Packing a regulator

[wader]

I have heard many divers talk about how they carry on their regulator when flying to a destination. Here is my question: How do you pack it? Do you keep in a reg bag (seems to take up a lot of space), dismantle it into pieces (if so, how far do you go), just wrap the regs in socks?

We are flying to Fiji in about 45 days and I was wonder how to deal with this. Thanks for your responses.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I wrap the reg in clothing and place it in my carry-on luggage. I don't disassemble anything.
Traveling with a bag specifically made for regs by a scuba company is completely unnecessary. I always carry a change of clothes and a sweatshirt in my carry-on, so the clothing might as well do double-duty as protection for the regs.

 

[RJP]

My doubles set plus a stage bottle rig plus computer and bottom-timer all pack into a DiveRite reg bag about the size of an insulated lunch bag. That fits nicely into a typical wheeled carry-on with plenty of room for all kinds of other stuff. No need to dismantle anything.

PS - Miflex hoses help a lot!

 

[diver 85]

Wife & I just put one each in our carryon bags(in the last few years we have switched to each a backpack)----why do anything else??.......

EXCEPT, I just went to a new camera backpack(see link below) & will have to unscrew the 2 2nd stages to get mine in the upper level(along with my wrist computer & a bag of candy she always packs for me)....

A quick change of clothes for a day will go where the laptop goes(she's gunna carry our new netbook in her backpack) & all my camera stuff(UW housing, tray, 2 arms with all clamps, WA lens, macro lens, video lite, strobe & misc camera stuff will fit in the lower camera area)..Total weight is 15.3 lbs, close enuff to 15 that Air Pacific limits you to to get to Fiji(we made that trip a few months ago--GREAT place btw---we were @ Beqa Lagoon Resort)......

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=13361241&findingMethod=rr

 

[wader]

Great advice everyone. We have miflex on our primary, but still dealing with rubber on our octos. We will be looking to upgrade this summer, I hope.

Diver 85- the 15 lbs, are you talking about the twin otter flight, or out of LAX? we are going to Taveuni and staying at Garden Island. I have a point and shoot I take pictures with. 2 strobes, arms case etc.

 

[diver 85]

I was talking about Air Pacific(B 747 jet flight) out of LAX to Nandi---carryon weight limit is 15 lbs per passenger per their site, 45" size limit....Some got checked in L.A. we heard others like us did not ....

 

[redacted]

I use a gutted, hard sided brief case for a regulator bag for air travel I usually have to remove the HP hose from the 1st stage to get them to fit. I pack 3 full sets (mine. my wife's, and a complete spare) and our computers and maybe a few spare components. No padding needed. Best part is it does not even count as a carry-on in most cases.

 

[blue steal]

I put in my backpack, reg, mask, computer, and the usual personal stuff when flying to Cozumel.
They don't seem to bother with carry on weight. Total weight around 20lbs + or - a few lbs.
But for our Philippines trip it is limited to 15 lb carry on and they do weight it every time, so we use a different tactic. My wife brings the lap top bag with flash drives, power adaptors, assorted cords, plugs, chargers, etc. and I use a regulator bag for the reg, dive computer, etc., (it looks like a lap top bag, and so it goes as lap top with no weight penalty), and then the "carry on" which is our backpack comes in at 15lbs.

 

[scubamarketing]

I've never had a carry on weighed, which is good because I carry a "laptop bag" which is a 30L backpack with a laptop compartment and a Patagonia MLC, so I push the limits for sure. I can travel anywhere without the dive gear with just the backpack, but the wetsuit and fins are a bit bulky. Miflex is awesome, well worth the upgrade. If weight is a concern, pick up a jacket or vest from ScottEVest to move some weight from the bag to your body

 

[Charlie99]

I put mine in a reg bag, more or less centered in the suitcase, nestled inside the BCD.

OTOH, I never use the reg bag when hauling gear to/from a boat or shore dive. For that I just have the reg wrapped inside the wetsuit, which is probably just a effective.

Regulators are pretty tough. I'm a lot, lot more careful with my prescription bifocal mask.