Traveling gear.

[Frosty]

Hey folks
After our last trip overseas I'm about over lugging a full set of gear everywhere with us. So far every dive resort seem to have pretty good poodle jacket type BC's and I guess a weight belt is pretty universal as long as the clip works.
My thinking is to pare the gear down to my own shorty suit, my mask,my regs/computer,my small torch and my boots/fins.
Can you see anything wrong with my thinking?

 

[tstormdiver]

The only thing I can think of is,... Can you always be 100% sure all the resorts will have decent equipment? If not,... that may be something to consider. If you are willing to put up with occasional sub par gear, then go right ahead. The only thing you are considering leaving behind is the BC. Most of the major manufacturers make a light weight travel BC that typically doesn't take up much weight or room.

 

[herman]

I'm with TS on this one, travel BCs and the lightweight BPs (kydex, nylon) with a small wing weight in at about 4 lbs/ 2 kg. Not a lot and all of them beat a poorly fitting renal BC.

 

[Mossman]

You can always bring your own weight belt if you're worried, that certainly won't take up much room or weight. If you're happy with the standard rental BC and you're of
"standard size" so they'll always have something that fits, why bother lugging your own around? Personally I prefer back-inflated and weight-integrated so I do lug mine on trips, but it is a PITA.

 

[Buoyant1]

My basic gear is my BP/W, reg's, mask, fins, suit/booties/hood/gloves. computer and a small light. (not to mention a small box with extra o-rings and other stuff for quick fixes etc.)

Other than that, I can pick up weights where ever.

Computer, light, and mask and regs goes in my carry on, the rest is distributed amongst the luggage.


Easy! I know my gear, I trust my gear....plain and simple!

(now if I'm driving, EVERYTHING goes!)

 

[TSandM]

If you do rent a BC, make sure you go over the one you are issued. Check things like mouthpiece security, and the appearance of the plastic where the inflator is secured to the bladder. Make sure it holds air without leaking. If it's weight integrated, make sure the pockets are secure and will release. Check the locations of all of the dump valves, and make sure they are all working.

For me, it's well worth the extra weight to take along my own stuff, which is adjusted properly for me, and where I can reach all the "controls" without thinking about it. After all, how many clothes do you need to take on a tropical vacation?

 

[Mossman]

Come on, it's just a BC. A glorified personal flotation device. It's not like it's "life support" equipment or anything. If someone really "needs" a BC, they're simply overweighted. If BC leaks, swap it out before the next dive.

 

[Frosty]

Come on, it's just a BC. A glorified personal flotation device. It's not like it's "life support" equipment or anything. If someone really "needs" a BC, they're simply overweighted. If BC leaks, swap it out before the next dive.

To be honest mossman this is what got me thinking about it. No ego intended but other than deeper dives (18m plus)I diddn't put air in my bc any other time but at the surface when I took my gear off and that was just so it wouldn't sink when I was passing it up into the RIB dive boat.

 

[Mike Boswell]

On my first trip to Cozumel, our little group of a dozen divers did giant strides off the dive boat and followed the guide down to about 80 feet or so, where we entered single file into a long, dark, narrow swim-through. I was one of the last to enter, well behind "Mary", who had rented all of her gear, was a single diver, and was buddied with our guide. About halfway through the tunnel, there was a commotion up ahead and when we finally exited the swim-through we learned that Mary and the guide had left the group. We continued on with the second guide and finished the dive.

Back aboard, Mary was (still) crying. It had been traumatic: A piece of her (rented) mouthpiece had broken off, and she had inhaled it and almost choked to death, at 80 feet in a dark swimthrough.

The only thing I "rent" is tanks and weights, and I have seen many, many instances where even they are substandard.

 

[Mossman]

On my first trip to Cozumel, our little group of a dozen divers did giant strides off the dive boat and followed the guide down to about 80 feet or so, where we entered single file into a long, dark, narrow swim-through. I was one of the last to enter, well behind "Mary", who had rented all of her gear, was a single diver, and was buddied with our guide. About halfway through the tunnel, there was a commotion up ahead and when we finally exited the swim-through we learned that Mary and the guide had left the group. We continued on with the second guide and finished the dive.

Back aboard, Mary was (still) crying. It had been traumatic: A piece of her (rented) mouthpiece had broken off, and she had inhaled it and almost choked to death, at 80 feet in a dark swimthrough.

The only thing I "rent" is tanks and weights, and I have seen many, many instances where even they are substandard.

There's a big difference between a regulator and a BC. Personally, I would never rent a regulator unless my own crapped out, but that's mainly because I'm afraid of cooties.

I'll tell an anecdote that is equally relevant. My cousin rented a 5mm wetsuit in Maui when we were diving there a few years back and the zipper broke. He got chilled during the dive. He didn't cry, but he sure did whine about it

If a BC fails, there is redundancy: fins. No one should be so overweighted that they should sink and die if their BC fails to hold air.

If at the surface and the boat isn't picking up right away, drop the weights if you get tired of kicking, and when the dive op tries to charge you for them, tell them they need to maintain their BCs.