What bags are a must when you own your own equipment??

[gemdiver]

Gem,

Be very careful about these new locks as we have heard that the bad guys already have keys for these locks. As DeepLou stated, if they really want to get your bag, they will, this is just a deterant. So far we have been lucky with the Master locks that we use. We just wait for the TSA to scan the bags. If they have no questions, we are good to go.

Don't throw that Akona bag away. Time to get out the BIG BLACK PERMANANT MARKER, and practice your tracing skills. I did this on my bags and blocked out the neon signs. I also painted my initials over the labels, with white reflective paint. I can spot the bags a mile away. Hope that helps.

Dive Smart; Dive Safe
Enjoy the ride
:cool1:

I've never locked my bags before, but now that I will be travleing with my scuba gear, I've been thinking about it. Are you talking about using the Master locks on your checked bags? How are you able to have them scan your bag while you are standing there? Maybe I'm just not understanding what you're saying. I'm still new to the traveling with dive gear thing.

Also, we haven't gotten rid of the Akona bag, I love that thing. I will have to tell my bf about the marker thing, that bag with it's specific space for fins is a great scuba travel bag.

Thanks for the info

 

[IndigoBlue]

I have been diving for several years now but have never owned my own equipment other than mask, snorkel, wet suit and fins. I have now purchased reg, computer, etc. What bags are a must have when traveling with all this equipment. Airlines can cause much damage to bags and I need to know what everyone else uses. Last year they crushed my bag (it got driven over they said) but it only had my clothes in. Why would a mesh bag be important? What would be a good airline bag for my equipment. I think I would like to be able to put it in a carry on if possible for safety reasons. At least my computer and reg as they cost well over 1200 bucks. Please give me some insight on this. What works best for you? Thanks for your help.

I use (1) a small piece of carry-on luggage with rollers, and (2) a mesh bag.

The mesh bag holds the suit, boots, hood, gloves, & towells.

The carry-on bag holds everything else, rolled up.

You can wear the weight belt and the B/C. Or you can roll them up and put them in the carry-on bag as well.

 

[gfisher4792]

You can wear the weight belt and the B/C. Or you can roll them up and put them in the carry-on bag as well.

That would get some interesting looks on the plane!

 

[Snowbear]

I just got PM'd, saying you can't take pony bottles any more - even empty with the valve off. Augh! Maybe I'll pre-ship it to Hawaii.

The rule says "pressurized cylinders" are prohibited. The last couple of trips I taped a note to the pony/argon bottle that said something about the cylinder is empty, NOT pressurized. It was still in there (along with the standard TSA love note) when I reclaimed the bag. Pre-shipping is still probably more reliable, though.

 

[Snowbear]

That would get some interesting looks on the plane!

who would wear his parachute on the plane to avoid checking it - talk about some interesting looks!

 

[Rick Inman]

The rule says "pressurized cylinders" are prohibited. The last couple of trips I taped a note to the pony/argon bottle that said something about the cylinder is empty, NOT pressurized. It was still in there (along with the standard TSA love note)

Was the love note a fifty dollar bill??
I am on forever-hold on the phone with them right now to ask. If I have to listen to this muzick much longer, I might shoot myself, but otherwise, I'll post their answer.

....

Alright, they said "no compressed air tanks of any kind" even empty. There it is.

 

[MaresMan1]

I've never locked my bags before, but now that I will be travleing with my scuba gear, I've been thinking about it. Are you talking about using the Master locks on your checked bags? How are you able to have them scan your bag while you are standing there? Maybe I'm just not understanding what you're saying. I'm still new to the traveling with dive gear thing.

Also, we haven't gotten rid of the Akona bag, I love that thing. I will have to tell my bf about the marker thing, that bag with it's specific space for fins is a great scuba travel bag.

Thanks for the info

Gem,

Both Kennedy and Newark have the new massive scanning machines in service now. So, each time that we have flown out of these ports we come with bags locked (with the master locks). TSA takes the bags and asks us if we will be leaving the bags locked (yes). They then place the bags on the big scanner and ask us to wait until the bags are have cleared.

If they don't clear, you will have to open them for inspection. You and your bags are guided to the nearest inspection table. Once Ok'd, you lock'em up and off they go. So far we have been lucky and never had to open our bags.

The Akona bags are great. Just get rid of the neon logo and place a marker on the bag that you can easily identify. The more they look like regular luggage the better.

Best of luck in your travels.

Dive Smart; Dive Safe
Enjoy the ride
:cool1:

 

[pt40fathoms]

The way I look at it, it's really a simple matter of pre-shipping all the components that may have trouble getting on board a commercial airline. Pony bottles and Sofnolime come to mind, but I'm sure that a list of items could be quickly drawn up. To my knowledge Fed-Ex delivers almost everywhere, and from experience they are the most reliable carrier out there. Sure they may cost more than the others, but why risk ruining a vacation for a few dollars, or being told that you can't take a needed item with you on your vacation.

As for regs, computers, and dive lights, carry-on is the only option. The baggage monkeys have a sixth sense when it comes to something expensive in a bag, and will consider it a failure in the unwritten code of baggage monkey honor to not completely destroy that precious item.

 

[grazie42]

The more you can get in a carry-on the better...with some airlines having weight limits of 20kg/person everything you can get in your carry-on is $ saved on extra weight charges. The trick is to look as if that 10-15 kg backpack just has some books in it as you walk thru check-in or security As others have mentioned regs, mask and computer, at least, should be in your carry-on. If you can fit your camera, lights and other expensive gizmos as well so much the better. For the rest I just use a soft-shelled hockeybag. I´ve yet to walk thru a security check with divegear without being stopped.

 

[UP4AIR]

I just returned from a trip to Cancun. I took all my gear in a Pelican 1650 case that I placed two zip ties on the lock holes. Tsa put a sticker on it stating that they inspected it and replaced the ties. I flew out of Dulles Va(which is near D.C.) Inside the case I had a 7mm wet suit,Dive Rite bc,two sets of fins,HID light which I placed in my hood,gloves,reel,two extra lights,booties(two sets),batteries for all the lights,one mask. I carried my reg,computer,and one mask, along with my dive log,on board the plane. I flew Continental and their weight limit was 70lbs per bag(limit 2). My Pelican was about 63-65 lbs. The fit was tight getting all the gear in,but then most folks won't be diving a 7mm in Mexico so that will save some space. I got no questions on the Pelican case but inspectors at both Dulles and Huston did not like the dive computer in the carry-on. Go figure! When I say didn't like I mean they couldn't figure out what it was on the scanner.
I put no stickers on my case just name,address,and I put my cell #. This all worked well for me for diving the cenotes. If I were to be going out on a boat to dive I would also include a mesh bag to transport my gear on the boat. I'm sure if I showed up on a dive boat with that big@#$ case they would throw me and the case overboard! The case worked well as it has wheels on it and is easy to get around. A drawback that I could see is that on most domestic flights the weight limit is 50lbs...and I think I would be hardpressed to make weight on that.