Traveling to Coz - Locks on dive gear/luggage

[Firerescueguy]

My dive gear bag is an Igloo rolling cooler. It is long enough to hold my fins, it's rigid for protection of gear, it's not obviously dive gear, and it has rings on the ends where I can bungee a duffel bag to the top of it for rolling through airports. When I move into the hotel room, it keeps my beer cold. When we catch fish, it keeps dorado filets frozen all the way back to Austin.

You are saying your gear is actually in a Hard sided cooler? If so what size? Seems like a very good idea (Keeping the Beer cold!!) But, seems a little big

 

[scubasherry]

Thanks for the advise. I guess we will just not lock anything... but will for sure do something unique to identify our luggage as ours.

Oh and we are flying into Cancun. I wonder if they have the same rule with batteries?

So, any of you ever take some sort of a strap or maybe even a bungie cord to secure your dive bag and luggage bag together for the walk from the bus station to the ferry. Wondering if that would make it easier to pull?

Thanks everyone for the input!

 

[loudives]

I use an old belt. It keeps the bag closed if the zipper breaks, discourages bag handlers from opening due to extra time to open, doubles as an easy hand grip, and makes it noticeable on the baggage carousel.
As for Cancun airport if you tell the inspector the bag is a carry on they don't look inside because it goes through the xray machine. I just got back and had about 10 batteries in the carry on.

 

[jpomerantz]

A new one on me this year (last week) is that in leaving Cozumel, each person can have a maximum of four flashlight type batteries of any size in their carry-on luggage. I lost about 30 bucks worth of AA, C, and D cells to the gate inspectors. They are also concerned with metal hooks for some reason; they nearly confiscated my bungee cords.

That is a new one. In October I had 4 sets of AA's (rechargable ones) and no issue. I did have them in the checked bag - maybe that is the difference?

 

[ggunn]

You are saying your gear is actually in a Hard sided cooler? If so what size? Seems like a very good idea (Keeping the Beer cold!!) But, seems a little big

Yes. It's the larger of the two sizes they make, but it's actually smaller than some folks' dive bags, and the rigidity makes for better protection than a canvas bag. All my gear and my wife's as well fits into it. And in the room it's not just for beer; we keep fruit and stuff for sandwiches in it as well. Love the wheels, too; into and out of airports, I attach my duffel bag to it with a bungee cord, and my carry-on rolls, too. No assistance needed.

I added a hasp and a harness made of web belts to keep it shut. I used to lock it up in transit, but since 9/11 I just put a clip through the hasp. I duct tape the pull handle down when I check it; that's very important - if you don't it will get broken off.

The airline gives me no probs checking it as long as we keep the weight below 50 lbs.

 

[ggunn]

That is a new one. In October I had 4 sets of AA's (rechargable ones) and no issue. I did have them in the checked bag - maybe that is the difference?

In checked bags they don't care, as long as your dive lights don't have batteries in them. In carry-on, they confiscate any more than your allotted 4 per person. That's the rules in Cozumel at the moment, anyway.

 

[Firerescueguy]

Yes. It's the larger of the two sizes they make, but it's actually smaller than some folks' dive bags, and the rigidity makes for better protection than a canvas bag. All my gear and my wife's as well fits into it. And in the room it's not just for beer; we keep fruit and stuff for sandwiches in it as well. Love the wheels, too; into and out of airports, I attach my duffel bag to it with a bungee cord, and my carry-on rolls, too. No assistance needed.

I added a hasp and a harness made of web belts to keep it shut. I used to lock it up in transit, but since 9/11 I just put a clip through the hasp. I duct tape the pull handle down when I check it; that's very important - if you don't it will get broken off.

The airline gives me no probs checking it as long as we keep the weight below 50 lbs.

I am traveling to Cozumel in February, I might have to give that a try!! Thanks for the Idea.

Marc

 

[bgillis]

As for weight limits, last spring our bags were declared overweight. I insisted that they re-zero the scale and like magic they were in weight. It is just a push of a button for them and the scales do get off.

 

[Nevis Diver]

My dive gear bag is an Igloo rolling cooler. It is long enough to hold my fins, it's rigid for protection of gear, it's not obviously dive gear, and it has rings on the ends where I can bungee a duffel bag to the top of it for rolling through airports. When I move into the hotel room, it keeps my beer cold. When we catch fish, it keeps dorado filets frozen all the way back to Austin.

How do you keep it closed?

 

[Nevis Diver]

How do you keep it closed?

Nevermind, I read the above posts. Excellent idea. Why didn't I think of that?