Question What to bring vs rent?

[yle]

I'll add my two cents. I just got back from a week in Coz. I used the dive op's BCD and reg, I brought everything else. Did this because they included free gear rental with the diving, and by leaving my BCD at home I saved on checked bag charges.

In general, my priority list for diving in the Caribbean:

Must bring, can't dive without:
Computer (it's on my wrist)
Mask (it fits well... and it's prescription)

Always bring... but could get by without:
Neoprene (I have a closet full of suits, one for any occasion)
Fins (my warm water full-foot fins fit perfectly... I'd never risk using rental fins that don't fit well)
Mesh bag (difficult to appreciate how useful this is until you don't have one to use)
SMB/reel/whistle

Sometimes bring, sometimes not... just depends:
Regulator (I like my reg... but I don't mind using a rental, as long as I'm breathing)
BCD (I like my BCD... but I don't mind using a rental.)

I usually bring my Gopro and a couple small lights. I left gloves and knife off the list because I don't bother bringing them to Coz. And trying to bring a knife anywhere is impossible if I'm not checking luggage.

 

[ggunn]

I'll add my two cents. I just got back from a week in Coz. I used the dive op's BCD and reg, I brought everything else. Did this because they included free gear rental with the diving, and by leaving my BCD at home I saved on checked bag charges.

In general, my priority list for diving in the Caribbean:

Must bring, can't dive without:
Computer (it's on my wrist)
Mask (it fits well... and it's prescription)

Always bring... but could get by without:
Neoprene (I have a closet full of suits, one for any occasion)
Fins (my warm water full-foot fins fit perfectly... I'd never risk using rental fins that don't fit well)
Mesh bag (difficult to appreciate how useful this is until you don't have one to use)
SMB/reel/whistle

Sometimes bring, sometimes not... just depends:
Regulator (I like my reg... but I don't mind using a rental, as long as I'm breathing)
BCD (I like my BCD... but I don't mind using a rental.)

I usually bring my Gopro and a couple small lights. I left gloves and knife off the list because I don't bother bringing them to Coz. And trying to bring a knife anywhere is impossible if I'm not checking luggage.

That's very similar to my list except that I always rent BC and regulator. I still have checked bags, though.

 

[ontdiver]

The older I get, the more I dread having to haul my gear to far flung places, particularly if I will only be in the water a couple of days. But based on this thread, I will probably be leaving the BCD and wetsuit at home. I too have a full body rash guard that will suppress the ick factor.

 

[DandyDon]

I guess that I've paid for my 40# lift BC once again in luggage fees, maybe thrice, but it's just part of the requirements for me. It's an important piece of life support, I know how it works exactly, know how the parts are (I guess that others like me unscrew the parts for cleaning after trips), I test it before diving, and I trust it.

I got my home bud to go to Cozumel on his first dive trip after he flaked on me for a few, and he tried diving rental gear for a few days with uncomfortable difficulties. Then the worthless group Inst who was supposed to refresh him and another cold-feet diver as well as certify a scared trainee but took them bar hoping mornings instead until I took the two who were at least certified diving with me, so he loaned him his new BC from the college he taught at. I don't know if the scared trainee ever certified or not or if the college students had back home all survived his failures to teach as that was beyond my abilities. The BC's relief valve came off on the first dive. I got him back to the boat tho, and we went over his BC carefully putting it back together. That was a trip from hell, the group leader also leading in bar hopping, three divers leaving in ambulances, etc. '

That story may not directly fit the question, but it's part of why I like my own gear. Beyond that, I'm just not a trusting type anyway.

 

[Hoag]

I guess I'm spoiled.

Both Air Canada and WestJet offer non-stops out of Toronto to many (most???) of the popular Caribbean destinations (including dive destinations). On both airlines, I get up to 3 checked bags for free. I can fit my reg & dive computer into my carry-on and all of my camera gear into a "Pac-Safe" Backpack that is my "personal item".

How much I bring often depends more on how much I feel like dragging through the airport than any other factor.

 

[Jaan]

On both airlines, I get up to 3 checked bags for free.

Some of the travel credit cards give you a free bag or two, and the yearly cost of the card is probably the same as checking a couple of bags if you have to pay. They also come with insurance and other stuff that might make it worthwhile to consider, or at least do the calculation.

We love bringing our gear. I once had a reg that tasted like hotdogs, and wetsuits that smelled. We've had more than a few leaking hoses (and one that burst, fortunately on the surface). When you're in that situation, an extra $40 for a bag of your own stuff seems worthwhile. Like others have said, you know how it works, how it's been maintained, and where everything is. My wife has a carry-on for her camera kit and always wants to have that along too. We've never regretted bringing it as we go through her pictures.

 

[Hoag]

Some of the travel credit cards give you a free bag or two, and the yearly cost of the card is probably the same as checking a couple of bags if you have to pay. They also come with insurance and other stuff that might make it worthwhile to consider, or at least do the calculation.

We love bringing our gear. I once had a reg that tasted like hotdogs, and wetsuits that smelled. We've had more than a few leaking hoses (and one that burst, fortunately on the surface). When you're in that situation, an extra $40 for a bag of your own stuff seems worthwhile. Like others have said, you know how it works, how it's been maintained, and where everything is. My wife has a carry-on for her camera kit and always wants to have that along too. We've never regretted bringing it as we go through her pictures.

I get my 3 free bags on Air Canada and WestJet because I am a vet not because I have any specific credit card. Having said that, I have always been able to get everything into a single roller duffel for my checked luggage.

 

[ReefHound]

The gear maintenance schedule at most tropical destinations seems to be they will fix it when it fails or breaks.

 

[OMyMyOHellYes]

3 adult divers flying Volaris from Ciudad Juarez -> Mexico City -> Cozumel. We are staying at Scuba Club for the first week of April. What is the baggage allowance on Volaris? says we can have 2 carry-on bags each, 22lbs TOTAL weight, 22x16x10. We will use standard size duffle bags, which should come in just under the size restrictions (depending on how you stretch/shape them).

My thoughts on what to bring vs rent:

Neoprene - n/a or Rent - hopefully nobody needs any, my wife might, if so she will rent

Mask - Bring? I'm leaning towards brining, it could be hard to find one that fits well and doesn't have fog issues, and they are pretty small

BCD - Bring -- they are large/bulky, but fairly light weight (Cressi Start Pro x3), but also one of the more expensive items to rent, plus the comfort factor of having your own fit/gear and knowing how it works

Regs/Octo - Bring - critical expensive gear, seems most people bring these. Ours are setup for DIN, I have 2 DIN->Yoke adapters, and should have time to get a 3rd. Including adapters this will add weight, but I think worth bringing anyway.

Dive Computers - Wrist Style - Bring - small, light-weight, and nice to have your personal dive logs.

Fins - Rent - Our Apollo Bio-Fins are pretty large, and they have non-removable spring straps so we would also need to bring or rent booties to use them comfortably.

Dive Light - Rent if Needed - I only have one between the 3 of us, and it is a smaller one. If we do a night dive, will be our first, so I would want a guide/DM to lead us, and would rent/use whatever they recommend.

Compass - Bring - I love my Suunto, so will bring it.

Whistle + Sausage - Bring - Since doing lots of boat dives -- I think we'll have room.

Knife - Bring (kind of) - Good excuse to buy one of those non-knife knifes, since I don't want to try taking a knife-knife to Mexico, not after being harassed/robbed by police in Rocky Point Mexico for a co-worker having a network cable splicing knife tool in his pocket walking outside our hotel (where we were installing a wi-fi network for them).

Camera - Bring - just my small GoPro

Dive Bags/Backpacks - n/a Leave at home - I have two mesh style backpacks that are great for shore diving at home, but for this trip it will either be boat, or a shore that is not a far hike. Plus, without neoprene, there isn't that much to carry.

Tanks + Weights - lol? rent, of course (although we did fly with our weights to Puerto Rico, which I'm glad we did, but that was a month trip with lots of shore diving and US airlines allowing a 55lb checked bag easily/cheap).

Clothes - I was told it is a nudist-friendly place

I've seen other threads similar to this, but don't think I have seen one specific to Cozumel, and I feel this info is site specific (i.e.-need neoprene or not, and what type of rental gear is available on site). There is so much info on Cozumel here though, so I probably just haven't found it yet. Feel free to just point me at existing info and/or delete this post if duplicate and not needed

I am curious about Scuba Club specifically though -- quality and availability of rental gear. Would we be able to rent gear and keep it for the entire week, or have to go through the hassle(?) of returning each day and maybe having to get/learn new gear each day? Or maybe I should rent somewhere else, even though Scuba Club seems like the obvious choice, with the on-site dive shop.

We are just open water divers, using air, and staying above -60 feet elevation except for the rare occasion to chase a mermaid deeper (the cute kind, not that Johnny Depp movie kind).

I bring everything except weights and primary tanks (my cute little 17 ft3 pony bottle I carry with). Usually two of everything except BCD or flippers. In the case of lights, three. Regs I have 4 (three complete sets + Air2).

Because the only thing that will ever end up crapping the bed will be the one thing I didn't bring backup for.

I have no use for neoprene or cameras.

 

[lexvil]

Bring everything, rent nothing (preferred)

or

rent everything, bring nothing.