Minimum gear to take travelling?

[Amused Wanderer]

Hello all,

I am planning to do a backpacking trip over the winter that will likely involve some diving. What would you consider to be the absolute minimum gear to take along on a backpacking trip? On a trip through SE Asia a few years I took everything (except tanks and weights) and that was too heavy. 60 pound packs are no fun when you are chasing a bus in Jakarta. Any thoughts? I will only be spending a few days diving on a month or more trip.

Opinions from any backpacker/divers would be appreciated!

 

[Charlie99]

What would you consider to be the absolute minimum gear to take along on a backpacking trip?

Credit card and cert card.

Everything else can be rented in most locations.

 

[Kupu]

I go thru this same thought process every time I load up my pack and head for places unknown. I have been in your sitiuation several times, gotta check out the diving while I'm there but mostly just want to easily move around with a minimum of gear and weight. On these type of trips I take only my favorite mask and snorkel. Fins would be a nice addition to complete a snorkeling setup, but really, they are bulky things to carry around if they are only used for a few days out of a month and I'm a good swimmer without them. Everything else I rent. I am not a fan of rental gear at all, I've had my issues with shoddy gear, but rental beats carrying the stuff for non dive oriented backpacking trip and if you pick a good dive shop, the gear should be safe and satisfactory.

Nowadays, I usually only go places with good diving so I can justify filling my backpack up with only dive gear and a couple of T-shirts...Got my priorities straight!

 

[Jess' Diving Adventures]

Hi,

This time im taking it all. But ha ha, i have a genius plan, I have just bought a small soft bag with wheels for my dive gear and am taking my small backpack as usual. Two bags yes but all the heavy stuff on wheels, i want to do LOTS of diving and after a bad experience last dive with rental equipment im not willing to compromise.

I guess its just up to how much diving you will be doing at the very least i would take your mask, snorkel and fins (then you can have a cheeky snorkel as well at any beach you come to.)

Good luck packing

 

[dlndavid]

Credit card and cert card.

Everything else can be rented in most locations.

Now if the scuba agencies would only issue a certification/credit card that would be cool.

 

[Charlie99]

Now if the scuba agencies would only issue a certification/credit card that would be cool.

My dive packing list of "credit card + cert card" leaves out the "bathing suit", but that doesn't really count as dive gear, since it replaces one whole set of clothing while you do laundry

PADI already has combo Nitrox/AOW and Nitrox/Rescue cards, so my bets are on them for the first Visa/Nitrox/Rescue card

 

[mer]

On the absolute minimum would be my mask and wrist top gauges (or computer).
Second on the list would be some additional safety gear, like wetnotes, spool and liftbag, signal mirror, spare mask, since these are hard to rent.
Third would be Alum BP and single wing, reg set.

I'll suck up the ****ty rental wetsuit and fins if it's a warm water site. If it's coldwater, the drysuit goes in the absolute min category.

 

[Hoosier]

Cash & Credit Card!!! It works everywhere... LOL~~~ Sorry. I can't resist...

 

[Charlie99]

On the absolute minimum would be my mask and wrist top gauges (or computer).
Second on the list would be some additional safety gear, like wetnotes, spool and liftbag, signal mirror, spare mask, since these are hard to rent.
Third would be Alum BP and single wing, reg set.

I'll suck up the ****ty rental wetsuit and fins if it's a warm water site. If it's coldwater, the drysuit goes in the absolute min category.

Being a GUE Philosophy Compliant Diver, you have to make room in that suitcase for your trusted buddy too.

In your 2nd stage list, I'd add a very small backup light, since a lot of rental gear for night dives doesn't include a backup. Even a tiny 2AAA light is enough for a reasonable abort.

Your list is more along the lines of what I used to take on business trips where I might sneak in a dive or two --- prescription mask, hockey puck computer in a screw on hose mount, a couple of snorkel keepers for danglies & octo holder, a 1" spherical compass, 2AAA light, a small 2" folding pocketknife, and a orange plastic garbage bag style surface sausage (very small, but 6' when unrolled).

But were I to be looking at a month of backpacking, I'd be trying to get rid of every ounce possible.

 

[Canadian_Diver]

What would you consider to be the absolute minimum gear to take along on a backpacking trip?

I would suggest your life support (read regulators). Everything else can be rented. I wouldn't trust my life with a set of rental regs... who knows how they've been maintained??