Walking poles in ha...
 

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Walking poles in hand luggage?

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Any recent experiences of this?

Looking at walking/running Alta Via 1 in the dolomites this summer, flying to Venice (likely Ryanair).

We both use carbon, 3 section walking poles (Black Diamond I think they are), but I’m assuming this will prevent our usual cost and time saving measure of going hand luggage only?

If it matters the poles will fit in our bags if needed, not that I think that would fool an x-ray! But it might prevent over zealous airport staff calling me a terrorist?


 
Posted : 21/05/2023 7:16 am
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No chance! 🤣 Been to an airport lately? Security staff are on an absolute power kick and nothing gives them more pleasure than watching the misery of a snaking queue of anxious faces worried that they’ll miss their flight to Benidorm whilst they interrogate you over a pair of pointy sticks!


 
Posted : 21/05/2023 7:36 am
supernova reacted
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you can't I'm afraid

https://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/sports-equipment

it's a pain, as it also restricts monopods


 
Posted : 21/05/2023 7:37 am
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Can you post them to your starting point? Or at least post them home at the end of the trip?
Saves the hanging about in airports thing and some cost. Different range of damage / loss scenarios possible.


 
Posted : 21/05/2023 9:18 am
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That’s an odd thing to read as I’ve flown with a walking pole without issue. Granted is was one pole and I was actually using it to help me walk but no one bated an eyelid. In fact I got preferential treatment in Portugal as the staff let me skip queues. Edinburgh, not so much.

Take the baskets off, buy some rubber stoppers for the base and you should be good to go.


 
Posted : 21/05/2023 9:29 am
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Take the baskets off, buy some rubber stoppers for the base and you should be good to go.

This sounds like a great plan if you can carry it off!

I've also heard of people putting them in hand luggage, taking the risk, and getting away with it. I've always left them at home and bought cheap ones at the destination, but it is quite the faff finding somewhere that sells them!


 
Posted : 21/05/2023 10:26 am
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Lower them to the shortest length and claim theyre walking aids as in disability.
If you are the average stw user age this will be totally believable.


 
Posted : 21/05/2023 2:42 pm
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Just looking at that gov website. So you can take a pool or snooker cue and a fishing rod in as cabin luggage, but not walking poles. I'd love to know the logic behind that decision 🤔.

I'm pretty sure you could do more damage in a fight with a snooker cue and if it was the material then fishing rods are made out of carbon as well. Very odd.

So for the op just add a Shimano reel to it and say it's a fishing rod 😉


 
Posted : 21/05/2023 4:08 pm
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Lower them to the shortest length and claim theyre walking aids as in disability.
If you are the average stw user age this will be totally believable.

as 32 year olds of “athletic” (me) and petite (mrs w) build I feel this is going to need an Oscar level performance.

Don’t really want to buy more as happy with what we have (and carbon folding sticks aren’t cheap!).

Will look at some kind of plastic tube and postage options- that’s a good idea!


 
Posted : 21/05/2023 4:13 pm
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Just looking at that gov website. So you can take a pool or snooker cue and a fishing rod in as cabin luggage, but not walking poles. I’d love to know the logic behind that decision 🤔.

I’m pretty sure you could do more damage in a fight with a snooker cue and if it was the material then fishing rods are made out of carbon as well. Very odd.

Yeah, I just read that, and a walking pole, which usually has a rubber tip cover and weighs sod-all is a no, but a billiard or snooker cue, which is solid wood, and can inflict serious damage with the blunt end and the pointy end is fine; pool and snooker cues unscrew, providing a very handy club perfectly suited for swinging around in an airplane cabin. No logic there at all.


 
Posted : 22/05/2023 2:55 am

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