Is it practical to carry-on "full" set of gear? What bag?

[mstevens]

I've only ever dived where I can drive or rented at my destination. I'm no longer willing to use rental gear, so will be travelling to Cozumel in about 3 weeks with my own. I'm quite leery of checking through anything I can't live without so I'd prefer to carry on the most important gear. That means a Zeagle Stiletto BC, regulator without gauges (I have an Aeris Atmos Elite, so "worst case" I could wear that on my wrist and look like a dork), and M/F/S (at a mnimum the mask, since it was hard for me to find a good fit). I don't have a problem checking through exposure gear, lights, or other easily-rented or replaced items (so I suppose that includes the snorkel). I'll definitely have check-through luggage either way, so there's no goal of avoiding that entirely.

Is it practical for me to try to carry this on? I don't currently have a bag that will accommodate my stuff that I think will be allowed as carry-on, but I'm willing to buy one. I have travelled with a full set of snorkel gear in an Akona snorkel bag since my destination was unlikely to have fins, but packed the fins in check-through on the way back. Based on this experience, the fins (Tusa X-pert Zoom XL)seem likely to be the biggest issue with getting all my gear in the overhead bin.

A rolling bag would be great, since I've got to carry another bag with medical equipment (which doesn't count against my carry-on allowance but does make it more of a pack mule experience when I tote other things), but not mandatory. As far as I can tell, the cool-looking Stahlsac, Armor, and Akona rolling bags either are too big for carry-on or don't seem intended for scuba gear as much as socks and underwear. I could be wrong.

What do people use as a rolling carry-on for a full (or nearly full) tropical gear kit?

 

[diversteve]

I have a TravelPro brand roller bag. Same one flight crews use. In it goes mask, computer, regulator/gauges, video housing - videocamera's my "personal item" - some clothes, toiletries etc. It's the largest legal carry-on bag allowed - I checked it at the AA size box once, it just fits when full.

No way could I put my Xpert Zooms in it though. Actually, they do fit across the diagonal with the ends bent over, but there's not much room left. And mine may be the size smaller than yours - I have the blue ones. Minus the video, I could probably make it work except for the BC.

So fins, BC, other gear and some clothes go in a big rolling duffle bag that I bought at a luggage store. It doesn't scream expensive dive gear inside and so far has made 6 trips to the caribbean/hawaii without incident. Including some small puddlejumper flights to Bonaire.

I did see a bag on eBay once that advertised that you could fit a Ranger BC into it and it would still make the size limits. I e-mailed them and they replied it was possible, but it would be really tight and probably not work until the bag had stretched slightly. It might have been called a Cobra bag. But I wouldn't have been able to get my fins or other stuff in it also, which defeated the purpose, I was looking for some way to take all my gear on-board and a few clothes and personal items. Of course my Ranger is bigger than your Stiletto, but not by much.

I think you're right that the fins will be the biggest problem.

 

[liberato]

I've done the "everything in a carry-on" route once (including a very large Ranger and short fins) but it is just not practical because it takes so long to compress everything just right and then you have no room for emergency supplies. Like sjspeck said, most people just find a balance so that the small pilferable items (regs, computer, and camera) go in carry on and the large things get checked.

 

[jbb]

A rolling bag would be great, since I've got to carry another bag with medical equipment (which doesn't count against my carry-on allowance but does make it more of a pack mule experience when I tote other things), but not mandatory. As far as I can tell, the cool-looking Stahlsac, Armor, and Akona rolling bags either are too big for carry-on or don't seem intended for scuba gear as much as socks and underwear. I could be wrong.

What do people use as a rolling carry-on for a full (or nearly full) tropical gear kit?[/QUOTE]


I bought a large L.L. Bean duffle for my last trip because my old Eddie Bauer duffle zipper was snagged in several places (didn't want it to fail on me). LL Bean is pretty nice - water resistant coating on the inside and a couple of sinch staps to keep things a little compressed inside, choice of colors and non descript as the others said. LL Bean also makes the same sizes (m, l, xl) in a roller with handle version I was thinking of getting. The large size was kind of awkward to handle with a maxy sized carry on back back.


Jason

 

[mike_s]

Get a "roller bag". Preferably one with an extendable handle. That way you can pull it and your clothes suitcase at once.

I suggest one with "one large huge pocket" as outside pockets on top of the bag will be squished by other luggage on your airline flight, but many people still like having these outside pockets on top. I do like having a "fin pocket" though. Especially one that compresses tightly to hold the fins.

As for carrying it all in one bag, I put in a BC, two wet suits, a pair of scuba fins, 2 sets of snorkle fins (one for the wife), all my other dive gear, etc. I carry on my regulator and camera gear. I put it all in it's own little carry bags and then stuff those in one of the "roller carry on bags". Just much easier that way. You'll find most people carry on their regulators, dive computers, and camera gear. I still have room to stuff in a few beach towels, etc into the dive bag.

Also, don't buy a bag that has "dive logs" or fancy dive gear names on the outside. It tells airline employees that are thieves exactly which bag to look in for exspensive dive gear to steal from.

I will say also that a "Wal mart" roller bag will work for your purposes, but you'll end up replacing it after several trips. I did this and the WalMart bag just wasn't heavy duty enough and didn't have the features you need such as the fin pocket and heavy duty stitching and corners, heavy duty fabric, heavy duty zippers, etc. It tore wide open on luggage carosel when I picked it up. It just didn't hold up to getting wet with salt water, etc over the years.

A big feature now also is that many bags come with an "exterior bag cover" that goes over the entire bag and provides the user "One lock point". This is a neat security feature for flying, but doesn't really seem feasible for TSA inspectors to deal with. My bag came with it, but I never use it.


hope all that helps. PM if you need more info, like which bag, etc...


-mike

 

[SubMariner]

Not to sound skeptical (ok.. yeah, I am) but after hundreds of dive trips to tropical destinations, I don't think you would be able to get all your gear in a carry on. Not only would you be hampered by the size, but the weight as well.

My philosophy has always been to travel with as few bags as possible. So having a carry on plus a dive bag plus a clothes bag, really doesn't make sense to me. My carry on is reserved for things like passports, tickets, laptop, meds and the like.

JMHO,

 

[Chocoholic]

I've only ever dived where I can drive or rented at my destination. I'm no longer willing to use rental gear, so will be travelling to Cozumel in about 3 weeks with my own. I'm quite leery of checking through anything I can't live without so I'd prefer to carry on the most important gear. That means a Zeagle Stiletto BC, regulator without gauges (I have an Aeris Atmos Elite, so "worst case" I could wear that on my wrist and look like a dork), and M/F/S (at a mnimum the mask, since it was hard for me to find a good fit). I don't have a problem checking through exposure gear, lights, or other easily-rented or replaced items (so I suppose that includes the snorkel). I'll definitely have check-through luggage either way, so there's no goal of avoiding that entirely.
)seem likely to be the biggest issue with getting all my gear in the overhead bin
What do people use as a rolling carry-on for a full (or nearly full) tropical gear kit?

I have been using my standard Costco black rolling carryon. I am able to fit my BCD (older medium Scubapro BCD), mask, wrist computer and camera housing in my rolling carryon, then I carry my regulator in a regulator bag that looks like a laptop bag. Most of the airlines allow one big carryon and a small computer sized carryon too. I usually end up checking my fins, exposure suit and my dive backpack/bag in my checked luggage. Have fun in Cozumel. choco

 

[liberato]

Not to sound skeptical (ok.. yeah, I am) but after hundreds of dive trips to tropical destinations, I don't think you would be able to get all your gear in a carry on. Not only would you be hampered by the size, but the weight as well.

It can be done quite well but you will probably only do it once because it is such a pain but there is no question that it can be done with a regulation flight crew bag that fits through the size template (never been asked to weigh a carryon, though). But having to unpack for security inspection would be a disaster. Additionally, you will have to use non-conventional fins like Force Fin Pros.

Zeagle Ranger XXXL (tightly roll laterally and use tank straps to bind)
Force Fin Pros
Small Scubapro regulator and octo and hoses
Large Oceanic air integrated computer console
Canon S30 digital camera and UW case and battery charger
skin
scissors
boots
gloves
mask
snorkel

No room for any emergency clothes or toiletries but at least I would be able to dive if my bags were misrouted (happened to my partner the previous year so I was paranoid).

Like I said, not worth the trouble but it can be done.

 

[RiverRat]

If you get inventive you can carry all your dive gear on the plane. I use a bag that's just the legal size and pack most of my gear, backplate/wing (regular BC won't cut it) fins, mask etc. in that. I then use my IBM backpack (as my 1 "personal item") and stuff that with the delicate stuff. Regs, computer etc. Yes, both bags are HEAVY but until they start weighing them I'm good. I then check my clothes bag. I can always buy some new clothes. I can get away with this because the backplate and wing pack flat. If anything pack the valuable stuff like cameras, regs, computers etc. on you and check the cheaper stuff like fins, wetsuits etc.

 

[macado]

I use an extremely cheap and large wheeled travel case for my dive equipment. Unfortunately it needs to be checked in but if the bag breaks, it's not a big loss. Like previous posters, no dive flags or dive names are on it so it looks like a typical suit case.

It fits my BCD (Sherwood Avid), 2 5mm full wetsuits, my fins, mask, booties, and glooves. I could probably fit my guages and regulator but I prefer to carry those on board the plane.