Transporting Walking Sticks
 

Mods, if this needs to go somewhere else, please move.^ I am flying Delta, so that is why I started here.

I have a question about how to transport four walking sticks. These are the collapsible type you would purchase at REI, or other sporting goods stores. The problem is that fully collapsed, they will not fit into my largest suitcases. So, therein lies the question. Without having to go out and buy a $30 bag to transport $75 worth of walking sticks, what would be your recommendation. There are four of them, and fully collapsed each is about 36" long.

Your recommendations are appreciated.

A UPS or FedEx store would probably have boxes of a size and shape to hold the walking sticks. Also, a large poster tube from an art supply store might be long enough. There are reusable ones made of plastic with a carrying strap.

Maybe Delta has boxes for checking hunting rifles? Not something I have any personal knowledge about, but the size and shape would be right.

There are some non-cardboard permanent/reusable poster tubes with handles and straps to make them easy to carry, but these are probably expensive.

You might want to try a golf shop; the boxes that single clubs come in should be about the right size.

If all else fails, you can always get creative with a couple of odd boxes, a pair of scissors and a roll of duct tape… :D

Use a free USPS box...

https://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/sto...T.ac=P_O-1098M

Are you planning to check them or carry on? I've seen people carry on tubes for things like fly fishing gear that looked to exceed the carry-on size rules in terms of length. Would they fit in something like that? Unless they have too much of a pointed end that would restrict them from carry-on eligibility (i.e. look too much like a potential weapon to pass TSA approval)?

The postal box looks like a good, secure option if you're checking.

I expect those boxes are free only if you are shipping with USPS.

We bought a pair of poles for each of us for our trip to NZ in November. Found out that if I take them apart, they will fit diagonally in our suitcases that we normally use. Never considered trying to carry them on.

My brother checked a pair through, taken apart and diagonal in the back-pack. The backpack is one of the larger ones.

Romelle

They are way too delicate to check in your luggage.

I don't know that you can bring them on a plane:


http://www.montezumabeach.com/images/walkingstick2.jpg

You are allowed to bring walking sticks onto a plane as carry-on. You can put four of these copllapsible REI types into a small-to-medium tennis racquet bag quite easily and sling them over your shoulder. I have transported two REi sticks in a single tennis bag and I am sure I could have fit two more.

One TSA agent stopped the belt then asked her supervisor whether walking sticks were OK (did not open the bag) -- she was given clearance very qucikly. Another was unsure what they were and was about to open the bag and when I told her they were walking sticks she didn't even want to open the bag.

I put them in a large duffel bag when I fly west for a hiking trip.

Nope - you can even order them online and they will ship to your house for free

... but they might have the standard lingo on them about using for other than USPS mail is a blah blah felony or whatever subject to $XX,000 penalty and X years in prison... :D

Before flying with my poles, I did a lot of research on hiking websites, and people's success at trying to carry them on was pretty inconsistent (no big surprise). So I've always checked mine, which fit diagonally in my larger (24") suitcase.

Poles can be disassembled for cleaning and lubricating so, as others have mentioned, you can also take them apart for packing. Look online to see if the manufacturer has disassembly instructions, or ask at the shop where you bought them. If they're Lekis, look here:

http://www.leki.com/trekking/faq.php