage.

The only other stove I've used is a kerosene stove, which is about the most difficult to use.

[theinfamousj]

Are stoves usually simple to use? If they are, I might just buy it in NYC.

Canister gas stoves are pretty easy to use as well. They work just like you natural gas powered burners at home. The only potential difficulty would come with screwing the canister on to the stove, but if you can put a screw cap on a bottle, then I think you are okay. :)

[Theosus]

Knives will go in checked luggage. You can't ship pressurized fuel or flammable liquids (even 150 proof liquor!) on a plane. Just buy it once you're in the states. You could airmail some of your stuff instead of checking it as luggage, it might be even cheaper with less scrutiny.

[turtle fast]

Overall, the stoves do not require much skill...just some reading of instructions. Alcohol stoves are quite popular on the AT and are easy to use. Just remember that white gas and alcohol can a lot of times be purchased at the hostels and outfitters, while canisters are harder come by without planning where you can buy them.