USVI-On-Line

Can you use frozen gel pacs in carry on?

The answer, like anything TSA, is both yes and no.

Technically it is a gel, or it could become one while you are inside the secure area of terminals and aircrafts, and it is not allowed. Some agents will interpret the rules more broadly and allow them through. It varies agent to agent and airport to airport.

Practically, you can get them on board with your food. We pack our Polar Bear cooler with Techni-ice in the bottom of the cooler. The open the bag and find food. Unless they are willing to empty the cooler out and find them, you are on your way.

I am willing to do this with Techni-ice because it is different than the traditional blue ice. I don't think you can separate the cooling medium from Techni-ice the way you can with blue ice. We also take unused (dry) Techni-ice with us in case we lose the cold ones. We use them all week long when we pack for the beach.


Good luck

JIM

jimg20,
What do you do with the used techni-ice at the end of your vacation? Do you attempt to take them back home, throw them away, leave them in the freezer for the next occupants of the villa?

We're doing the cooler thing for the 1st time this year. I do have a polar bear cooler and a couple of techni ice.

We defrost them and use them to cushion the bottles in the checked liquor box.

You can always bring some empty ziploc bags and afer you have your cooler of frozen meat through TSA you can get ice from one of the fast food restaurants in the airport, then replenish at your connection. If you are using a polar bear cooler, though, and your stuff is thoroughly frozen, it should be fine for about 12 hours.

- Margy

Since we aren't going to refrigerate anything on the way home, we send them back in checked luggage. The idea of using room temperature packs to pad bottles is great.

We pack a variety of zip lock and trash bags every time. If you need them, they are priceless. If you don't, leave them for the next villa guests who did not pack their own. We don't want to buy a whole box at STJ prices when we only need 2 or 3 for leftovers.

I think the Polar Bears might keep solidly frozen meat cold for the entire trip without Techni-ice. If we are forced to so so, we will test that theory on a future trip.

JIM

We used Techni ice last week in our checked cooler. It worked great and we even spent a night before flight in Chicago.

We used the ice all vacation for the beaches and left it in villa freezer when we left.

cindygad wrote:We used Techni ice last week in our checked cooler. It worked great and we even spent a night before flight in Chicago.

We used the ice all vacation for the beaches and left it in villa freezer when we left.

Good info to know Cindygad. I was wondering if the Techni Ice would survive us spending the night in Boston before flying out. Thanks!

We've never taken our Polar Bear as carry on but always checked it packed full of meat, frozen produce and techni-ice. Never had a problem. Our travel day is 12 hours door to door originating in a warm climate and everything is still rock solid frozen when we unpack.

This is why I love this forum! So many good ideas and everybody loves St. John! I've never even heard of techni-ice but I'm ready to buy some! I see juicy steaks and cold beers in my future!