TSA carry on and checkins

Sorry folks! Wrong category, should be in general light backpacking section. Mods, feel free to move.

Stakes and poles are fine – no easy resale value. The stove, if totally devoid of fuel and fuel odor is fine, too. The burner for a butane/propane canister? Fine. A well-aired-out (leave it out of a windy, sunny day) alcohol burner? Fine. Anything with a white-gas fuel tank? You're taking a chance they'll remove it.

From a theft persepctive, brand new camera gear can get snagged by TSA/airline employees. That has incresed since both groups are involved, they point fingers at the other. But a friend I trust who is a VERY serious photographer (his cameras costs more than my cars) has had things stolen from checked bags. But they knew what they were doing and took only the newest, most fenceable items.

But backpacking gear with no fuel odor? Just pack it well. Pad it will bubble wrap or newspaper – you can toss that on the other end. Also consider putting it all in a cardboard box (length + width + thickness under 62 inches or there's an oversize charge) or in a duffle bag you bought at a thrift store to protect the straps and thinner UL material. Or ask them for a plastic bag around it. Sometimes they have those, sometimes they don't. Once you score one, keep using it. Stash it at the trailhead or under a bush at an airport hotel for your return trip. A trash-compactor liner bag is good if you've got a smaller pack but they have clear ones so it is less likely to get opened for inspection.

Have a cell phone with camera? Take pictures of all your luggage. "I'm sorry, sir, your bags were delayed, what did it look like?" Me: "Exactly like this photo." And/or I can text the photo to a friend or family member as to what bag to snag at baggage claim. I take photos of the kids for similar reasons (grin).

Many locations have options to ship gear instead using a shipping company instead of the airline, you might look into that ( http://www.seatguru.com/articles/luggage_shipping_services.php )- or consider shipping ahead using FedEx, UPS, DHl and insure the shipment. You can have them hold your stuff at a local office so you can pick it up, if you're traveling to a place where you don't live and don't have someone there to ship it to. Alternatively you might consider packing your tent poles etc. in hardsided cases like something made out of PVC. They do that with fishing poles. I'd clearly mark the outside of the tube with your contact info, just in case it gets separated.

Dena got a great idea and the cheapest option is probably Priority Mail to yourself care of General Delivery at your destination – just like food resupplies for thru hikers.

If you want to protect tent poles from damage, use ABS sewer pipe instead of PVC, it is cheaper and lighter while still being quite stiff and protective. Any Home Depot or Lowe's has it. Or use cardboard mailing tubes like maps, plans and posters come in. Shippers like Fedex offer long triangular boxes to their customers. Or fold your own cardboard into triangular boxes, but don't have the corrugations going lengthwise – corrugations should be perpendicular to the box's long axis. Or go dumpster-diving behind an architectural office.

"Or use cardboard mailing tubes like maps, plans and posters come in. "

Be careful of these. I'm buying a new set of GG LT4 trekking poles because I had mine in a very thick, very robust cardboard tube, and the airline crushed it, breaking both an upper and lower section of pole. I'll be using the ABS/plastic in the future!

When I've had to fly a long distance, I divide my stuff into two loads. One is the carry-on load, and one is the checked baggage load. The carry-on load isn't much of a problem since I will have it in my possession almost 100% of the time. The checked baggage is the potential problem area.

I pack all of my stuff into stuff sacks and plastic bags first. Those go into a lightweight prepared top-zip duffle bag. For preparation, I make sure that the dimensions are right for the total load, and also for special items like poles. On the inside of the duffle bag, I put a piece of cardboard. The cardboard is large enough that it covers about 75% of the inside surface of the duffle bag. First, that helps to keep the whole thing sliding over surfaces in the baggage system. Second, it makes it just a little more difficult for some thief to slice the duffle, grab something, and run. The cardboard does not add very much weight to the checked load. In contrast, if you have a duffle bag without any form, it gets a lot harder to carry around an airport.

If you get totally paranoid, there is a wire mesh security bag that you can use to lock up your duffle bag. That may be overkill unless you are carrying diamonds or something.

–B.G.–

I just got back from yellowstone. Make SURE your flight can even fit your pack as overhead luggage.

I had to check my bags ANYWAY as we had a super small plane. The overhead was 1/2 normal size.

I had not problem with TSA/security… besides them being a billion dollar waste of money.

Just make sure you don't have any knives or bear spray.

I routinely check the entire pack. Hiking poles go into a heavy mailing tube strapped to the pack. The whole thing is enclosed in a cloth drawstring-closure duffle my wife sewed up.

After reclaiming my gear, I place the duffle into a pre-stamped envelope and mail it home (or forward). I dump the mailing tube, buying a new one at the UPS store from where I ship them, my tent poles, pegs, and knife home.

I kept reading the subject line and asking myself, "What does the TSA have to do with chickens?"

–B.G.–

David or Dena, I'm heading up to Yakutat in September and need to bring a stove but fuel is a problem. The locals only have white gas or jet fuel (no canisters available). I have aired out my old Dragon fly and fuel bottles and they have no odor-

Do you see any issues with this?

I can't pre-mail because the barge just came in last week and won't be in for another month. Its too risky, it might not make it in time.

I do like Bob and split it into two bags one carry on and one checked. In the carry on I have all the expensive, can't easily be replaced things in case the other is lost (sleeping bag, cook pot, down vest, camera gear, etc.). The checked one is usually a duffle bag with the closed cell pad as the layer just inside the fabric for padding, it has the poles, food, water bottles, clothes that I can replace most anywhere, etc.) I have had the TSA regularly check that bag and never had an issue. I have flown with canister stove burner checked and unchecked many times with no problem. I have flown once with a well aired white gas stove, checked, and they didn't touch it but you never know on that one. I think most of the TSA folks don't know what those strange metal things are and if they aren't sharp or smelly they just leave it alone.

Tad-

I think you'd be fine with your Dragonfly stove/cannisters esp. if you have the canister disassembled so that the pump is separate. I'd even leave the cap off, personally. Then they know for sure there are no contents under pressure and they can see inside of it to ensure it's empty of any contraband. But airlines are funny. The local small airlines won't hassle you, I don't think, but who knows with TSA on the big airlines. I'd ask them specifically.

D

Thanks Dena, I just wanted to know if either of you had any experience up there with this issue. I think I should be ok; I'm going to carry it on so I know immediately if there is an issue rather than finding out on the wrong end of the flight.

Here are the TSA guidelines:
Camp Stoves – These can travel as carry-on or checked luggage only if they are empty of all fuel and cleaned so that there are no vapors or residue left. Simply emptying the fuel container will leave flammable vapors. We recommend that you ship the fuel containers to your destination ahead of time – passengers frequently have to leave them at the checkpoint because of fuel vapors

I've lost gear to TSA. My expedition pack was a checked bag and came out on the baggage claim conveyor belt with pockets open and items missing. AA told me they only cover items like clothing so I never got any compensation.

Our expedition team is flying from Dallas and Houston to Albuquerque next week to explore canyons of Cedar Mesa and Escalante. Will be shipping bulky gear Fedex ground and taking the most important/valuable items in a carry-on bag. Any checked bag is subject to "inspection" by TSA.

Tad: I think it was Yakutat, either that or Cordova, where the rental car company company was absolutely brillant. They had tupperware drawers of all the stuff you can't fly with – bear spray canisters, propane, butane, 6 oz DEET bottles, etc. With a sign saying, "Take what you need, leave behind what you don't."

If you insist on the dragonfly, put the fuel bottle in the sun and wind for a few days. Then put it in the dishwasher. Really. The aklai detergent and hot water remove petroleum really well (that's my day job – cleaning up fuel sites). Disassemble the pump assembly as much as you can and put it in the sun and wind as well. Do that until right before you leave. You'll reduce but not eliminate your risk of seizure by TSA. Occasionally stuff is packaged in matting that has activated carbon in it. That would do wonders to adsorb vapors that will continue to off-gas and help you pass the "sniff test".

Call ahead and find out if someone sells Coleman single-burners that screw onto 1-pound propane cylinders (16 ounces of propane in one pound of steel). Not UL, but they'll have the fuel at any hardware or grocery store.

You could also Priority Mail a package care of yourself to someone in town. Then you'll know it is there before you pack for your flight.

Or come to Kenai and I'll loan you whatever you need – white gas, butane, propane, alky, wood-fired iPhone charger, Mad River Canoe, triple kayak, etc.

Dena is right – the smaller airlines don't check. ERA files from Anchorage to Kenai, Valdez, Cordova, Kodiak and they are outside of TSA. You could fly with propane, white gas, a .44 magmun and pepper spray all in your carry on and people do. But they don't go to Yakutat. Coming in on the State Ferry avoids those issues as well, but I assume you're coming in on Alaska Airlines. Everything on their 737s get TSAed, alas.

Having a night in town at a B&B (not a hotel) gives you a leg up. Locals you can talk to who can probably loan you whatever you need in the way of stoves, fuel, etc. Yakatut has a nice one on the water that also offers fishing charters.

Tad, I think this was the B&B I used 7-10 years ago when I was going there to deal with a toxic waste site:

http://www.lodgingsinternational.com/lodgings/135-Blue_Heron_Inn.htm

Having local support and a home base in town is worth a lot!

Hi Folks!

Thanks so much for the replies. I'm traveling with a hard carry on luggage + my pack. The carry-on I'm going to be sharing with a friend of mine to dump our tent poles into, return clothes and our shared stove with is a liquid gasoline stove (soto muka). We'll be leaving the hard suitcase in the car while we're gone on the trail for a few days. As far as the plane being able to handle our packs, I've already done a "test run" a few weeks ago while I was flying and I bought along the pack to see how well it fits into the overhead and it fit well. I suppose I'll stop fretting and just let things be. I'm all packed, just waiting for Thursday to arrive.

I can't vouch firsthand for the efficacy of this technique, but I've heard of people buying a starter's pistol and putting it in their checked luggage. It's legal to fly with a checked gun, but the TSA is very careful about those bags. It takes a little paperwork, but it's supposed to work well,
http://lifehacker.com/5448014/pack-a-gun-to-protect-valuables-from-airline-theft-or-loss

Mercutio: Nice idea. It takes very little time or paperwork to fly with real guns. Just declare them at check in. Keep the gun unloaded and in a lockable case. Starting pistols would be easy to include. I guess cameras and starting pistols kind of go together if you claim you volunteer at races.

It makes me wonder about flare pistols – something a kayaker, canoer or BPer might legimately carry. But the amount of propellent might not be allowed. I'll check.