Dive Bag vs. Dive Box...

[DiverLS]

I used a rolling bag for all my stuff until reacently. It fell apart so I'm trying another way. My diving is the liveaboads out of Ventura or Santa Barbra or San Diegio. I also do local diving either Lake Tahoe or Blue Lake on the NV/UT boarder. I've also picked up Florida and Mexico cave diving. That involves flying. Because my $$ doesn't go real far, I am now in a plastic bin (28 gal) that I got in the hardware store. It doesn't have wheels. I can sit on the top to put my gear on. I am going to drill 3 holes on the lid/rim on each side and two on the ends and get plastic bolts and wing nuts to secure it for checked baggage. That way if TSA wants to look, they really want to look.

 

[robint]

Like some others have mentioned -

shore diving = large rolling bin, Ron has one by Stanley that is very nice, holds everything but tanks and wts. I have a smaller, cheaper one I got somewhere. We also take with us a couple of mesh bags to put wet gear in for ride home, so it can air out a bit.

for travel by airlines we have regular dive bags but take the same mesh bags to carry gear on the boat.

here's the mesh bag, but we got ours on sale for about half that price:
Dive Flag Mesh Bag reviews and discounts, ScubaToys

here's the Stanley box, we got it at Lowe's I think about 2-3 yrs ago for less $
http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Consumer-Storage-029025R-Gallon/dp/B000Q5NJ4S/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_b
robin

 

[Dyno Bill]

Ouch...

I do most of my boat diving in So Cal and we all know how uncivilized they are

The boats there tend to be larger with compressors, so 1 tank per diver and thus the seat width is cramped. Which boats do you use with double tank width seats?

I just though of something. There is a member named Michael Kazma. He's an instructor and has a tech diving business of some sort. I believe he lives in South Orange county and I'm sure he could give you the real deal with respects to boats catering to dual tank tech rigs and the like. H'e also on Facebook.

 

[muddiver]

It all depends......

For flights I go with the regulator/computer carry-on day pack and a roller bag for the rest of the generic dive gear.

For boat trips, once you get to know the boats, you carry to fit. Examples: on the Second Stage (35' six pack) carry only the bare minimum in a floopy bag, on the Pacific Star (65' monster boat) either a roller bag or rubbermaid tub that ends up on the bow, on the Sundiver Express I use the Rubbermaid tub because it keeps everything in one place. Regardless I cary a small dry bag to put all my clothes, cell phone, towel, etc in while actually diving. I have yet to see a dive boat that has seats that you can actually get anything besides a duffel bag under.

For shore diving, it depends. For a Catalina trip a wheeled box like the Stanley tool box with tank bands installed on top is the hot ticket. For a Laguna Beach hike I use the Rubbermaid tub in the back of the SUV, but I only carry that which I will enter the water with down to the beach.

Face it, you are going to end up with a garage or closet space with two or more types of dive gear boxes/bags in it along with all the cool dive toys that you are going to collect over the years. That is why the Navy and most professional organizations have "Dive Lockers", you gotta have a store room/work room that will fit your 1/2 ton of dive gear.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

I am now in a plastic bin (28 gal) that I got in the hardware store. It doesn't have wheels. I can sit on the top to put my gear on. I am going to drill 3 holes on the lid/rim on each side and two on the ends and get plastic bolts and wing nuts to secure it for checked baggage. That way if TSA wants to look, they really want to look.

Would the airlines actually accept that as checked luggage? If so, it sounds like a good/cheap/protective way to go. Has anyone done this and had it work out?

PS: I hope you have an air supply in that bin

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I just though of something. There is a member named Michael Kazma. He's an instructor and has a tech diving business of some sort. I believe he lives in South Orange county and I'm sure he could give you the real deal with respects to boats catering to dual tank tech rigs and the like. H'e also on Facebook.

I think we got off track someplace. What I was trying to point out is the bench area per diver on most of these boats is narrow and big boxes are prohibited or discouraged. It may be different for a tech charter where the allow fewer divers and more gear, but I am referring to the normal rec dives.

The Great Escape, which is a huge 80' converted fishing boat (and a favorite of mine, good chow, good crew, room to lounge) has 2 benches for 32 divers (sometimes 38 divers on charters). Each bench is about 20' long, doing the math it is a little over 1 foot per diver on a full boat. That is enough room for fins and a few small items tucked under the bench. The extra room on the boat is used for the galley seating, camera bench, cabins and bunks below. Most of the gear gets stashed on the narrow walkways alongside the salon, fine for duffel bags, not so great for big hard cases.

 

[cmburch]

RubberMaid. Hasn't cracked in 20 years. I do not leave it in the sun. I can put wet gear in it. I can rinse gear in it. Does not look expensive to someone who may want to break in my car to get it. I use a separate bucket for sandy weight belt and booties.

On boats, some divers walk on or allow their tanks to fall on other's gear. So a box protects gear better.

 

[Mike Boswell]

Hoo, boy...This is a great, and complicated, subject. We have warm water gear and cold water gear, and that gear has to be packed for transport and/or use in a car, on shore, on boats, and on airplanes. There just isn't any one good solution.

We have roller carryon suitcases for air travel, large mesh bags for warm water boat diving, large black duffels for cold water diving. The duffels are heavy to lug around and they have to fly as checked bags, but they work for all the gear and for all situations. Wheeled duffels work better if you need to carry stuff any distance.

 

[natew]

I have a couple of plastic storage bins (rubbermaid or something) that I use for shore diving and storage at home. They have lids, they stack well and are easy to stick in a corner and haul in and out of my car. Best part is after I dive I just fill it up with water to clean my gear.

For boat trips, or if I have to carry my gear for any distance further than from my house to my car It all goes in two bags. One is a big dive backpack/bag the other is just a small duffle/backpack. The dive bag carries all the gear including fins the small duffle is for the weights. I've found that with this method I can pack up all the gear I need and carry everything including the tank in one trip.

 

[RAWalker]

I have been using Rubbermaid tubs for the last couple of years to protect the gear while in storage or transit in the back of my truck. For flying I used a large roller duffle but it has disintegrated and I have just replaced it with a Plano Sportsmans box with wheels. It's wheels are small but the boxes can be stacked and tied to a hand truck with big wheels. They are footlocker sized (I have one for my wife's gear also) The box advertised being airline approved but I haven't flown with one yet. They are lighter than Pelican boxes and not as ridgid but seem up to the job of protecting the gear. I'll be taking a cruise later this year and plan to take the Mrs & my gear in these, drive to the ship and check them in. For going out on the dive boats I have mesh bags with shoulder straps.