WarmWaterDiver
Contributor
Wristshot:I have a dumb question for you guys that advocate zip ties on bags (and I still tend to call them tywraps) How do you cut them off when you arrive at your destination? Since we can't carry knives, scissors or nail clippers in our carry-on, how do you cut the Tywraps? I busted a zipper in Cozumel a couple years ago trying to break a tywrap.
Wristshot
You mean you don't have any access, absolutely zero, to any knives etc. at your destinations? This usually isn't a problem for us. I'm curious where you typically stay that leaves you with no ability to ask the lodging folks, or if there's a restaurant associated with the property, those folks, to borrow a sharp knife or to bring one to your room. I can't imagine a dive shop without a way to cut a ziptie either- another place that maybe something could be borrowed from.
If there's something you need really ready access to, before reaching your accomodations, by all means, I'd recommend you don't zip-tie it in your checked baggage - keep it on your person as a 'personal item' or put it in your carryon and don't lock or zip-tie the carryon. If it can wait until you're at your accomodations I don't see why something couldn't be borrowed from the staff once you've arrived.
But, as others have noted, you can place a folded knife in the outer zipper pouch. I have a number of these as 'gimme' things for safety awards (isn't that Darwinism!), vendors, etc. that I'm certainly not heartbroken if they're not in the pouch at my destination, but I haven't had any problems with these being lost so far.
And I'm really used to calling these 'wire ties' in a previous job role, but zip-ties works as well for me these days. A rose by any other name y'know.