28 replies to this topic

[Latitude Adjustment]

okay...so diving in nearby lakes or diving out of your own back yard makes gear transportation relatively easy because your car becomes your storage locker. what does everyone normally take and what container does it all fit in when you decide to fly? specialty and non-specialty diving recommendations are equally appreciated.

Mischievous, "because your car becomes your storage locker" might not be a good idea in Texas, that heat might do in your dive computer and the glue in your wetsuit, you don't want that falling off too!

[jextract]

... My logbook is never checked, it goes in the pack ...

Ouch ... boy did I learn this one the hard way. Lost a bag on a flight about a year ago and you guessed it, my log was in it.

Great topic, by the way. And thanks to everyone for all the outstanding suggestions.

[mischievous]

i've wondered about that too, LA. gear's meant to be outdoors with (hopefully) the sun beating down on it, so i guess just need to take it out of my car so it won't fry. that's why i have the shoulder bag initially...but i was clueless about traveling with my gear. when you go on board after reaching said destination, then is everything back in a bag or does it stay in the rolling suitcase thingy?

[Latitude Adjustment]

Shoulder bag? Honey you don't own enough gear! I carry my mesh bag in a military duffle bag, you don't want anything with dive flags on it for the airlines to see. When I get to a liveaboard I leave the mesh bag on deck and stow the duffle below. Most liveaboards don't have room for wheeled luggage, if your car is parked at the dock you might want to empty your wheeled luggage onboard and then stow your luggage back in the car.

[Latitude Adjustment]

BTW, my daughter left her gear out in the yard to dry in WPB and the Mares fins lost most of their color, she baked her old pink fins in the trunk and they molded to a useless shape.

[mischievous]

i've used a military duffle before for a wedding in seattle...learned to keep all my bikinis contained in a carry-on from then on regardless of the vacation length. i'm guessing it's better to be able to fold everything up for storage (i'm really a blonde and slow at times ). i thought airlines don't like soft check-in stuff.

[Latitude Adjustment]

After you put 65 pounds of gear in it it isn't soft!

[fbp]

Baggage. it's a tough one. 7-day trip?

Carry on
1 - Small regulator shoulder hand bag. - book, water, snacks, lite jacket (Seattle) anything else I'll need for the flight and waiting, Tie straps as needed
2 - Wheeled carry on - 8 t-shirts, 2 shorts (covert to long), 1 long, bathroom stuff, cameras (carry these to keep them safe and from damage), Storage disk, reg, computer setup, SW Radio, clocks etc - enough to get by in the worst case scenario

Check in:
1 - main bag, was using those huge Pelican, now, too heavy, heck they weight about the same as the limits 50#? dive gear, and maybe camera stuff if able (see bag 2), Seriously going to change to a new soft roll on.. saw one the other day that looked perfect.

2 - Pelican (for sure) - Camera housings, strobes, recharges, memory cards, repair kits (aka Hammer ) and anything else Photo related. It's foam cut padded. I keep the actually camera(s) with Carryon 2.

I'm sure I've forgotten a huge area, but basically, diving tropical, I've found you just hang out in t-shirts and shorts or swim trunks (to put NEXT to the pool?? - just joking) and something to hike in or keep bugs off. Then just rinse or wash out each night for the day after if needed.

I haven't been out since 9-11 so not sure what I'll change, but the biggest item was junking the Huge Pelican due to it weights too much and at 50#, it's tight. I pad thing with clothes etc.

Well, I think that's all...

At home I work with Plastic tubs, and they're great. One for Dive gear, one for dry stuff (undergarment, 'Dry' Dry Suit and dive lites and stuff) and a Plastic mike crate works perfectly for the camera - pad it with bubble wrap... and use a Dolly to truck it around...

Hope that helps..

[CuriousMe]

so far, definately great advice. thanks team! you're the best! or...hmmm...all ya'll....looks weird when typing, but i'm sure it comes out of my mouth at times.

NP-tell me about it. my dive shoulder bag with the BC is a b**** to lug around; although i have had many nice non-diving boys offer to help me out with carrying it! divers won't...they know better. girl's got to carry what she packs my momma always says.

b2b... bikinis are too much trouble. hard to wear because they keep falling off...<sigh>....especially underwater (too bad my last one piece is lost somewhere in my closet...so bikinis it is for the summer). i'm sure the ladies will agree with me...more effort than two scraps of cloth are worth.

my goodness CM...either packing must drive you nuts or you've got to be a pro at it now! are you sure you're not telling us something about your job...one way tickets indeed. uh huh....the jury's out on that one.

sunlover...welcome to the board! don't forget to post a blurb in the introduction forum so we can all get the chance to meander on your topic. charters to the caribbean...nice! you'll have to share your memorable dives (out of the hundreds that you have) and pics with us.

After my stint living in Georgia....I'm afraid that all y'all comes out of my mouth far to often.

Packing does make me crazy.....but I am pretty good at it by now as well. The one way tickets are kinda unavoidable....that whole flying there to meet the ship thing.

With my style of packing....my carry on gets realllllly heavy. I always feel kinda bad when some poor unsuspecting nice guy tries to pick up my bag and put it in the over head

Although I must admit that the look on their face is pretty priceless

Peace,
Cathie

[jeadiver]

Like B2B I went to Walmart and bought a large rolling bag for about $50 to pack my dive gear in so it wouldn't be flying around the 3rd world with a Dive-Down flag advertising its contents. Most of my gear goes into this bag and it is checked. Like Dr. Bill, I have dive equipment insurance so I figure if it gets lost I will simply buy/rent what I need and hassle with the repayment later. However, my carry on bags always has enough clothes for two days (usually shorts and tees, so its not much space), toiletries, medicines, regulator, computers, mask and log book. I just use a small point and shoot housed system so I don't worry too much about the camera and just pack it with the checked stuff and use extra clothing and neoprene for padding.

By the way, I looked up y'all in the dictionary and mine must be defective. It didn't even list it. Do all y'all have the same problem?

Edited by jeadiver, 22 April 2004 - 06:37 AM.

[fbp]

Just a note, I don't see the "Edit" capability on my posted messages..
Once it's posted, there's no "Edit" showing to go back and correct the "Sepelng" "Allow member to Edit" check box??

Hmmm.... now it shows on this one.. never mind...

Edited by fbp, 22 April 2004 - 07:27 AM.

[Walter]

Actually, you have 60 minutes to edit your own posts. After 60 minutes, you'll have to be very good to Whips & Chains for an edit.

[cyclingmike31]

Depening on the airline and carry on restrictions, I modify what and how I pack to meet weight and size restrictions.

Carry on is a backpack with primary and backup regs and dive computers packed in a seperate reg bag. Log Book, mask, tolietries case in a ziplock bag, i-Pod, digicam housing with camera inside it with o-ring removed.

First checked bag is a rolling duffel with compression straps. I put in my BC, fins, save a dive kit, spare masks, wetsuit and any other items that I remember. Toss it all in and cinch it down using compression straps. That way, luggage handlers can toss the duffel without shifting the contents of the bag.

Second checked bag is a rolling 21" bag. All of my clothes go in this bag for the trip.

When running through the airport I tie the handle of the rolling duffel to my rolling 21" bag and pull them both at once. That allows me to move all of my gear at once and do it very quickly if you need to run for a flight

At the end of the trip, I add souviners and move clothes to the dive bag for the trip home. And i don't carry my mask with me on the way home.

-Michael

[mcm007]

I have a divemaster bag for my mask/fins and snorkel (just big enough for my ScubaPro twin Jets) and anti fog juice

i have a padded gator bag for my prized reg. and octo.

I have a nice Eddie Bauer mesh duffle bag that ive had for years for my wetsuit, boots, gloves and a cool little dry bag for my towel. I am looking at the akona bags though , they seem nice..


both bags are great for travel and easy to sling over your shoulder and to keep an eye on.. plus you need 'em to store your dry clothes...