Couple random gear questions

“I am traveling abroad for spring break and don't plan on packing anything more than my internal frame backpack. Are the straps an issue at all on conveyor belts and through the whole baggage handling process? If so, is there anything I can get to prevent any problems?

Also, I am curious about Magnesium fire starters. Has anyone used them? Do they help for starting fires with damp kindling? Thanks.”

“Try to keep all the straps tight against the pack frame. You may want to consider a pack bag. Airports and handlers are murder on straps. Magnesiun starters will light everything. Practice first, because you may use it up fast at first.”

“As far as the fire starters. Take a big clumb of lint from the dryer. You can light that stuff VERY easily with a magnesium fire starter.

Take all the loose straps and tuck them under each other so nothing is hanging loose. I even buckle the hip belt around the back of the pack so it will be flat against the pack.”

“A large stuff sac or duffel over your pack will keep straps from catching in conveyors etc.

The Magnesium fire starters are great in concept but they suck in reality!! You scrape a nice pile of shavings under your kindling but when you strike the steel with your knife it makes enuff breeze to blow the shavings all over the place. A much better fire starting system is using cotton balls covered with petroleum jelly and a lighter,matches or flint and steel to ignite it.a nine volt battery and some steel wool also works well.another good fire starter are the small trick birthday candles that light back up again after you blow em out.as a matter of fact magnesium is what makes the candles relight. I had one of those mag fire starters and they really arent worth using ,but I did pry the steel away from the magnesium and it makes a good striker in case my bic lighter fails. Streamweaver”

“A pack back is definitely the way to go for moving through airports. If possible, buy a pack bag larger than your backpack and you can store things, like your boots, in a plastic bag outside your backpack. Some airports have a plastic wrap machine and you can get your bag wrapped up neatly so the straps don't get caught in conveyors... although I don't know if the wrap machines have been done away with these days (security reasons).”

“What the 'dude said about the hipbelt!!! Also airlines should have heavy duty plastic bags to slip over your bag. You might need two if your is long.”

“I made a duffle-type bag for my gear. It's over-sized and my wife calls it a body bag. I can fit my loaded pack and boots inside. Protects the straps from conveyor belts and handlers from using them for handles.”

“Don't think I'd bring a magnesium fire starter or lighter for that matter. Fuel bottles & pocket knives would probably be a problem for Airport screeners.”

“It makes your bag look uglier, but in addition to the dude's excellent advice, you can duct tape some of the straps in place. I haven't done this for a long time, but it worked for me (tieing straps in place, fastening and tightening and then using duct-tape strategically where it would help and hold).”

“Duct tape on the pack leaves a sticky messy residue that will not come off.
I get oversized plastic bags (leaf/lawn bags) put the pack in that and duct tape the plastic tight around the pack. Need a new plastic bag for each trip.”

“I've had no trouble with knives or matches etc. as long as they're in checked luggage. Fuel bottles are another story. Not permitted at all unless they're new and unused with the caps off.”

“Wrapping the pack in plastic and duct tape (hmmmm...wonder where Ridge got the idea?) will be a problem it 'they' decide to inspect your pack (luggage). They'll have to tear open the bag and won't replace it.”

“I flew to New Hampshire last weekend and they DID go through our $h!t.

DO NOT put a lock on it, they will chop it off!

I can fit my big Dana pack in a standard U.S. Army duffle if I remove the hipbelt.

FOOTNOTE
If any of you guys and gals have an Army duffle that was issued and has your name and S S # stenciled on it, obliterate the S S #!!!!!!
I like having my name on the bag....easy to spot....but I changed all the digits into 8's.
That would make a real nice scam for some joker to hang out at the baggage pick-up and take down names and S S #'s.”

“Manuka's idea sounds better than mine. I found it pretty easy to get the gluey stuff off (I think rubbing alcohol did it)... but maybe this would be hard on some of the current materials and treatments on bags. My experience was with an old North Face bag that I hitch-hiked, flew and bused around with for many years (oh yeah, I even tried using it for backpacking a few times).”

“Fire starter in a tube. You can get it at any Wal-Mart. Just squeeze a little out, and light.”

“Try the new waterless hand cleaners and either cotton balls or dryer lint. The cleaner is 90+ percent alcohol and the warning label says it all: extremely flammable!”