Taking recovery powders through airport security

earth

I'm going on a cycling holiday soon. Judging my the topography it's going to be strenuous and I want to make the most of it so I want to use recovery drinks. I could take sachets of SIS or attempt to buy some there but I already have a large tub of Torq Recovery which I prefer to SIS. I can't take the whole tub so I want to put some powder in a bidon and take it. Of course an unsealed and unmarked container full of powder is not going to go down too well at the airport baggage checks. I could buy a small tub and take that sealed. Which isn't too bad because I would just empty the left over into the big tub when I get home. But I'd rather use what I have.

Has anyone tried this? Would I have to go to the extent of swallowing condoms full of recovery drink to get it through the airport or should I just try and explain it to security on the day?

Colinthecop

You could always phone the airport information desk and ask their advice.

My local one answers all sort of bizarre queries... And they know their stuff.

Just don't mention the condom swallowing. :shock:

redjeepǃ

I'd be seriously worried about the standards of training for airport security if they couldn't tell the difference between carbohydrates and restricted drugs.

Take it. If they can't tell the difference then I wouldn't want to fly ever again anyway (and you'll probably never get the opportunity).

Colinthecop

Out of interest, how will the airport security know what the powder is...?

I take a variety of 'powders' off people and I have no idea. It takes a scientist in a lab to do that.

If I put a variety of white powders infront of you, could you tell the difference between Cocaine, SiS powder and baby milk...? oh, and for some reason we're not allowed to taste them or sniff them up our nose.

whoof

Colinthecop wrote:

Out of interest, how will the airport security know what the powder is...?

I take a variety of 'powders' off people and I have no idea. It takes a scientist in a lab to do that.

If I put a variety of white powders infront of you, could you tell the difference between Cocaine, SiS powder and baby milk...? oh, and for some reason we're not allowed to taste them or sniff them up our nose.

There is a whole range of TV programs following border agencies at UK, US, Candian, Australian, New Zealand ....airport.
The are always putting small amounts of powder or swabs taken from suitcases into a portable mass spectrometer to see if it gives a reading for illegal substances.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffer_machine

SIS would clearly test negative but you may have to spend some time at the security desk answering questions and having your luggage searched whilst they do the testing. Hopefully it will be done before they get the rubber gloves on.

andymiller

Why not just buy an new tub, and take it through unopened?

And unless you're going somewhere really off the beaten track you'll be able to buy sports drinks in local supermarkets.

JackPozzi

For training camps in the past I have measured out my energy drink powders into small bags so that each bag would make one bottle of drink and then put all the bags into a plastic container large enough to fit them all. Must admittedly have looked very dodgy going through airport security but have never had a problem with it.

Certainly with the products I generally use it's pretty easy to work out it's some kind of fruit flavour from the smell without having to sniff at it too closely...

NeXXus

I took the equivalent of 2 tubs of high5 to Majorca with me earlier this year and I wasn't arrested for posession. I purposely bought sachets instead of tubs for the purpose though

pdstsp

I've taken SIS recovery stuff in a bidon from Liverpool to Nice and Geneva and never had a problem. Never thought about it until now actually!

If you're worried put it in a bag with lots of semtex - that'll keep the sniffer dogs away from the powder.

earth

NeXXus wrote:

I took the equivalent of 2 tubs of high5 to Majorca with me earlier this year and I wasn't arrested for posession. I purposely bought sachets instead of tubs for the purpose though

The thing is Torq don't do sachets and I don't like SiS or High5.

I probably will buy a small tub and take it unopened. But if I haven't used it all by the time I return I will either have to throw it away or attempt to come back into the country with a tub of power from a holiday resort island.

I can hear the snap of latex gloves already!

slowbike

I take it you're only taking hand luggage then ...

earth

I could put it in the hold luggage but I felt that might look even more suspicious.

NeXXus

You're over-thinking this. Stick it in hold luggage and have a nice trip

redjeepǃ

Colinthecop wrote:

Out of interest, how will the airport security know what the powder is...?

I take a variety of 'powders' off people and I have no idea. It takes a scientist in a lab to do that.

If I put a variety of white powders infront of you, could you tell the difference between Cocaine, SiS powder and baby milk...? oh, and for some reason we're not allowed to taste them or sniff them up our nose.

Are you joking ? Are you honestly telling me that if I was to turn up at a major airport with 2kg of coke in my hand luggage all they'd do is take it off me and wish me a nice flight ?

I figured that they may have access to some form of drug testing apparatus such as a mass spec or swabs and yes, if I was in a role that meant I'd be expected as part of my job to be able to tell the difference then I'd probably expect to be given the tools to do it.

http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/at-home-drug-test,-6-panel/ID=prod368689-product

Colinthecop

Redjeep! wrote:

I'd probably expect to be given the tools to do it.

You'd expect so... But tools cost money and budgets are better spent elsewhere.

I've been waiting nearly 30yrs to be given the right tools to do my job. :roll:

redjeepǃ

Colinthecop wrote:

Redjeep! wrote:

I'd probably expect to be given the tools to do it.

You'd expect so... But tools cost money and budgets are better spent elsewhere.

I've been waiting nearly 30yrs to be given the right tools to do my job. :roll:

Haha. Fair enough.

apreading

Colinthecop wrote:

I've been waiting nearly 30yrs to be given the right tools to do my job. :roll:

I heard some right tools had been doing your job for years?

joesteve

I've taken unmarked tupperware tubs of Torq powder through customs in hold luggage a number of times and never had an issue.

mpatts

Just hid it in a cat.

rodgers73

I took a 2 weeks supply of various small white vitamin tablets in an unmarked plastic bag through Argentine airport security. Was mildly worried but they didnt raise an eyebrow. You should be fine with the powder!

mattythemod

Recently took a tub of opened Torq through Norwich Airport on the way to Mallorca ...was pulled aside where the security staff questioned what the powder was whilst they put a swab of it through that big testing machine and even joked that they could of done with some energy drink as it was 7 am ....You will have no dramas i am sure .

Tjgoodhew

I have taken powder through numerous times in hand luggage and never been questioned.

But even if you get stopped what is the worst thats going to happen ? They take a swab to check and then they send you on your way. Will take a few minutes at most.

Im guessing that the people at airport security can tell to a degree a recreational cyclist taking some torq powder from a mule smuggling tubs of cocaine just by speaking to them.

On another note - i use Torq at home but have small sachets of gatorade to take abroad for ease. I too am not a fan of SIS or High5 but quite like the gatorade

mrc1

We have hundreds of riders each year traveling through loads of different airports with a variety of home-made and branded energy/recovery products and haven't had any problems so I wouldn't worry about it.

On a more practical note, if you have non-sealed containers and gels, make sure you put them in a sealable plastic bag or isolate them from the rest of your kit as quite a few people have had things burst in their luggage/bike box (I presume due to air pressure changes/rough treatment) with sticky consequences!

redvee

So much for limiting you to less than 100ml of liquids etc on airplanes. I've just been to Barcelona and being a T1 diabetic had all my medication on my luggage and also a new 500 ml bottle of Lucozade, I sailed straight through security both ways.

bikergirl17

Funny was just thinking the same thing as I'm going to Colombia (via us). I usually put my sis powder in little baggies & haven't had an issue to France or Spain (Mallorca). But not risking it here (even if most of the traffic goes to the us, not from). And am thinking in this case even in the bottle -- which is basically a container of white powder -- it will be problematic.

Should I risk it with the individually sealed sis packets? In hand luggage? (Don't want to risk my check in bags being hauled off flight and searched).

andymiller

@bikergirl

flippant answer: they probably don't get many cases people smuggling cocaine *into* Colombia. Going the other way would be another matter.

bikergirl17

Thinking same thing but not going to risk it. Going to try expensive sachets in hand luggage.

And not sure how will deal with getting co2 - as not sure will find there.

NeXXus

NeXXus wrote:

I took the equivalent of 2 tubs of high5 to Majorca with me earlier this year and I wasn't arrested for posession. I purposely bought sachets instead of tubs for the purpose though

I don't get the panic?

earth

I had no problem with tubs of power. On the way out I put it in checked-in baggage and on the way back I packed differently and managed to carry everything except the bike as hand luggage.

But I did make a mistake with the tools. I should have put the pedal spanner and Allen keys in the bike box. They were in hand luggage and I had to leave them at the airport or pay for that luggage to be checked in. It was cheaper to leave them.