Traveling with scuba gear

[Juardis]

Its not too bad if you trim down your items to what is really needed and take full advantage of your carry on. Your regs are one of the heaver items and you should carry them on board along with any other expensive/hard to replace item. Buying a travel BC of some sort can save a fair amount weight, some of the more ....fancy.... for lack of a better word...BCs can weight up to 9 lbs, a good travel BC comes in at 4 lbs or less. Avoid heavy suit cases, each pound your suit case it, that is a pound less you have to work with. While on the subject, avoid the urge to mark the suit case with dive related items...dive stickers, DAN tags and the like. If you do, you just put a sign on the bag saying "expensive dive equipment inside, please steal it". Drop by a sporting goods department and buy a 50 lb fishing scale. These are great for weighing the bags and making sure they are within the weight limit. Unless absolutely necessary, I limit my bags to 45lbs to avoid a weight dispute.......and one last item, tell your wife that buying large ceramic figures for Christmas presents is not allowed.....

Just as an FYI...some carriers will allow a little bit of overage. So if you're at 53#'s, no problem. At least, that's what a Delta employee told me. YMMV.

 

[vmsgeek]

Just as an FYI...some carriers will allow a little bit of overage. So if you're at 53#'s, no problem. At least, that's what a Delta employee told me. YMMV.

I flew Delta three times this year, once without checked luggage, two with. On one of the trips with checked luggage the gate agent at SJC made a fuss about being just two pounds overweight. That was the return trip, on the way over the bag was three pounds over, and nothing was said. So it's who you run into at the gate, really.

I also flew United on one round trip and American on two round trips, and nothing about being a couple of pounds overweight.

Thanks for all of the replies. We travel often, and usually just one bag for three people, but I just don't see how three BCDs and assorted gear that you can't fit in your carry-on, plus some clothes for three people (we never pack more than three days worth of clothes even if the trip is longer, we know how to wash clothes) will be under the limit.

Might have to take a second bag! Which I'd hate to do, from a lost bag perspective (more bags, more chance of a lost or delayed bag).

 

[vladimir]

Just as an FYI...some carriers will allow a little bit of overage. So if you're at 53#'s, no problem. At least, that's what a Delta employee told me. YMMV.

A Cathay Pacific counter clerk told me that they gave 5 kilos of leeway before they charged for overweight checked baggage.

 

[mathauck0814]

BP/W = 7lbs
Can light = 5lbs
Fins+Boots = 2lbs
Drysuit = 10lbs
Mask, SMB, Reel, Shears = 5lbs
Duffle bag you stuff it all in = 1lb

Wrap everything in the exposure gear and you're well under. Put your computer and regs in your carry on and you still have enough weight allowance for a teenager to bring everything they think they need in the other checked bag.

 

[vmsgeek]

BP/W = 7lbs
Can light = 5lbs
Fins+Boots = 2lbs
Drysuit = 10lbs
Mask, SMB, Reel, Shears = 5lbs
Duffle bag you stuff it all in = 1lb

Wrap everything in the exposure gear and you're well under. Put your computer and regs in your carry on and you still have enough weight allowance for a teenager to bring everything they think they need in the other checked bag.

For one person, yes. But not for three, and I'd prefer to have just one bag to lessen the chances of a lost or delayed bag.

Not doable, it seems.

 

[The Chairman]

Zeagle makes a wonderful bag where the sides are mesh. They say its able to be taken as a carry on and I don't doubt that. I just usually carry my laptops and all with me on the plane.

I dive with a Zeagle Express Tech which is way light and comfy in the water. I also put a pair of Hollis F1 fins, an atomic regulator (or two), a mask, reels, a sausage, 2- 21 watt Dive Monkey Lights, two back lights a reef hook and that's about it. My boots go in my clothes bag and I rarely need or want thermal protection. I expect to rent weights and tanks there.

BTW, if your checkout dives are in the Florida Keys, look up Mselenaous at Key Largo Dive Center (PADI shop). I'll be around as well if you want to meet for lunch or dinner!

 

[dmoore19]

I am in the market for a way to transport my dive gear. The suitcase I was using on the last trip isn't going to work again.. When going through customs on the way back home, the wheels broke and locked up. I ended up dragging the thing through customs and then all the way back to the car. That's what I get for trying to save a few dollars. The bag wasn't designed to carry 48#.

I have been looking at the Dive Caddy. I am concerned about the dimensions of the bag once it is loaded. I like the idea of a carry on with all my gear and a change of clothes. When I took my gear in and put it in the DiveCaddy it had a total linear inches of 48, 3" over airline regulations. Anybody use the DiveCaddy and have any experience getting them on the plane as carry on, any problems?

 

[iztok]

I do have DiveCaddy. I have F1 fins that are too long for it. I use it but for the most part standard carry-on and check-in luggage (Delsey for both) worked best for me thus far.

 

[Buoyant1]

"Stuffing your carry-on" is your friend! I always took my mask, light, computer and regs with me (log book also) and stuffed my fins wetsuit, "BCD", and anything else in my suitcases. The regs and light were the most "heavy" items I had so carrying them on was a good thing for the overall weight of my checked bags!

yeah, sometimes it's a pain going through security if you have TSA people that aren't hip to dive gear, but I always made sure I got there WAY early so I had time for them to mess with everything!


However...the last four trips we took to the Keys we drove (from Pennsylvania) and I just took EVERYTHING! (3 cylinders and weights included)

 

[buton]

i pack

1 stilleto bc xs(with small light, mirror, whistel, trim pockets yellow weight bags)
1 brigade bc large(with dive knife, whistle, small light(Safety), safety sausage, mirror, trim pockets, yellow weight bags)
2 pair of scubapro jetsports fins
2 pairs of boots, medium and small
2 mask
2 snorkels.
1 mesh bag(hotel to boat transgers)

and it is just 45 lb, so i am on range...


but as some said never pack all in one checked luggage, it will caught the attention of some bad guys who will put your equipment on craiglist...


REGULATORS and computer on carry on...


hope this help