Do you check-in or Carry-On your Gear

[tariqali]

Hi,

I just came back from a vacation in Mexico and had all my diving gear in one bag that I checked in. This bag didn't make it from Mexico and I am hoping I will get a call from the airline today to tell me that they found the bag.

The only good news out of this is I didn't loose this bag going to Mexico and I don't have any planned diving for the next few months. I am sure some of you had an incident like this but it made me think, should I just carry on my gear the next time I travel?

This stuff is not cheap and loosing it while travelling to your dive destination can truly ruin your vacation. Plus some of this stuff is not replacebale such as your dive log and camera.

How do most if you travel?

 

[fast5frog]

I would try to carry the important stuff if it would fit in a carry-on. BC, mask, camera, logbook and reg...exposure suits, weights, tanks, even fins can all be rented in a worse case scenario at a dive shop but you will have your important personal gear with you. Just my .02

I cant wait til they make fins you can fold in half, thats usually the hardest for me to pack!

 

[Rainer]

I take my regs, computer, and canister light on the plane (except battery). All else is checked.

 

[Doc]

Used SCUBA gear has no resale value. Heightened security at airports has all but eliminated baggage pilferage.

Aint no one stealing bulky, hard to conceal, limited monetary value SCUBA gear out of your Samsonite.

Check it. Carry your seperated computer and perscription mask.

 

[Teamcasa]

I fly often - check everything - never a problem.

Dave

 

[DawgDiver]

I pretty much have to check it, all my gear is in one bag and I don't feel like splitting it up. Airlines are really good about lost baggage. The one time they lost one of my bags, It actually arrived at my house before I did. (I went out to dinner immediately after landing.

 

[TeddyDiver]

Devided by the weight limits in every possible way. 20kg allowed check-in, 5kg cabine, extra "diving equipment" check-in (varieties btw airlines!) and all the small stuff (about 5kg) in my (flyfishing)west pockets and "hanging around"

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have a new carryon from oceanic that they call the AT4 Pak. Since I now dive BPW. everything will fit in it and my other carry on. I believe you are still allowed two if one is a back pack which my new bag is. The only bag I will check when I go to Fla and California this year is the one with my 5 mil in it and some extra clothes along with my knives, shears, and a light or two. Everything else is going on the plane with me. I don't trust TSA or the baggage apes. I can rent a wetsuit if need be and buy an extra t-shirt or two where ever I'm at. My mask is script and my regs are serviced and checked by me and the tech/owner of the shop I work with. THe BPW breaks down nice and flat and I dive rockets so they fit very nicely in my new bag.

 

[RonFrank]

I am a photographer, so I carry on my camera gear, and check most of my dive gear. The one exception is my regulator which I carry on.

I have my stuff insured, and if my gear goes missing, I would rent. If you have the space and a way to carry on you gear, sure do so. In my case I use my available carry on weight for camera gear which for me is more important than dive gear as I can not rent good camera gear, but I can dive with rental stuff. If you are a person that has a hard fit for a wetsuit then that would be a good thing to include in carry on.

I carry on my reg because that is one item that I feel is worth having in good repair. I'd carry on my BC if I could find a way. On my last trip to Coz, one divers bags went missing. They delivered them them the next day, so while they were upset, in the end it was good. I've read that Bonaire is famous for delaying gear.

 

[fdog]

Check it all, except for mask, computer and reg.

All the best, James