2 newbies, 1 bag?

[goofygirl]

My fiance and are are new to scuba. As a matter of fact we're not fully certified yet, we are completing our OW referral on our honeymoon in Aruba next month.

In preparation for the trip I have a few questions.

1) As 2 newbies with minimal equip. (2 masks, 2 pair booties, 2 pair strap fins, 2 snorkels, 2 3mm shories) can we resonably expect to fit all that stuff into 1 gear bag, or should we get 2 separate bags?

2) What bag would you recommend?

3) Should we try to get a bag(s) that we can carry on, or can we check this stuff?

4) Should we get a separate 'boat bag'?

5) Do we need a dry bag?



And any other gear bag related advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated. We are planning to go to leisurepro in the next week or 2 to buy our bag(s) so any advice will really come in handy.

Thanks!!!bounce:

 

[JohnF]

Why spend your money to fit that stuff now? Just get a simple cheap mesh bag that you can use later with more gear. I have two smaller backpack style mesh bags that my wife and I sometimes use, but lately I've been using one large mesh bag, like a laundry bag, in which I can carry gear for two of us. I also went to an outdoor store and got a nice cordura drybag which I use on the boats. Some 6 packs can be kinda bumpy and wet.

If it is bumpy, don't be surprised if you see folks wearing their masks on the boat to keep the salt water outa their eyes.

JohnF

goofygirl once bubbled...
My fiance and are are new to scuba. As a matter of fact we're not fully certified yet, we are completing our OW referral on our honeymoon in Aruba next month.

In preparation for the trip I have a few questions.

1) As 2 newbies with minimal equip. (2 masks, 2 pair booties, 2 pair strap fins, 2 snorkels, 2 3mm shories) can we resonably expect to fit all that stuff into 1 gear bag, or should we get 2 separate bags?

2) What bag would you recommend?

3) Should we try to get a bag(s) that we can carry on, or can we check this stuff?

4) Should we get a separate 'boat bag'?

5) Do we need a dry bag?



And any other gear bag related advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated. We are planning to go to leisurepro in the next week or 2 to buy our bag(s) so any advice will really come in handy.

Thanks!!!bounce:

 

[Charlie99]

It's easier to have one gear/boat bag for each of you ---- particularly if you start filling it up with additional rental gear

My latest gear bag was about $20 at Target. Big enough to fit my fins and carry all my gear (except BCD) onto the boat, with one zipper pocket for smaller stuff. It also works as a second bag while traveling --- good for wetsuits, clothes, and other non-breakables. Many divers use larger gear bags that also hold a BCD, but personally I prefer to split up the gear by wearing the BCD and carrying the rest of gear in a bag.

Many airlines are changing their bag weight limit to 50 pounds, so it doesn't work to check-in everything in one huge bag. I use a hardsided suitcase when checking in the more fragile stuff like regs.

A real dry bag is nice, but not necessary. On most boats my "dry bag" is simpy a tiny backpack that I throw into a protected space on the boat. Any cameras, cellphones, etc that really, really need to be dry are in ziplock baggies. The only exception is if you go out on the smaller 6 pack boats that don't really have anyplace that stays dry--- in that case I go to the trouble of putting my stuff into a 10 liter drybag. Outdoor stores such as REI are a good place to get true drybags, but simple ziplok bags and plastic grocery bags work well for stuff like clothing where an accidental dousing isn't a major disaster.