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I want to buy walking sticks in Zagreb, where?

I have walking/hiking sticks but they won't collapse to be short enough for my carry on roller bag.
I could use a slightly larger bag but I'm concerned about problems with connecting flights, and now especially with the threat of strikes by Lufthansa pilots.

Can I buy an inexpensive set in Zagreb to use at Plitvice Lakes and around Dubrovnik?
Would Vueling let me carry them on a flight to Rome, so I could use them again at Cinque Terre?

Surely United wouldn't allow me to carry them on through. Houston and Munich would they?

It seems my best choice is to buy them upon arrival in Zagreb as we are staying there for a couple of days, but do they have an equivalent to my cheap, Walmart walking sticks?

Thanks!

Posted by
3150 posts

Step 1 - Check with United.
Step 2 - Take action necessary upon completing step 1.

Posted by
49 posts

Good advice, Phillip. Thanks!

Both United and Vueling told me that walking sticks that collapse to a short length,
like these do, to about 25 inches, are okay to carry on.
So, perhaps buying them is not a problem unless the gate people have a different story to tell.
I just examined the sticks and while they come to a point,
it's not a sharp point that could be used as an offensive weapon.

So it seems possible that we could go 100% carry on,
leaving us with the knowledge of where our luggage is at all times,
and giving us the greatest flexibility to deal with STRIKES or other unforeseen (weather, etc) changes in our travel plan.

Posted by
7280 posts

Years ago, following knee surgery, I brought along collapsible Leki trekking poles. Even fully collapsed, they still aren't tiny, and arguably a terrorist could re-extend them once on board if they thought aluminum poles were a suitable weapon. This was in 2001, only 3 months prior to the 9/11 attacks, but the British Airways flight attendant let me approach the plane, and she took the poles as I boarded and stashed them in a closet for safekeeping, and returned them to me as I disembarked, hobbling down the aisle. As long as you don't take your poles to your seat, maybe that would work for all concerned. Maybe limp a bit and let Security know your situation :-)

Much of the trails at Plitvice Lakes are on boardwalks - do you have metal tips on your poles that might be kind-of hard on those boards? If so, do you have rubber tips that could slide over the metal tips? A few years after the 2001 trip, we were in Zagreb, and (after waiting in a bit of a line) the T.I. helped us find a room for the night. They might have walking stick supplier suggestions. You might even find a downed branch on the ground at the Plitvice entrance that could work, but that would be a long shot.

Posted by
49 posts

Wow!
I thought I had my walking sticks covered by calling United and Vueling and getting an "ok".
Today my wife called TSA at the Salt Lake City Airport and they said, "no way".
So, I think the slightly larger (large enough for collapsed sticks) bag is going to be to be checked.
Good luck getting one checked bag from SLC, through Houston and Munich,
and arriving with us in Zagreb.
I better put a few essentials in my wife's carry-on bag, just in case...
Darn!

Posted by
2168 posts

Had to check my bag this spring for exactly this issue. Someone on the forum reminded me they might not pass security. REI does have poles that will collapse to fit carry on, but TSA was the problem. However, I have heard a rumor that if you get a note from a do that they are a mobility device, you might get them through. If you have enough time, it might be worth a try.