Packing to travel

[seaangel]

Not sure where this question really should go, so I decided it was a women kind of thing. I am trying to streamline my luggage for travel with my scuba equipment. I am going to be staying at a condo in Maui for a week and am so far looking at carrying one large wheeled duffel bag for clothes and shoes, one Akona wheeled bag for gear, one shoulder duffel bag with miscellaneous items, one expandable carry on and a back pack as my purse. I plan on carrying on the plane my regulator, computer, mask and cameras. Any suggestions, I am open for suggestions on clothing as maybe I should cut down. I try to not have to do laundry as I hate going on a vacation to continue doing housework. I planned shorts and t's for days and either slacks or a sundress for nights. I really don't know what to cut back on.

 

[JeffD]

seangel,

You should do like we do and go on clothing optional dive trips. (See my post in Group Trips) Cuts down on all the clothes you need to pack! Especially on liveaboards.

 

[scubakat]

Seangel, clothes would be my last priority too, though I still prefer to wear them. But like JeffD said, you can dive without 'em :mean:

Lets see... Here's my typical packing list. I take two regular roll-aboard type cases & a duffel, one is expandable.

Large Roll-aboard [checked] [I work out of this bag on deck if on a boat]
* Exposure Suit
* Boots & Fins
* lights & other accesories

Duffel [checked] [goes to my bunk if on a boat]
* Clothes
* Shoes
* Toiletries

Regular roll-aboard [carry-on]
* Regulator
* Mask
* BCD
* A bathing suit, change of clothes, & some toiletries in case my other bags get lost or delayed.
* Snacks

Briefcase [carry-on]
* Laptop
* Camera
* Books & things

I like this setup because I can tow or carry it all by myself (I usually travel alone) and because it is not obvious that I am toting dive-gear.

good luck & have fun! Do you have room for me in a carry-on?

-kate

 

[scubadweeb]

Recently I purchased a new product from Stahlsac & I LOVE IT! It's the Diver's Transporter System W411-B (I know I sound like an advertisement, but it's true, I love it). It is three pcs in one and I was able to pack all of the clothing and bathroom accessories needed as well as my gear and it comes with a very spacious regulator bag. The clothing bag attaches to the front of the gear bag, which is on rollers. The regulator bag attaches to the handle of the gear bag. On my last trip my bag weighed 70lbs and I toted it around airports and boats with ease. I've attached the website for stahlsac if you’re interested. It’s a bit pricey however, I don’t think I’ll need to buy a new bag for many years to come. http://www.stahlsac.com/front.html

 

[seaangel]

Thanks for all the good tips. Sounds like I am headed in the right direction. Doubt could dive with the children around in Jeff's suggested mode. But maybe another time. LOL, don't know if hubbie would approve though unless were to be just us off a desert isle.

 

[Warhammer]

was to lay everything you think you need out, including money. Then put half the clothes back and take double the money. Works pretty well.

My wife packed 2 changes of clothes for each day of recent trip to Hawaii, kinda like your planning. And she only used about half of those and maybe 3 pairs of the 6 pair of shoes she carried. Myself, a couple swimsuits, T-shirts for the dive boat, 1 pair of tennis shoes and sandals, and 1 change of clothes per day is what I usually carry, along with all my dive gear. I always pack my regs, computer, mask, and camera in my carry-on. I pack the rest of my gear in a suitcase that has no resemblance of "dive gear inside" on it. I take a duffle gear bag that I roll up and put inside a suitcase. Then the clothes go in another suitcase. With this setup, I can usually get both my wife's and my gear, along with my clothes, in my alotment of baggage. That leaves her taking nothing but her clothes and she still fills her alotment.

 

[SCUBA_Barge]

I see a lot of mention of not letting it be know that you are carrying dive gear on to planes. Why is this a concern?

Please let a less enlightened soul in on the secret.

 

[scubakat]

Hi ScubaBarge,
I don't want to advertise that I have $2000 of SCUBA gear in my checked bag because I don't want anyone to steal it. My Plain Jane bag is probably less tempting than the ScubaPro bag with Dive flags all over it.

-kate

 

[Warhammer]

What scubakat said plus, Most all airlines now charge you a special handling fee for sporting goods equipment, including scuba gear. Some charge as much as $75 additional both ways. That's ridiculous since it doesn't require any special handling, but they do it anyway. Now that being said, I've never had one to hit me with that fee and I've traveled on several that require it. But I never carry any gear in a marked bag. I had my wife's and my regs, computers, masks, and camera in my carry-on on our recent trip to Hawaii and it got searched in the Memphis airport as we passed through the metal detector. The guy who searched it had no idea what it was, except for the camera, and after I explained it to him, he said no problem and sent us on through. But he wasn't a Delta employee, he was a security guard, so that may be why I didn't get hit with Delta's $75 fee. When we came back, I had no problems at all passing through the detector in Maui.

If nothing else, I suggest that you go to an army surplus store and pick up one of the old green army bags to put your "marked" gear bag inside. That way you'll hide the "scuba gear here" markings on your gear bag. I've never lost a piece of luggage or had one broken in to (knock on wood) but I know several people that have had both happen to them. Better to be safe than sorry. I use one of the large wheeled suitcases to put all the wetsuits, BCs, duffle bags, and etc in. I use one of the small carry-on style wheeled suitcase to put my regs(regs & computers are also in a reg bag for protection), computers, masks, and camera in, that I carry on. But you have to be careful that your bags aren't to big or too heavy, else you'll hit with an oversize/over weight fee.

 

[seaangel]

I plan on carrying my mask, regulator and computer as carry on. I did however purchase the Akona wheeled duffle bag which doesn't have the big dive flags but it is a well know associate with diving. Maybe I should have not spent the money on it but the construction material seemed a bit stronger than that of most luggage duffel bags, I know the zippers are heavier duty than my luggage duffle bag. I hope to make it through without an extra charge but if I have to will pay it.