Packing Fusion One for travel?

[Enraptured of the Deep]

How are folks packing the Fusion One (backzip) for air travel? The owners manual instructions, if followed, would seem to result in a very long, skinny, and vulnerable roll -- one that would be hard to pack safely in a smaller suitcase or backpack.

Other than this question mark, I am delighted with my Fusion One. I have found it quite manageable to zip all by myself, making it a self-donning back zip. I am careful to avoid catching undergarments.

Anyway, I welcome experiences from those who have figured out how to pack the suit for air travel.

 

[TravisD]

The idea of the roll is to keep the zipper bends as big as possible. You don't want to fold it on a way that could cause the zipper to get crimped/bent which would kill it.

 

[Enraptured of the Deep]

Thanks, Travis. So, that would argue for folding the arms around the full thickness of the roll, rather than following the owner's manual instruction to fold the arms inside before completing the roll. Is that what you're recommending?

 

[TSandM]

That's the way I would do it. Zippers like gentle curves.

 

[TravisD]

I don't have "1", rather I have a Bullet, so the zipper is on the front of the suit, not the back. I've noticed that White's manuals tend to lag reality somewhat, and don't always reflect the actual product, but when I bought mine the consensus that I came to form info here and in various White's manuals is that it should be folded in a way that keeps the zipper bends in a big a radius as possible. On my Bullet (and other front-zip Fusion suits) that means laying it face-down and rolling it up the back side starting from the boots. When I get to the top, the arms are folded in a reverse "hug" around the roll, leaving the zipper to the outside of the whole package.

For the "One" It seems like doing the same thing except face-up is the way to go, again, finishing with the zip on the outside of the roll with nice gentle curves.

 

[Enraptured of the Deep]

Great, thanks. I have also emailed Whites to see what they have to say. If I get an interested response, I will post it here.

 

[divedry1956]

Great, thanks. I have also emailed Whites to see what they have to say. If I get an interested response, I will post it here.

Good morning Gang,
The best way to pack and or stow any of our suits is to roll them. This is the way we pack and stack them here at the factory. It's easy to remember either front entry or back entry to do the following steps:

1.Lay your suit out zipper face down zipper 98% closed and open a 1/4 inch from the dock
2.Start by rolling from the feet, feel free to roll as tight as you would like to save space for "airline travel"
3.Roll until you can't roll any further then fold the arms inward over top of your nice neat suit sausage

You will notice that the zippered when rolled in this fashion will contour to the shape of the suit which keeps it from bending in a manner that would cause damage. From the factory we store with the zipper closed and a quarter inch open form the dock. This has been our process when storing suits for over 57 years, that being said even the zipper manufacture engineers are divided on this topic, 50% of whom will say store it open and the other 50% store it closed.

(Thought I would through that out there, zipper open verses closed is another forum topic all together ;op)

I hope this helps you with your transport and storage of your mighty fine piece of dive equipment.

Cheers,
Eric

FUSION by definition- "The last exposure suit you will ever need"