I carry on computers, regs, fins, bp/w and my laptop/tablets... Clothes I can do without on vacation and swim wear is available everywhere...
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I went to Panama and did what you did. Computer in carry on. But I brought weights, and they were also in carry on and questioned by security--they figured these would probably not be a good choice of weapon and let them pass. I would suggest a solid suitcase to pack the reg in, and wrap well as suggested. I've heard some people wear their BCD onto the plane as clothes so it doesn't take up space & weight. This seems a good idea to me except that it would probably raise a few eyebrows at security.
Pad your regs with that bubble wrap and dust the rubber hoses with pure talc. Place your mask inside one of those grade school lunch boxes. Put your computers in zip lock bags and then inside Tupperware... No, I got that part backwards- Tupperware first then the ziplock. Then buy the #1820 Pellican case, I get the one in orange in case of aircrash, try to stuff that small amount of stuff into it.
Don't worry about not putting Scuba stickers on it so as to not attract attention- the Pellican will just blend into the crowd.
Not.
Regulators have two interesting features: #1: once taken out of the dive shop, they are not worth stealing, and #2: you can pound nails with them.
Only an absolute idiot of a thief would bother to try to conceal one to remove it from baggage, and since they have limited resale value even if you bought it yesterday and left it in the box, thieves don't want them. Play It Again sports won't bother with them. You believe it is valuable, that's why you paid so much for it, right?
Dive shops want you to believe that they should be serviced often, even more so if you handle them or move them about.
Get a nice backpack. If you plane ride damages anything you have neatly packed inside, I'm guessing whatever did that prolly broke a few of your bones. Plastic Pelican style boxes in aircraft cabins are very sexy, but are the mark of illogic.
The bacpack? Stuff into it whatever you desire, just understand that commonly accepted wisdom as to "need" to hand carry certain objects might be suspect.
Reason, think, act.