carry-on questions

[perrymk]

hello all

I am new here and to metal detecting. I hope to purchase one in the next month or so. In the meantime I have a couple of questions that an internet search has not fully answered.

I have more or less settled on a Garrett Ace 250 as a decent beginner model but am open to other suggestions. Mostly I anticipate looking for coins and other artifacts. It would be really great to take a MD on my vacation to Alaska this August.

Is there a metal detector that easily disassembles or folds to fit into an airline carryon size bag? It should also re-assemble easily and quickly. I emailed Garrett about their Ace250 and they said it would fit in a carry-on at about 22 inches. I am not thrilled with checking such an expensive (for me) item especially since luggage locks are frowned upon.

Has anyone ever traveled by airline with a MD? What tips can you offer? I've travelled with laptops but airport security are use to seeing those. Garrett also said that their name is known to airline security agents. What about other brands?

On a similar note, is there a pack made for carrying-on airlines and hiking? How do people accomplish this? I enjoy hiking and sometimes come across old camp/cabin sites that would be fun to explore. Carryon max size is 22x9x14, but I prefer to keep my carryon to 18 inches to allow it to slide lengthwise into an overhead.

EDIT: One more question. Is modifying the handle and stem practical to make it break down smaller? Or is this a really bad idea?

Thanks and I look forward to learning on forum.

Perry

 

[coindetector]

Hello, and welcome to the hobby.

I always put my detector in the checked luggage, and never had a problem (so far...). My carry-on contains a camera and a laptop, which is already too much. Plus the detector might be too big. I wouldn't modify it to make it smaller, because 1) you might mess it up and have to replace the shaft 2) if you are tall, you might not reassemble the detector to fit your height.
I am not familiar with Garrett Ace, but most detectors dissasemble fairly easy. If you save the orriginal package, you would be able to put it back and it would be protected during flight, even if its checked in.

Have fun detecting!

 

[~Alan~]

I don't see any problem with carrying the detector as hand luggage. You can always check before hand with your airline.
They may want to see it working to prove it's what it is, then they may want the batteries removed.
A friend brought a telescope back from the States for us last year, as hand luggage. That was in a rather large hard case, he had no problem.
It may be that transatlantic flights have more storage space though ?

 

[coindetector]

Yes, they might complain about batteries. You are better off checking them in.

 

[Casper]

Perry - I posted this about a month ago on beach forum - I always take both my water machines on as "carry on " - my Pi Pro in a cheap plastic pistol case-(the rod I pack in a suit case) and my CZ20 in a Fisher hard case - Never had a problem

Good Luck

 

[Casper]

everything else I need for hunting is packed in a hard shell suit case