Flying with gear… specific questions

"In another month, I will be flying from Memphis, TN to Seattle, WA" … The nice thing though is when I send it back, I can use a smaller box since food is taking up the most room…"

— Why not order your food and have it shipped to your friends instead of having it shipped to you and then mailing it to your friends? Have them buy whatever else you need and reimburse them. If it's a month out I guess I can't see mailing food out there.

"Spoon: It is titanium, and I am afraid they may think it is a weapon, especially since it is a long handle spoon…"

— Can't see this being a problem at all as long as you haven't filed the end to sharpness! :-)

"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?"

–Interesting to see what others say, but I don't think this is a problem. I've had my ti pot, and even a Back Country Boiler once, in my carry on and not had a problem. They wanted to look at the BCB, but didn't have any issues with it when I explained what it was. It helps that most everything else I had in my carry on (which was my pack) was backpacking related.

"20 oz Gatorade Bottles"

–If they're empty, no issue at all.

"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. "

Pretty much any packaged food is allowed, no issues at all.

"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?"

–No issues at all, and I've carried plenty on business trips – all kinds of cords and chargers and such.

Most of this stuff is a complete non-issue to TSA or the airlines.

Fuel residue on a cook pot or windscreen or mug? No way they would look this hard. In contrast, if you had something packed that looked like a butane canister or a Sigg fuel bottle, then they will have a problem.

Think a metal spoon is a weapon? No way. For one thing, it has no sharp points or edges.

"I am not sure what sort of food is allowed on" ? They don't care about normal food carried on.

TSA slowed me down one time. I was going to carry-on a backpack that contained a 13-pound camera lens that looked like a bazooka. They kept running it back and forth through the x-ray machine and poking around, looking very nervous. Finally they told me that they were going to open up the backpack, so I nodded and watched them. They felt inside and retrieved an unopened can of Coke. That was the extent of their concern. This makes a good case for arriving at the security checkpoint thirty minutes early, just to avoid the rush.

–B.G.–

Doug,

I already have my food and don't really want to order more, buy more. Other than this, my OCD is better when it knows that I have already taken care of everything before hand rather than winging it, or asking others to do my shopping for me. Good idea, but one that won't work for me…

Looks like both you and Bob agree about the spoon… I will think more on this one…

As for the cook kit… I am going to wait and see what others say. I have read in other places that sometimes fuel residue could be an issue, and a Evernew pot & caldera cone is too expensive to dump on a whim.

As for the Gatorades, I will likely just buy more once I get there since these are pretty easy to find…

As for the food, I was thinking that they didn't let any through the initial security check, but once through there I could buy whatever I wanted and carry it on board. I know I could check it, but this is for carry on… again, that would be a bummer to have to dump my food because an agent didn't have a good day…

My concern is that I am changing flights, so I am afraid that while I may get through Memphis with something, the agent in Salt Lake may have a different say…

I have only flown once, and that was international. In changing flights then, I did have a hard time with some medicine I was carrying. I was allowed through initially, but when I changed flights they didn't want to let me through with it… (this was a large bottle of liquid carrafate).

That is great to hear that chargers/cords are ok as carry on…

"I have read in other places that sometimes fuel residue could be an issue"

Soot on a cook pot is not an issue.

OTOH, if you had a Sigg fuel bottle with a good whif of white gas vapor inside… that's where they have a major problem.

–B.G.–

You shouldn't have to go through security a second time in SLC or domestic flights in general. Normally, once you clear security you are good until you reach your destination. International is a whole other animal.

Welcome to my state in advance. Hope you enjoy your trip.

"You shouldn't have to go through security a second time in SLC or domestic flights in general. Normally, once you clear security you are good until you reach your destination. International is a whole other animal. "

True, you don't have to pass through a second security checkpoint on domestic flights, regardless of how many plane changes you have. You never leave a 'secure' area until you get to your destination.

Mail all of that mess to your friends in WA.

Flying with your fanny pack on and a scotch in hand is way cooler than lugging around backpacking gear through terminals.

fwiw. In the past I've provided my own tattered Pampers boxes bandaged together with copious amounts of duct tape and loaded it up in excess of 30lbs and mailed it Priority for less than $47.

I think you're doing it wrong.

Put wet wipes in your little ziploc of toiletries.
Tripod is okay.
As mentioned, Gatoraid bottle will be okay if empty. Just pour it out; a few drops are fine.
I think I have carried on a stove. Can't remember. It as well as a cup or pot should be fine. I would carry it,myself.

A few things can make life easier for you, maybe…

Get all your toiletries together in the little ziploc. Put your lens cleaner in there as well as wet wipes or hand sanitizer. Have this bag handy so you can just pull it out at security.

I like to get all my crap in a row before the security line. I go ahead and empty my pockets and put that in another ziploc or wherever you want to keep it. I get in line with boarding pass and ID and ready to go. After putting your bags through, as an option, you can walk through the people scanner with your ID and boarding pass in hand. Everywhere I have been allows this… Just don't put it in your pocket. Hold it in your hand. Or tuck it in your bag being scanned.

You may be asked to take out a tablet. Some places treat them like a notebook computer and some don't. If you ask them if you should take it out, they will tell you yes. Keep it accessible in case you need to pull it out.

You don't have to put your shoes in the bucket, they can go on the belt…

At the scanner, be sure all the straps and whatall on your bag are tucked in reasonably well. Don't let them ride off the belt because they could get caught on something in the scanner.

Sorry if some of this is stuff you already know or is otherwise not helpful.

As far as mailing more stuff, I don't mail often, but I think the postal service rates have increased..?

I'm an artist and years ago I decided to mail everything except a few personal items ahead when traveling, it's just not worth the hassle or heartbreak when the airlines send your stuff to another city or lose it altogether. UPS is much more reliable than TSA…especially since my art supplies which are pastels and oil paints (water miscible) are incredibly expensive now as are the canvas and papers. Take your stuff and box it and insure with UPS and your cant lose. If THEY lose it it's insured and replaceable. If some jerk in TSA opens it and steals you have little recourse and the red tape involved to get restitution is a PITB!

In the past 15+ years I have flown over 1 million domestic miles. Most of my flights originate from Palm Springs, which means I almost always need to make a connecting flight. Some weeks I may fly to 4 different cities with a meeting each day, and each of these 4 destinations may require connections to each of them.

During this time the airlines have "lost" my luggage 4 times. 3 times it was delivered to my destination in less than 12 hours.

The other time I was traveling to a new place each day, and I had them deliver it to my final destination. I had to buy a couple suits, shoes, shirts, ties, etc. The airline reimbursed me for these expenses — but that is probably a perk for being on their high level frequent flyer list, most travelers would not get this.

In spite of what you may read, it is truly unusual for an airline to lose your luggage. Now getting you to your destination on time, or even on the scheduled day is another matter.

BTW, as much as I hate the TSA, they are not going to lose your luggage, the airline baggage handlers are the ones who screw up — although I suppose there are exceptions.

On most of my trips I squeeze in at least a day hike and often multi-day hikes, so I put my backpack into my big suitcase that I check on almost every business trip. This is why, if you read my blog, I seem to hike a lot.

Of course on most airlines there is no checked baggage fee, since I have a ton of frequent flier miles. Most airlines charge $25 to check one bag. Southwest is free.

Occasionally I will carry on my backpack because my suitcase would be too heavy with it or it is full… these are trips where I bring 4 or 5 suits and business materials and the pack would put me over the 50 lb suitcase limit. I sometimes check the pack, if I am bringing one of my McHale's.

So this is what I would do. Put your pack and gear in a big suitcase… big suitcases are less likely to get lost. The only thing you need to worry about is fuel. Have one of your friends buy your fuel and bring it for you.

Since you are meeting your friends, you can stash your somewhat empty suitcase with them. Plus, you can bring extra clothes and stuff so you can fly home fresh as a daisy :)

Now if you must do the carry on routine…

Cook kit will be okay. A stove is usually okay, but clean it thoroughly first. If you are going to mail stuff, might as well mail the stove. Long spoon will be okay. After some lengthy discussions, the TSA let me through with my titanium cat trowel… but that was an iffy situation. Two mini Bics are okay. Keep one in your pocket (goes into the TSA plastic bin) and put the other in your pack. No trekking poles. Ship the NanoLite poles. Empty bottles are okay, as is food. You cannot have more than 3 ounces of any liquid, and all liquid containers must fit into a single 1 qt bag. Stuff like toothpaste is considered liquid, so they might consider some food liquid and some TSA Agents will open your food package to inspect it, which may not be good anymore for your trip. TSA agents are not standardized, although some act like robots. I will say that many TSA agents are great, but the lack of standard procedures from airport to airport irks me.

Filter may be subject to the interpretation of the TSA Agent. Some of them are not very smart. Pills need to fit into your 1 qt bag. Check the TSA regulations on this. Although for several months I had a bag of cough drops in my computer bag that went through many screenings… I had forgot it was in it. Again, in most instances, food is okay… but a TSA goonie could have their own definition. It is rare for a TSA supervisor to over-rule the Agent's decision — believe me, I know.

No problem with computer cables, chargers, power supplies, etc. My computer bag is a traveling office with all kinds of this stuff… there are certain airports where the TSA agents ALWAYS do an in depth search of my computer bag, while the other 99% of airports let it go through. I would be more worried about the USPS or UPS misplacing or delaying my package than the airline losing my suitcase.

P.S. The next time I am in Tennessee, you want to go hiking?