Packaging packs for air travel

[Jeffrey Peters]

For those who have flown before with backpacks as checked baggage how did you set the pack up. Did you put it in a large duffel or wrap it in a large contractors trash bag with duct tape?  What worked for you?

[Ken Thompson]

https://backpackinglight.com/search/?q=Air+travel+backpacks

[Roger Caffin]

Thanks Ken.
We use two light green trash bags each and a roll of 2″ packaging tape for the two of us.
More recently we have seen shrink-wrap machines inside international airports: they will wrap your luggage for you! They do a good job too.

Cheers

[David Thomas]

I like using a duffle bag. But contractor-grade (3 mil) or, better yet asbestos material bags are good if you don’t have a place to store the duffle bag.

You can also just put it in a cardboard box. Airlines tend to be stricter on H + L + W limits for boxes than bags, so check those limits.

[Cameron M]

I take the Arc Blast as a carry on, because I think the frame suspension could get destroyed if not in a box. If it is just a backpacking trip, I just take the whole bag with contents onboard, it is usually small enough to be allowed. If it is a combined travel and backpacking trip and I have other items and it is too much to carry on, I put the contents in the checked suitcase and still carry the flattened backpack onboard. BTW I have never had an issue carrying on 3-section poles (there are other threads about that issue.)

[JCH]

It is my understanding that the Airlines will replace any damaged contents of your checked luggage, but not the exterior luggage itself.  Given this I have taken two different approaches, both of which have worked well.

1. Bought a cheap hard-sided suitcase at a second hand store and loaded everything including the (empty) backpack.  You can carryon clothes and any bulky stuff if space is a problem.
2. Loaded the fully packed backpack, along with boots/shoes and trekking poles into a duffle.  Lately I’ve used the REI pack duffel…it did very well on a trip to Panama.

I have not had any trouble with carbon fibre trekking pole damage using #2, so am pretty unconcerned about damage to my Arc Haul’s suspension, which is much more protected that the poles.

[Jeffrey Peters]

Thanks for the information. It gave  me some ideas.

[Cameron M]

Over the years I have seen luggage get severely butchered. One bag of mine looked like it had been spiked by a pick-ax. So my position is that even if there is only a .001 chance that my Arc Blast frame will be harmed, it is not worth it, because the chances are good that where I will be flying to and my trip schedule will not allow for an adequate repair. If I can easily avoid trouble at no penalty, why not.

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