'Can You Bring Trekking Poles on a Plane?' and Answers to Other Common Air Travel Questions

You’ve booked an epic destination backpacking trip and the pre-trek excitement skyrockets as the countdown ticks closer and closer to getaway time. But whether it’s your first ride on the air travel rodeo or simply been a while since your last adventure, trying to pack gear for a flight can be a serious buzzkill.

Space is limited and restrictions are often complicated to research, much less understand. Mistakes can lead to costly losses, and wild goose chases for replacement items and on-trail frustrations. Fear not: This guide will help you take the stress out of pre-flight planning and squeeze every last drop of enjoyment from your hard-earned expedition.

Get Organized

Veteran destination backpackers advise fliers to develop a pre-trip routine and stick to it. Two-time Appalachian Trail speed recordholder and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year alum, Jennifer Pharr-Davis, says hers begins with an adventure-specific checklist.

“No two trips are going to be exactly the same, so I always start by making an inventory of everything I think I’m going to need,” she says. “Then I lay it all out for inspection and packing on the living room floor.”

The strategy creates inbuilt fail-safes that ensure on-trail needs are addressed in advance, gear is in working order, and nothing important gets left behind. “The last thing you want is to get to where you’re going and realize you’ve done something dumb like forgotten a tent pole,” says Pharr-Davis.

Filmmaker and long-distance trail guru, Nic “Darwin” Rakestraw, adds another step for international destinations: “Customs in some countries will flag dirty gear for additional inspections,” he says. The usual suspects are tents and boots, so he’ll give them a deep clean before heading out.

What You Can’t Bring

Start the packing process by eliminating gear that the Transportation Security Administration doesn’t allow anywhere on the airplane. Here’s a list of items you should leave at home and plan to acquire at your destination:

• Bear spray
• Pepper sprays larger than 4 ounces
• Aerosol insecticides with hazmat labels
• Stove fuel and solid fuel tablets
• Strike anywhere matches
• Torches or fluid lighters

Famed ultra-marathoner and high route pioneer, Andrew Skurka, advises trekkers to check their destination in advance for a nearby big box store or outfitter where they can buy supplies that they’ve left behind. If options are scarce, he suggests shipping items to a hotel or arrange a mail drop with a local business or organization.

Checked Baggage Is Your Friend

Skurka calls checked bags the most convenient and sure-fire way for hikers to travel with gear. That’s because the list of items that either can’t be toted in a carry-on or are open to interpretation for TSA flagging is long. It includes staples like:

• Sharp-tipped trekking poles
• Crampons
• Liquids, creams, pastes, and gels over 3.5 ounces (nut butters included)
• Stoves (acceptable if there is no lingering fuel or vapors)
• Ice axes
• Knives or multi-tools
• Tent stakes and poles
• Trowels or foldable shovels

Typical fees range from $35 to $50 per bag each way, “which is much cheaper than having to repurchase confiscated items later on,” says Skurka. Some hikers gamble with the TSA, “but to me, it’s just not worth risking critical gear on the unpredictable whims of security personnel.”

Skurka recommends covering trekking pole tips with taped cardboard and wrapping sharp items like trowels in a layer of thin foam. Arrange your gear inside the bag so that weight is equally distributed. Lastly, nest your backpack within a secure suitcase, duffle, or overbag like the lockable Osprey Airporter to keep delicate fabrics like stretchy pockets from snagging on equipment.

If you’re flying in and out of different locations, it’s a good idea to use a cheap bag that can be donated post landing (military surplus or thrift stores are great for sourcing). If that’s not the case, you can bookend the trip with stays at the same hotel and ask the concierge to store it while you’re gone.

Though horror stories of lost bags abound, Skurka says risks “can be substantially mitigated by avoiding tight airport connections and giving yourself extra time before starting your hike in case of delayed luggage arrival.”

What To Carry On

With the bulk of your gear stowed in the cargo hold, there’s just a few more critical items left to deal with.

Lithium ion batteries aren’t allowed in checked luggage due to concerns about fire safety. Those in your phone, tablet, or camera can be carried on and left inside the device. You can also bring a pair of power banks rated up to 160 watt-hours.

For solo adventures, Pharr-Davis says she likes to tote everything in a sturdy, lightweight daypack like the Exped Summit Hike 25. She wears her boots and a single set of comfortable “town clothes” onto the plane. The pack gets loaded with electronics, credit cards, ID, hygiene items like a travel toothbrush and toothpaste, and a hiking outfit.