the_masked_diver
Registered
Thank you
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
Similar to you, I use those Pelican air cases for checked Scuba luggage. I haven't had any issue with them on trips to, USA, UK, Aus and Mex.For carry-on, we use Pelican Air 1535. It's the maximum size the airlines will allow (at least that's the case in the USA) and is pretty light. We put our regulators, dive computers, and a handful of other small things like batteries in there. All my other gear goes into a regular suitcase that gets checked. AA has a limit of 70lbs for checked bags and that's been plenty for the remainder of my dive gear that isn't in the carry-on. I pack a mares cruise mesh deluxe ($50 USD) for using on the boat. When I travel it goes inside the checked suitcase.
I also carry a laptop backpack as my "personal item/purse".
My wife and I switched to a 2 wheeled duffel after many suggested it and I don't think we would go back to a more traditional checked bag. We ended up going with the Eagle Creek Cargo Hauler Wheeled Duffel 130L which can also be worn as a backpack. The color choices and the duffle itself makes it easy to spot at the airport. It also doesn't scream "I have expensive dive gear in me" if that is really a thing (Part of me thinks only other divers know what these brand-specific bags are). So far it has held up well.
Nice, but heavy.North Face duffels for everything that can be compressed (I have been trying hard to find an excuse to replace them with new ones but it’s almost impossible to break them), checked in hard side trolley for the rest.