Question about traveling on airlines, luggage-wise

[boulderjohn]

There have been many, many threads on this topic over the years. The consensus is that airline thieves are not after your scuba gear. They can't stuff your BCD in a pocket and walk away unobtrusively, and if they did, the amount of money they could possibly get on eBay or some other market is just not worth the risk. Electronics and jewelry are easy to steal and easy to unload. That's what thieves are targeting.

 

[GrandpaScuba]

Wait, why? Do people steal your stuff or something? I'm going to Cozumel in a few weeks and would love to know why you need to hide it in crappy luggage...

Not crappy, just "normal - non-diver looking."

In the pre-TSA days, they used to recommend that your dive gear go into a normal hard-sided suitcase. Of course, now that hard sided suitcases are available with TSA locks, this might still be good advice.

Stuff a light weight mesh bag in with your gear to carry it in once you are at your destination. If your destination is a live-aboard, don't use a hard sided suitcase.

I pack my dive gear in a softsided standard roller bag like most people use these days and carry a Stahlsac bag like this one: (Stahlsac Bonaire Deluxe Mesh Dry Backpack. (WD16)) to carry my gear at the resort.

 

[NudeDiver]

Another thing to consider - other passengers or non-employees. How fast can you make it from the plane to the bag claim area? What if you have distractions? Hell, what if you need to take a leak? Don't discount the possibility of people hanging out at baggage claim, looking for a tasty bag and bolting for the exit with it. It's very easy to do, even if you're paying attention. Even with security cameras and other things - do you want to put faith in the idea that anyone but you gives a **** about whether or not someone else stole your bag and will expend resources to crack that case? I sure don't.

If I'm a bag thief hanging around in the claim area, guess which bags I am most likely to steal? Hint: not the old, beat up looking ones.

 

[dukeh20]

Posted via Mobile DeviceI use a Dive Caddy and take all my gear on as carry on.

Dive Caddy - The Worlds Smartest Dive Bag System!

I bought two of these at Our World Underwater in Chicago and took them on a cruise this past week. The real upside is being able to get away from any checked bags. At $15-$25 per checked bag, I figure I will recoup the cost of the bags after a few dive trips. With the "turtle" and "spider" packs attached you can pack all your dive gear and enough clothes for a week long dive trip.

They do push the size limits as a carry on bag, but we flew out of Indianapolis on US Airways and back from Tampa on Delta and neither the TSA folks or the airlines said a word. They fit in the over head bins with room to spare.

I really like the peace of mind of knowing that my dive gear is getting to my dive destination when I do.

Check out the videos on their website (Link below) to see how much stuff you can get in these. It is pretty amazing.


Dive Caddy - The Worlds Smartest Dive Bag System!

 

[Abog87]

I've used the Stahlsac Truk Lagoon Traveler $269. It was cheaper on Leisure Pro than direct from Stahlsac. It is the largest bag (to the inch) the airlines will accept without being oversized. My whole gear and clothes fit in just fine (fins, wet suit, masks, BC). I usually pack it to 49 lbs and it has held up just fine on about 8 trips. A little pricey but I think this bag will last for years.

 

[mstrdvr]

I just found a roller bag at a garage sale for $5 large enough for my gear. Aint much , but functional.

 

[humpdog61]

I just attended the 2nd Northwest dive show here in Tacoma,Wa. It was great and it had a lot of great new and old products with updates. There was a new product that I will be buying two one for me nd one for my wife. Iam a big guy and have a cstom drysuit. Chad told me that all my gear will fit and if I have trouble he will hel pme out, even do it locally for me since he is in vancouver,wa just across the river from portland,orIt is called the dive caddy. It is a compressed bad that holds a lot of gear. You carry it on. You can goggle them Dive Caddy.net. Chad has a great product and a even better warranty. Good luck

 

[OceansBlue]

I have a large LLBean wheeled adventure duffle bag. The extra large is too big for most airline requirements. It fits my clothes & my scuba gear. It's lightweight & sturdy, so you can overpack it and still be below the airlines 50lb weight limit.

 

[Tug]

I have a large LLBean wheeled adventure duffle bag. The extra large is too big for most airline requirements.

I travel for work about 2 or 3 times a month and use the XL LL Bean wheeled adventure duffel bag without any problems (except for the occasional overweight fee)

 

[psychocabbage]

We use standard bags here. But we are 5 when we travel so one bag will have a BC and another may have 2 of the smaller ones.. its all spread out pretty good. Clothes and dive lights are all over. The main thing we carry on are the regs and computers.. Its not rocket science but I dont fret about the bag looking trashy either. just standard duffles and Samsonite rollers.