View Full Version : Flying with gear... specific questions
In another month, I will be flying from Memphis, TN to Seattle, WA, via Delta Airlines. I will be meeting up with a few friends for a week long hike in the Olympics! Anyway, neither flights are one-way trips, and for this reason, I am choosing not to check a bag. (Personal preference.) Instead, I will be mailing some items ahead (likely via USPS), and carrying the rest as carry-on.
I am trying to keep the amount of shipped items down simply to help keep cost down somewhat. At the moment, I have a 12 x 12 x 15 "Regional Flat Rate Box C" that I am working with (although, final size will be determined when I have everything together). The price to mail this will be $47, plus I have to mail my trekking poles in a separate tube, so I am thinking around $65 total. The nice thing though is when I send it back, I can use a smaller box since food is taking up the most room...
So, I just want to lay out my thought process on some items, and see what everyone thinks... I have never flown with gear, so this will be a first, and I spent way too much on it to have to throw it away at some airport check, so would rather ship it to be safe...
Also, here is a link to my complete gear list, although, it may change a bit before heading out, but I plan to mail the items in another 2 weeks, so it won't change much. The items that are highlighted gray in the "Item" column are the items I am debating mailing...
ONP Hike Gear List (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Aqh886ycFM9kdEl0dWp2WkpRM0l2Tjl2SXh6U3hLd 2c#gid=11)
1. Stakes: This is a no-brainer. I will mail these in the stuff sack to keep them organized.
2. Kitchen Gear: I am up in the air about which fuel source I want to go with, and even a bit with which cook kit I want to bring. I will carry either the 0.9L Evernew cook pot w/ the TD Sidewinder cone, or my LiteTrail 550 Solid Fuel Cook kit.
A) Cook Kit: I will mail it since I am afraid that they may detect fuel residue on the entire system. However, has anyone actually had issues with this? Particularly the cook pot & windscreen. I would ship the stove no doubt, but I am up in the air about the pot and screen...
B) Spoon: It is titanium, and I am afraid they may think it is a weapon, especially since it is a long handle spoon...
C) Mug: It is also ti, and I have cooked in it over both Esbit & Alcohol, so the fuel residue thing...
D) MiniBic: I think that it is ok to travel with up to 2 lighters (?) but I figure it will be easier to keep up with it by packing it in its normal place.
E) Fuel: This is another no brainer... I just need to decide between Esbit or alcohol (or even supplement with wood...)
3. Trekking Poles: If I am not mistaking, they (TSA) recently ruled against carrying trekking/hiking poles on board?
4. Easton NanoLite Poles: These are part of a tripod system I am trying out. There are 4 separate 13" poles. It will be easy to leave them in the cuben stuff sack and just stuff them in the tube with my trekking poles.
5. 20 oz Gatorade Bottles: My water carrying method is to carry two 20 oz Gatorade bottles, one on each strap. I am up in the air with this one. I can likely just grab 2 of these once I arrive over there... but then again, I like the idea of getting there and knowing I have everything already to go...
6. Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter: This is something I just thought about... I have seen one article where some agents thought that a water filter was a pipe bomb! So, I am not sure about this one... Has anyone been given any grief for flying with a Squeeze Water Filter (used before of course)?
7. Wet Wipes: I dunno... what do you think?
8. Ditty Bag: There are a lot of items in here that may be questionable... pills, liquids, fire starters, knives, etc... I will just leave it all packed together and ship it as is.
9. Camera Tripod: This is a beta thing... It may make it through, but just to be safe, I will throw it in my shipping box...
10. Food: I am not sure what sort of food is allowed on, but due to the bulk anyway, I will just mail it so I can be sure to keep my carry on small. Food items will include Hawk Vittles meals, candy bars, fruit chews, Larabars, Fuel bars, 3-in-1 Instant coffees, Emergen-C, crackers, etc... Also, as I mentioned earlier, this is the bulk of my mailed items, so on the return flight, I can use a smaller box since I won't be mailing food home...
So, these are a few things that I can think of. As I said, I am just curious if anyone has any suggestions (not so much on the actual gear list, but instead the flying vs shipping thing...)
Also, I will need to carry a phone charger, so I can recharge my phone at the hotel the night before my flight back. I am thinking about just throwing it in my mailing box, but not sure. Has anyone had any issues with phone charger wires/cords with carry on?
Thanks everyone for your help.
Just Bill
07-25-2013, 23:01
Hey Stick- Go with three mailboxes: one tube with the poles, stakes, whatever else you can cram in there to save space. Use a traditional box for the rest of your stuff, but send it ORMD and talk to the post office to give them the heads up there is camping gear inside. ORMD (the label you need to ship fuels) means ground only- so it could take a while for your stuff to travel- try to give it three-weeks. Third box depends on the USPS and your choice of fuel. Esbit, as long as you have the ORMD label should be no problem in your main box (no third box). Alcohol- check with them to verify- but do you really want to ship liquid fuel coast to coast via ground mail? I'm guessing you'll have the same problem in Olympic that I just had in your neck of the woods- too damp and rainy to use wood without a half hour of choppin and fiddling to find dry wood. Bring enough fuel to do the trip. Try the wet wipes, but be prepared to pick some up just in case. You can bring them in a diaper bag, but a scruffy hillrod like you solo...unless you dress your food bag up like a baby you're probably out of luck. Same on the Gatorade bottles- even if you put formula in there for your baby you're limited to 8(?)ounces for domestic flights. You could probably carry them empty with no issues. Probably safest to plan a drug store trip when you land- grab your a$$ napkins, Gatorade bottles, lighters, and pick up the Alcohol if your going that route. There will probably be something- might as well just plan a stop and save some headaches. If you get jammed on space- you can carry all the DRY food you want onboard with you. No complaints regarding charger cords on flights, if they banned those there would be a riot. Get to the post office sooner than later if you do ship fuel, try to get it out asap just in case some over-eager X-ray tech decides your pots, cups, and sacks full of odds and ends are suspicious looking. Write camping gear on the box. Overcautious- yes- getting there and having no gear- not worth it. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK on that blog and enjoy your trip.
Just Bill
07-25-2013, 23:04
You know what- if you're at the post office- bring your poles- diagonal across the bottom of ta bigger box and cramming everything into one box is probably cheaper. They charge extra for odd shaped items. Just got up from the 'puter and noticed the size of the last amazon box I got.
Leanthree
07-25-2013, 23:41
Wet wipes should be fine. If you had a kid in diapers they would let you in with them every time. If they say you can't have them, i'd bring this up.
Just drink the gatorade out of the bottles before going through security. You are allowed to have empty liquid containers.
Slo-go'en
07-26-2013, 01:09
Since your going to mail stuff, mail everything you don't absolutely need to have on you on the plane. Which is pretty much everything except maybe a change of clothes and your phone.
Buy the food when you get there. I'm sure there are good supermarkets in Seattle!
Buy what ever fuel you need when you get there. You can't mail it (except for the esbits) or take it on the plane.
Hill Ape
07-26-2013, 01:09
i'm an aircraft mechanic for delta in atlanta, i no longer toss bags, but i served my time. honestly, just check your bag. put your whole pack into a laundry bag or something just to protect it from snags and tears. no reason to mail your gear. even with a transfer in atlanta. seriously. if you're using an alcohol stove, just get some heet in seattle, its not hard to find.
but to answer your questions about carry on items.
your fuel, poles, knife, bleach, and fire starters wont carry on. basically anything flammable or sharp. nothing else is an issue at all. your real issue is security will hand check you, that will take time. nothing on your list is a suspicious red flag, we see outdoor gear everyday. but unpacking your bag at a table is a hassle.
i really do think you're over thinking this. check the bag.
http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information
I had to double...uh, triple...check to see if this was in the humor forum. It's funny because the TSA can be stupid and inconsistent enough to validate these concerns.
I'll mostly restrict my comments to the filter. I assume you used it. Do cargo holds still get super cold during flights? USPS may fly it too. That could be enough to cause freeze damage. I'd carry it on even with the TSA risk. If it gets confiscated, I suppose you could buy one at the Walmart when you get to your destination.
As Hill Ape mentioned, it could be a real hassle if your carry on pack is inspected with all its contents.
Hill Ape
07-26-2013, 04:26
a sawyer squeeze filter does not resemble a pipe bomb. some filters do, especially in an xray. last year a couple were buried down in peoples bag, not the place to put a questionable item. be proactive, engage the agent. don't surprise them with anything. take any questionable item out of your pack before you get to security, put it in a grocery bag and send it through the xray seperately. clearly state that it is a water filter. don't say the word bomb for any reason, if you do, you wont make your backpacking trip, promise you. they won't question your baby wipes, but if they do, don't be cute and say something about a baby, unless you have a baby with you. just explain what the item is. be honest, direct, and matter of fact.
personally i think the tsa has a thankless task that has become politicized through no fault of the agent standing in front of you, they are just trying to do their job. they want to move people through the line as efficiently as possible. help them out.
personally i think the tsa has a thankless task that has become politicized through no fault of the agent standing in front of you, they are just trying to do their job. they want to move people through the line as efficiently as possible. help them out.
It gets a lot of bad press because there are bad TSA agents on the front lines. It's absolutely their fault that they don't know the rules and make bad judgement calls. It's not solely their fault though. A big part of it is due to an agency that was created and grew too big too quickly. They could've looked right at our own military history for a government example of the breakdowns in training and discipline that happen when an organization changes size quickly.
The mistakes of the TSA always make the citizen the loser. You might win in the end, but you're going to lose until then. Winning doesn't take back a lost flight, being physically violated, the mental anguish...and it can get much worse than that. While standing up for your rights is a good thing, doing it in an airport is a very tough thing to do, even inadvisable. So if you want to make it through airport security without a problem, you take all sorts of precautions to prevent problems due to very bad TSA agents.
I'd also do like STICK and mail ahead a lot of things to avoid issues with TSA. That's if I fly again. I haven't flown since 9/11. It's all been long car trips since then.
Slo-go'en
07-26-2013, 09:09
Or you might try UPS ground. I shipped my whole pack to Florida for about $25.00 a few years ago. Just be sure to ship about 10 days before you leave. Shipping ahead saves time, trouble and the possible loss of equipment.
Odd Man Out
07-26-2013, 09:50
I'm wondering if some of the concerns about airport security are a bit like bear stories. We hear, third hand, unsubstantiated stories about bear attacks and because they support our preexisting fears, we become paranoid about bears to the point where our fears are out of proportion with the danger. I'm not talking about things that are clearly forbidden that people try to sneak through (sharps, flammables, liquids, weapons, trekking poles), but other things. Because people "know" that TSA screeners are evil and incompetent, when we hear horror stories they assume they are both true and common. Is it possible our fears are out of proportion to reality, as is often the case with bears?
FWIW, I have had one thing confiscated from my carry-on luggage at a TSA checkpoint and I never did check to see if that was my mistake or the TSA agent's. That was a small spray tube (not pressurized) of insect repellent. It was within the limits of allowed liquids and in my quart zip lock bag. But the agent said insect repellents, even within the liquid guidelines were not allowed. This was two years ago.
Hill Ape has good advice here. I've flown Southwest Air twice and checked my hiking gear both times with no problems... on hiking poles, I collapse them and stow them inside my backpack, and place the pack inside an inexpensive laundry bag and check it. Never try to fly with a fuel canister, just pick one up at destination or ship it separately. My only concern on a flight to Albany, NY is whether a 45 minute layover at BWI will be enough time for my checked laundry bag w/hiking gear to get transferred to the next flight.
You didn't have to do the fwiw, so thanks for that. It's an example of what I was saying earlier. Right or wrong, you still lose when a TSA agent has a problem with something you're carrying.
Shipping your stuff ahead is insurance that you'll keep your belongings. It's like renters insurance and full coverage auto insurance. Chances are nothing will happen, but many people will happily pay for it for the peace of mind that comes with knowing their belongings will be taken care of. When going to an unfamiliar place that might make replacing confiscated items a big challenge, that insurance can be quite a deal.
Another Kevin
07-26-2013, 10:51
Hill Ape has good advice here. I've flown Southwest Air twice and checked my hiking gear both times with no problems... on hiking poles, I collapse them and stow them inside my backpack, and place the pack inside an inexpensive laundry bag and check it. Never try to fly with a fuel canister, just pick one up at destination or ship it separately. My only concern on a flight to Albany, NY is whether a 45 minute layover at BWI will be enough time for my checked laundry bag w/hiking gear to get transferred to the next flight.
Tried to PM you but your mailbox is full. I live 15 min from ALB airport, and 5 min from an EMS. If your pack goes astray, give me a call (PM for the number) and maybe I can play trail angel. Where you heading? 'Daks? Cats? Taconics? We have lots of hiking around here.
I carry on poles no problem. Broke down in my pack in 3 pieces. If they ask just say you need them to walk. If you can't carry on pack, you got too much pack.
Just Bill
07-26-2013, 16:44
Just an FYI for everyone- When you ship ORMD with USPS it means that your package WILL NOT go on a plane. It means you are shipping something only transportable by ground. (Fuel is the only item that affects us) It takes a bit longer, but I noticed a few folks mentioned freezing concerns with their Sawyer. Non-issue- during seasonally appropriate months. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ORM-D
Hill Ape
07-26-2013, 19:51
re temps. outside air temps drop down to around 40-50* below 0* F at cruising altitude, season has little effect on that. one cargo hold at least is temperature controlled, that is where live animals are transported. other cargo holds are not temperature controlled, but the aircraft is heavily insulated, temps do drop below freezing. it is possible to get your luggage tagged to be placed in the climate controlled hold. speak to a ticketing agent, some amount of social grace greater than what i possess may be called for.
Kevin, thanks for the offer. PM sent. I'm hiking the LT nobo E2E, starting first week of Sept.
mainebob
07-26-2013, 20:34
Stick, my daughter and I flew to Georgia to start our thru hike attemp we checked our bags that I put in a duffle bag and that worked ok e were able to give the duffle bag to the hostel that picked us up. But when we had to fly home (unplanned) from New York, I ended up taking out our fuel (alcohol) our food, power aid bottles we used for water bottles (taking our trekking poles apart and putting them in our pack with our tent poles and everything else we had into the main compartment of our pack. I then connected and tightened all the straps and tied up any loose ends. The bags came thru no problem. If flew again I would do the same thing and get food, heet and power aid bottles when I got to my destination. Kaboose
http://www.youtube.com/user/mainebob6363/videos
I have flown with gear many times, only once did I have my gear lost and that was in Fairbanks thanks to Alaska Air.
I just got home from Denver via Southwest Air with no problems, shipped all my gear, except fuel.
I'd fly with the gear, after all you're paying for it as part of your ticket price.
Some tips;
No lighters in checked baggage
Knives go in checked baggage
No liquid fuels at all
I put my pack in a duffle bag then after arrival I ship the duffle forward in a USPS Priority Box so I have it for the trip home. I have seen lots of people use laundry bags though.
Either use a sleeping pad or cardboard to protect your poles.
Use a TSA approved lock to keep the gremlins out of your gear.
When I hiked the Grand Canyon in May/June, I shipped my food and stove ahead because I was unsure how the TSA would look at those items. I shipped in a priority mail flat rate large box to a General Delivery address and had no issues at all.
I carried on a small bag with my camera, extra lithium batteries, my lighters, and hand sanitizer. From what I have read, checked luggage cannot contain lithium batteries, lighters, or hand sanitizer. The hand sanitizer is permitted as a carry on as long as the container is under three ounces.
I know that you don't want to check a bag but in case you change your mind, I found that using a XL REI duffel bag worked out very well. I put my unpacked backpack into the duffel and loosely placed the rest of my gear around it. That way, the TSA wouldn't be rummaging through a tightly packed backpack if they inspected the bag. Turned out that they did not inspect the bag at all. I flew directly to Vegas for the trip so there was no large risk of a misplaced bag.
I plan to use the same approach next month for the John Muir Trail trip. However, my flight does have a connection so I am somewhat worried about a lost bag. But since I have two days in the Bay Area before I leave for Yosemite, I figure that I would get my bag back well before the trip if it is indeed misplaced. You are playing the odds with the odds really in your favor. Misplaced baggage is pretty rare and other risks to the trip could be a lot higher.
As for 20 ounce Gatorade bottles, these are really everywhere - every gas station convenience store, supermarket, or Wal Mart has them.
I would mail or UPS ship your sharps (knife, spork, cathole trowel if metal, tent stakes, trekking poles, etc.), and solid fuel (if any). Buy liquid fuel (if any) at your destination. Everything else I would put in your pack as carry-on luggage, unless it's too much or too big to put in the overhead bin. I have done this many times with no problems. I really wish TSA had gone ahead with their plan to allow small knives and trekking poles. Oh well . . . .
snowblind
07-28-2013, 23:04
I have flown 3 times, on United and AA, with full 50-70L backpacks checked(REI Flash 50, Osprey Aether 70). The only item NOT in the checked bag, was my cannister of fuel. Yes, trekking poles, tent and poles, boots, etc... As long as EVERYTHING is IN the pack, nothing on the exterior of the pack itself, it's nicely contained. I also use an Osprey travel pack cover, which has a few marks of abuse, but is holding up well.
Have had NO problems as of yet. About to head to Colorado for 2 1/2 weeks, and will fly back to TX from there. Rinse, wash, repeat.
StealthHikerBoy
07-29-2013, 08:03
I think you might be over-thinking it. I have gone out west for hiking trips many times, and I find that checking the bag is much more convenient and less expensive than mailing it ahead. Do airlines lose bags? Of course, but in 25+ years of flying, covering many hundreds of flights, it has happened exactly one time to me, and the bags ended up at my hotel 3 hours later.
I just check the hiking stuff, have a carry on for some basics, and make a quick trip to REI and and grocery store for fuel and food once I land.