Packing Scuba Euqipment For Air Travel

Bagheera · Jun 4, 2005

When you pack your scuba gear for travel, how much padding do you generally use?

I'm travelling to Egypt in a few months, and I'm bringing my BCD, reg, wetsuit, mask, fins, and snorkel. I can't bring any of that on carry-on. I have to check it all. I don't know how heavily I should pad and protect that gear. Should I get an over-sized suitcase with several inches of foam padding? Should I just wrap the wetsuit around the reg and hope for the best? Any advice?

Simon L · Jun 4, 2005

Bagheera:
When you pack your scuba gear for travel, how much padding do you generally use?

I'm travelling to Egypt in a few months, and I'm bringing my BCD, reg, wetsuit, mask, fins, and snorkel. I can't bring any of that on carry-on. I have to check it all. I don't know how heavily I should pad and protect that gear. Should I get an over-sized suitcase with several inches of foam padding? Should I just wrap the wetsuit around the reg and hope for the best? Any advice?

This is what I do...
Make a sandwich with your fins as the bread, and fold (rather than roll) your wet suit around your tightly coiled regs as the filling. Tie the whole lot tight to stop it falling apart when the mad handlers throw it about the runway. Also tie your regs into a coil with cable ties or something to keep them in a tight bundle with the second stages in the middle of the coil. The fins then act as a hard armour plate for the expensive stuff. Works for me anyways!

Hope it helps!

pt40fathoms · Jun 4, 2005

Pack it with this standard in mind.

**You should be able to lift be bag 1m (3 feet) into the air and drop it on any side onto a solid floor without causing damage to the contents.**

Just about all of your scuba equipment will withstand a light to moderate impact, just make sure that it is cushioned from hitting a hard surface and experiencing a sever impact.

Also check the regulations regarding "life support equipment". You may find that your regulator set can be carried on. If not, and your dive computer is attached to your HP output. Remove just the computer and carry that onboard if you can.

_Bella_ · Jun 4, 2005

I've travelled around the world with my scuba gear in a soft sided Samsonite suitcase. I don't use any additional padding. I pack my fins on the bottom and my husbands on the top and wrap our respective wetsuits (full 3mm) around our regs. It gets far more abuse on dive decks than in transit.

boulderjohn · Jun 4, 2005

First of all, I agree with the idea of putting the fins on the outside as protection. The next thing I figure is that the BCD is pretty tough and will not be injured with anything short of a catastrophe. I lay that down and put loose stuff (like flashlights, etc.) in the "body cavity." I wrap/cover that in wet suits and anything else that looks like padding (mesh bag, bathing suits, etc.) I don't see any reason for extra padding.

MyDiveLog · Jun 4, 2005

I'd recommend wrapping t-shirts, towels, etc. around your breakeable stuff (mask, computer, reg, lights, etc.)

divetahoe · Jun 4, 2005

Bagheera:
I'm travelling to Egypt in a few months, and I'm bringing my BCD, reg, wetsuit, mask, fins, and snorkel. I can't bring any of that on carry-on. I have to check it all.

I'm curious as to why you can't carry your regs on -- security issues? If possible I would carry those, and check the rest. Just my 2 psi.

cfelliot · Jun 4, 2005

I took the advice of a fellow diver and got a Pelican 1650 case. I think that the retail is over $200, but I found one on E-Bay for $115. This baby holds both my wife's and my equipment. Agreed it is heavy, but if the TSA employee can close it after inspection, everything is pretty well protected.

Brian Gilpin · Jun 4, 2005

Bagheera

Whatever you do dont advertise the contents of the bag with scuba stickers or anything else. Make it tough on the thieves!

carldarl · Jun 5, 2005

Use a zip tie to "lock" the zipper closed. If TSA selects your bag to inspect they will cut the tie off for access. (better than cutting off a padlock) Also, put a spare zip tie in an envelope inside with a note written on it. Note = "TSA, if inspecting this bag, please relock it with the enclosed zip tie" That way they will "relock" it for you.

Packing Scuba Euqipment For Air Travel

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