Bag issues

[Don Learn]

My girl constantly makes fun of me and my ongoing issues with travel organization. See, I have been on an eternal search for the perfect set of dive luggage. I search dive shops,army navy stores,flea markets,marine and fishing stores,and anywhere else I think may have some type of storage container or bag. As an instructor, I usually need to carry more than the average diver and as my diving career has progressed and changed, so has my luggage. I thought it might be fun to see if anyone else has made an obsession of finding and using the perfect set of bags and boxes. One of my favorite thing on dive trips is to observe how other divers stow and move their gear. I've seen people use everything from hefty bags to truck bed toolboxes and find each one as interesting as the next.
Post some of your configerations with descriptions and photos. I'll show you mine if you show me yours.

 

[vladimir]

You should probably seek therapy:

http://www.ocdla.com/cognitivebehavioraltherapy.html

 

[Tamas]

You should probably seek therapy:

http://www.ocdla.com/cognitivebehavioraltherapy.html

LOL! Well there is that or you can go the el-cheapo route like I did and run down to your local luggage store and pick up an inexpensive (under $50) wheeled duffle bag or hockey bag to store all your crap in. I have been looking for the "perfect" bag as well and realized that there is no such thing or was not willing to pay $200+ for it. I now use a non-branded bag that has been holding up quite nicely for the last 4 years AND it doesn't scream SCUBA gear.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I'm the same as you, always looking for a better alternative. These are what I use now. I check all of my equipment including all my dive stuff except computers and my housing and all my ports. I took these on a 3 month tour of Asia just before Christmas and they worked great. Light, tough and cheap. I used 2 of the large ones. I've used all different types of dive bags, Pelican cases and other hard sided luggage but these are the best so far.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4809771

 

[Charlie99]

One thing I decided a long time ago is to treat "flying to destination with dive gear" as a separate and different issue than how to "haul gear to and from dive site".

For hauling stuff on airplanes, I just use regular luggage.

For hauling stuff to and from boats and divesites, unlike most peope, I don't bother to have a bag for my BCD. I just wear it like it's designed. Everything else then fits easily into a normal mesh dive bag.

For shore dives, I find the easiest way to haul gear is just say NO. Rather than hauling a bunch of gear down to the shore, I just fully gear up at the car, then walk directly to the entry point and start the dive.

Simplicity has its advantages.

 

[KBeck]

I'm with Charlie. Don't stow my BC--just carry it. As a female it is a little harder to carry all gear in one bag (especially after it's gotten wet) so when I dive with a canister light and lots of neoprene (eg, wintertime), I have a second mesh bag. Folds up real small to shove under the seats on the boat.

Nothing makes me giggle (and outright annoys lots of other people) than the guy with the massive gear luggage thing with wheels, or worse, the big rubber tote that won't fit under the seat, so the rest of us have to keep climbing over it. Every inch counts when you're shoved in close on a dive boat.......

 

[ScubaGil]

Hi,
I thought I was the only one I am beyond obsessed with finding the perfect bag.

I don't do shore dives or daily boat dives anymore and I am 100% liveaboard these days. So my main concern is a bag that I can crunch and smush into a smaller space and that can still handle all of my gear. I currently use an old 90L backpack that takes on all of my gear and clothes except the following which goes on the plane with me in a relatively large computer backpack:
-Laptop
-Housing
-Camera (I only have a P&S)
-Strobe (once I buy it)
-Mask
-Computer
-Regulator

I end up using T-Shirts and bathing suites to wrap everything so if my main bag goes bye bye I will still have a change of clothes for the next day.

 

[Don Learn]

Well, I'm glad I'm not alone. Here is a breif descreiption of what I carry when teaching an overnight open water class. Keep in mind, most of the places we go don't have any facilities other than air fills so I carry extra. Don't get me wrong, I am not a big fan of carrying everything I own but I think it would be selfish to not understand the mistakes(things forgotten) by brand new student divers and be just "self sufficient".

Photos will follow from the upcoming weekend. You all need to see the real thing.

1. Storm case 2200 series: This is my breifcase. It goes on every trip, every time. Overseas or not, this case contains all my personals and paperwork. It stays with me.
Contains:
Student files
wallet
keys
logbook
topside digital camera
money
passport
dive computer
cigarettes (sorry healthy divers)
small organizer (nessasary for rooms,boat resarvations,etc.)
passport
coupons for local area beer discounts and happy hour times
You get the idea.
2. DAN o2 case
3. Pinnacle bi-fold gear bag on wheels: This truely is one of the ultimate gear bags. I use it for almost all transportation of gear until I get to the boat,(it's too big for a crowded cattle boat or a six pack charter because it opens to double its size). This is the largest carry on bag allowed by airlines and it can hold "EVERYTHING". I baggage check my underpants but I won't check my gear. It has a small zip in/zip out dry bag, so the bag works wet or dry.
It carries:
wet suits, gloves, booties, hood
backplate and wings style BC
weight belt
regulator(in its own bag of course)
2 pair of fins (split and jet fins)
mask/snorkel
towel
3. Plano Diveguide Tackle box (soft bi-fold): This is the save-a-dive kit(instructor syle). Pretty cool bag, It opens up bi-fold, holding 4 plastic organizers in one side with the other side being open for larger stuff.(as you may have noticed, I like these bi-fold bags. No digging through a large, deep bag. They maintain good separation of small items)
Bag contains:
Organizer 1:
2 wrist compasses
2 watches(underwater timing device)
2 retractors
scuba tool(adjustable wrench,allens,screwdrivers)
toothbrush(not for my teeth)
Organizer 2:
x-tra defog (3 bottles)
wetsuit repair kit
2 dive knives
4 whistles
topside/underwater noise maker
underwater strobe light (topside if the mood allows)
Organizer 3:
zip ties (3 sizes)
4 octo holders(clip type)
6 snorkel holders
4 fin straps
4 universal fin strap clips (Mares,Atomic types)
1 roll electrical tape
Spare air fill yoke
Organizer 4:
reg plugs
o-rings(all sizes)
2 knife straps
4 slip/split rings
10 misc. clips and attachment items
2 d-rings
2 spare BC quick release buckles
2 spare weightbelt buckles
2 spare bulbs (c8)

Other side of the bag contains:
main light (c8)
back up light (old)
100' reel (diverite)
350' reel (diverite)
spare weight belt
manual depth gauge
spare mask/snorkel
diverite accessory pocket
4 safety sausages
main knife
shears
50lb. lift bag
small pelican marker bouy with 100' line
spare air with holster
open water dive slates
confined water dive slates
2 large mapping slates
Thats about it. I swear its true. It's hard for me to believe when I write it all down.

Last bag: Small backpack or duffle:
This one changes all the time. Contains:
Clothing
Toothbrush/paste
deodorant
towel
hairbrush

Thats it. Oh, not including gear for specialty classes. Scooters, cameras, PPB exercises, drysuits,cavegear, etc.
I do need therapy.
Photos will follow this weekend.

 

[Don Learn]

Sorry, forgot to tell you that I cook lunches for the group of students and guests.

140 qt. cooler:
Contains:
Green salad
dressings (numerous)
pasta salad
chicken or meat for shish kebobs
marinade
ice (lots)
soda
bottled water
12 pack Millerlite bottles (post dive therapy)

Large rubbermaid from Walmart:
This is the dry food box.
chips ( usually 2 kinds)
cookies
crackers
canned nuts
beef jerkey
marshmellows
salt/pepper
plastic knives, forks, spoons
paper plates
4-6 rolls paper towels
aluminum foil
handi-wipes
large garbage bags

Don't forget the grill, charcoal, and lighter fluid

Don't you wish you were in my open water class!
I do make someone else carry the tanks. All 30 of them.

 

[Bratface]

Darn, I was wanting to go on one of your dives, Don Learn, even willing to carry some of that gear, but I just don't like beef jerky.