TSA and Sea Pearls (weights on a plane)

[muddiver]

Try wearing a wet suit under them. :mooner:

 

[allistoy]

I always bring 2-1# weights when I travel as I have never found a dive operator with 1# trim weights they always have started at 2 or 3#'s wherever I have gone and I like 1# weights to fine tune my trim. I have never had any trouble with TSA.

 

[knotical]

Try wearing a wet suit under them. <rude emoticon deleted>

A thin, tropical wetsuit doesn't provide much padding.

 

[cruiser]

Try wearing a wet suit under them. :mooner:

Why wear a wetsuit when water temps don't warrant it? Especially if you're doing multiple dives a day, gyrating to get into a (possibly wet) wetsuit is a hassle.

 

[cruiser]

Why do you bother to cary the extra weight? It's a lot more efficient to use the weights avalable at the location you will be diving. The only exception is if you are going to dive some where that is not a typical dive destination like Antartica, but you'll be carrying a lot more than just lead on that trip.

Leave the lead and tanks at home and rent them when you get there.

I, too, leave my tanks at home.

But when it comes to weights, not all locations have the combination you need, especially if you're not the first person at the weight counter. I haven't seen anyone provide soft weights, just the hard ones.

 

[TMHeimer]

I carry weights because I do shore diving as well and although they are included for a charter, I don't want to rent them for each shore dive. I had some 2 pounders in the carry-on once and they were questioned but passed. She picked one up and made a motion to see if they could be used to conk someone on the head. That would be a smart thing to do on a plane and then have hundreds of irate passengers jump you because they now realize your weapon is the choice of idiots.

 

[flots am]

Why do you bother to cary the extra weight? It's a lot more efficient to use the weights avalable at the location you will be diving. The only exception is if you are going to dive some where that is not a typical dive destination like Antartica, but you'll be carrying a lot more than just lead on that trip.

Leave the lead and tanks at home and rent them when you get there.

I like to bring a couple of one pound trim weights. Most of the dive ops I've used don't have any small weights.

However since the weight limit went down and the inspections went up, I just use what's available and if I'm a few pounds over, it's not a big deal.

flots.

 

[Damselfish]

No matter what anything says, any TSA agent might decide weights of whatever sort could be a weapon. Obviously they're less likely to be concerned with a couple 1 pounders than a rollaboard loaded with the stuff.

I can understand wanting small trim weights but I'd still rather save the luggage weight and deal with what they have. I might use 2-1#s in my rear trim pouches if they had them. But I've never had trouble getting 2 pounders, and that's close enough.

If your only issue is comfort, you might consider getting a different weight belt. One of the neoprene or fabric/mesh ones with pockets meant for lead blocks is a much more comfortable way to wear hard weights than strung on a regular weight belt, not to mention much more convenient to make changes. (And a weight integrated BC is another way to avoid lead blocks digging into your hips - and I doubt there's any WI BCs that really require soft weights.)

 

[charlesml3]

I'm scrawny and hard weights dig into and abrade my ill-padded bones.

Padded weight belt is the answer.

Neoprene Soft Belt discounts on sale Innovative Scuba Concepts

I can't imagine carrying 12 pounds of weight on an airplane. Sheesh. My bag is already heavy enough. Besides, most dive ops include the weight in the price of the dive. You're not saving any money by bringing weights.

-Charles

 

[Searcaigh]

I am surprised that so many people bother to carry additional weight. Where I travel from it is difficult enough to explain what an underwater housing is for plus my strobes and cables without the additional weight of lead shot in a bag.

I do carry my softweightbelt and just pop in the local hard weights, works for me.

As for wearing a wetsuit, well a 3mm is what I usually use even when diving 28C water as multiple dives in even what feels like warm water soon drains the heat out of a body.