Over Packing For Dive Trip

[AZ Desert Diver]

I'm up very late packing for my dive trip to the Keys in the AM and I feel that I'm over packing!!! I'm diving doubles thefew days that I'm down there and I feel that I could outfit at least two divers. I like to go prepaired but I think that I'm in OVERKILL mode. I like to make sure that I have everything that I need so I don't have to send any more money than is needed, since I have all of my gear at home. I've got my regs and comp. in a backpack, my roller full of large gear items and part of my check baggage as well with a few items. Oh, and a pile of stuff like spair hoses, bolts for my bands, and a few other things that I would like to take for the "just in case" problems but I have to stop some where I think. How do the rest of you do it? Am I the only one in this boat?

Signed,

A Diver with tooooooo much s@!$

 

[Bubble Junky]

Oh, and a pile of stuff like spair hoses, bolts for my bands, and a few other things that I would like to take for the "just in case" problems...

I just take a credit card for the "just in case" problems rather than pack for every eventuality, unless it's things you can't get locally at the other end. But you should be good to be able to pick hoses and stuff in the Keys if you need them........

 

[Dive-aholic]

If it's Florida, I just load up the van and drive there. That way I can put all the gear I want in it. If I'm flying, I just bring the basics. Chances are anything that breaks can be rented or bought where I'm going.

 

[Garrobo]

There are so many retail dive shops in the Keys that it's a waste of time taking every little thing that you think that you might need. I've been going to Key Largo and on down to Islamorada. I fly to Ft. Lauderdale and rent a car. Ft. Lauderdale airport is easier to get around and the cars are lots cheaper than Miami. It's only 15 miles further. Instead of going through the hassle of checked baggage I send my gear by UPS and have the dive operator clean everything and send it back to me the day after I leave. Costs about $60 both ways and is worth it. By flying Skybus it's still less than going by the major airlines.

 

[Puffer Fish]

There are so many retail dive shops in the Keys that it's a waste of time taking every little thing that you think that you might need. I've been going to Key Largo and on down to Islamorada. I fly to Ft. Lauderdale and rent a car. Ft. Lauderdale airport is easier to get around and the cars are lots cheaper than Miami. It's only 15 miles further. Instead of going through the hassle of checked baggage I send my gear by UPS and have the dive operator clean everything and send it back to me the day after I leave. Costs about $60 both ways and is worth it. By flying Skybus it's still less than going by the major airlines.

Excellent advice. I carry spare regs/computers/masks, but as I have a spare of them, I don't carry all the replacement parts. Two bags, both of which can be checked and am not overweight. It is easy and more than I would ever need, and I even take my BP/W with the SS back plate. Be careful of the following:

The weight of the bags - some are over 10 lbs to start.

The clothing you take.. I have several sets of polyester stuff that is very, very light weight. Shirt/pants.. everything is light weight stuff.

Beware the tools... they can weigh a lot.

Jim