Traveling with Ice Gear

Any recommendations on flying with Ice tools, & crampons?

I'm taking a trip to Iceland and want to see if its worth bringing my own equipment or easier to just rent some.
I am considering throwing my tools and crampons in my checked bag.

Thanks

TommyB wrote: Any recommendations on flying with Ice tools, & crampons?

I'm taking a trip to Iceland and want to see if its worth bringing my own equipment or easier to just rent some.
I am considering throwing my tools and crampons in my checked bag.

Thanks

Well, I have no specific personal experience to draw upon here, but I think from a pragmatic point of view, I'd throw 'em in the checked luggage, and if by chance they "get lost", you still have the rental option. But then you will have to deal with insurance claims, if applicable.

I traveled once with my cobra shafts in my carry-on and the picks in my checked bag. Didn't hear anything about it on my way out through Boston but I had to plead with them to let me take the shafts through at SeaTac. I won't try that again. Also, I got my ice screw roll through security at Boston but that was definitely a fluke and quite stressful. I'll be checking them from now on.

TommyB wrote: Any recommendations on flying with Ice tools, & crampons?

I'm taking a trip to Iceland and want to see if its worth bringing my own equipment or easier to just rent some.
I am considering throwing my tools and crampons in my checked bag.

Thanks

According to some friends who have tried, crampons are hit-and-miss in carry on luggage.  It really depends on the person doing the checking.  I would imagine intact tools (picks and shafts) would be turned down nearly every time (in a carry on).  But they should all fit in your check luggage pretty easily, so if it were me, I would bring them and check them.

Wrap the picks, spike (if you have one), and crampons in cardboard and toss them in your checked baggage. Never had an issue doing it this way and have flown with my gear quite a bit.

BD use to sell an “Ice Box” that works really well, but adds a couple pounds. Not sure if they still sell it or not, but I quit using mine and going the cardboard route. 

Legally if you wrap everything in a towel and throw it in checked luggage it should be fine.

I just flew to italy starting from boston. I checked everything sharp and kept items that would make or brake my trip like boots, clothing, and my fav lead gloves in my carryon.

However, be warned.
This was a first for me but maybe a new policy so be prepared.
So checking in at boston int terminal , AFTER they sent my check luggage away on the belt, they told me I had a weight limit on my carry on and I had a small backpack and a standard carry on with me. And they weighed them together.  and i was over so they forced me to check the larger bag. I refused to pay extra to check it until they brought me back my check luggage from the conveyor belt to hell, to arrange items for weight, So eventually he let us check then for free.
But I found that odd because I've never had to weigh my carryon personal item before. Which I usually load up. 

 

In checked luggage is fine, both domestically and internationally.

I've always made little homemade "scabbards" out of cardboard just so nothing gets cut, but it's never been an issue. I travel with ice gear a fair amount and have never had an issue.

• Buy duffel
• Place gear in duffel
• Check duffel

Looks like checking them is the way to go and I like the idea of cardboard on the sharp edges.

Thanks guys. 

You might want to check about access, as I remember, the approaches are rather long, especially if the roads are closed.
I brought tools and crampons, in my check in, and didn't have a problem
There are places to rent, as well guide services.
Remember Iceland is very expensive, and car rental agreements don't cover flat tires 

I brought my tools (insert: and on second thought, maybe my crampons) home with me in checked baggage on the plane from where I bought them in Spain through Germany and into Las Angeles, CA no issue.

I spent a couple of seasons traveling almost every weekend between Washington DC and Boston for ice. I used a small suitcase, the kind most people put in an overhead, for all of my hard gear. It's nice to have a hard-sided suitcase rather than a duffel for all the sharp stuff. Then I wore my boots on the plane, as well as most of my climbing clothes, and carried my climbing pack filled with other soft stuff. Never had a single problem, and TSA always seem to be pretty comfortable with it.