Need help with packing gear

[scubamickey]

I'm an experienced traveler and always try to pack light. That's getting very hard to do with all the gear I've acquired recently. How do you all pack the following items for carry-on? My concern is that the American Eagle flight between Miami and the caribbean islands is an ATR72 jet. I'm not sure how big the overhead bins and under seat space are.
I need to check the following:

2 regulators with long hose configurations
2 Diverite canister lights-slimlines
1 Sony camcorder HC5
1 Ikelite housing for camcorder
1 still camera
1 still camera housing
1 flash

I have an Armour regulator bag where I have been fitting the 2 regs, and 1 can light. My husband is sure he can fit a second light in that bag. it's pretty big. The still setup has been traveling in a backpack inside a padded bag. Both the camera/housing/flash fit in a small bag (it's not an expensive setup).

So I need to find a home for the new video setup and the still camera/flash (not big, they both fit. But I was hoping for ideas on how I can consolidate the cameras into one bag. That way we only have 1 carryon per person. Plus the laptop.

Maybe a rolling carry on? Maybe I can fit my light in the same bag so hubby can carry the regs and his light and not have to carry my light as well. Any ideas?

My selections here are limited. I would benefit from make and model recommendations from divers who have the same list of equipment as I do.

 

[Buoyant1]

I've taken a small rolling carry on on small jets (737s?) on a flight from Atlanta to Key West...just dont be surprised if they want to gate check it. (meaning, take it from you as you board, and then give it back to you as you de-plane) I've carried my computer, cameras, mask, logbook, as well as a bunch of personal crap and my book, magazines etc. in that and my regs in a standard reg bag...THAT stayed with me and went in the overhead while the rolling bag was gate checked.

 

[BIGG_BUDD]

Get the biggest carryone roller you find. You also get one "personal" bag. Make that a big backpack, and jam everything you can't fit in the roller in there...

 

[scubamickey]

Get the biggest carryone roller you find. You also get one "personal" bag. Make that a big backpack, and jam everything you can't fit in the roller in there...

I think you missed the part about small planes and limited space . Jamming and expensive equipment aren't 3 words I want to use in the same sentence either. But I get your point <g>

 

[BIGG_BUDD]

Carefully jam?

 

[Diver Dennis]

Personally, I just carry on my laptop and cameras and strobes. Everything else get packed in checked hard sided suitcases, including housings and all dive gear except computers. I travel extensively through Asia with no problems.

Mind you the list you have is probably less than my carry-ons...

 

[Charlie99]

1. Call the airline to confirm the allowable size of checked and carryon luggage for those specific flights/planes.

2. When packing your carryon stuff, have a smaller bag or pack inside with just your truly essential items. This is so that you can remove an carry on those key items even if you are forced to gate check / planeside check your carryon.

For you truly, truly essential bag, I suggest not much more than passports, credit card, cert cards, itinerary, and a bathing suit.

 

[scubamickey]

Personally, I just carry on my laptop and cameras and strobes. Everything else get packed in checked hard sided suitcases, including housings and all dive gear except computers. I travel extensively through Asia with no problems.

Wow. I would never check $2600 worth of regulators and canister lights. You are braver than me.

 

[scubamickey]

Carefully jam?

You are funny

 

[Diver Dennis]

Oh, I always have a Photographer's vest in my camera back pack for the rare cases where they weigh it and find it is over 40 lbs, I can wear my strobes and whatever else I need to meet the limit. The agents get quite a kick out of it...

This method could be used for almost any type of small heavy gear.