What is the best way to protect an internal-frame pack from the savages of air travel? My 65L pack is too large for a carry-on, but I would like to find it intact upon arriving at my destination, if possible.
Airlines and Rucksacks
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I'm not sure of laws etc
But I have a big Ortileb dry bag, it's really heavy duty, so I gets that sort of thing would protect your sack!
Hope this helps
.
But I have a big Ortileb dry bag, it's really heavy duty, so I gets that sort of thing would protect your sack!
Hope this helps
.
Take a couple of heavy duty rubble bags (from B&Q etc.) stick your pack in one, place the open end of the first bag into the second bag and wrap up the resulting package with some gaffa tape (take a smaller amount of gaffa wrapped around a permanent marker or similar).
It is a good idea to have the grab handle of your rucksack (or suitable bit of spare webbing strap) sticking out of the package so the baggage handlers have something to grab.
Save the gaffa at the other end for the return trip, use the rubble bags to keep your kit dry in the pack while you are there.
Certain airport authorities (Africa for instance) sometimes want to see the contents of your pack before you enter the terminal building so do not wrap it until you are safely inside.
This setup has worked for me for years, if nothing else I don't have too much extra weight to carry at my destination.
It is a good idea to have the grab handle of your rucksack (or suitable bit of spare webbing strap) sticking out of the package so the baggage handlers have something to grab.
Save the gaffa at the other end for the return trip, use the rubble bags to keep your kit dry in the pack while you are there.
Certain airport authorities (Africa for instance) sometimes want to see the contents of your pack before you enter the terminal building so do not wrap it until you are safely inside.
This setup has worked for me for years, if nothing else I don't have too much extra weight to carry at my destination.
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Lots of good advice here. The Ortlieb is best but most expensive as the bag will get holed. I tend to do what Sandbender/ID does if a pack needs to go in. Cardboard boxes are also good if you have the weight to play with.
Can you take the frame out of your pack easily? If so, you can take the 65 as hand luggage and look after it-as long as it squashes easily into the 50 odd litre cabin size restriction, it's fine. Put the pack stays in the hold. It's another option anyway.
I don't like putting my main pack in the hold and try to avoid it.
Last trip, I bought a wheeled suitcase for a fiver from a charity shop to avoid having to put my pack in the hold. I cached it in the woods in sulo bin liner and picked it up on the return. All my kit was put into rubble bags inside the case so if the suitcase got nicked, I could still rubble sack and tape my pack back home again.
Can you take the frame out of your pack easily? If so, you can take the 65 as hand luggage and look after it-as long as it squashes easily into the 50 odd litre cabin size restriction, it's fine. Put the pack stays in the hold. It's another option anyway.
I don't like putting my main pack in the hold and try to avoid it.
Last trip, I bought a wheeled suitcase for a fiver from a charity shop to avoid having to put my pack in the hold. I cached it in the woods in sulo bin liner and picked it up on the return. All my kit was put into rubble bags inside the case so if the suitcase got nicked, I could still rubble sack and tape my pack back home again.
Most airports other than the fun little ones in remote places have plastic wrapping machines. It only costs a couple of ££ and you get your pack wrapped in the same sort of heavy duty stretchy plastic wrapping that they use for keeping the contents of pallets in place. It wraps all of the loose bits of a pack safely out of the way so they gon't get caught on machinery and seems to do a pretty good job.
I must be very lucky or stupid but my rucksack has never had any kind of security cover on it and I have travelled all over Europe , New Zealand , Australia and Middle East and it has never been tampered with or damaged.
Exactly the same here
I once went on a trip with a brand new karimoor inependance with no protection at all...after half a dozen airports it looked like i'd had it 10 years
finnair provide you with a heavy duty sack. Finland is far more civilised than here though. Threeof our four bags were slit at Manchester on the way out
The wrapping service provided by some airports as mentioned above are very good and well worth the couple of quid. Not only does it protect the bag but also discourages any "tampering."
I agree with Robbi I work at Gatwick Airport and that is the best way to protect your Rucksack by using the wrapping service they just wrap it with a cling-film and by doing so at least when you arrive at your destination at least you will have both your straps to put it on your back, some of the packs I've seen arrive with straps missing where they have been jammed in the baggage belt machinery 'Not Good'
Happy Travelling!
I made an 8' by 4' ish stuff sack out of 4oz nylon as a "pack pack sack" with a grab handle on the outside and with a fold down tie tight closure.
This doubles as a bivi, gear store or flotation.
Lasted for years it did!
This doubles as a bivi, gear store or flotation.
Lasted for years it did!
Just never travel by DELTA Airlines ( Don't Expect Luggage To Arrive) A trip to Florida to backpack back around the Gulf coast and then up to CA saw My pack in......NEW YORK!........after 4 days in the same god forsaken Motel ( courtesy of Delta) I was ready to die...., thank goodness the motel had a bar and a pool! One tip I learned is this... NEVER under any circumstances leave anything in your pack you cannot live without, such as your credit cards and driving licence for example... glad i had $150 in cash.......
Every time I have travelled with my rucksack it's had to go in oversized luggage. All I do with it is tie up all the straps so they're not flapping around and then fold the waist straps around the bag so they too don't flap around. Never had a problem with it at all.
I can add to that, always wear, or have available in your carry on gear, clothes that are suitable for your destination (at all hours) or indeed any possible unscheduled stop overs between your point of departure and destination.
I've never had any of the airlines lose my luggage; YET! That said, it does happen regularly enough to be a valid warning. Indeed the airlines themselves warn not to put valuables such as cameras, jewelry, etc. in checked baggage. However I'd question why anybody would ever have their credit cards, driver's license, etc. anywhere other than in their wallet, in their pocket anyway?
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