Is it worth it?

[freewillie]

My wife just booked us on a last minute vacation. Literally, she found a vacation package to Paradise Island in the Bahamas the other night that was "too good to pass up." The kids are out of school for the week and as an added bonus the connecting flights will take us near her parent's house and we will be able to spend Thanksgiving day back East with them.

I will only have one day to dive with my daughter. We have booked through an airline credit card to the scuba bag won't be subject to baggage fees. But that is one extra bag and I am only planning one morning 2 tank dive. I'm inclined to take the gear since we can also use the mask and fins to snorkel with the kids as well.

Would you take your gear for just one morning dive or would you go the convenience route and just rent when you arrive?

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Me - I would rent for one day - but that is me - the hassle of packing gear and cleaning for one day is not worth it to me. Going for multiple days I would suggest to bring the gear.

 

[MB NZ]

for one or two dives i'd rent. to be honest though, i've given up on doing dives while on holiday. diving holiday, yes please, but a non-diving holiday with one or two dives thrown in, no. i rarely get what i want and just end up frustrated.

 

[boulderjohn]

For a dive like that, I would rent as well.

 

[Mustard Dave]

If it won't cost you anything, why not take it? Packing a bag can't be any more inconvenient than doing the same for a day's local diving.

 

[Damselfish]

Doesn't have to be all or nothing. For one day I'd rent a BC since that's my biggest thing and the most nuisance to clean and dry. But I'd take my own mask even if it's only for one dive, and my computer since it's small anyway. Reg I might take depending on space. I'd take my mask/fins/snorkel if I think I will be doing some snorkeling. Might take fins anyway, I've never met a pair of rental fins I liked. I'd take one of my lycra dive skins as they take little space and are great for snorkeling - and wear it under a rental shorty if I decided I needed one. I'd leave all the lights, spare parts, and misc stuff I'd take along on a real dive trip.

 

[diversteve]

If you dive with Cove's their rentals are Aqualung Titans, Wave (Jacket) BCD's and Suunto computers - full foot fins also:

Stuart Cove's Rental Equipment Superior Diving and Snorkeling Equipment - Rental Equipment

Water temperature is 78^o currently near there - the buoy is 350NM NE so it might be a little warmer. NDBC - Station 41047

 

[Remy B.]

If if was me, I will pack my mask, regulator and DC, why, rental mask may leak and may not feel right on the face, the regulator if you have a nice breading compensated regulator and you go to a non compensated one well it will be like breading to your octo, it is like a downgrade, the DC, because you already know the bells and wistles of your own and you programed yours as what you like, nothing new to learn, by the other hand the rental DC maybe was programed to a different mixture and they forgot to set it back to the right one that is not the best scenario, I will trust my own stuff before the ones from others no matter how much they serviced specially with so much use as the rentals get

If I go diving with my gear I will enjoy the dive, If I use others equipment it will be always that little bug in your mind, can I trust this equipment ?, it is not conforgable ! etc, ect.

And the wetsuit, who knows who pee what in it, I know they rinse them and put then in the tank but that is about it, I personaly don't use them so It doesn't bother me but I think about all those people releasing thier pee jajajajaja, not nice

 

[00wabbit]

I'd take mask reg and computer in carry-on bag.

Rent the rest.

 

[Rhone Man]

Yeah, for me I don't mind the schlep of carrying gear.

But rinsing it and getting it dry in time for the return flight is the real hassle. Especially the wetsuit.