I bought shoes with metal in them!

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Jan 15, 2006, 4:44 pm

#16

SPN Lifer

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These items are also useful for people who must regularly pass through metal detectors at federal buildings.

Jan 15, 2006, 7:27 pm

#17

PatrickHenry1775

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Quote:

Originally Posted by SPN Lifer

Good tip! This would seem to be a critical item for truly frequent flyers these days.

Someone should compile a list.

Does anyone have any insight into procuring airport-friendly belts?

Belts? I have never had a problem with regular leather dress belts with a normal metal buckle alarming the WTMD. In fact, I had not even considered my belt as a potential alarm trigger.

Jan 16, 2006, 11:50 am

#18

Flaflyer

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Borderline Belts

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatrickHenry1775

Belts? I have never had a problem with regular leather dress belts with a normal metal buckle alarming the WTMD. In fact, I had not even considered my belt as a potential alarm trigger.

I have a 1 1/8 inch wide leather belt with a buckle about twice the mass of a leather dress belt. Most places it puts my aggregate metal total(belt buckle plus glasses plus fillings plus magnetic personality

) over the top and alarms the WTMD. I got tired of hand wands due to my belt buckle. Eagle Creek sells a black travel belt that is built like an army brass buckle web belt, except the buckle is plastic. I have <never>tripped the WTMD when I remember to switch belts, even when wearing my over 1 inch shoes with no metal in them at places that let me keep them on. ^

Jan 17, 2006, 8:38 pm

#19

bambi47

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Not really a belt girl, but I know they have belts where the buckle can be removed by itself. Seems a little easier than removing the whole belt. Just a thought.

Jan 18, 2006, 7:49 am

#20

Flaflyer

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bambi47

Not really a belt girl, but I know they have belts where the buckle can be removed by itself. Seems a little easier than removing the whole belt. Just a thought.

Some of us fly wearing oversize pants, so when internal gasses expand at cabin altitude the pants are still comfortable. Yet we still wear regular pants, not sweat pants like so many do. I tried removing my belt ONCE. Never again.

No belt buckle on oversize pants = somewhere between WTMD and end of xray machine (hold BP, hold pants, put on shoes, gather laptop, gather coat, gather carry on--do I have six hands?) = pants fall down(AKA drop trou).

Flashing TSA bambi is probably a federal offense.

Worse, you might have no choice but to invoke a SSI on the new rule only allowing tools under 7 inches onboard. . .

Jan 18, 2006, 9:06 am

#21

GUWonder

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For any here who consider getting their shoes -- especially the heels or soles -- repaired, be careful to make sure more metal is not being added to your shoes ... or you will get the shoe lovers at the TSA all excited.

Jan 18, 2006, 10:11 pm

#22

bambi47

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Flaflyer

Flashing TSA bambi is probably a federal offense.

Worse, you might have no choice but to invoke a SSI on the new rule only allowing tools under 7 inches onboard. . .

Although flashing me is not a federal offense, its not a pretty site. I've said it before, its never the people you want to see naked that you do!!

Jan 18, 2006, 11:01 pm

#23

Palal

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I have some sneakers that have metal in the soles and in the toe region. Very good for rainy weather, not so good for flying... I was flying back from Israel (they don't have a shoe carnival there even with all their security). I was going to take off my shoes, they wouldn't let me. They had me go through the detector, and the detector was, of course, set off. They then x-rayed my shoes, and used a wand on my feet - no biggie.
BTW. Wanding is not a big deal there... they have a person doing it an nearly every establishment if you look suspicious enough. The locals are used to it.

Why was I flying in these shoes? It was raining that day, and I didn't have time to change.

Jan 22, 2006, 11:41 am

#24

Traveller

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bambi47

Here's a little infor, maybe this will help everyone with the whole shoe thing. We (a few of us dumb screeners), have found that taking a stud finder with you when buying shoes for traveling helps. It will pick up any metal in the sole. Just a FYI.

I went over to a friend's house to borrow a stud finder and he said that it won't detect metal... I'd need a pretty strong magnet to find metal. So who's right? Will a stud finder (I'm assuming it's used to find wood studs in walls) detect metal in shoes?

Jan 22, 2006, 1:45 pm

#25

ND Sol

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Traveller

There are two different types. The more accurate ones detect differences in surface densities. The other kind uses magnets to detect the nails in the studs. So the latter might work, while the former will not.

Jan 23, 2006, 5:12 pm

#26

#10

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A little help for Traveller (Airport Safe W Shoes)

http://www.zappos.com/n/es/d/7220013.../1/page/1.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by Traveller

I've had Dexter shoes that were a couple of years old and never set off the WTMD but they finally wore out. I bought a new pair, similar style, and they were fine thru MLB but they set off the WTMD at BHM.

The TSA agent at MLB said it was "close" whatever that means when I told him I had new shoes and wanted to see if they set off the alarm.

I've googled "Airport Friendly" shoes and I got back dozens of articles that say that there aren't too many airport friendly shoes for women. Can anyone recommend a good stylish shoe for women that are airport friendly? I like to wear a soft slip on shoe similar to this: http://www.shoeline.com/asp/dcpItem.asp?style=IT8400-5. (By the way, that's the shoe that won't go thru BHM). I don't have a stud finder and don't really want to go buy one just to buy shoes for my travels, but that might be cheaper than spending $60 to find out they have metal in them.