Traveling with scuba gear

[iztok]

I travel a lot for business so I am Star Alliance Gold. This gets me 3 50lbs bag allowance or 2 75lbs ones. Either way I usually get 2 50lbs and carry on just fine when I go diving in cold destination for a couple of days and rest of the week is using work clothes. (SS backplate goes into carry on)

I think that for just vacation and singe tank diving (above is with doubles set) you should be way under 50lbs.

 

[TartanFrog]

As one of the earlier postings said, try to keep the weight well below the 50 lbs limit. I do that for a couple of reasons. First my digital scale might not give the same weight as the one at the airport. And I have found that my BCD and some other gear are not completely dry when I dive one day and fly the next which can add a little weight. Then again, if you end up buying souvenier t-shirts or something else you will need to account for that weight too!

One option, at least for a while, might be to rent gear at your travel destination. Since you are new to diving, that might give you the option to try out different types of gear to see which ones you like best. That might beat buying gear from a shop without trying it, travelling with it and finding out you really don't like the gear or travelling with it.

Another option from North Carolina would be to drive to Florida for your dive trip. Then it doesn't matter what you take with you! HAHA

Congratulations on becoming a diver. Have fun!!!

 

[RTee]

The last couple of diving trips I did...

wetsuit, booties. Chicken vest, BP/Wg, fins, boat bag, canlight and back-up lites in my one piece of checked bagage. (this is around 35 to 40 lbs max)

Clothes: in my carry-on size backpack
Regs, dive computer, mask, C cards and logbook: in my personal bag

 

[Hatul]

I've never had my carry on weighed, so one trick is to put the heavy stuff in the carry on.

Adam

 

[TMHeimer]

First, look at your gear carefully and decide what is ABSOLUTELY necessary. Be brutal. Do you really need that 3 mil jacket if the water is 80 plus degrees? Dive slate? Backup snorkel? Back up knife? You get the idea.
Second, really trim the clothing. Do you REALLY need a pair of shorts for every day of the week when you only wear them in the morning and the evening (and you are in swim trunks the rest of the time underwater)? Can you wash some clothing at your resort/hotel? Pare down anything that isn't absolutely necessary, just as you did with the gear.
Then, decide what gear goes in what bag. I take my computer, regs, and camera gear in my carry on bag, along with ONE change of clothes (usually shorts and t-shirt if it's a tropical destination). I pack by stowing my gear in a rolling pilot bag (important stuff first, right?) and then packing it all into place with clothing around the sides. Not only does this maximize space, but it also pads my gear. I tend to roll t-shirts and shorts instead of folding them because iit tends to use less space.
It goes without saying that if you plan on flying with gear often, you might want to invest in the lightest weight gear that will still meet your needs. Talk with other experienced traveling divers and see what they have chosen for their kit. Valuable insights can be gleaned by looking around and seeing how others solved the problem.
Welcome to diving!

All good responses, this one maybe the best. This is good advice for traveling even when not diving. I brought my weights on my only tropical dive trip but may not next time if they are provided. I do like my pouch weight belt and the precise weights that fit in there. Don't forget the carry-on. Some airlines allow up to 40-50 pounds there, some only 25. Also, you can bring a "personal item" such as a laptop -- but there doesn't have to be a laptop in there-- maybe some stuff that's small but heavy. I have seen women with some pretty darn big pocketbooks lately. The airlines do make you dance and prance these days. One baggage handler on United admonished me when he had to lift my 46 pound carry-on (to store on a small plane)--complained it might hurt his poor pack even though it was legal at the time. I wrote United to complain, hoping they'd give me a credit or something--received a good kick in..... Good luck.

 

[freewillie]

Take a look at signing up for airline credit cards. We have an American Airlines reward Visa. We get certain amount of miles for purchases, then use the miles to get our airline tickets. When we booked the luggage fees were waived and didn't have to pay the per bag charge. Also had upgrade to preferred boarding pass letting us board early as well.

Our family of five checked 4 pieces of luggage. One for mom and dad. Two for the kids. One bag just for scuba gear (two divers) and beach toys. By spreading out some of the heavier gear helps distribute weight and reduce risk overweight baggage.

The BC's and masks went into clothes luggage. Also helps reduce risk of theft. Fins, booties, small dive lights went into scuba bag with beach toys. Regs and computers were in carry on bags.

 

[eelnoraa]

50lb is quite a lot. I was able to pack all of these into a large Oakley roller (not the lightest suit case):

Dive gears:
AL plate, SS STA, 30lb wing, boots, gloves, mask, snorkel, computer, fins, spool, SMB, Holis LED5 with batteries, misc save a dive items. Basically I have everything minus wetsuit & reg (carry on).

Non dive gears:
5 polo shirts, 2 bycle tires, 2 tubes, Northface insulsated boots (heavy), 2 heavy jackets, a few small misc items

Total weight is 49lb.

If I am going to a warm water location, I can ditch all the winter stuffs, gift items, I should be able to pack a few day of clothes and still within the limit.

 

[nikko]

I do a plain duffel bag. Throw my BC and mask fins in it. I bring my reg set and camera/housing in my carry-on. My Computer is a watch style. Don't bring any weights with you. Like others say, bring none of the extras. You don't really need them. I do not use a travel BC. I love mine and it's comfortable. I wouldn't trade it for the world and I would pay $100 every dive trip to have it. It's about what you would pay to rent gear for your trip anyway. Might as well be comfortable. I did my last trip with only one bag. I lived in my suit so I didn't need much.

Have fun traveling and diving.

 

[vladimir]

Perhaps the greatest savings in weight can be achieved in your choice of suitcase. I am pretty happy with my Cosmolite bags. They are a little bit pricy, but they are featherlight, they have four wheels, and so far seem to be durable.

 

[Mike Boswell]

It isn't difficult for us at all. I just bought two large rolling duffle bags from Costco. They were cheap and they are wonderful. My wife and I were able to pack most of our dive gear, clothing, etc. in the duffles and come in just under 50 lbs, and that was with our 6-pound SS backplates. Masks, dive computers and a book or two went in the carryons.