Gear - carry on vs checked?

[Adelaar Cruises]

In addition to the information above, carry on a bathing suit! You can probably find a replacement in Bali, but if your bags don't make it to one of the remote airports in Indonesia (or any remote airport in an exotic location) you may be out of luck. Especially if you are a woman.

That goes for many items, we just don't have the selection available in most places (i.e. extra SD cards).

 

[The Chairman]

I check everything, unless I have to carry on a bag. I hate carry ons. As much as I've traveled, I've yet to lose a single bag.

 

[Tool Belt]

We do not check a bag carrying on our entire kit and everything else in bags that are actually carry-on size vs some of the piano cases you see people hefting aboard. Makes for a much more pleasant exit from airports and really facilitates returning through customs.

 

[drrich2]

I have had bags show up 2 or 3 days late (and this was flying from Nashville through an airport in Texas to Morehead, NC, last year). If you can be fitted 'off the rack' pretty well, you can probably rent gear where you're going. I'm not 'off the rack friendly' (proportioned), but Olympus Dive Center did a pretty good job of accommodating me (plus I can now saw I've tried ScubaPro Twin Jet fins), but it did convince me for future reference packing my mask in carry on would be wise. A leaky mask doesn't ruin a trip, but it's a significant nuisance and I'm a tough seal for masks.

Richard.

P.S.: For whatever reason, I've had bags show up late on the trip home a couple of times, and the airline had a driver bring them to me in southwestern KY.

 

[muzzon]

I try to avoid a checking a bag unless absolutely necessary. Usually it's not too hard for me to get away with just a carry on, especially if I am going someplace tropical, which is most of the time. All I need is a couple pairs of shorts, a bathing suit and a couple tank tops. Then I can easily fit my mask, snorkel and dive computer.

Going to Europe usually requires more clothes and therefore checking luggage. I haven't been diving in Europe though, so I can't say I've brought any gear.

I'm too impatient to wait for luggage to come out of the carousel and I don't trust the air line companies. My girlfriend checked luggage when we went to the Philippines this year. Our plane to Manila was so delayed that we were going to miss our next flight. We managed to find last second seats on another plane, but it was too late for her to get her bags back that she had already checked. It took her almost two months to get them located and returned from Air Asia.

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

We take everything with us but tanks and weights. We have a large hard sided suitcase that 2 sets of gear fits in and weighs 47#. I carry a backpack with regs/computers and lights as a carry on. I figure everything else could be rented if necessary. I'd like to go to a BPW and try to carry everything on, but that's not a priority right now.

Good luck, safe travels.
Jay

 

[Dan]

I check all my dive gears, including underwater camera cases, except dive computer, it's on my wrist. The cameras, laptop and spare unlocked iPhone (for use with the country of destination simcard) are in my carry-on bag.

 

[KeithG]

All "non critical" scuba gear goes checked - why should I lug it around? Worst case we will rent.

So carry on is: laptop, dive computers, dive lights, chargers, prescription mask (hers), complete compact camera system, bathing suit, a spare t shirt and a book. My melon seems to be average and a standard generic Sherwood mask (sold under lots of different names) fits me so I check my masks (non prescription).

We also utilize the 1 carry on PLUS 1 personal item rule but make sure all of our carry on bags are small enough to fit inside the storage compartments of the planes we are flying in. This IS an issue when we fly from Toronto to Houston as they use a Bombardier CRJ-705 which has teeny tiny compartments. Way too small to fit the standard carry on size in the overhead OR under the seat. Think about flying inside a pencil.

 

[WarrenZ]

I carry on everything i would need for a dive my checked bag has the rest of my clothes, spare reg, pony, tools, and knives.