Are new small pickups good for diving?

[hilljo88]

They might be good for snorkeling but not sure about depth rating:

 

[CanadaDan]

They might be good for snorkeling but not sure about depth rating:
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You need a Hilux for that… just ask any petrolhead ;-)

 

[tbone1004]

You need a Hilux for that… just ask any petrolhead ;-)

especially Jeremy Clarkson

 

[Steelyeyes]

“Good” dive vehicles? Probably not. Not as good as “Ultimate Dive Trucks” of Bonaire or The Chairmans custom rig anyway. Vehicles you can go diving with fairly easily? Sure. The hobbies not all that demanding. Two people with tanks and weights can fit into a mid-size car no problem, wether the car has an open bed in the back or an enclosed trunk.

I think the Ultimate Dive Truck here is a bit large for a lot of the parking at dive sites but it is pretty cool. I currently have a Mitsubishi L200 low deck 2WD It works OK for 2-3 divers although we did have 4 a few times. I found some extra money and decided 2WD wasn't as good on these roads, some of them being just dirt that turns to snot in the rain, so I decided to buy a Ford Ranger 4WD. I'm still waiting for it to get here but it sets a bit higher, has a lot better payload, and a bit more room in the cab. These are made in South Africa so the engine choices were diesel and diesel so I got the only 3.2 liter 5 cylinder turbo diesel in the current supply chain. It should get here next month.

When I lived in the US we made do with my Toyota FJ Cruiser. Two people, steel tanks, drysuits, and the lead that goes with them made it squat but it still got where it needed to go.

 

[M-Cameron]

I can fit 4 tanks, 2 BCs, and 2 dive bags in a Ford fusion with room to spare......pretty sure any truck you buy will be more than adequate.

 

[rx7diver]

Ford & Hyundai have introduced new small pickups, the Maverick and Santa Cruz. Both have 4’ x 4.5’ beds. Will these be good diving vehicles? At least better than a sedan or coupe don’t you think?

One thing to keep in mind: If diving out of a pickup truck (however small), you can keep your high-octane deco cylinders outside of the passenger cabin! If diving out of a van, mini-van, SUV, station wagon, sedan, coupe, or RX-7, deco gas leaking from the valve of a deco cylinder likely can infiltrate the passenger cabin.

(I don't drive a pickup truck, though; I have commandeered the old Honda mini-van we bought new just before my twin daughters were born, for my dive vehicle. More than adequate for local, weekend rec diving and tent camping for two while keeping four seats open for driver and three passengers!)

rx7diver

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

The big question is how many divers are you dealing with and how far are you going to dive. On a cross country great lakes dive, my suburban was packed to the gills with cold(ish) water dive gear, tanks, and 2 friends.

Local diving for you and a buddy, it would be fine, but there is no way to secure anything in the back of the truck without a cover or camper. Need to stop on the way and all your gear is at risk.

We have a Nissan Xterra that was a great dive vehicle for 2 people but the mileage sucks. Maybe 16 on a good day, usually 12. Lots of power and great to drive, but if you are wanting a small truck under the perception of better mileage, verify first from REAL owners.

Good luck,
Jay

 

[SlugLife]

I can (and do) fit 4x tanks, 2 complete scuba rigs & my somewhat comprehensive save-a-dive kit in the trunk of a 2-seat sports car. It's a tight fit, and must be packed in a specific way, but I've done it numerous times. I can't fit anything else back there, so something like a cooler would be sitting on my passenger's lap or floor. The one thing I can't fit is one of those foldable carts for lugging scuba-gear.

Any pickup truck should adequately fit scuba-gear for two people. I'd estimate I could easily fit fit enough gear for 10 or more people, 2 dives each in a small pickup bed, if packed correctly.

My only concern with a pickup might be whether you can cover the bed, or are likely to remove gear immediately. I wouldn't want to keep scuba-gear out in the open, where it could be easily seen and stolen.

 

[SlugLife]

You need a Hilux for that… just ask any petrolhead ;-)

especially Jeremy Clarkson

Or Whistlin Diesel.

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[hedonist222]

keep in mind future requirements
getting the smallest that works today may be a bottleneck in the future

things like:

more tanks
large DSLR
cooler
folding table
portable espresso machine & grinder
photogenic people