I just made two travel pack covers. Both of 1.1 silnylon. I used the directions for making stuff sacks found at thru-hiker. I put a small loop of grosgrain at the bottom for a pull tab, but the air lines like to put the baggage claim through the loop. I use a drawcord top. It's just a big stuff sack. It's light, so I could use it as a half length ground cloth. I was worried about the sil holding up to TSA, but watching it slide along the baggage belt was great. I'm very happy with my choice. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Witness... 1000D cordura backpack, shredded by TSA, circa 2006. (The white bits are goose down from the (red) bag. Thankfully it was a 600-fill beater bag for motel use.)



Did the shoulder straps or hipbelt get hung up somewhere along the conveyor? Maybe. Does that mean I'd feel any better about handing off a sil-nylon ensconced backpack to TSA? Negative.

Checking items from the pack that must be checked is my current option of last resort, only when mailing those items won't work for whatever reason.

Flying from Australia to Europe and back a number of times, we have had good joy by putting the pack in two overlapping garbage bags and then binding the lot up with 2" packaging tape. We leave the haul loop sticking out. It makes a round ball with nothing to catch on things.

You can buy 2" packaging tape anywhere. You can usually buy garbage bags, but sometimes the airports have them free as well.

We leave a mini-box cutter accessible under the tape, so we can get it out and cut the packaging off. You might be surprised just how tenacious the packaging is when you don't have a blade!

Cheers

I use the same method as Roger. It's silly to carry around an extra bag just for use on the planes. People in the countries you are visiting also need to pack things and if you look around they will have the items you need to wrap the pack and keep it safe. I think it is asking for trouble to wrap your pack in silnylon... it is just too flimsy and you never know how baggage handlers will handle your pack.

I try to keep my international travel pack compact and light enough for carry on, but usually the airlines wants my trekking poles and tent poles to be checked in. I put these into a long cardboard box that the airlines have always had something available for.

You wouldn't want to show up at the airport with your backpack pre-wrapped (as Roger and Miguel describe) though, right? If only because TSA (in the states, anyway) will often take your checked baggage to a screening machine while you stand by, then go rummaging for any 'flagged' items. More than a few times I've been left to watch from afar as they package things back up after their search, and hoping they're securing things to my satisfaction. Better in this case, I'd think, would be to bring the bags, tape, and box cutter (ack), along with the unsecured pack, and tell the check-in attendant exactly how you'd like the scenario to work.

> You wouldn't want to show up at the airport with your backpack pre-wrapped (as Roger and
> Miguel describe) though, right?
Well, I don't know what happens in America, but our method has worked every time so far between Australia and Europe. We do have to remove the packaging to go through Customs in Australia; in France they don't seem to worry!

OK, so we do not have an utterly ineffectual and paranoid TSA in either of these countries. And the airports often have these big bags available for packaging up awkward items, so I doubt they are going to want to disembowel the luggage.

Ymmv.

Cheers

I've used double bagged flex garbage bags and duct tape many times. If they have to cut into it for inspection (which they have once to inspect a UV Aquastar water purifier) they re-bag it and tape it for you.

I have to pack 2 extras inside the bag for the return trip as I have to plan for the first two to get at least somewhat damaged. On the plus side, I use 1 as a pack liner and still have a backup. I pack a small bit of duct tape anyway which gets used on the return trip.

I use a Royal Mail plastic transit bag it has a sacking weave to it and used by the Royal Mail to transport their letters/packages, it's strong light and obtained by talking nicely to your local post office employee.

I have one of these http://www.rei.com/product/728446. It's light, packs into its own pocket & I only paid about $15 (looks like it's closer to $30 now). It's worked well for me - no holes or tears. It's huge though, & there's mixed reviews at REI.

+ 1 with Rod on the cling wrap

Just a belated follow-up.

We used garbage bags and 2" packing tape for our 'pack covers'.

It worked great.

Use a garbage bag that comes with its own little yellow drawcord at the top.
Fit it over your pack and wrap the garbage bag in packing tape.

Wrap the tape around at a few intervals to re-enforce the garbage bag and keep it a similar shape as the pack.
But don't wrap the tape too snug as you might not pack the bag as tightly next time. Especially the top section where the pack has to be able to slide out.

If you do a good job (and the baggage handlers aren't too rough) the garbage bag will be re-usable.

Tie the yellow drawstring through the haul loop of the backpack so there is something to carry it all with.

Make some extra 'double layer wraps' of packing tape so you have spare, to peel off and patch up the inevitable tears.

Our garbage bag 'pack covers' lasted all 5 flights.

Good luck.

Edited by terra on 04/07/2010 06:19:28 MDT.

I have struggled with the same problem getting to and from trails far from home. My solution was a pack of bombproof "Dyneema Gridstop" with removable shoulder straps (I don't use a hipbelt.). I carry on the carry-on essentials including things that can't survive crushing and that can still go through security (like the camera). Other non-crushables such as the cook kit go into the middle of the bag. All pockets are empty. This works OK, so far. The trick is to carry on as much as possible, leaving the pack bag as light and easy to handle as possible. It helps to have a bag that has no trailing straps.

Some international airports have shrink wrap that you can use. People wrap suitcases with it. The person operating the machine will take your item and wrap it up tight and shrinks it. I've had a backpack done this way flying to New Zealand. Now, I just pack light and carry on my pack which fits nicely in the overhead bins.