Idea for superior regulator bag for cheap

[halocline]

I'm usually pretty close to the limit on baggage weight, so I never use a regulator bag. Sometimes if space is tight I'll take the stages off the hoses, coil up the hoses, and put the 2nd stages in socks, then wrap them up in a wetsuit. The only piece of dive gear I ever carry on is my computer. I've never had a problem. Regs are pretty tough.

 

[Lorenzoid]

While some probably think you're being a smart ass, I think this is a valid question. Of all the bits of gear we use, a reg is posibly the most robust... It's a block of brass or delrin. For 35 years, I've travelled with my regs wrapped up in my wetsuit and stuffed into an Akona roller bag. They always seem to arrive, good as new.

That's what I have been doing--wrapping reg set in wetsuit--as I think I mentioned upthread. My concern is that the security goons who inspect checked bags will pull out the wetsuit and the regs will tumble out onto the floor. Or when they put the regs back in the bag after inspection, they may fail to re-wrap them in the wetsuit and leave them on the outside of the bag where an impact could possibly damage them. By wrapping them in some sort of cushion, that may send a message that these are relatively fragile items. I'm more concerned about the plastic second stages than the brass first stages or hoses.

 

[stuartv]

I have the DGX reg bag.

DGX Tek Regulator Bag

And an Armor double reg bag.

Armor 19DBL MKV Double Regulator bag

And the Stahlsac reg case (the flat, rectangular one that looks like a laptop case).

Molokini Regulator Bag

They all have their place. When I am not flying, I use the Armor bag. It holds a bunch of regs (currently, 5 reg sets) plus all my dive computers and the various tools, port plugs, spare computer batteries, spare hoses and SPG that I might want.

For flying to do rec diving, the DGX bag is cool because it's totally soft, so it keeps the regs from getting anything in them, keeps other things with them (like computers), but still collapses down to fit in a suitcase along with other stuff and without much wasted space.

The Stahlsac is good for just taking a single tank reg set, computers, and also have room for a few important tools and parts.

 

[Stoo]

My concern is that the security goons who inspect checked bags will pull out the wetsuit and the regs will tumble out onto the floor.

I suppose anything is possible, but anytime my stuff was inspected (as witnessed by the little TSA note) there's virtually no sign they've been in there.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I suppose anything is possible, but anytime my stuff was inspected (as witnessed by the little TSA note) there's virtually no sign they've been in there.

But how would you know if a TSA agent had pulled out your wetsuit, the regs nestled therein tumbled onto the floor, and the agent put them back more or less as they were?

Maybe I'm over-thinking this. There are a lot of other things that could go wrong on one out of hundred trips that I do not take extra precautions to prevent. Your 35 years of successful dive travel is reassuring.

 

[kelemvor]

Why not pick up a Pelican case? That is what I use for my regs. Safe, secure and will keep those babies protected.

That is what I did this winter. Mainly because I switched to full facemasks and I couldn't come up with a good way to protect them during travel.

I don't think I would have gone that route with normal regulators though. For normal regulators I put a sweatsock over the first and second stages, coil 'em up and shove them into a carry-on. I've only gone on two international trips, but that's worked just fine for me in the past. I did get pulled aside and thoroughly questioned by a TSA guy who lived in Florida but apparently had no idea what scuba diving was... it was bizarre. Fortunately his supervisor was a diver.

 

[Stoo]

But how would you know if a TSA agent had pulled out your wetsuit, the regs nestled therein tumbled onto the floor, and the agent put them back more or less as they were?

Maybe I'm over-thinking this. There are a lot of other things that could go wrong on one out of hundred trips that I do not take extra precautions to prevent. Your 35 years of successful dive travel is reassuring.

I would think if it was damaged to the point where it might affect it's performance, it would be pretty obvious. I was just thinking that last December, we were diving on Lake Muskoka... heavy snow, sleet, gale force winds (on a fairly small lake, but the waves were still 2' - 3'). Regs on tanks, bashing around in the bottom of the boat, frozen solid... They worked fine. Maybe it's just me, but I think even if they dropped a reg on a concrete floor, it would still be ok,

The sock over the second stage comment got me thinking... What about some golf driver covers? Aren't they all padded and stuff? Slip one over the second stage...

 

[halocline]

The sock over the second stage comment got me thinking... What about some golf driver covers? Aren't they all padded and stuff? Slip one over the second stage...

Sure, that would work, but then you're carrying golf club mitts that you don't need. I'm carrying socks regardless.

Regulators are just not that fragile. Most of the 2nd stages I use are metal and not at all fragile. Even the plastic ones are pretty tough. Removing the stages from the hoses probably protects them a little better too. You don't have to worry about the fitting getting torqued if something pushes on the hose while the stage is packed.

 

[purbeast]

I came across this thread while searching for smaller compact regulator bags, just to put my regulators in while traveling in my carryon pack. So it has to be pretty small and compact and be able to fold up excess.

Does anyone use the laptop cases? I have a reg set with braided hoses so they can wrap up smaller than rubber hoses by a little bit.

Other than laptop cases, I came across this one in a post on here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M5EQL4N

That one seems like it could fold up the excess after I get the regs in there so I was kind of thinking along those lines possibly.

 

[TrimixToo]

I use a laptop case. They are very tough and last several years each. People throw them out, and all mine were free. Mine swallows the regs for my doubles and inflator bottle, a transfill whip, a pressure gauge, and a full set of spare hoses. There are limits, though. Deco and stage regs go in a milk crate.