OBOW Light Travel Forum > Liquids
Of the items mentioned only the chapstick would have to go in the 3-1-1 bag. Sometimes people slip lip balm through, but I wouldn't count on it.
Frank@OBOW
You're the best, Brad!
Dave
I have not seen any information that would lead me to believe that chapstick would be considered a liquid or gel. Is is similar in consistency to the sold antiperspirant that I switched to to conserve 3-1-1 space. I have never been called on that. My thought is that if it won't pour it's not a liquid or gel. Brad, do you have information from TSA or airline to the contrary?
Bill
You can find plenty of online accounts of air travelers having their Chapstick confiscated even though the TSA info says vaguely that "lip balm" is allowed as a carry-on item and seems not to be required to go in the baggy:
"You are permitted to bring solid cosmetics and personal hygiene items as such lipstick, lip balm and similar solids."
But lots of people have had it confiscated by TSA officers who don't understand the rule. So, since a Chapstick tube is so small I recommend placing it the 3-1-1 baggy to avoid any chance of a hitch. I believe the TSA is purposefully vague here.
Frank@OBOW
Quick update if anyone cares, Ahmed in fact did get the MEI Voyageur to me - 2 days before my trip, right in time but the man delivered nicely.
Nice meaty bag, too, though I can understand Brad's complaints about the lack of compartmentalization. That's okay, though, works pretty nicely with a few packing cubes.
Dave
If your really worried about just a tube of chapstick...keep it in your pocket when you roll through security. It won't set off the detector and you should be just fine. I've come very close to smuggling an entire 8 oz bottle of (gasp) hair gel in the cargo pocket of my REI Adventure pants (but never went through with it).
I believe that the rule needs to be significantly clarified or eliminated in part mostly because so few of the actual TSA staff understand how it works.
Is it 3.4 oz by weight or volume? What if the bottle doesn't SAY 3.4 oz on it? Is that stuff actually a liquid? Its created more frustrations than pretty much anything else they've ever done
Sam
I've seen the restriction stated as "3oz/100ml" but those aren't exactly the same volume. I have a toothpaste container that states "3.38oz/100ml" as the volume, and since it's special toothpaste I purchased from my dentist (for sensitive teeth), I'd like to hang on to it. But I could easily see a grumpy security guard saying "over 3oz, too big" and seizing it. Has anyone had a problem with 100ml containers?
Erin
I haven't but if you really need to carry the toothpaste you should print out the rule from the TSA website and carry it with you. Information - if presented respectfully - is power, even with the TSA.
Carrying a 3-1-1 bag that has lots of containers in it may be a red flag. My wife was pulled aside for a detail search at Heathrow in which all of her liquids were litmus-tested. It only took a couple of minutes, actually wasn't too bad. It may have been random, but I suspect it had to do with the quantity of containers (all of legal size) or the fact that some of them were unmarked.
Frank@OBOW
Hi Brad/whoever, just a quick question.
I'm leaving for some parts of the developing world in a week, and I plan on bringing my own pens/condoms/chapstick along, just due to from what I hear quality versions being relatively tough to find.
I'll be abroad for a while and was planning on buying clothes and whatnot there, and as a result I am only bringing one carryon sized bag.
So my question is, do the above items belong in the one quart sized ziplock bag (which is getting kind of full as is), or can I just put them in my bag without issue?
Thanks a lot, I really appreciate any responses.
P.S. just a warning to anyone interested in the MEI Voyageur, I believe MEI is absolutely overloaded with orders as a result of their recent internet publicity and website. I ordered back in November and I'm still on hold, so plan WAAAAAAAAAAY in advance if you are going to get one.