How Do You Carry Your Gear?

Greetings Scubaboard Photographers! -

I hope your Christmas was merry, and you're recovering from your food coma smoothly.

Santa was very good to me this year, and now I have a problem I need to ask your advice on. As you may have figured from the thread title, I need help figuring out how to carry all this stuff, both on a boat and onto a (commercial) plane.

Right now, I have a Canon A720IS and its Canon factory housing, and a Fantasea two-handled arm & clamp light bracket system with Sea & Sea YS-110 strobe and focus/targeting flashlight. Nothing by comparison to what many of you have, but still enough gear to warrant some proper carrying capacity. In addition, it would be nice to be able to take a laptop to the hotel for evening reviews and editing while on a trip.

Should I carry this stuff assembled, or break it down for air travel? If assembled, in what and how do you carry it? Once at the dive destination, what do you suggest as transport/protection for the boat trip or other journey to and from the actual point of entry for the dive? It seems that some padding would be wise, as well as space for a couple of little boxes with batteries, diffusers, filters, lanyards, silicone grease, extra o-rings, lens cloths, extra memory cards, manuals, maybe a hand towel or two, etc., etc... For that matter, what kit do you bring with you on the boat other than the parts that actually go in the water?

I think if I had a DSLR rig, I'd invest in a Pelican case big enough to handle the whole thing, but I don't yet, and apart from being a little shy about springing for the price of such a case, I'm not sure I want or need to commit that much weight and space (I've been reading about divers' hassles with luggage weight restrictions as it is - another big heavy box may not be worth it if I don't need it yet).

I have a Tamrac photo gear backpack that I use for my DSLR stuff topside, and it carries a laptop as well, which makes it a great piece of carry-on, but it won't carry the housing, lights, tray, and arms without taking them apart, and even if I did take them apart, I wouldn't be able to take the DSLR for topside work (which may be OK, but I think I'll feel naked traveling without it).

So, lets assume a dive trip to a destination that requires travel on a commercial airliner, which may or may not have baggage restrictions. What do you take with you, and how do you take it and keep it safe for that flight? Does it go out on the boat in the same bag, or do you repack a separate boat bag instead of the airline bag, as one often does with dive gear?

Thanks in advance for your ideas, and have a Happy New Year!

Something to keep in mind while traveling is baggage weight limits for both check-in and carry-on. International flights originating in the US and Canada usually allow greater baggage limits than flights between other countries. I found that some carriers have weighed both my check-in and carry-on baggage. My experiences told me that hard carry-on cases attracted more attention that soft ones. Hard cases weigh more empty so you start off at a disadvantage. Many foreign carriers allow 20 total kilos of check-in luggage and 8 kilos of carry-on. When taking a trip go online and check each airlines baggage limits in advance so you do not encounter any surprises, such as extreme excess baggage fees.

For flying = I have two Oly cameras, two Oly housings, an Inon strobe and lenses, all of which fit in a small soft case. I also wear a backpack with my laptop in it. I do not give the appearance of having "heavy" or "large" check-in bags. So far so good. The camera case is a scuba regulator case. I put my homemade tray in with my check-in diver gear.

For dive boats = I use a soft beverage cooler with a sponge in part of it that the housing rests on. The cooler insulates the camera from the tropical heat as well as pads the gear. The cooler folds flat and goes in with the check-in dive gear. It is very important that you keep your camera/housing out of the tropical sun.

i also use a soft beverage cooler; both as my carry-on and on the boat.

FYI, Many airlines allow 1 checked bag of sporting equipment to exceed the normal checked limit... Normal limit is like 50 lbs, scuba limit is 70.. and I made it back from mexico at 83 pounds w/ no fees =) just make sure you tell them it's scuba gear when youa re checking the bag...

I don't know particulars for transporting cameras, A hard case seems best. However for scuba gear in general Akona makes excilent gear bags, I have both a mech boat duffle and a roller duffel for going on vacation. I would Highly recomend this brand of bag.

For checked baggage use this --it's relatively light, pretty much indestructable, inexpensive and doesn't attract too much attention: Contico Storage Locker - Wal-Mart

It has wheels and it exactly fits airline checked baggage specs.

Jeff

ScottB:

FYI, Many airlines allow 1 checked bag of sporting equipment to exceed the normal checked limit... Normal limit is like 50 lbs, scuba limit is 70.. and I made it back from mexico at 83 pounds w/ no fees =) just make sure you tell them it's scuba gear when youa re checking the bag...

Click to expand...

Which airlines?

Thanks all -

The soft cooler bag sounds like a good move, and would even allow for a towel and a cold drink in the same bag, if I packed carefully (you know, just to keep the camera gear cool.) It also has the advantage of being a) inconspicuous, and b) cheap!

The hard roller case looks interesting too, as a good answer to the problem of packing a ton of dive gear in general, though its weight may cause the whole package to be heavier than I want. The soft cooler could go inside it, with the sturdier items in it (I don't think I want to trust my actual photo gear to the tender mercies of a ramp rat!:no) Unfortunately, I don't shop at Wal-Mart, but I'll look around and see what it weighs and where else it may be available.

I have a diving duffel for flying already, but I'm not pleased with either its construction or its large dive flag on one end - it was a desperation purchase that I have since thought better of. I have a couple of smaller Akona bags, and I agree they're very well made, but I may end up with something more nondescript for the airline bag (I have a mesh duffel for dive gear on the boat that I'll keep).

Thanks to all for the ideas, and keep 'em coming!

I use 2 pelican 30" cubes for all my traveling both work and diving. They are great. Totally indestructible and I have no problem getting way too much stuff in them

I found that I needed the space and protection of a Pelican/Storm max carryon size case for my camera gear (I actually get it all in there!). I then found a little used dodge which maximizes my carryon potential. They say you can also take a "personal Item" which is a briefcase, purse, book, camera, etc, OR A SMALL BACKPACK! I find I can get my laptop in there, along with my regulator rig, my mask, and various clothing items and towels. It is amazing what you can cram in there, and I have never had an airport screener or door agent look twice at it. I sling it on my back, grab the handle of my roller Pelican case, and off we go. I sometimes have to check the Pelican bag at the door of the smaller planes, and then get it back at the foot of the boarding stairway when we land, but no one has ever said anything about my backpack. Just an idea... Woody