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Rucksack flight bag

B

Badgerbag

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Portugués abril 2024
Good morning!
My Lowe Alpine has more straps than a jellyfish has tentacles, all waiting to get stuck in the luggage conveyor. I don’t want to buy a rucksack hold-all and then have to carry it on the Camino, so my plan is to seal the rucksack in a stout transparent plastic bag for the outbound flight, chuck it away, and put the rucksack inside my sleeping bag liner for the return flight.

I thought that I’d do a quick post in case anyone has a better solution.
Cheers
 
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Some people use this large, inexpensive IKEA bag.

FRAKTA storage bag, blue, 73x35x30 cm76 l (28 ¾x13 ¾x11 ¾"20 gallon) - IKEA CA

FRAKTA storage bag, blue, 73x35x30 cm76 l (28 ¾x13 ¾x11 ¾"20 gallon) After 30 years in our range, it’s one of the most hardworking bags in the world. It’s big and strong and carries most things. Be it shopping, doing laundry or going to the beach, it goes wherever you go.
www.ikea.com
 
Your way may be better than mine but I tied up all the straps with lots of string and knots and then, at the suggestion of the airline (Ryanair), took the rucksack to the large cases check-in area where I presume they don't throw them around so much in case they hurt their backs! All went well.
 
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My current approach is to use a holdall, and post that to Ivar's store or to the place I am staying at my destination if I am not walking a camino route. I have used the approaches that @Camino Chrissy and @Harland2019 have described. They also work. I don't have experience with the bag wrap approach, but I see no reason for it not to work either.
 
My backpack does not have dangling straps, so the only thing I do is take my hip belt and tie it around itself and then clip it together before sending it through the scanner, which also helps to hold the shoulder straps closer together.
 
Thanks very much everyone! I’ve got one of those Ikea bags here somewhere. Never thought to use it! Must be my age!
 
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I use the built in rain cover and a second one for the straps side and then just pull the draw string to close it up. They’re both very light so no issue with weight. But I guess any large disposable plastic bag would work just as well.
 
Deuter make a ‘flight cover’ bag like a very large dry bag specifically for putting your backpack in to check-in for flights. It also allows you to include walking poles in the bag too as on most airlines they can’t be taken in the cabin. It has its own built in pocket that the bag folds neatly in to and you just pop it in your backpack and carry it. Smallest is 60L but I use it for my 40L Deuter pack and it works fine, it’s also lightweight. Available online !
 
At Frankfurt airport, they had me check in my backpack as special luggage, conveyors were no issue therefore.
On return, I just took it into the cabin and no one asked a question (officially, it would be too large).
 
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I never check my pack, it goes with me.
 
Charte57 said:
I second the IKEA duffle, that’s what I’ve used several times now and it’s worked out very well!
Click to expand...
I haven't personally used any bag, but I think the handles on this one are a nice feature, rather than using a big plastic bag.
 
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I use an inexpensive drawstring, laundry bag from the local Dollar, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar store, etc. I try to find the brightest color I can, so it is easily spotted on baggage conveyors. I prefer solid material to mesh.

If it is too baggy after placing my rucksack in it, I use duck tale to compress the overall package so it is less likely to snag. You might be able to retrieve the duck tape for reuse - or not.

On arrival, I either fold the laundry sack and place it at the bottom of my rucksack, or include it with other items to post ahead to Ivar at Santiago.

This has worked very well on all six of my trips to France, Portugal or Spain to do a Camino.

Hope this helps,

Tom
 
I used a carseat travel bag. It cost about $17 on Amazon. It was lightweight, and I just folded it up small and stuck it in my backpack. No handles, though, so I’ll look into the Ikea option.
 
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I put my checked-in rucksack in a black bin bag (refuse sack for US folk?) and wrap it in parcel tape. For the return journey, I carry a spare black bin bag and just tie the top of the bag (i.e. it's not wrapped in tape). It's worked well so far.
 
I do try to avoid single-use plastic; but I don’t carry much useless weight in my sack. A small roll of kitchen-wrap (cling film?) mummifies my checked-In rucksack at a fraction of the price of the airport offerings.

I’d you're packing a pen-knife, put it in an easily accessible place in your sack or you’ll struggle to get the plastic off.
 
Tim-F said:
I put my checked-in rucksack in a black bin bag (refuse sack for US folk?) and wrap it in parcel tape. For the return journey, I carry a spare black bin bag and just tie the top of the bag (i.e. it's not wrapped in tape). It's worked well so far.
Click to expand...
I’d wondered about bin bags, but was a bit concerned in case someone mistook it for a bag of rubbish. Undoubtedly I’m overthinking the whole thing.
 
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On my 2023 flights from Sydney to Madrid via Doha my checked-in backpack was trashed somewhere along the way despite being packed inside a locked hold-all with my walking poles, tips covered with rubber feet. One of the shoulder straps of my backpack was completely shredded making it unusable and I had to buy a new pack in Pamplona on the way to SJPdP. The outer bag was completely undamaged and locked on arrival in Madrid. The poles were also fine with tips still covered so they could not have damaged my backpack. Being stuck in a conveyor belt is the only way I can imagine such extensive damage being caused.

Please be aware that however you cover your backpack to check it in, it may still be opened up for customs or security checks or whatever. I have checked mine six times between Sydney and Paris/Madrid and always use a folding 40L hold all bag that also takes my much-loved walking poles. This is the only time it has arrived trashed.
 
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C clearly said:
Consider kitchen cling wrap.
Click to expand...
Consider the impact on Spanish landfill sites - the country has an enormous problem of their own with discarded plastics (the material from agricultural polytunnels in the south is causing terrible environmental problems) perhaps we should think twice before contributing to it?
 
Just tie the straps up so they aren’t sticking out (ie tie the loose straps to each other; tie small granny knots to take up the length of long loose straps. Then, capture the shoulder straps by lengthening the waist belt and securing the buckle at the front of the pack.
 
Sure. Personally, I would just tighten the straps, and send the pack on the conveyor.
 
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Decathlon sells a plane bag cover (duffel bag style) that folds into a reasonably small package you can put at the bottom of your bag.
 
I bought one of these IKEA moving bags. Their cheap and very light weight so I can carry it till the end and use if for the return flight as well if needed.
I'm from the US and airports where I live don't have the plastic wrap stations like you see in Europe so I think this IKEA bag is the best option.
Beun Camino!

 
I have owned the Airplane Case from Zpacks for a long time, which doubles as a pack liner. It’s a pricey piece of gear for sure.
 
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This looks like a good and not so expensive idea ! We are going for this; thought first of wrapping in plastic at the airport !
 
Hi, yes looks good, although strangely not available in the U.K. The Frakta they sell here is just an open bag. I shall go for it though and just tape it up.
 
Badgerbag said:
Hi, yes looks good, although strangely not available in the U.K. The Frakta they sell here is just an open bag. I shall go for it though and just tape it up.
Click to expand...
They are also not available any more on the US site, but I did see them on the Canadian IKEA site.
 
Camino Ready, Backpacks, Boots etc
3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
Badgerbag said:
Hi, yes looks good, although strangely not available in the U.K. The Frakta they sell here is just an open bag. I shall go for it though and just tape it up.
Click to expand...
Do you have access to Amazon in the UK? That where ai ordered this from.
 
On my camino trips from Gatwick I use a couple of rain covers, one for the back and the other for the front. It hides all those tentacles and to hold the the luggage info a lightweight strap around the middle. It has worked for me on several trips.
 
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