Travel BCD advice - Cressi Air Travel - Aqualung Zuma - Aeris Jet Pack

[kerrycorcoran]

I just returned from a trip to Cozumel (well, about a month ago) and took my gear and my wife's fins, mask and snorkel. I packed my BCD (Mares Pegasus), both sets of fins, both masks, wet-suit (3/2) and both snorkels in a roller and checked in. I kept my computer (Atomic) and regulator and octo in a backpack I carried on. Plenty of room and only weighed about 42lbs.

Worked for us. I was a bit nervous about my gear but figured it's insured and unlikely to get snagged.

 

[ibmerlin]

I wouldn't worry too much about theft, unless it's jewel encrusted or made with 100 dollar bills. I also wouldn't spend any money on a slightly lighter 'travel' BC if you already have a BC you like. Ironically, less is more with BCs (in my opinion) and so if the travel models are stripped down versions, they might be a little better to dive with anyway.

When I travel, I check all my dive gear including a backplate, complete extra regulator set, and 2 or 3 lights, and a week's clothes and toiletries, in one duffle bag and it has never weighed more than 45 lbs. I just don't get the idea of 'travel' scuba gear.

I tend to be to be cautious abroad. I leave the Brietling at home and wear a cheap casio. I leave the dive bags at home and take a rolling duffel from costco. A dive bag says $$$ inside, a duffel says dirty underwear inside. I am sure most of the time it will be fine but I figure why advertize.

I have had some problems with checked luggage in the past. On a trip to the Grenadines I found a new camera in 3 pieces upon arrival. Last year after arriving on Bonaire and waiting from my checked luggage(full a dive equipment) for hours I found out it was sitting in the airport on Aruba. DIA would not help recover it and the airport had to return them on a different airline. It all worked out and most of the time it will but you can see why I am apprehensive about checking my gear.

 

[uncfnp]

Last year after arriving on Bonaire and waiting from my checked luggage(full a dive equipment) for hours I found out it was sitting in the airport on Aruba. DIA would not help recover it and the airport had to return them on a different airline. It all worked out and most of the time it will but you can see why I am apprehensive about checking my gear.

Almost anyone that has travelled to Bonaire via Aruba or Curaçao more than once has had the experience of delayed luggage. That's how I know almost all my essential dive gear including the Islander will fit in my carryon duffle!

 

[ibmerlin]

Get those new Aeris Accel fins also. Super light and carry on size and very decent power.

N

My wife is looking at them, I ordered a pair of hot shots to try out. The are only 21 inches long and should fit well into a carry on. I'm sure they will not have the thrust power of a longer fin but there are trade offs.
Thanks

 

[packrat12]

ibmerlin - My young daughter (80#) and my wife (145#) both dive with the Aqualung Zuma BC and use them as their everyday BC. My daughters has had it for 3 seasons now with about 50 dives on them. My wife's was bought about the same time but it was used with additional dives on them so I suspect over 100 on hers. They have held up very well. Their design is excellent and they are very comfortable especially when compared to the vest style BC. The main reason I purchased it for my daughter was that it fitted her size very well. When my wife tried one on in the store, she also fell in love with how it fits. My main concern with their longevity is that the bladder appears too exposed with no cloth protection. I am afraid that at some point we will pinch it on the boat. If figure that we will have gotten our expected use out of them by then. I really do like them and highly recommend them.

As a result of how much they like the style, I am looking at buying the Halcyon Eclipse for my everyday diving, getting rid of my vest style BC. The replacement BC for them may be another 'normal' bc like the Zuma or Halcyon depending on how I like mine, if I get one that is...

As for travel, my gear is older and weight was not taken into account when it was manufactured. We traveled this year with the same travel bags. My bag was significantly heavier. I believe that my BC added 4# or more. This might not sound like a lot, but when you are trying to not pay airline overage fees, it can make a big deal. Local travel, who cares but some airlines are so strict that it is hard to pack the necessary gear and clothes and still stay underweight. Remember that the overage costs can easily exceed $200 which could justify lighter gear.

 

[ibmerlin]

Almost anyone that has travelled to Bonaire via Aruba or Curaçao more than once has had the experience of delayed luggage. That's how I know almost all my essential dive gear including the Islander will fit in my carryon duffle!

In total we lost two days of vacation waiting on DIA in the ABC's. Loosing our luggage cost us 2 prearranged dives. I love Bonaire but not getting there.

 

[Nemrod]

I should point out that the Zuma is actually a wing with an integrated harness, a back plate-less wing. It acts and behaves alot like my Oxy 18 wing on the Oxy soft travel plate. The main thing I do not like I suppose is the lack of two cam bands. And, I would get one for myself except as the sizes go up, so does the wing lift. I only need an 18.

This has always annoyed me, that small size BCs used mostly by women have less lift than those probably used by men, larger sizes. Yet, my wife needs twice the weight to sink her than I do and our other equipment is similar weight, all things being equal, there is no reason for the increased lift. If the size large Zuma had a 22 pound wing like my wife's I might buy one.

N