All my travel gear fits in a roller backpack. BPW, regs, mask, even a 3 mil suit. Fins get strapped to the outside.
When I have sent something into checked like my drysuit when I went to California, It went into the ugliest, ratty looking duffle I could find. I don't want any bag that says anything like scuba or scuba brand on it.
First of all, you pay 50% more for the name for a bag of lesser quality than you can get generic.
Second, if a brand wants me to me a billboard for them, they can give me the damn bag.
Third, I take new bags I might check and splash paint on them, drag em around the yard/driveway and make them look like I'm a poor person who got lucky to afford a flight.
Less likely to get that extra check by a crooked handler or TSA agent. You can also put ratty underwear on the top so that's the first thing they have to handle if they open it.
No dive gear goes into checked. Expendable stuff like clothes go into checked if necessary. Old tshirts, shorts, one pair of pants and a single button down shirt. Stuff than can be replaced cheap at the destination if need be and left there.
When we went to Bonaire with a group two people's luggage that their gear was in got put on the wrong plane in Charlotte. They had to rent ill-fitting gear for the week. Not going to happen to me.
When I have sent something into checked like my drysuit when I went to California, It went into the ugliest, ratty looking duffle I could find. I don't want any bag that says anything like scuba or scuba brand on it.
First of all, you pay 50% more for the name for a bag of lesser quality than you can get generic.
Second, if a brand wants me to me a billboard for them, they can give me the damn bag.
Third, I take new bags I might check and splash paint on them, drag em around the yard/driveway and make them look like I'm a poor person who got lucky to afford a flight.
Less likely to get that extra check by a crooked handler or TSA agent. You can also put ratty underwear on the top so that's the first thing they have to handle if they open it.
No dive gear goes into checked. Expendable stuff like clothes go into checked if necessary. Old tshirts, shorts, one pair of pants and a single button down shirt. Stuff than can be replaced cheap at the destination if need be and left there.
When we went to Bonaire with a group two people's luggage that their gear was in got put on the wrong plane in Charlotte. They had to rent ill-fitting gear for the week. Not going to happen to me.
