Travel BC vs standard BC

[MN Lakeman]

I too own two BC's - A Seaquest ProQD (9 yrs old w/ 250 dives...still looks new) & just last year, bought an Aqualung Zuma. I absolutely love the Zuma - the back inflation, the fit is better than the ProQD (but I'm a slim size M), all in all a very lean, well designed wt. integrated travel BC. I just got back from a trip to Galapagos. In preparing for the trip, I decided on the "beefier" ProQD, as I had heard how rough panga diving & general conditions for this trip are on all of your equipment. During the week of diving, I noticed another diver w/ a Zuma. I asked him how long he owned it & how many dives: 1 year & over 300 dives! (def a dive-a-holic!). He had no prob.'s on this trip, & he felt it was actually more durable than it looks. We both agreed, though, it's one big design flaw for liveaboard diving or otherwise, is the lack of attachment points, as we were both into UW photography/videography. I will pretty much use the Zuma on all my week long dive trips - but I'm seriously considering visiting a shoe repair shop, & having them somehow sew on some D shaped loops on the shoulder straps or?

 

[Robertcrockett]

I use a Cressi AquaPro and it folds up rather nice. Most of the "Travel BCs I've seen just seem like regular BCs that they have folded up, placed in a nifty bag and rebranded "Travel". I can put my BC, a rolled up full 3mil, my regs, gauges, mask, log and camera and strobe...in a duffle that meets carry on requirements and fits in the overhead. At least on Continental. I check the bag with my clothes and fins, etc.. LOL I can always buy some trunks and tees on site if they lose my bag and if I would have to dive with new gear, I would rather it be fins, but that's just me. If your partner is just going to snorkel, you can pack some kit in her carry on as well. Then you can share the one checked bag. Believe me, you won't need much in the clothes dept for Utila. Few pairs of trunks/shorts, some tees and bug spray will have you set for a month.

 

[didi440]

For a live aboard (I have done 4), pack light. I travel from NY and hang up the long pants and shirt as soon as I get there. They are ready to fly again when I have to go home and I don't need them at all. I don't see my shoes once I get on the boat as I live in my dive boots or bare feet. You need 2 or 3 swim suits, several t-shirts, and one or 2 pairs of shorts that dry fast. I also pack 30 spf sunscreen as I burn easily and a floppy hat. Because I have long hair, I pack leave in conditioner and plenty of rubber bands.

I carry on in a 1510 Pelican hardcase my camera gear, rechargeable batteries, regs, mask and chargers. In a checkpoint friendly laptop backpack my laptop, a change of clothes including swimsuit, any medication, my passport and wallet, my iPod, kindle, my Rx glasses and contacts, sunglasses, my log book and c cards, and my external hard drives.

I can get my dive kit right at the 46 lb mark now and that includes my Diva BCD, fins, snorkel, 1 3mm suit, 1 5mm suit (I get cold), a dive skin, a rash guard, my snorkel, point stick, finger spool, sbm, dive lights with no batteries, a reef hood and reef gloves. And any toiletries that didn't fit in the carry on plus my other swim suits, t shirts and shorts. I wear a light hoodie type jacket on the plane because I do get cold at night, especially if I do all the dives and the night dive.

Have fun.