climbing gear as a carry-on

[mec]

anyone have any issues taking gear through the airport security checkpoints? i figure a nut tool might be 'suspect', but i don't imagine that there would be any problem with the rest other than some confused looks from someone who doesn't know shit about climbing.

[Jim]

I had to check my bag leaving Italy (Venice) as the security guy said my webbing and harness were not allowed in carry on. After a brief discussion it was clear he wasn't backing down and off I went to check it.

[wfinley]

We flew from Anchorage to Denver with ropes in one carry-on and rock gear in another. I left out the nut tools and didn't have any pins. I think if you're flying in / out of a domestic airport that sees climbers on a regular basis it would be OK. However if it's overseas or a small town I would check it... we've all heard the story of the the poor climber getting busted with a bag of chalk. Likewise - ice tools cannot be in your carry-on (I know a guy who actually tried that)!

[TimL]

I had an issue flying from Toronto to Seattle one time with a rope in my backpack which was my carry-on item. The security guard at the check point made me check it in because he said it was prohibited and a risk to the passengers and crew.....

[knelson]

There's a great post on here somewhere that I'll try and find a link to, if I can work this *$^$& search engine.

 

What I remember was that a guy had crampon points and a wrench to change them in his carry-on bag. He thought "duh" as he was approaching security, but went for it anyway. Security dude did look at the points, but put them aside. Instead, security dude confiscated the wrench because "tools" were on the no-no list, repacked the points into the bag, and sent him on his way.

 

I'll try to dig up the post, but my point it that logic has very little to do with what will pass and what will not. And arguing is not an option. Might want to check it, or be ready to part with anything that doesn't look like the "normal" stuff people bring onboard.

[mec]

It is going to be just a domestic flight to big airports, and no ice/snow gear. just a standard rock rack and a couple of ropes and harnesses.

 

Jim, you should have just went back out and put your harness on, and called it a clothing accessory. Then you could have walked through no problem. security people get a little arrogant sometimes.

[jon]

I recently flew from Seattle to Amsterdam with a large diameter coil bike lock in my carry-on. No problems in US security, but they took it in Amsterdam when I went through customs/security, and there was no way I was going to be able to put it in my checked luggage because it was in process.

[kurthicks]

I flew from SeaTac to Anchorage this spring with a 50m rope and a harness compete with glacier gear (no screws though)in my carry-on. no problems. we checked all the spikey things.

[Ireneo_Funes]

In LAX they wouldn't let me take quickdraws in my carry-on. Not sure how why they thought QD's represented a threat, but I thought it best not to press the issue.

[Dru]

What if you clipped them all together and made a nunchuck?

[matt_warfield]

My buddy inadvertently carried a GriGri on but after explanation and hand waving was allowed through despite the odd looking and dense nature of the device. But I had to give up my nail clipper since it had a 1 inch awl attachment.

[tomtom]

What I remember was that a guy had crampon points and a wrench to change them in his carry-on bag. He thought "duh" as he was approaching security, but went for it anyway. Security dude did look at the points, but put them aside. Instead, security dude confiscated the wrench because "tools" were on the no-no list, repacked the points into the bag, and sent him on his way.

 

I had a 10 mm wrench confiscated at Seatac this past January. Tools are a no-no.

[ClimbingCowboy]

Here's the link to the TSA. Print it out and take it with you in case you have to educate any screeeners. When I flew 1 1/2 years ago from PDX to Chicago and back, I had all of my gear in carry-on. I did leave the nut tool at home (I was climbing Illinois dolomite after all). No problems were experienced - even with slings. You'll see that ice ax's have to be checked in. Safe to say crampons, wrenches, and nut tools should be too.

 

Have a great trip!

[Adventurewagen]

I fly regularly, well more than regularly. Try 36 weeks last year I never check any luggage, ever. I also never leave home without my rock shoes and chalk bag. Half the time I also have my harness with belay device (reverso), a couple biners and some daisy's usually left on from the weekend. The only time I've ever had an issue was once in Portland when they wondered what my chalk was (around the same time as the anthrax scares) and a couple times when I forgot my nut tool hanging off my harness. I still made it through with the tool, but had to do some explaining. I usually don't bring the grigri, it ALWAYS shows up and causes another check so I just don't travel with it.

 

Anytime I bring gear though, it gets checked. I've purchased and brought through cams a number of times no problems, sometimes you need to show the guys what it does, but otherwise usually no problems.

[sobo]

But I had to give up my nail clipper since it had a 1 inch awl attachment.

 

Trying to carry on a nose hair trimmer makes me "armed and dangerous" as well. TSA confiscated mine on our way to Vietnam, and I'm such a cheap bastard I never replaced it. That was almost 3 years ago. My face looks like a hound's butt now...

[shapp]

I have flown from seatac to boise, las vegas, alaska, and arizona with a full trad rack + nut tool as a carry on post 911 and have had zero problems.

[kioti]

Why doesn't someone from the board get hired by the TSA, then you can make up rules about gear not being allowed, then distribute the booty to cc'ers. Seems fool proof. I know if I saw a few cams go by on the x-ray, they wouldn't be making it far.