Packing for Diving Trip

[Mulliganx]

Hey all, we are taking our first diving trip and wondering about packing.

Do you all generally throw all of your gear in your luggage with insurance on it?

Dive fins, wet suit, respirator, mask, etc. I was wondering if there were rules about bringing anything on carry on..

Thanks

 

[Craig66]

On the departure leg I carry pretty much EVERYTHING aside from fins and booties in my carry on. Wetsuit included. Its tight but I get it all in. The main reason is that if my luggage is lost I have everything I need to dive without having my vacation messed. On the return leg I will usually put my backplate into checked luggage along with fins and damp wet suit. I usually take insurance and so I am covered on average to about $1500 and so I am less concerned about things getting lost on the return flight.

I have never had an issue with TSA although occasionally out of Newark they are mystified by the contents - as in they want to get to know the contents of my bag a lot better - never an issue though.

 

[diversteve]

I carry on anything expensive, breakable or possibly affected by pressure. For me that's my regulators, computer, primary mask, one of my lights and video gear. Still have room for a couple changes of clothes etc. also. My video housing always gets stopped/sniffed - thick aluminum box with wires going into it... - I don't think they can see into it very well with the scanner.

Much of my diving is liveaboard so there's no time to replace those items at my destination b4 we sail.

Carry-on is fins, BCD, backup mask, boots, backup light and all my misc. junk. So far I've never had anything delayed except on a non-dive cruise and my bag was forwarded on to our stop the next day.

Obviously don't try to carry-on a knife. Although shears seem to be OK from what I've read. Mine are clipped to my BC so go checked.

 

[Pyro_]

On my current trip was able to fit everything into a duffle bag and carry it onto the plane. The bag is a little over the size limit for length but just fits into the overhead fine

 

[DukeAMO]

Every time we take our regulators/octos in our carry-on luggage, they want to hand search those bags. Just allow the extra few minutes for that.

This may be painfully obvious, but don't take tanks (illegal) or weights (heavy) on a plane. Just rent them at your destination.

We hate travelling with lots of carry on luggage, so we usually just carry on the regulators/octos, computers, and cameras, and check the rest.

Also, it's a good idea to check your dive gear in nondescript luggage, so it won't attract attention. An extra large hockey bag does the trick nicely, because it holds a ton of stuff (enough for 2 people), it's long enough for fins and wetsuits to fit easily, and it has wheels, shoulder straps, and hand straps.

Sometimes we just rent wetsuits at our destination, so we don't have to deal with bulky, wet wetsuits.

 

[oldschoolto]

Packing for Bonaire right now.... Wife and I both dive.. In one normal large suitcase I pack BC's , fins , spare parts and masks... plus wet suit/ skins up to the 50 lbs limit... Then in one carry on bag goes the reg's , masks , go pro and computer all wrapped in t- shirts ... Anything I don't fit in the main dive bag goes in the clothing suit case.. I like to make up a check list of what is in what bag... Makes packing easyer on the return trip..

Jim

 

[uncfnp]

Heading to dive destination I pack anything I consider critical for my trip in the carryon. For me, this is pretty much all my basic dive gear, a change of clothes and a toothbrush. If it's too heavy, I leave off the toothbrush. It all fits in a duffle bag.

Coming back, all but the BP/W and reg set gets checked. So far, no issues with security.

 

[00wabbit]

I carry on Regs and Computers.

 

[Colliam7]

Do you all generally throw all of your gear in your luggage with insurance on it? Dive fins, wet suit, respirator, mask, etc. I was wondering if there were rules about bringing anything on carry on..

I generally check everything I can. The exceptions:

I carry on my dive computers, and my camera.

I also carry my steel backplate in the laptop slot in my backpack to reduce / manage my 'checked bag' weight. Any small, but weighty items - such as a DIN to yoke adapter, also goes in my backpack.

I travel with soft dive luggage (a duffel bag), but have never had a problem with gear damage from crush weight. (I put my masks in the foot pockets of my fins, regulators are in a padded bag in the duffel, lights are wrapped in my wetsuit.) I also have not had a significant problem with lost luggage (other than a 12 hour delay one time, that was a minor inconvenience). Others have. Maybe, next time my luck will run out.

 

[victor]

Carry necessities, Dive computer, camera, strobes, batteries and chargers, PC, mask, regs, BCD if it fits
Pack, BCD if necessary, Wet suit, dive skin, minimal clothes, travel towel, save a dive kit.
Do you need your fins, they are a pain to pack maybe means you pack boots, etc.