traveling with your equipment?
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pupdiver
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I think it would be pretty tough to fit a full set of gear in carry-on luggage. I check it. I can fit my wife's and my fullgear in a large rolling backpack I bought from XS Scuba. For items you want to protect, try putting them in folded wetsuits.
i check my bc, wetsuit, fins, mask and all unimportant stuff. you are allowed two carry on items...i bring a backpack and a duffle bag. i put my camera, video camera, and regulator set inside the duffle bag, and keep a good eye on it during the plane ride. i would never let someone i dont trust move my equipment, especially something fragile and expensive like photography equipment.
I carry all of my gear on. The fins are the hardest part to fit for most people because they have fins that are so long. My jet fins fit just fine since they have a short foot bed and are shorter(and wider) than most fins. Force Fins fit even better.
On my recent week long trip to Cozumel I carried on all of my luggage, I had one backpack that contained all of my scuba gear, and a smaller backpack (fits under the seat in front of me) that contained everything else.
The backpack with my scuba gear included a backplate and wing setup, jet fins, regulators(7ft hose included), wetsuit, hooded vest, booties, bottom timer, mask, camera, x-shorts, smb, 100ft spool, mirror, whistle, ems shears, a lot of bolt snaps and some misc. other things. This fit rather well into a backpack that fit easily into the overhead compartment. Just add a tank and 4# of lead from the dive op and I was ready to go.
~Jess
On my recent week long trip to Cozumel I carried on all of my luggage, I had one backpack that contained all of my scuba gear, and a smaller backpack (fits under the seat in front of me) that contained everything else.
The backpack with my scuba gear included a backplate and wing setup, jet fins, regulators(7ft hose included), wetsuit, hooded vest, booties, bottom timer, mask, camera, x-shorts, smb, 100ft spool, mirror, whistle, ems shears, a lot of bolt snaps and some misc. other things. This fit rather well into a backpack that fit easily into the overhead compartment. Just add a tank and 4# of lead from the dive op and I was ready to go.
~Jess
I try to put most of my expensive or harder to replace gear in my carry-on luggage: a pullman and a smaller backpack. The mask, reg, computer and BCD (plus pair of shorts and T-shirt) go in the pullman. The camera+strobe and toilettries goes in my backpack. The rest of the stuff (fins, wetsuit, lights, save-a-dive/maintenance/repair kit etc) usually go in the check-in luggage. I second pupdiver's suggestion to wrap your more easily damaged gear in the wetsuit (and tie them securely) - they cushion shocks well.
Bearing in mind that the weight limit for carry-ons on many international flights can vary (between 20-40 pounds), I have to admit I have on occasion exceed this by several pounds, although I have never been asked to my carry-ons weighed. For the check-in luggage, it is advisable to weigh them beforehand and check with the airline what their weight limits and whether it applies to 1 or 2 pieces (Continental has a policy allowing >60 pounds per bag only if it is all scuba gear and I had to remove my clothes and souvenirs from it last year).
To make my check-in luggage less attractive to thieves, I use worn, non-descript black cordura (usually soft) cases that don't advertize scuba gear, and tie the zippers with zip-ties. The zip-ties haven't been removed in my last 2 dive trips (they were removed in the first 2-3 years after 9/11).
Bearing in mind that the weight limit for carry-ons on many international flights can vary (between 20-40 pounds), I have to admit I have on occasion exceed this by several pounds, although I have never been asked to my carry-ons weighed. For the check-in luggage, it is advisable to weigh them beforehand and check with the airline what their weight limits and whether it applies to 1 or 2 pieces (Continental has a policy allowing >60 pounds per bag only if it is all scuba gear and I had to remove my clothes and souvenirs from it last year).
To make my check-in luggage less attractive to thieves, I use worn, non-descript black cordura (usually soft) cases that don't advertize scuba gear, and tie the zippers with zip-ties. The zip-ties haven't been removed in my last 2 dive trips (they were removed in the first 2-3 years after 9/11).
Diver Dennis
Contributor
I check everything including all my scuba gear except for the computers which I carry on, and my housing and ports. Camera, strobes and laptops are carried on in a backpack and Portercase. Flights to and throughout Asia have a 7kg (15lb) carryon weight limit. Some allow and extra 9lbs for a laptop. They have never bothered me about having 2 carry ons on Cathay, Malaysian or Singapore. The backpack with the strobes and some other camera gear weighs 30 lbs. I have started to carry a photographer's vest in the backpack in case I ever do run into trouble, I can wear a lot of that weight if there is a problem. 
Gilligan
Contributor
I check my scuba gear in and carry on my camera gear, all in soft cases to save weight.
I don't trust baggage handlers or TSA folks. Heck, I don't trust anyone.
So, on my check-in bags I put two or three small different color cable ties to join the zippers then cut off the excess. I wait for the TSA folks to scan the bags in case they want to get in them. After they are done I leave. If someone gets into my bags I can tell cause the cable ties will be broken and the odds of the thief having extra cable ties of different colors are slim to none. Put some super glue on em if you think a thief can open and then re-close them. I carry a pack of the ties with me in my back pack and a nail clipper in a unused pocket of my check-in so as to be able to cut the ties if TSA wants to look in my bags.
I especially use the cable ties when traveling to foreign countries. Not just for theft purposes but more importantly so no one plants anything in my bags.
Forget the TSA approved locks. By now everyone and their mother has the keys to those.
Bratface
Contributor
I check it all except for my mask (prescription lenses), my computers, and my log book. I make a packing list, put it inside of a baggie and pin it to the inside of the bag. I carry a copy of it in my log book. I've never had a problem.
I'm the exception it seems. I pack everything in my checked luggage. Sometimes I even check my laptop.
I use soft sided luggage to save weight. I pack all camera gear, ports, housings, strobes, chargers, yada yada yada into padded camera backpacks (mine are Canon but there are tons out there) with the padded dividers. You can also use clothes to add protection between items. I also use one of those big collapsible cooler bags ($9 from your local Walmart) - this time I packed the housing and arm bits etc in that.
The cooler bag is then used on site for transporting to/from the boat and as a rinse tank.
These bags go in the middle of the main bag surrounded by clothes, shoes, misc stuff around the edges. If I am taking my bcd one bag goes inside the bcd with the remaining dive gear stuffed in here or there.
I've never had a problem - knock wood. Yes, baggage handlers can be very rough, but my gear is packed securely and I don't worry about it too much. Yes, it can be stolen, but it's insured and I don't go to places where I can't hire something to get me through - even though that would be a pain, it's not a trip killer.
And I just hate dragging all that stuff around various airports and onto multiple planes. Just not worth it. And I know how much I hate being near other passengers who have 400 pounds and multiple bags of crap taking all the luggage bins anywhere remotely near my seat so I try to be courteous myself.
There are certain airports at this time that I would try to carry on as much camera gear as possible, but I'm not traveling through those in the near future and there aren't that many of them on my list so that's an exception, not the norm for me.
I use soft sided luggage to save weight. I pack all camera gear, ports, housings, strobes, chargers, yada yada yada into padded camera backpacks (mine are Canon but there are tons out there) with the padded dividers. You can also use clothes to add protection between items. I also use one of those big collapsible cooler bags ($9 from your local Walmart) - this time I packed the housing and arm bits etc in that.
The cooler bag is then used on site for transporting to/from the boat and as a rinse tank.
These bags go in the middle of the main bag surrounded by clothes, shoes, misc stuff around the edges. If I am taking my bcd one bag goes inside the bcd with the remaining dive gear stuffed in here or there.
I've never had a problem - knock wood. Yes, baggage handlers can be very rough, but my gear is packed securely and I don't worry about it too much. Yes, it can be stolen, but it's insured and I don't go to places where I can't hire something to get me through - even though that would be a pain, it's not a trip killer.
And I just hate dragging all that stuff around various airports and onto multiple planes. Just not worth it. And I know how much I hate being near other passengers who have 400 pounds and multiple bags of crap taking all the luggage bins anywhere remotely near my seat so I try to be courteous myself.
There are certain airports at this time that I would try to carry on as much camera gear as possible, but I'm not traveling through those in the near future and there aren't that many of them on my list so that's an exception, not the norm for me.
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Hurrah for you!
I like the way you pack.
I complain about TSA as much as anybody...but....in all fairness, I need to figure myself into the equation. Traveling with expensive items in bags...taking them into restrooms, restaurants, etc, I realized I was more likely to leave something than someone was to steal an item. (exceptions for some places, like San Jaun, etc)
Traveling "via Alcina" also makes sense if you are traveling throughout the night from remote places and having layovers where you can sleep at a quiet gate. (vs "watching" your stuff)
Insurance helps me let it go also. Sometimes now that I have a second person, I will carry the camera and lenses in a camera back-pack. I like to take an extra change of clothes and a bathing suit, in case I end up waiting a day for my bags. (never has happened).
Another thing, I always do, is put the hotel address and my cell phone number on each bag. Making it easy for them to get your bags to you, should they get seperated is a good thing, especially with language barriers.
I like the way you pack.
I complain about TSA as much as anybody...but....in all fairness, I need to figure myself into the equation. Traveling with expensive items in bags...taking them into restrooms, restaurants, etc, I realized I was more likely to leave something than someone was to steal an item. (exceptions for some places, like San Jaun, etc)
Traveling "via Alcina" also makes sense if you are traveling throughout the night from remote places and having layovers where you can sleep at a quiet gate. (vs "watching" your stuff)
Insurance helps me let it go also. Sometimes now that I have a second person, I will carry the camera and lenses in a camera back-pack. I like to take an extra change of clothes and a bathing suit, in case I end up waiting a day for my bags. (never has happened).
I want one of those, brilliant.
Another thing, I always do, is put the hotel address and my cell phone number on each bag. Making it easy for them to get your bags to you, should they get seperated is a good thing, especially with language barriers.
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