Travel gear set up

[fishydiver123]

i'm about to buy my first set of gear, which needs to be light for air travel, but also reliable.
I'm also looking for a fairly inexpensive weight integrated bc for now, as I'm still growing and don't want to go for a wing set up.

I've come up with:
apeks ds4 atx40 with octopus and pressure/depth gauge
cressi travel light bc

what do you know about these items? Also, how often should i have my gear serviced, if i do approx 25-30 dives/year?

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

If you are buying new from an authorized dealer, you will probably want to get your gear serviced every year to keep the warranty valid. If you are buying over the internet via a non-authorized dealer, you can probably stretch to every 2 years IF you rinse and clean you gear properly EVERY time you dive.

Everyone has their own favorite gear, there is always lots of personal preferences. There is nothing wrong with you gear choice. The only point I would make is a bp/wing is extremely adjustable, so in some ways it is ideal for someone still growing. Something like the Zeagle Express Tech might give you an effective alternative with most of the advantages of a BP/W at a very reasonable cost ($250) and a very compact light package for travel. Just a thought.

 

[fishydiver123]

I've looked at this option but the zeagle is not available in the uk and importing it is very expensive.

 

[DiveTheGalapagos]

I like both the SeaQuest Malibu and Libra (for women). Both are very lightweight.

 

[Mopar]

You need to get your gear serviced annually. I have been told even if you dont dive much or not at all it is for safty. Also I have an Aeris Reef Rider BC. It is back infalate. Back inflate in my opinion is more comfy. than side inflate. I bought it for the same reason as you for travel. But once I bought my own gear I dive almost every weekend from spring to Thanksgiving. Also try gear at your LDS. Do they have a pool? If so try different gear styles out.

 

[Monarch_15w]

i'm about to buy my first set of gear, which needs to be light for air travel, but also reliable.
I'm also looking for a fairly inexpensive weight integrated bc for now, as I'm still growing and don't want to go for a wing set up.

I've come up with:
apeks ds4 atx40 with octopus and pressure/depth gauge
cressi travel light bc

what do you know about these items? Also, how often should i have my gear serviced, if i do approx 25-30 dives/year?

another bc worth looking at is the sherwood axis. this is a great hybrid back inflation bc that is great for trimming out and travel. it is light weight, weight integrated, and sleek. this is deffinatly a good bc to get. for a regulator look at leisurepro.com has a sale on genesis 2000 regular for 239. this is the best regulator that is out there for the price. Althought you want good travel gear there is no reason to go too cheap after all this is your life support. no reason not to get good solid reliable gear just because it is cheep.

 

[keyshunter]

another bc worth looking at is the sherwood axis. this is a great hybrid back inflation bc that is great for trimming out and travel. it is light weight, weight integrated, and sleek. this is deffinatly a good bc to get. for a regulator look at leisurepro.com has a sale on genesis 2000 regular for 239. this is the best regulator that is out there for the price. Althought you want good travel gear there is no reason to go too cheap after all this is your life support. no reason not to get good solid reliable gear just because it is cheep.

monarch,
I agree, that the Axis, although it a pure back inflate not a hybrid, is a pretty good bc.

While the Genesis is a good reg (as are most regs today), it is far from the best choice for a traveling diver. While Sherwood, Genesis's sister company, has a large worldwide following and dealer network, Genesis does not. Actually, Genesis is not even particularly popular in the US. And, it is far from the "best regulator out there for the price".

Also, if you search "life support" on SB, you will find a number of reasons why the life support argument does not hold water.

Fishy,
The reg you selected is indeed a very good choice for the traveling diver, since Aqualung/Apeks has a very large worldwide dealer network, and a very strong diver following.

 

[rrweather]

Slightly off topic but still on topic...

When you pack your dive gear, I will pass on a suggestion someone on SB gave me--pack it in an ordinary looking bag. Nothing screams "open me" or "steal me" like a bag made specifically for dive gear. Last year I was flying to Key West. About 2 weeks before I left, there was a big bust of airline employees in Houston stealing stuff out of luggage. Unlucky for me, I was flying through Houston. I ended up going to Walmart and buying some dumpy looking PVC bag that was like $30 for two bags. I topped it off with some cheesy looking luggage strap that looked like something your grandmother would give you for Christmas. When all was said and done, the bag looked like it wasn't worth packing newspaper in. I know there were better looking bags than mine so I was confident it would get looked over.

Just a tip. Don't advertise the fact that you have dive gear in your bag.

On a side note, the PVC bags are awesome. It has a heavy duty zipper and it holds all of my gear perfectly. The best part is they are nearly indestructible. When I do finally wear it out, I will chuck it and buy a new one.

 

[Acanthurus]

i'm about to buy my first set of gear, which needs to be light for air travel, but also reliable.
I'm also looking for a fairly inexpensive weight integrated bc for now, as I'm still growing and don't want to go for a wing set up.

I've come up with:
apeks ds4 atx40 with octopus and pressure/depth gauge
cressi travel light bc

what do you know about these items? Also, how often should i have my gear serviced, if i do approx 25-30 dives/year?

My husband gave me an Aqualung Zuma for Christmas - it is light and packs well, does have integrated weights and is a back inflate. Haven't tried it yet since it is definitely winter here but am taking it to Australia in a few months. Worth a look.

Happy diving!