I called Dive Gear Express to see what they recommend, I have their wing and backplate. They said removing the wing is not necessary and fine to pack together.
Question Packing a backplate for travel
- Thread starter Tigerman67
- Start date
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I pack all dive gear in a checked, rolling soft sided duffle and have never had a problem, other than delayed luggage. I do wrap my regs in my wetsuit for extra padding, stuff my mask in a fin pocket, and drop an AirTag in the bag so I know where it is. But my DC, camera, lenses, housing, strobes and batteries for everything come aboard with me in a hard sided Pelican case and backpack.
It's no doubt "fine" if packed in a hard-sided bag, as has been mentioned.
Wing off and packed separately from the plate with harness attached.
As posted before - hard case Samsonsite S’cure for my XDeep Zen un-separated - the hard case prevents pinching and I also keep it slightly inflated. A 26” suitcase weights 4.3kgs empty - but it’s also the lightest hardcase luggage in the market. Fully loaded mine weighs 18-19.5kgs or more per trip plus an extra duffel bag for regular vacation clothing. My carry-on is loaded with electronics mostly besides emergency clothing.
You have to mentally prep yourself for the excess baggage weight expense - Scuba is an expensive hobby. If you’ve spent $2500 or more on gear it is simply practical to quit cribbing about the $200 on excess baggage per trip. Otherwise It is like spending $40000 on a car and leaving it in the garage complaining about the fuel prices…
I don’t mean to sound preachy LOL! Just detailing the hard lesson I adjusted to, for the convenience of owning one’s own gear.
You have to mentally prep yourself for the excess baggage weight expense - Scuba is an expensive hobby. If you’ve spent $2500 or more on gear it is simply practical to quit cribbing about the $200 on excess baggage per trip. Otherwise It is like spending $40000 on a car and leaving it in the garage complaining about the fuel prices…
I don’t mean to sound preachy LOL! Just detailing the hard lesson I adjusted to, for the convenience of owning one’s own gear.
DrWilliam
Contributor
I've never removed wing and use Eagle Creek rolling soft duffel. Also intrigued that DGX said don't bother. However, majority here are removing the wing so may just do that going forward, but with soft clothes and wetsuit around the wing it's hard for me to imagine rough bag handling being anything as risky as the rig being placed in and out of tenders by liveaboard crew. Maybe because I also have the Halcyon soft back pad? The degree of potential "pinching" just doesn't seem that much when the rest of the bag is padded on top with soft goods and the fins are on the bottom giving extra protection from punctures or pinching.
Experienced a punctured wing one time and it was by dingy crew. Amazing the difference in cost of a new bladder vs a whole new wing - $101 for a bladder, $578 for a wing (I mean, its only a Cordura cover and a corrugated hose!), so I replaced bladder and glued on a cordura patch
Experienced a punctured wing one time and it was by dingy crew. Amazing the difference in cost of a new bladder vs a whole new wing - $101 for a bladder, $578 for a wing (I mean, its only a Cordura cover and a corrugated hose!), so I replaced bladder and glued on a cordura patch
If you haven’t already seen these. My apologies to any one who already has.
I just want to add, the reason I separate the plate from the wing is that it packs down tighter this way. The reason I don't separate the backplate from the harness is because it's a pain in the ass... I suppose it would help things to pack more tightly as well, but I'm unwilling to put in the effort unless I really need to.
Protecting the wing membrane from a pinch had never occurred to me, but it makes sense. In my mind, the most fragile part of the whole rig is the inflator's elbow joint where it meets the wing, so I do try to keep that thing nice and cushioned. Some clothes and a little air in the wing does the trick.
Protecting the wing membrane from a pinch had never occurred to me, but it makes sense. In my mind, the most fragile part of the whole rig is the inflator's elbow joint where it meets the wing, so I do try to keep that thing nice and cushioned. Some clothes and a little air in the wing does the trick.
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