I BelievE I can Fly: Air Travel With Your Gear
Making your way across the country for a paintball game for the first time can definitely be something that raises your anxiety. This is especially true if you're flying with gear, and haven't done so. What do you need to do? How do you need to pack things so that you don't need lose anything? Here are a few tips that should really help.
Getting Prepped
Getting Prepped
Had to take this from Colorado to North Carolina
The first things I would address are your bag itself. You'll want something with size, but not heavy in itself or older. I say that for a couple of reasons. You're likely to be packing a couple of full set ups, including masks, tanks, pod packs, markers---the works. Everything you need to keep playing should a marker go down.
The other thing you need to know is that the FAA is likely to kick the hell out of your bag. I, unfortunately, have expereince with this. I flew a couple of times with an older JT bag, which was great. The problems with it were that it weighed a lot on it's own, and was older. American Airlines managed to break zippers both times they manhandled it, and on one occasion it came out on the belt at baggage claim in a full yard sale. My stuff was everywhere. They had managed to break the main zipper, causing $300 in damage to the bag alone. I was mortified. American had kicked the hell out of the bag. A newer bag is just more likely to survive it.
The weight I bring up because there are weight limits that you don't want to cross to avoid extra charges, depending on the airline and the class you are flying in. That JT bag was almost 20 lbs empty. When you're trying to stay below 50lbs, and you're packing markers and tanks, it adds up quick. So you want something tough but able to take a beating. The best thing I have found, and really like, is the OGIO Rig 9800 bag.
The other thing you need to know is that the FAA is likely to kick the hell out of your bag. I, unfortunately, have expereince with this. I flew a couple of times with an older JT bag, which was great. The problems with it were that it weighed a lot on it's own, and was older. American Airlines managed to break zippers both times they manhandled it, and on one occasion it came out on the belt at baggage claim in a full yard sale. My stuff was everywhere. They had managed to break the main zipper, causing $300 in damage to the bag alone. I was mortified. American had kicked the hell out of the bag. A newer bag is just more likely to survive it.
The weight I bring up because there are weight limits that you don't want to cross to avoid extra charges, depending on the airline and the class you are flying in. That JT bag was almost 20 lbs empty. When you're trying to stay below 50lbs, and you're packing markers and tanks, it adds up quick. So you want something tough but able to take a beating. The best thing I have found, and really like, is the OGIO Rig 9800 bag.
Great bag, and huge
Let me just put this in real quick
When you're packing your gear, there are a few things to know. Your markers are not guns. You know that. Spell it out so that any idiot can also know that without a shadow of a doubt. Put them in obvious cases. I have literally included the printed out wikipedia of what an Autococker is and put that in the bag with them to make it abundantly clear that these are not firearms, and to explain exactly what they are.
You can also fly with HPA tanks, so long as you do one thing. You MUST take off your tank regulator. That's not optional. The people rummaging through your gear need to be able to see into the bottle itself. It is also illegal to fly with that reg on. You can get in really, really big trouble if you haven't done this. This isn't a choice, and I cannot overstate it. DO NOT TRY TO FLY WITH HPA WITHOUT REMOVING THE REGULATORS.
The other thing that can be a problem are your batteries. Toss them in a clear plastic bag or in a plastic container, and make them obvious. You don't need them going through all of your stuff, so don't make the FAA do it. Make everything easy to spot.
Another tip I have followed, and highly encourage others to do is to literally make an inventory and print it out, placing it in an obvious spot in your bag writing out exactly what you have. Make life for the person who is checking your bag as easy as possible, and show them what you have. You want your stuff to get through security as easily as possible. This helps you make it stupid easy for security.
When you're packing your gear, there are a few things to know. Your markers are not guns. You know that. Spell it out so that any idiot can also know that without a shadow of a doubt. Put them in obvious cases. I have literally included the printed out wikipedia of what an Autococker is and put that in the bag with them to make it abundantly clear that these are not firearms, and to explain exactly what they are.
You can also fly with HPA tanks, so long as you do one thing. You MUST take off your tank regulator. That's not optional. The people rummaging through your gear need to be able to see into the bottle itself. It is also illegal to fly with that reg on. You can get in really, really big trouble if you haven't done this. This isn't a choice, and I cannot overstate it. DO NOT TRY TO FLY WITH HPA WITHOUT REMOVING THE REGULATORS.
The other thing that can be a problem are your batteries. Toss them in a clear plastic bag or in a plastic container, and make them obvious. You don't need them going through all of your stuff, so don't make the FAA do it. Make everything easy to spot.
Another tip I have followed, and highly encourage others to do is to literally make an inventory and print it out, placing it in an obvious spot in your bag writing out exactly what you have. Make life for the person who is checking your bag as easy as possible, and show them what you have. You want your stuff to get through security as easily as possible. This helps you make it stupid easy for security.
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
At the Desk
Once you're all packed up and ready to go (and check the bag like 6 times again to make sure that you didn't forget anything, if you're like me), you'll head out to the airport. When you get there, you may want to let the good people working the baggage check counter at the airport that you have paintball guns. They're 100% legal, and you've followed the FAA rules on their site in packing your gear. The laws can be different in different states about whether or not you need to alert them, but better safe than sorry.
And the person you're telling may know even less than you do on this stuff, so telling them what's up may save you a hassle. I have usually built-in a little extra time for this part. I've been told, "Sure, no problem." at several airports. I also literally had to show one person the FAA's rules on their own website regarding flying with air rifles/paintball guns. So this can go either way.
Once you're all packed up and ready to go (and check the bag like 6 times again to make sure that you didn't forget anything, if you're like me), you'll head out to the airport. When you get there, you may want to let the good people working the baggage check counter at the airport that you have paintball guns. They're 100% legal, and you've followed the FAA rules on their site in packing your gear. The laws can be different in different states about whether or not you need to alert them, but better safe than sorry.
And the person you're telling may know even less than you do on this stuff, so telling them what's up may save you a hassle. I have usually built-in a little extra time for this part. I've been told, "Sure, no problem." at several airports. I also literally had to show one person the FAA's rules on their own website regarding flying with air rifles/paintball guns. So this can go either way.
Travelling for a game---100% worth it
Get Out There
So that's about it. It's not too tricky. Get a good bag that is light and durable. Make a list, and slap it somewhere visible. Make your stuff easy to spot in the bag. May want to label your markers. For the love of all that's holy, take off the damn regulators on your HPA tanks! Show your batteries. Let the security people know. And that should help make sure that you get everything through from point A to point B as easily as possible. Easy peasy.
So that's about it. It's not too tricky. Get a good bag that is light and durable. Make a list, and slap it somewhere visible. Make your stuff easy to spot in the bag. May want to label your markers. For the love of all that's holy, take off the damn regulators on your HPA tanks! Show your batteries. Let the security people know. And that should help make sure that you get everything through from point A to point B as easily as possible. Easy peasy.