Airline pack duffel storage

[hopetofinish]

Trying to problem solve locating a spot to store my airline duffel while I'm hiking, don't really want to carry it for 5 days.
I'm flying into Albany International on 9/23, shuttling to the Manchester trailhead, getting out at Rt. 4 near Rutland on 9/28, getting the bus to Rutland, then the bus back to the airport early the next morning.
The airport tells me they will not store it, no more lockers in this age of heightened security (guess I can't argue that one). Tried a couple to stores in the airport, but same security issues. If I randomly toss it in a bush on the airport campus, no doubt it would be seen on camera.
Thought I might be able to mail it to the hostel in Rutland, but not sure it would get there in time.

Anyone have some thoughts on this? Anyone familiar with mail delivery times in that area?

Would appreciate your help! Thanks!

[One Half]

can you pawn it and get it back in 5 days?

[Slow Trek]

How about the shuttle driver? Have him/her take you from the bus station to the airport,and hold the duffle for you....

[Traveler]

First question is, how much does the duffle weigh empty. REI has a Pack Duffle expressly for this purpose at $39, but the weight is 1 pound 3 ounces (advertised). Thats not a lot of extra weight, but may put you over the limit of what you can comfortably carry on a 5-day trek. Osprey also has a duffle for pack travel (AirPorter LZ Pack Duffle) at about $70. The duffle is pretty rugged and able to withstand baggage handling and the weight is around 13 ounces (advertised). It appears this duffle can fit into a pack, but its difficult to tell. There are any number of less expensive and perhaps lighter duffles but they may not be robust enough to suffer damage during travel.

Given the short duration of the trek, mailing the duffle to yourself at the Rutland PO (if the PO will hold a package for a day or so) may be problematic schedule wise. Slow Trek may have the best option suggestion, to use the same shuttle service for arrival pick up, leaving the duffle with them and using the same shuttle back to pick it up, which leaves the option of getting a better, reusable pack duffle for future trips.

Good luck!

Osprey AirPorter LZ Pack Duffel - Large

[Time Zone]

The REI Stuff Travel duffel is 9 oz and claims 50L. It packs quite small too.

shoot, they're currently out. Well, IKEA may have something similar. Point is, there are duffels out there that are rather wispy in weight and may sufficiently reduce your burden of carrying it (versus finding storage). There's usually a tradeoff between robustness and weight/packed volume. If a wispy fabric duffel is too flimsy for your purpose, but something more robust is too heavy to carry, how about a large Tyvek-type bag, such as those used in industrial applications? Just need some tape or strapping, too.

[johnnybgood]

Thrift stores like Goodwill and Army surplus stores are the places I would look first for a duffel bag under $10.
Once you go through the airport security, pick it off the conveyor belt and discard it. It's cheaper and less hassle than mailing it to yourself.

Honestly, it doesn't have to be a duffel bag, per say. A clear trash bag or large "tote bag", the ones used to manage your kids toys with would suffice.

Save your money for the trail and more important things like boot laces.

[hopetofinish]

Hey all,
Wow! Thanks for all the replies!
I'm taking the bus back to the airport, so shuttle not feasible. I have the Osprey LZ, yes it has proved very durable (with some ductape).
I looked at the satellite view on Google maps. Looks like there's a wooded area adjacent to the airport road (Rt 155), so I'm gonna stash it in there in a plastic bag on the way out, then walk over to retrieve it from the airport bus stop. Only a 0.4 walk. Location doesn't appear to be on the airport campus. As backup, I can carry a trash compactor bag.
Anyone see a problem with this plan?
Thanks again for the insights!

Thrift stores like Goodwill and Army surplus stores are the places I would look first for a duffel bag under $10.
Once you go through the airport security, pick it off the conveyor belt and discard it. It's cheaper and less hassle than mailing it to yourself.

Honestly, it doesn't have to be a duffel bag, per say. A clear trash bag or large "tote bag", the ones used to manage your kids toys with would suffice.

Save your money for the trail and more important things like boot laces.

[NJH]

Don’t bother with a duffle bag. When you check your pack in at the airport, ask them to put it in a plastic bag like they do baby car seats. Those bags are huge. I fly with my backpack at least twice a year and have always done this with no issues.

[HooKooDooKu]

When I flew out to California to hike the JMT, I simply purchases a duffle bag from the local thrift store. After my flight, I threw it away. For the trip home, I stopped by a grocery store and purchased some saran wrap and simply wrapped by back pack up so that straps and other stuff wouldn't have a problem as checked luggage.