Can you recommend a good scuba bag with wheels?

[FPDocMatt]

Take a look at some of the Pelican 'hard' cases too...You can put a TSA lock on them .......

What is a TSA lock?

 

[danpass]

Typically a combination lock that has a special key option.

It is rumored that only the TSA has that special key.

 

[divin'dog]

Okay, I just received the Jamaican Smuggler and I like it.

I'm not sure whether I should check it through or carry it on.

The material is durable, but I'm concerned about my BC and regulator getting damaged in the luggage handling.

So I'm thinking about putting the BC and regulator in my hard-shell suitcase, and checking them through, and using the Smuggler as a carry-on with wetsuit and computer.

If I put the regulator in the Smuggler as a carry-on, won't the screeners freak out when they see all that metal under the X-ray?

I could put the regulator and BC in the Smuggler and pad them with towels and check it through, but I think a regulator is too expensive an item to risk its getting damaged.

My main motivation for buying this is to have a bag with wheels when I'm walking from my hotel room to the boat or dive shop. And it's a great bag for that purpose.

I would think the Smuggler is kinda big for carry-on?

I always put my BC in checked luggage after disconnecting the inflator hose from it (to eliminate possible breakage at the connection) and padding it with clothes, wetsuit, fins etc. I take my reg and computer in my carry-on. All the times I've gone through TSA, they never flinched at the sight of a reg setup and computer... only my sharp pointed 2" scissors which they took away (imagine the headlines: Aircraft hijacked with 2" scissors! :shocked2: ) Remember that your carry-on has a better chance of making it to your destination and less chance for pilferage by luggage handlers.

As for TSA locks... I bought one ($10). The first time I used it, my luggage came back without it. They just cut it off... probably cuz they had no idea what it was. I zip tie all my zippers. If TSA opens your luggage they will cut the zip ties and it will leave your luggage open to pilferage by handlers. Only recourse is to pack so that handlers will have a tough time singling out an item to take i.e. putting smaller items (like a light or other valuable) in interior zippered compartments or in another secured/attached bag within the luggage. Pilferage is more of an opportunity. If they stick their hand in your bag and feel nothing of interest or open it and see nothing right away, I don't think they want to take too much time to search... of course ya never know.

If you use the Smuggler as a boat bag, be careful about getting sand in the wheel hubs bc it will act as an abrasive.

 

[FPDocMatt]

I would think the Smuggler is kinda big for carry-on?

Yeah, I think you're right.

I always put my BC in checked luggage after disconnecting the inflator hose from it (to eliminate possible breakage at the connection) and padding it with clothes, wetsuit, fins etc.

I'm not clear on where that connection is. The BC came with an inflator hose, and there's a hose from there to the 1st stage of my regulator. Where do you disconnect what?

I take my reg and computer in my carry-on. All the times I've gone through TSA, they never flinched at the sight of a reg setup and computer... only my sharp pointed 2" scissors which they took away (imagine the headlines: Aircraft hijacked with 2" scissors! :shocked2: ) Remember that your carry-on has a better chance of making it to your destination and less chance for pilferage by luggage handlers.

Okay, then that's what I'll do.

Only recourse is to pack so that handlers will have a tough time singling out an item to take i.e. putting smaller items (like a light or other valuable) in interior zippered compartments or in another secured/attached bag within the luggage.

Good suggestions, thanks!

 

[danpass]

.............

 

[divin'dog]

I'm not clear on where that connection is. The BC came with an inflator hose, and there's a hose from there to the 1st stage of my regulator. Where do you disconnect what?

On some BC's, you can unscrew the hose from the BC right at the top of the where the hose and vent connect to the shoulder... If you can't separate yours, just pack it in such a way that if the bag is squished, the connection will be protected... i.e. lots of socks and underwear! I always try to alternately pack soft next to hard items.

---------- Post Merged at 02:11 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 01:55 PM ----------

Check out the FIL rolling duffel at Costco. $40 and it will hold two sets of dive gear. When on the boat, you can push down the top and shove the thing under the boat seat. From what I can see, it is as good quality as some of the more expensive bags I have seen, and for $40, if something does break, you won't be crying about it. Just go get another one: Costco will replace if something breaks.

Only thing I will caution with buying cheaper luggage is to make sure it will stand up to the abuse it will take while being thrown around by baggage handlers. My friend did the same thing and ended up with clothes and equipment on the conveyor belt and his suitcase in pieces arriving at the terminal on one of our trips. Needless to say, getting all his stuff back and then hauling it through the airport then to the hotel was a pain. Then he had to go shop for a new suitcase during the week... and that was a whole new adventure because the island had nothing but crap for suitcases (when he could find one) and they were very expensive, but he had to buy something for the trip home. He ended up throwing out the suitcase he bought on the island when he got home bc it was crap and bought something of better quality.

 

[bongabonga]

Hi, I was looking to purchase this dive bag, but wondering is the bag too big for boat diving or not. I have bad back and concerned of having to haul all my gear over my shoulder. I want wheeled bag for this local boat dive and also for travelling.

 

[Oklahoma Diver]

I agree that the XS Scuba mess bag is the way to go. I purchased several for my friends as gifts and one for myself, they are great, I promise you will not regret owning one (or maybe two)

 

[Damselfish]

The smuggler isn't appropriate for a carryon (way too big) or a boat bag (too big for the boat, and not a bag you want to get wet/salty/sandy/trashed from trying to stuff it under the boat seat.) It's meant for checking stuff at the airport. You will rarely see anyone bring a bag like that on a tropical boat, and if you do it's someone who hasn't learned otherwise yet. A mesh bag is the appropriate thing to pack in your checked bag and use for the boat at your destination. Occasionally a resort will even have them for loan if you don't have one. (And often places have lockers near the water or even take care of your gear, so you'll take your gear down once if at all, and only carry a few things back and forth - so you may not be hauling gear as much/far as you expect.)

As far as wheels, I'm all for them in airports, but I've been at plenty of warm water destinations where you don't have a path to the boat where wheels are even useful much of the way. Backpack straps are useful anywhere, and also keep your hands free. If you must, get a mesh bag with wheels and straps like the XS one, and enjoy the wheels when you can. Another thing about wheeled bags though, they tend to be heavier than non-wheeled, and when you're trying to keep your checked bag weight down these things add up.

There's no reason to remove the inflator hose from your BC to pack, you're more likely to cause a problem when you cross thread something or lose a spring. I never have, and have never heard of anyone doing that. It's sufficient to pack carefully and use clothes as padding. Scuba gear is actually not that delicate.