Flying with your gear - carry on?

[l84toff]

Wondering if there are any issues with bringing your gear as carry on luggage? With obvious exceptions to fuel and liquids and all that stuff. Just concerned about some of the hardware, we're bringing hammocks (so straps & carabiners), tarps (Dutch Stingerz are the only hardware along with all the lines), Phoenix under quilt, alcohol stove, GSI cook set, everything else is clothes so that should be fine (not bringing a knife or any other prohibited items that I can think of).

Taking my ULA Cicuit (with hardware removed), size wise it fits well within UA specs for carry on luggage so my main concern is with all the camping gear. Just don't want there to be a problem because my hammock has 28' of strapping and a carabiner attached.

Thanks & Happy New Year.

[Rasty]

Hiking Poles? You may be better off checking in the bag inside a cheap duffle bag or cardboard box. TSA is inconsistent and anything could be a problem for one of them.

[Odd Man Out]

Only one book of matches allowed in your carry-on. None allowed in checked luggage, so if you check the bags, ditch the matches.

[joshuasdad]

I have heard that some stoves are scrutinized pretty heavily, to make sure that there is no residual fuel. I would not think that an alcohol fueled stove would present an issue. Hiking poles kept me from traveling carry-on last flight. I have heard that some hikers get those through, but I disassembled mine, and saw that there are sharp screws in my Lekis. As I have had a cheese (dull) knife and 1/2" spiked cheese holder intended for Christmas gifts removed from my luggage, I'm pretty sure that a 1.5" spike (screw) on the end of a pole would not be viewed favorably.

[l84toff]

Not bringing hiking poles. Really want to avoid checking our bags, we have 2 lay overs each way and I really really like flying with only carry on, makes things such a breeze (I typically don't fly with camping gear however). Shipping our stuff over is a little to pricey, I would check it before doing this. I don't think there is going to be a problem, but what you said is what I'm concerned about most. Having just one of them say that the straps from my hammock are dangerous so you can't bring it on board.

[Rasty]

Not bringing hiking poles. Really want to avoid checking our bags, we have 2 lay overs each way and I really really like flying with only carry on, makes things such a breeze (I typically don't fly with camping gear however). Shipping our stuff over is a little to pricey, I would check it before doing this. I don't think there is going to be a problem, but what you said is what I'm concerned about most. Having just one of them say that the straps from my hammock are dangerous so you can't bring it on board.

Just be prepared to check it in if a TSA agent gets stupid. Have a cheap duffle bag on hand just in case. You can't disagree with them because you will miss your flight.

[l84toff]

Just be prepared to check it in if a TSA agent gets stupid. Have a cheap duffle bag on hand just in case. You can't disagree with them because you will miss your flight.

Good point. I'll leave a duffle bag in the car just in case.

[maybe clem]

TSA: Thieves Stealing Anonymously.

I ship everything ahead of time and just take a carry-on for the flight. You can usually buy fuel etc. at an outfitters at your destination.

[Don H]

So you're flying to Atlanta and then going to Springer?
Survivor Dave does shuttles and he will accept your UPS shipped pack and bring it to you.

[Cookerhiker]

I have heard that some stoves are scrutinized pretty heavily, to make sure that there is no residual fuel. I would not think that an alcohol fueled stove would present an issue.... .

I experienced this first-hand years ago (pre-9/11) when officials at the Denver airport wouldn't let me bring my white gas-burning portable stove even though I had not only emptied it, but had set it out in the sun to evaporate all the fumes. They admitted they couldn't detect any odor but still said rules were rules. Fortunately I was able to find a store in the airport who could ground-ship it home.

As to alcohol, this very subject has come up a few times in the past on WB but it's been several years and I didn't bother to search the threads. I thought alcohol stoves were also prohibited but maybe it was just the alcohol itself. Anyway, canister stoves are OK per the DHS and FDA rules.

What was interesting was that other airports didn't say anything about checking a backpack but Denver is accustomed to backpackers coming and going so they thought to ask about the stove.

[The Snowman]

The worry is more that TSA may demand to hand inspect you pack costing you to miss the flight. I would get to the airport as early as you can just to be safe.

[G-FOURce]

i, too, would suggest shipping the items in advance of the trip.

[Slo-go'en]

i, too, would suggest shipping the items in advance of the trip.

I would normally suggest that also, but the OP is coming from Canada and shipping to the US can be expensive. UPS and the like charge a "broker" fee to take stuff over the boarder. However, depending on how close to the boarder the OP lives, it might be worth a day trip to the US to ship the pack.

[Odd Man Out]

As to alcohol, this very subject has come up a few times in the past on WB but it's been several years and I didn't bother to search the threads. I thought alcohol stoves were also prohibited but maybe it was just the alcohol itself. Anyway, canister stoves are OK per the DHS and FDA rules.

This might be an advantage of a Supercat stove. It isn't so much a stove as it is an empty can of cat food with some holes punched in it. Also, it's trivial to clean out any residual fuel.

[Maddoxsjohnston]

When I went hiking in Montana over the summer I mailed my knife, lighter and fuel to the lodge I was staying at. Nobody had a problem with it.

[Papa D]

You know what I've done (Alaska, Utah, California, and Canada) - - just boxes up my gear sent it to a hotel (1x), friend (1x) and once to a mailbox place (2 or 3x). To ship my pack and (one time climbing gear) is pricy $60 - $80 each way but sometimes checking bags is not free and it's so cool to just waltz onto the plane with a little sil-nylon carry on pack that I can stuff in my pocket, waltz out of the airport and pick up my gear without any hassle - - you know the airline isn't going to loose it, shake you down, and so forth - - really a nice alternative that you might consider.

[BrianLe]

For flying within the same country, I too like to ship most of my stuff ahead. On the AT I found it very comforting to get an email from the hostel telling me my box had arrived before I left home.
Do note, however, that if you're a young male with a one-way ticket and no luggage, you probably stand a better chance of getting some scrutiny at the security checkpoint!

One nice thing, I think, about finishing on the early side (July) was that the final hostel in Maine still had some SOBO "use and then leave" duffels. The fellow running the hostel kindly gave me one of those to use for my flight back home.

For flying overseas, either a cheap disposable duffel, or a lightweight duffel meant to be carried in the pack (Osprey makes something like that), or wrapping in plastic is an option depending on how you do it. On a bus last year, however, I was told that I had to remove the pack from a protective contractor bag, bus driver claimed some sort of regulation or other. And then of course he jerk-lifted the pack by one shoulder strap ... You can't always win on these things.

[QiWiz]

I take everything the TSA allows me too as carry-on luggage. In worst case scenario, at least you have what is in your carry-on to hike with. Other items (eg., hiking poles, blade, liquids like olive oil, Esbit tabs double bagged) I either ship ahead and pick up at my destination OR check as checked luggage. I have often carried-on alcohol stoves (eg. Caldera Cone with stove and cookpot) and never had a challenge on them (so far, knock on wood).

[VTATHiker]

Just fyi, I flew home last week with my pack as a carry on with the trek poles strapped to the sides (tips were inserted in the side pockets of the pack with poles held down by the side compression straps). If the TSA has a problem with hiking poles then I suppose they just missed mine. However, they were so blatantly visible that I'm guessing trek poles are just fine to carry on - spiky screws or not. That said, the TSA is so inconsistent I wouldn't be surprised if they call me out on them next time.

[The Solemates]

i flew into denver a couple years ago with a 3" spyderco serrated camping knife in my carry on. i forgot i had it in there and didnt find it til I arrived at my destination. i could have been carted off to jail and i wouldnt knowingly take a chance, but that shows you how hit or miss it is.