Gear and travel

[Electrishaun]

So the missus and I were having this discussion the other night - she wanted to know why we are taking all our own gear with when going on a dive holiday. (Yes she is not a diver and probs won't ever dive) so I told her all about reliability, being familiar with your own gear etc.

So the question came, how many people actually take all their own gear and how many will rent the gear at the local dive operator?

Would be interesting to know and if you could also indicate what certification you hold as I believe most DM's and Instructors would only use their own gear!!!

Cheers

 

[Nwcid]

We take our own.

 

[BluewaterSail]

Take mine.

 

[fisheater]

Mine. Everything but tanks and weight.

 

[Damselfish]

I take my own, as does pretty much everyone I know. You're going to find most people on this board do, not just instructors/DMs. If they don't, it's mostly newer divers who don't own all their gear yet, and occasionally someone sneaking in just a couple dives as part of a trip that's not primarily for diving. Or the rare person that puts priority on traveling light over having their own stuff that they know and like.

In trying to explain to your wife, perhaps she is involved in an activity that uses some kind of equipment that you could compare this to?

 

[Wandersome]

Everything but tanks, weight ... and regs... looking to buy a new set of regs this year ... old ones died the slow death and are on the wall at the Dive shop I use stateside.... along with my first BCD.

 

[koozemani]

We both take all of own gear, and with a new diver in the family, he will also be hauling his own gear as he acquires it. We're just recreational divers and never having to be concerned with quality, maintenance history or sizing of rental gear are things that won't interfere with our enjoying the diving. We have yet to incur any additional baggage fees so it has never been an issue.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I haul it all and the some.

 

[Stoo]

We take ours... For a couple of years, I stopped taking my BC... I use wings up here, and my "down south" BC was pretty much done... and just rented one. I think it used to cost me about $75 a week, so the payback time wasn't long. In the mean time, "travel BCs" became more common, so I picked one of these up.

As for other gear, I really like having my own stuff. I know it works. I know it's been serviced... I also travel to somewhat remote places where rental gear is limited, if available at all.

Mrs. Stoo and I have openly "coveted" non-divers luggage (or lack thereof) but we also take a certain pride in our ability to pack two 49.999 pound bags!

 

[lmorin]

Bought our own gear and schlepp it precisely to avoid the issues related to renting gear with
expected configuration and unknown service history.