What gear do you travel with?

[beaverdivers]

This thread is making me want to start packing for a dive trip, but I am not sure when the next one will be.

What if I have to leave suddenly for an unexpected dive trip, NOW?

Wait! I am ready because I never ever un-pack from my lasted dive trip.

 

[rongoodman]

My last trip included both cave and trimix classes. The only way I got away with one checked bag and a (heavy!) carry-on was that my sidemount rig is quite a bit lighter than a BP/W, and it was to Mexico, so I didn't bring a dry suit.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

My wife and I take all equipment except tanks and weights. That includes spare parts and a small tool kit, a first aid kit, and when we are diving on our own, an inflatable dive flag and reel. The only thing I carry on is a prescription mask and camera equipment. We check our gear and have had no problems (except one time for a days delay). Diving with one's own equipment is important to us. We know it fits, works, has been properly maintained, and we are are familiar with its use.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Oldbear]

Since most of my trips are diving trips...I take every thing except weights or tanks. If I am restricted to by major weight or size limits...e.g. a blackhawk helicopter flying out of a warzone, I leave the BCD too.

But if I am on a trip where diving is not the objective, I take those items that are very personal to me. I always take my mask, dive computer and camera with WB housing. These items take up very little room. I have a full beard and it took me a while to find a mask that fits my face, otherwise I am clearing water out of my mask more than looking at crismatic aqua fauna. The camera I would be taking anyways, so the UW housing is not much extra. The dive computer is a nice thing to have and fits in my mask case.

On a trip two years ago, I caught up with my daughter in Florence, Italy after she finished a summer program there. We rented a car and drove around the country. When in Naples, on a whim, we had the opportunity to dive the Roman ruins that sank in to the Naple bay when Mt. Vesuvious erupted...it was a two-dive single-day trip in bewteen cooking school lessons. So you never know when the urge will hit you but it is nice to be ready.

Centro Sub Campi Flegrei -

~Michael~

P.S. Never leave home without your C-Cards.

 

[ffhamm]

My wife and I pack everything, we need to dive including extra mask and fin straps and a spare computer. We only use local lead and tanks.

 

[Shipwreckscanada]

Everything except tanks and weights.

 

[kimbalabala]

+1 more to "everything but tanks and weights". If we are diving where it requires a thicker wetsuit and a bc than can handle the extra weight then we are forced to check baggage - and the fins and bc's get checked (and maybe the wetsuits and boots). But we're planning for a trip next fall that will be warm weather and warm water and hope to pack it all in carryon. We also have found it absolutely necessary to have redundancy with computers. My husband's Cobra died on the first dive of our last trip - he had his Gekko and an analog spg so he was fine.

 

[Doc Harry]

Usually the only thing that I rent are tanks and weights. I always have one 50-pound suitcase with dive gear, one small 30-pound suitcase with clothing and more dive gear, and a carry-on with the camera.

Some places have severe weight restrictions, usually because you fly on very small airplanes. If I have to start leaving gear behind and rent, the first thing I leave behind is my wetsuit. If I need to lose more weight, I leave my mesh dive bag at home. Continuing with the list:
1. Wetsuit
2. Mesh dive bag
3. Dive lights
4. Regulators
5. Fins
6. Camera

You have to decide what's important and what's not so important. I am very particular about my fins because of maneuvering for my photography. So I have to be pretty desperate to reduce my weight to leave my fins behind. Other people are not so picky about their fins. What's right for you?

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

For So Cal trip, I have a full set of gear stashed locally, so I pack my computers (2), mask and light.

For normal travel otherwise, everything but tanks and weights but this requires its own duffel loaded to 49 lbs.

For some business trips where I am tagging on a day of diving and don't want to lug around all my gear, I leave the fins, wetsuit and BC at home. Its not hard to rent and it saves a lot of clean up in the hotel shower, but a few times I have had to contend with gear that does not fit right which degrades the dives a bit.

 

[scubasam1212]

I almost always bring everything but tanks and weights. Dont always trust what resorts have. Will rent a suit everynow and again.