Touring - What airlines will allow you to check as far as campstoves ect.

We are planning to fly to Seattle in July to start our Canada to Calif bike trek. And wondered what the airlines will require regarding, backpacking stove, tools ect.

MBD

Do not try and transport camp stove fuel in the airplane. Drain the stove and carry it empty and get fuel at the destination. Otherwise you should be good to go.

Do not try and transport camp stove fuel in the airplane. Drain the stove and carry it empty and get fuel at the destination. Otherwise you should be good to go.

I'm not even sure draining it will help: gas vapors stay in the fuel bottle and the stove istelf. The lady at Northwest airlines sniffed mine (it was brand new) like she was doing poppers before she finally let it thru; and she told me that if it had been used once, it was unlikely to get thru. This was before 9-11 so I am not sure if things are better or worse.

roughstuff

The TSA guidelines for some types of camping gear can be found here. (http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1187.xml)

I would say dump the gas and travel without. Why rock the boat when you can get the fuel at your destination?

I packed my tools before, and I had no problems. I think the problems arise when you try to take them on the plane. So if you're wondering about what you can or cannot pack, pack it in your luggage that will be checked. When they xray your luggage, if they see a problem, they'll go in there and if they see something that's not allowed, they'll take it out for you. It can be a bummer if they take something you really wanted to bring, but on the other hand, if they're taking it, there would be no way you could bring it anyway.

Your other option is to call your airline and ask them about the articles you're wondering about. They should be able to pull up the guidelines on their computer.

Koffee

Do yourself a favor and do not even try to take any stove on a plane that uses liquid fuel. Even empty, the fumes will probably require you to leave it behind. By no means attempt to take any fuel on a commercial aircraft!

I recommend either getting a gas (as in not liquid) cannister stove and purchase cannisters at your destination. You shouldn't have any problem bringing a gas stove on an aircraft so long as you leave any cannisters behind.

Quite a few years ago, I made the mistake of taking my old Svea on an aircraft. The airport folks did let me on board with it - after they filled the empty fuel tank with water. I don't think they's be so accomodating these days.

Thanks thats all really good information. We have contacted the our first Hostel in Canada and they said we can ship it directly to them. If we ship the empty containers and stove by UPS. Do you know if we would have and problems?

MBD

We are planning to fly to Seattle in July to start our Canada to Calif bike trek. And wondered what the airlines will require regarding, backpacking stove, tools ect.

MBD

Hey Dude what route are you taking? Where in Canada are you starting from?

We are starting in Victoria, BC. Then will ferry over Port Angeles. And go down the coastal side.

I've had no problems taking liquid fuel back-packing stoves, empty fuel bottles, and tools in my checked luggage even since 9/11.

I took a brand new fuel bottle with me to New Zealand from the U.S.A., used it over there, and decided to just go ahead and try to bring it with me on the way back. I dumped the remaining fuel and rinsed it with water. The airline let it through in both directions.

I figured they had to let the new one through, and that if they confiscated it on the return trip, it wasn't really going to matter, as it would be easy to get a new one in L.A. - it was only like $10.

The stove was a used but reasonably clean MSR Dragonfly. They wanted to see the fuel bottle, but not the stove.

Airlines were American (San Jose to Los Angeles) and Air Tahiti Nui (LA - Tahiti - Auckland).

BTW, I did Victoria to the California/Oregon border last year, started at Port Angeles, went southeast to Port Orchard, then across to the Pacific Coast Route. Fabulous. Oregon coast was the best.

Cheers
Anna

Thanks Anna that is all very good information. I think my sons stove is the Dragonfly. We have rode the Ore coast in 2002. Do you have suggestions on Washington? Like was there any temp difference? Were you glad you did Washington? And did you take the inland route. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Also how was NZ? I lived there for 2 years and loved it. For most of the 2 years I was only on a bike.

Thread hijak in progress....

We had unbelievable weather last year, no rain in WA or OR, just one day of fog in OR, which was actually good, it was the day we did the seven devils road, and it was nice and cool. I think my experience with the weather was atypical.

In WA I was visiting a friend in Port Orchard on the Kitsap Penninsula, so we didn't really take any "route" until we got back to the coast - we just used a AAA map to navigate. I can't remember the road numbers/names. Port Orchard roads were a little hard to deal with - no shoulder and they just built them straight up and down the hills, no contours, so there were some steep sections. Beautiful place, though.

I definitely wouldn't miss Washinton. Camping in both WA and OR is great, the hiker/biker sites in the state park campgrounds are removed from the RV'ers, and they mostly have hot (coin-op) showers. Plenty of sources for food. Make sure you get ice cream at the Tillamook Cheese Factory (I wonder if they have Hokey-Pokey).

I bet you already have the Kirkendahl and Spring book, "Cycling the Pacific Coast" - if not, it is a great resource.

NZ was great! It had some challenging weather but it was worth it for the beautiful and varied scenery and the friendly people.

:)
Anna

The stove is not a problem at all. Obviously you need to drain all the fluid, but then you need to leave the tank lid off so it's open to the air for evaporation for at least 30 days and I rinsed mine out with alcohol. If you have a propane unit simply disconnect the propane tank and open the stoves valves for a long period of time will also work, BUT you cannot carry propane fuel on the plane so your going to have to buy that upon landing. I think the propane would be less a hassle then "white gas" stoves since they don't have a strong odor once the fuel is gone.

I carried a camping "white gas" stove on a plane as checked baggage; but what I did (after I did the above stuff), was called the airlines and then took the stove several days before the flight down to the Airlines counter and had them sniff it to be double sure it was ok due to the fumes issue; and this was after 9/11. I of course could not carry fuel so I bought it when I got on the ground.

We are planning to fly to Seattle in July to start our Canada to Calif bike trek. And wondered what the airlines will require regarding, backpacking stove, tools ect.

MBD


Buy a cannister fuel stove (like the MSR Pocket Rocket, ~$35, on sale @ REI for $29 now) and pack it in your checked luggage, but don't tell the airline you have it; if you do: 1). they don't understand the difference between a liquid stove and cannister stove and will likely not allow it on the plan; 2). even if it's screened by an inspector, they won't know what they're looking at anyway. 3). you can feel confident that there will be NO possible way such a simple device is going to cause any problems with the aircraft.

MSR cannister fuel should be widely available on your tour, but if you're headed someplace rural or just want to be confident, simply ship out a few cannisters via USPS Ground service to a post office along your route (GENERAL DELIVERY to yourself). You can even do this with a liquid fuel stove if you wish...

Hey, thanks for the info, guys. I am the son of the guy who started this thread. I think I may just try emptying the containers, letting them sit for a couple of weeks, and then try to check them in our luggage. I may even just stick them in with my bike in the water bottle holders. Even if the bike boxes are inspected and/or x-rayed, I wonder if they would think it strange to see metal mechanical parts along with the bike stuff. Ya know? Would they know it wasn't just parts for the bike? I wonder.