Flying with a backpack

[Ray52]

I've always driven to the trailhead before, but soon will be flying to Arizona where I hope to get lucky and get permits to hike South Kaibab down and Bright Angel Trail up at Grand Canyon. I'm trying to decide the best way to transport my pack & gear.  Right now, I've got my backpack, 40 deg sleeping bag, one man tent, sleeping pad, collapsible trekking pole, and a few other essential items crammed into my largest suitcase.  I'll take one more with clothing and a carry-on with my cameras.  Is there an easier way?  Is it safe to have an empty MSR fuel bottle in checked luggage?  Don't know if this is relevant info or not, but I'm on SWA from Houston to Phoenix.

Thanks for your tips and wish me luck at the permit desk!

[dkerr24]

I'm pretty sure security will snag your MSR fuel bottle, even if empty.  You might get lucky and they won't go through your checked luggage but don't count on it.  Plan on buying a fuel container in Phoenix or Flagstaff.

I've flown to Phoenix many times on SWA, then grabbed a rental car and drove from there to the canyon.  Each time, I did the same as you and packed all my gear in a big suitcase with a frame.  No issues with security and no damage to any of my equipment.  Like you, the flight on SWA is non-stop to Phoenix which does reduce the chances of damaged or lost luggage.

Good luck getting a permit along the corridor trails this time of year.  I faxed in my permit request 4 months ago, and only ended up with my 2nd alternate which was a 5 day 4 night trip down the Tanner/Beamer trails in the eastern part of the park.  I'm driving out there beginning Saturday.  It's about a 15 hour drive from Okla City, but we plan on stopping in Gallup, NM to spend the night to break up the monotony of I-40.  This will be the first time my wife has hiked to the bottom, but she has plenty of desert hiking miles under her belt, so I'm confident we will succeed.

Darin  

[presidio]

Is it safe to have an empty MSR fuel bottle in checked luggage? 

If it's new and unused, no problem. If it's completely purged of gasoline fumes, no problem. In either case, just leave the stopper off so that if TSA checks it, they can see/smell that it is clean and dry. Obviously, you don't want to have any kind of trace fuel vapor at all.

[catz]

Whenever I've flown with backpacking gear, I've always used the backpack (internal frame) itself as a "sutcase", loaded with tent, sleeping bag, water bottles, etc.  Buckle the hipbelt together and any loose straps need to be tucked away.  Never had any trouble.

I asked once if I could pack a new, unused fuel bottle and was told no.

[dkerr24]

Hmm... here is an excerpt directly from: 

http://www.tsa.gov/blog/2009/06/camping-hunting-fishing-gear-on-plane.html

Empty Gas Cylinders are allowed in checked or carry-on bags as long as the regulator valve is removed and we can see inside.

That being on their website, I wonder how well that would fly when your check-in bag is checked and the container is removed without you being there to quote the TSA regulations.  I say when it comes to the TSA, go with your gut and don't risk it.

Darin

[mule ears]

You can go to SWA website and there should be a page on what you can fly with and not.  The whole stove and fuel bottle thing has been difficult and you get different answers from different people.  Presidio is right about the no fumes thing.  There are so many water bottles in use now that look like fuel bottles that the TSA probably would not know.  Once, post 911, I flew to the Grand Canyon with a white gas stove and fuel bottle and had no problem.  When we got off the trail I just washed the bottle out and let it air out overnight and put it in my luggage.  I now mostly use a canister stove so I have to find canisters once I get there.

As to white gas, the Grand Canyon Backcountry office has a fuel locker with many partial cans of gas that people leave behind.  Last time I just got fuel from them instead of buying some in AZ.  Check with them to make sure they still do that.  When the trip is over you can just pour your excess fuel back into one of their cans.

I usually check a duffel bag with my empty pack, clothes, food and such and in a carry on bag put the items I really don't want lost- sleeping bag, special clothing, pots, rain gear, sleeping pad, etc.

[dkerr24]

Whenever I've flown with backpacking gear, I've always used the backpack (internal frame) itself as a "sutcase", loaded with tent, sleeping bag, water bottles, etc.  Buckle the hipbelt together and any loose straps need to be tucked away.  Never had any trouble.

I asked once if I could pack a new, unused fuel bottle and was told no.

I've had many suitcases come through the luggage conveyor belt smeared with grease/oil or whatever they dropped my suitcase in on the tarmac.  With a $50 suitcase from Wal-mart it does annoy me.  With a $200 backpack, I'd be a little more than pissed.

[TexasAggieHiker]

I've got a 4ft duffel bag that I put everything in when I fly.  I don't want to have a strap ripped off or have my pack covered in crap from the flight.  My nice suitcases are in bad enough shape from flying.  I don't want my pack to end up like that.

[Al]

A large duffel bag is the way to go.  Just be sure it's at or under weight.

Al

[presidio]

I asked once if I could pack a new, unused fuel bottle and was told no.

Well, then you got the wrong answer from someone who didn't have a clue. A new, unused fuel bottle is no different from a metal water bottle. Might be a different color but it's the same thing. Stick duct tape over any words like 'gas' and write 'water' or 'juice' instead.

This is a good example of asking a question that doesn't need to be asked because the respondent is thinking of what it is used for rather than it's present unused condition.

Now, it might be a little more troublesome bringing it back since you would need to ensure it is totally purged of fumes...something not all that easy to do even though it is metal. There's always a lingering odor. However, I would soap it up real good and then rinse with bleach to kill the last molecules. Just for good measure, fill it with water, seal the lid and toss in your checked luggage. That solves two issues: no air space for fumes and no void in an unpressurized cargo area (though the pressure difference wouldn't be enough to bulge an empty, capped bottle).

[presidio]

Empty Gas Cylinders are allowed in checked or carry-on bags as long as the regulator valve is removed and we can see inside.

That's referring to compressed gas cylinders, like scuba tanks and oxygen tanks and such, not a metal container that is a liquid vessel (which is no different than a plastic nalgene bottle if no petroleum traces are evident).