Shipping Haz-Mat Supplies

[Alex_Cena]

I'm heading into the bush on Friday so I ordered all my Haz-Mat supplies such as Jetboil fuel, canisters, raft repair glue and lighters, etc. My friend picked all the stuff up for me at various places such as Alaska Raft & Kayak, REI.

When he reached NAC, he was asked for the MSDS sheet on my Jetboil canisters. My buddy was ticked off but went home and asked Jetboil for the MSDS sheets and went back to NAC. This time they said that the cans have to have a DOT exemption number and there was absolutely no way they can ship the lighters.

It turns out that Jetboil does not have a DOT exemption number stamped on its canisters so I had to order some Snow Peak canisters. My buddy has picked them up at REI and is on his way back to NAC. I hope that is all the issues left. I hate to stress over stuff this close to the trip. Luckily I shipped all my other gear up there earlier this month before this mess started.

Lesson learned: If you need to air cargo fuel canisters make sure to buy Snow Peak as opposed to Jetboil.

[Waterboy]

I believe it is the same with MSR. Snow Peak are the only ones recognized by NAC, but I may be mistaken.

[Michael Strahan]

Say Goodbye to Strikes-Anywhere Matches!

On a related note...

I just put a moose hunt together for two guys from D.C. and when I took their gear to Northern Air Cargo for shipment out to the Bush I was told that they no longer accept strikes-anywhere matches as cargo. In short, there is no way to get those type of matches out to the Bush except perhaps on the freight barge.

Bring regular kitchen safety matches instead (the ones without the white tips), and you can ship them with your cargo. Don't count on taking them in your checked luggage. If you try to sneak them through, you could end up in worse trouble.

-Mike