Anyone have any experience flying with an external frame pack, namely, a Barney's Pinnacle pack? I'd preferably like to carry on or gate check my pack instead of checking it all the way mainly because of all the connecting flights (and the possibility of lost luggage) and all the straps. It won't be fully loaded because I've shipped my gear ahead. It'll just be a change of clothes and optics. Any suggestions or advice? Flying Continental.

Check the measurement requirements on their website. I carried on an Eberlestock with the expensive goodies like binos & rangefinder and quite a bit of other stuff. No problems.

I've seen a lot of backpacks go through as carryon. As a warning - if you've EVER used it for camping, check every pocket carefully for a leftover knife, aerosol can of anything, or anything else that the TSA could call a weapon. It's very easy to make a serious mistake. One time I was sweating a bit with a daypack that I've used many times for hunting with my handloads. I got the complete check, including swabbing down the pack for explosives. I was concerned about powder residue from the ammo. They didn't find any.

Interesting. Haven't flown with a big frame pack since before 9/11. Did so to Alaska and back with a Kelty frame pack for a little backpacking/mountaineering trip. Checked the pack as luggage. Made sure all the straps were removed and tucked inside so they wouldn't get caught on the conveyor belts. It worked fine, but we were all worried about our packs on the way up.

Coming home, not so much. We were too tired to be worried about the packs! Every pack held up fine.

Made a couple of cross-country flights with a military frame pack too. Just checked it.

Holy Toledo, I made the mistake Rock Chuck alluded to.......one round of forgotten .357 ammo deep in a Kifaru carry on, and I almost missed the flight home from Bozeman, plus got a nasty letter about the unnecessary expenditure of resources on my behalf by the TSA.
Lesson Learned,
Don

Romo,
Where are you going?
Don

am thinking they might let you do it, if you remove the top bar and keep it really flat by not having much in it.

but I always just put mine in a duffel bag and check as luggage when I was flying commercially to hunt alot, course most of that occurred pre 9-11


I just used a day pack for my spotting scope, rangefinder, binocs and sat phone

figured it was just under 4K worth of stuff in there.

I was going to suggest the duffel bag that is what we do when we go to NZ and put it with the luggage. I would be prepared with a small pack incase you can't take it on with you.

I would try to gate check it as I would worry about the optics going missing, but I've seen packs put into a large clear plastic bag (issued by airlines) wrapped with airline tape and checked as luggage. I have the pinnacle bag and I just can't see an airlines letting you carry that on.

Flying from Louisiana to Fairbanks then driving up to Coldfoot to fly into the Brooks Range to take my nephew on a caribou hunt for his high school graduation present. Was supposed to be a moose hunt when he graduated 2 years ago but he can't miss 2 weeks at LSU. Oh well, I guess my goat hunt will have to wait another year or so.

Your are a good man to pass it along. You have a good 'ole time, ya hear

I packed my Eberlestock with gear and checked it in as baggage. I did use a medium sized backpack to carry on a Geovid, a Leica digital and some assorted snacks. Just make sure your packs dims are somewhat close to what they advise. Many passengers abuse and stretch the carry on dimensions - it is ridiculous. The crews are fit to be tied but everyone wants to save the checked bag fees. This was on my last flight in April from MSP to ANC on a brown bear hunt. The snow screwed us up. will be going back in Sept. to finish the hunt.

Wonder if I can get check it? 45 linear in. is the max and the most compressed I can get it is at 49-50 in.

My biggest concern is that I have a load of connections going...Lafayette, LA to Houston to Seattle to Anchorage on Continental then to Fairbanks on Alaska Air. Coming back is Fairbanks to Anchorage on Alaska Air then to Houston and Lafayette on Continental. I'm not so concerned about the flight back as I am in making sure I have my pack when I arrive in Anchorage.

mail your pack is an option as well

Not a bad idea. With the airlines charging for checked luggage and with their reputation for lost/damaged cargo, the USPS likely won't cost any more and they're more dependable.

I've flown "commercial" with the pinnacle full of crap and had no problems. However, that was on Penn Air, and in-state.

Pretty sure that different rules apply, because when I showed up at the gate (late of course) and told them I had a handgun, unloaded and in a locked case, they said something to the effect of "We don't care, now pack that thing down to the gate before you miss the final boarding."

Were I in your shoes, I'd likely put it in a duffel or wrap it in a plastic bag, just to avoid snagging straps. But I wouldn't worry too much... you can't go to the Anchorage airport in the fall without seeing lots of frame packs.

I've taken a Kelty external frame with a medium sized bag and stuffed it in the overhead on Delta and Northwest flights to Idaho many times. Get on the plane early and find an empty overhead.

Said b-4 but I feel two options from my experience.
1. Take the top bar off, it just catches on stuff anyway. Find a cheap duffel bag that the pack will fit in. Put your clothes etc. around the frame to break up the pattern and protect it. This will keep it away from prying eyes, conveyor belts, etc.
2. UPS it to your destination ahead of time. Probably in the $50 range but you might find the piece of mind worth it.

Either way I feel it is mandatory to put all your valuable optics, licenses etc in a separate carry-on sized pack or bag.

HAHA funny you mention that. Had that problem going through TSA security in Anchorage enroute to Kodiak last year for a goat hunt. Used my Badlands 2800 as my carry on but didn't go through it really to ensure I wasn't carrying any contraband. Ran it through the x-ray machine twice, and they could see there was a knife in there but there are so many dang pockets and nooks and crannies in my loaded up pack that before it was said and done it was 30+ mins with TSA 7 times through the x-ray machine, 1 torch lighter, 1 knife, and a LIVE 308 cal round they were ready to string me up big time. Filled out the paper work required and sent on my way to RUN to the gate as they were closing the door of the plane to Kodiak. Lesson, go through EVERY pocket thoroughly if you plan on using your dayhunt pack as a carrying through TSA.

Plan on doing it again though possible. Anyone know if a NICE frame/longbow pack will work as a carrying?? Plan on making my NICE 6500 as a duffle bag checked bag and the frame and longbow as a carry one, but not sure if its small enough to use as a carry on.

If you hang around the luggage carousel at airports popular with bacpackers in the summer like Denver and Anchorage you'll see external frame backpacks hung up (and bent up) more than just about anything else. I'm not sure why but I've noticed it every time I've stood there for a while looking.