Recent TSA experience with solid lead weights in carry-on? (Only 8 pounds)

[TostitoBandito]

Yeah agreed. For SCUBA there'd obviously be no need since all operators have them, but even freediving someplace as developed as Hawaii there should be zero issues finding a dive shop to rent some weights from. The only case where I'd think it'd be necessary to pack them is if you were going on some sort of mini expedition out to someplace very remote without any dive shops or other services nearby (or anywhere along your route).

But I guess if you've got the baggage weight allotment to burn on them and you want to save a few bucks, go to town. I can't imagine TSA would ever care. A hunk of metal is gonna look like a hunk of metal on an x ray. Worst case they just open your bag and look and then send you on your way. They're not prohibited. Of course if you check them it'd be even less hassle, plus not having to carry them all the way to/from the plane.

 

[rongoodman]

The local dive shops might not have the smaller weights the OP wants to bring. If I'm taking my 3mm suit I will usually bring along a couple of 1# weights for my upper tank band. I'd just check them.

 

[MB NZ]

A short story. When passing through airport security once, I was carrying a single weight (1kg) in my hand luggage. Security guy said that it could be used to smash an aircraft window. He also said that he shouldn't give me ideas and then waved me on. It was an odd interaction!

 

[broncobowsher]

A short story. When passing through airport security once, I was carrying a single weight (1kg) in my hand luggage. Security guy said that it could be used to smash an aircraft window. He also said that he shouldn't give me ideas and then waved me on. It was an odd interaction!

I wonder what he would think of my steel 3L rebreather cylinder?
1kg, 2.2 pounds. You must be superman if you can through that hard enough to do anything more than scratch the inner window.

 

[thomschoon]

A hunk of metal is gonna look like a hunk of metal on an x ray

Or it looks like a small package of drugs wrapped in lead foil, so they open the bag and take a look.

 

[HamTrainChickenLaser]

I worked for TSA in the early days and did my fair share of x-ray testing and training as well as the real thing. It's not the item, generally. Yes, you have weights. Yes, you have a first stage. You have a tube of coins. Folks tend to jump to the conclusion that "OMG this idiot thinks my dive weights/regulator/coins are dangerous- wow TSA people are so stupid!" The reality is that these things appear as a black splotch on the x-ray because they are so dense. The next question that the x-ray operator has is "I wonder what is behind that big splotch." It's just part of the training.

By taking it out of the bag and running it again through the x-ray, we get to see if anything was being obscured by the very dense object. By following the idea that some suggested here- putting your very dense object in a bin by itself- you've basically done the TSA folks' work for them. The x-ray operator can see what the object is, see that it is dense, and see through the bag. The person working the belt can pick up the coins/first stage/weight(s) and see- yep, just a normal thing.