Gear on airplanes?

[audit91]

We have decided to fly to Las Vegas instead of driving 20 hours for our Grand Canyon hike. Does anyone have experience with taking trekking poles on a plane? Any advice? We are debating send the poles and backpacks ahead to a friends house if airlines are not hiker friendly.

[tmountainnut]

We have decided to fly to Las Vegas instead of driving 20 hours for our Grand Canyon hike. Does anyone have experience with taking trekking poles on a plane? Any advice? We are debating send the poles and backpacks ahead to a friends house if airlines are not hiker friendly.

I've never had issues taking backpacking gear on a plane. If there are rubber tip protectors available, it wouldn't be a bad idea to put them on prior to flying if your doing carry on only. some also have removable tips, in which case i say take them off. The only thing that you defiantly can't take is stove fuel and knifes. Bear spray is also no okay because its pressurized.

I've checked bags with technical ice axes and crampons with no issue before, although i always get the TSA search notice in those bags after the flight.

Edited July 29, 2014 by tmountainnut

[Bobo Uzala]

No carry on for any type of pointy object. Check in and you should be fine if they are properly stowed away in your luggage. If you're using a backpack as your check in bag, be very careful of straps and anything dangling. Backpacks get torn up very easily on the conveyors.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Bobo Uzala

[HikerJen]

I've flown with my backpack a few times. Strap your trekking poles to the shoulder strap side of your pack lengthwise. If you're taking a tent, put it there as well. Close your hip belt around it all, put the pack in a big duffle bag (not too large or it will roll around in there), and you shouldn't have any problems. Also, remember if you're bringing a knife to keep it with your checked in bag, not a carry on or it most likely will get confiscated. I've never had any problems with breakage. Have fun!

[audit91]

Thank you all!!!

I hadn't thought about putting pack inside a duffle bag and checking that! I think I may try it!

Again, thanks for all the assistance!

Sandra

[Dogwood]

You might consider the South and North Rims inside the National Park have US Post Offices(the S. Rim is a regular sized full service USPO). I've mailed myself packages(gear, food, etc) there several times always Priority Flat Rate in boxes though. Never an issue. Many of the National Parks have USPO's in them or in route that I've mailed stuff ahead. It makes traveling especially by plane that much easier to me. I've done it, I'll venture upwards of 40 times and not once had an issue.

On all my travels I prefer to carry on my loaded ULA CDT backpack. TSA will confiscate knives, iso canisters, lighters, compressed gases, fuels, anything with a flammable residue(they have machines that detect this!), etc but I've not once been asked about my pointed titanium skewer and aluminum tent stakes. I don't regularly use trekking poles but when I do I've been allowed to check them in as baggage along with my pocket knives.

[brian_rudolph]

I've always packed my poles inside my backpack and put it in checked luggage. I've never had a problem - just protect the pack from them poking through.

[audit91]

Thanks, Dogwood! I think I might check into shipping ahead. Not sure who I trust least, USPS or airlines... We have a friend to ship to in Las Vegas, I just hate to burden them with our stuff. I didn't think about the flammable residue from canisters, so that might sway our decision to send ahead.

[Dogwood]

While it's great to have friends/relatives to mail gear/hiking stuff to, as I too have them in Henderson and Las Vegas, on several hikes out west, including a few GCNP hikes, I mailed gear ahead via USPS Priority Flat Rate boxes to General Delivery to Las Vegas and Henderson Post Offices and picked them up at the PO instead of burdening them. When mailing General Delivery to LV or big cities with many multiple USPO branches call ahead inquiring exactly which PO location your package will be. Sometimes, you can ask or add some numbers to zip codes to have a package delivered General Delivery to a specific PO which may be nearer to your friend's house or another convenient specific PO location. This way it could save you a ride to a main PO downtown to pick up your package.