What Gear to take on a Plane Trip

[Buoyant1]

Depending upon where I'm going, I've shipped some gear. If the final destination has a UPS store, you can always ship directly to the store and pick it up there. I've shipped to the UPS store in Key Largo (right next to Divers Direct) with no problems at all. I'd rather have UPS responsible for getting my stuff there than the gorilla's some of the airlines employ!

But when I do take it with me, I'm like most others, I carry my regs, camera, and computer on the plane (AND my log book and cards!) and put mostly everything else in luggage.

 

[dkktsunami]

When planning a trip on a plane, what gear do you take with you and what gear are you reluctant to leave home? What gear do you keep in your carry-on bag?

I take all of my dive gear in a carry on (with exception of small pony bottle). This would include wing and ss plate, fins, wetsuit, regs and computer, booties and gloves. Would rather have my clothing lost or abused than my dive gear. I learned this on a trip to Dominica when my dive gear was lost, traveled to countries where I have never been, and was returned to the local airport the day I left. This necessitated the use of rental gear and resulted in my only cesa to date, due to reg literally falling apart in my mouth. (I was shallow - 20' or so - and opted for the air that I knew would be there rather than fiddling with octo in dubious condition).

 

[Garrobo]

I take everything except tanks and weights. Nothing in carry on.

 

[Mortis65]

I check BC, Fins, wetsuit, snorkel, compass, save a dive kit, and etc. Basicly anything I'm willing to rent.

I carry on Mask, Computer and regs. Basicly anything I'm unwilling to rent.

I rent tanks and weights.

 

[Guba]

Yup, take it all but tanks and weights (but I do carry an unloaded weightbelt...just in case).

Cameras, one reg set, and computer go in the carryon.

Note: my video camera is in a home-built housing. That can be a problem because when it passes through an x-ray machine at the airport it looks surprisingly like a pipe bomb! That gets me the little red ticket marking me for "additional screening" every time. I've gotten used to standing barefoot in the little sniffer booth with my pockets turned out while watching the security people going over my housing with their little wands.

so be careful what you carry on...

 

[sdorn]

I've done one dive trip so far, and it was on a cruise ship, so we had to carry our gear on and off the plane, on and off the ship (both at port and when we docked in the Bahamas). We carried everything with us except tanks and weights. We checked everything as we hate carry-on suitcases and anyone that brings them on a plane.

They should make everyone with a carry-on suitcase check the size against the size-wise things they have, and then completely refuse boarding to anyone that brings a suitcase that won't fit. Send them right back home and ruin their whole trip so they won't do it again.

Dealing with checked luggage is a pain, but once you have to check one bag you may as well check everything. I've had bags misplaced before, but they always find their way home.

Now that I've read this thread, and have ordered regulator bags, I think we'll start carrying our regulators/computers on with us as they can go in our backpacks with the laptop and other gadgets.

 

[DiveMaven]

We travel to dive so:

Carry on: Regs, computers, camera, strobe, Netbook (to download and view photos)
Checked: Everything else (except tanks and weights)

 

[rongoodman]

Regulators, computers, mask, and can light in carry on, check everything else. I always bring my SS plate, the weighted STA goes if I have room(makes trimming out easy in salt water with aluminum tanks).

 

[vondo]

I do what most seem to do here. Carry on regs, computer, camera, and mask. (Seems most check their mask?) I'll sometimes carry on lights more to keep the weight down than because I'm afraid of losing them.

 

[ScubaTerp]

For my trip next year I plan on bringing pretty much everything except weights and tanks. If you're doing enough dives then the cost of an additional checked bag is less than the cost of renting equipment, and then you know what gear you're using.

Don't forget you're allowed two carry-ons; a backpack and a traditional checked luggage suitcase. My plan is to put my fragile gear (regs, dive comp, laptop, possibly mask) in the backpack stowed in the seat ahead of me, and the tougher stuff (spare clothes, wetsuit) in the stowed carry-on. Please don't be a jerk and carry a suitcase that's bigger than permitted.

Also don't forget that dive gear looks suspicious. Make sure ALL of your luggage (checked or carry-on) is well organized so that if inspected it's easy to look at. Clear plastic baggies are your friend.