Pack on airplane?

[Rob S]

Sometimes you can pick these up at yard sales or flea markets for very little money.

Definitely. And those Army/Navy shops or military surplus stores have them very inexpensively as well.

 

[werdigo49]

Definitely. And those Army/Navy shops or military surplus stores have them very inexpensively as well.

Thanks, everyone! We have a couple of huge olive-drab canvas duffels (from Sunny's Surplus, I think) that we used years ago when we car- and canoe-camped with the kids. I'm sure the Forester will fit with room to spare.

Great suggestions... thanks again!

 

[escapee]

Lowe Alpine makes a duffel bag, which I think they call a travel tote, which is top-loading with a zippered flap, a handle and a shoulder strap, for carrying backpacks. I think I bought it at Campmor for under $40. I put a big (over 6000 cu. in.) backpack, with gear in the backpack, in it and checked it for recent trip by air. I also put my telescoping hiking poles in the duffel alongside the pack, disassembled and strapped together with nylon cable ties (duct tape would work) so that the top of the hand grip, not a sharp point, was at each end. Otherwise, I'm sure sooner or later a baggage handler would try to lift and toss the pack using a sternum strap or a compression strap. And there is the possibility of those straps, sliders and buckles, getting caught on conveyor belts or snagging in the luggage hold.

 

[MichaelJ]

Had no problems last week with the duffle approach. I wrapped my poles with my sleeping pad, and put rubber corks on the tips, and had them in the duffle.

 

[werdigo49]

I'm back from the trip and had no problem with the backpack inside a large olive-drab canvas duffel bag. Weight was just under 50 lbs; some things were in there besides the pack and its own contents.

We arrived home 24 hours before the duffel, though; it didn't make the switch at O'Hare. When it was delivered, I found that TSA had gone through it. They did a thorough job, because they removed the wooden matches from a zip-lock bag inside my little red "emergency" stuff sack. It's normally always in my daypack, but I used that as carry-on and knew matches wouldn't be OK there. That red stuff sack was inside another stuff sack (with other stuff), way down in the duffel.

Apart from the removed matches, no problems; everything was repacked well and arrived as expected. The Pocket Rocket apparently posed no problem.

(This duffel, with the same contents, made the "out" trip without being inspected, and arrived at my destination apparently unexamined... with the matches.)

Anyway, I think TSA did a good job on the duffel. But I don't want to start a political thread here. I was surprised that matches were not permitted on checked baggage.

 

[DougPaul]

Anyway, I think TSA did a good job on the duffel. But I don't want to start a political thread here. I was surprised that matches were not permitted on checked baggage.

From: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm#9
Prohibited:
Strike-anywhere Matches - Up to 4 books of safety (non-strike anywhere) matches are permitted as carry-on items, but all matches are prohibited in checked baggage. [/quote]

Doug

 

[Head]

I packed a duffel....worked great but my buddy Bunzo went a more ecinomical route and bought a large laundry bag at Wallyworld for $10 that worked perfectly.

 

[Jasper]

Packs on a Flight

Just returned from an eight day hiking trip in the Canadian Rockies. Air Canada were very kind and careful. They put my Gregory in a large, heavy duty plastic bag. Everthing worked out fine and they did not loose my luggage this time.